Wendy Gilman
Treasurer
SUNY Cobleskill

Ms. Gilman earned an S.B. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Operations Research and Statistics from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her early career included stints as a high school math teacher, procurement analyst for the federal government, and consulting work with small businesses and school districts. Ms. Gilman began working in public higher education in 1994 as a budget analyst at SUNY System Administration, and rose to Assistant Vice Chancellor for Budget, Policy, and Analysis. Ms. Gilman joined SUNY Cobleskill in 2016 as the Vice President for Business and Finance. Along with financial management responsibilities, her role includes oversight of the Cobleskill Auxiliary Services Corporation, internal controls, risk management, and sponsored program grant administration. She was a parent member of the Woodland Hill Montessori School Board of Trustees from 2012-2018, including two years as treasurer, and rejoined the board in January 2021 as a community member. She has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce board since September 2020. 

Kimberly Garcia
Secretary
Upstate NY Water Treatment

Kimberly Garcia is the co-owner and CEO of Upstate NY Water Treatment, a residential water treatment company based in Sloansville.  She is also a Product Manager for a large industrial boiler manufacturer based in the Midwest and has over 20 years of experience in the power generation industry.   

Kimberly holds a BS in Marine Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy as well as an MS in Operations and Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University. She also served six years in the Massachusetts Air National Guard. 

Born and raised in Massachusetts, New York has recently become her new home state and she enjoys spending time with her Fiance and co-Owner of Upstate NY Water Treatment, Donny Greene as well as their four children. 

Cassandra Mae Harrington
Visit Schoharie County

Cassandra is the president and CEO of Destination Marketing Corporation, the nonprofit organization contracted by both Schoharie and Otsego Counties for the purpose of encouraging overnight visitation, thus contributing to the economic impact of tourism in our communities through the generation of occupancy taxes. This organization manages the content on VisitSchoharieCounty.com and the corresponding Facebook and Instagram accounts. Cassandra has a diverse marketing background, as former director of America’s First Wine Trail, along Cayuga Lake, New York. Prior to that, she was the Membership Development Manager at the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce.

Miss Harrington currently serves on the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is involved in the Young Professionals Network. She volunteers at the Susquehanna SPCA on available lunch breaks and has falling in love with the Central New York region. She strongly believes in cultivating a place where people want to visit, thus creating a place where people want to live, and simultaneously creating a place where people want to work and do business. 

Dwayne Illsley 

Dwayne Illsley is the president of Building Environment Service Technicians (BEST), and has been serving Schoharie County and surrounding areas for 15 years. Dwayne and his team of technicians have helped the folks of Schoharie County restore damaged homes and businesses in the aftermath of hurricane Irene and other localized disasters. Dwayne is a New York State Licensed Mold Remediation Contractor. He’s also certified with the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) for Water Damage Restoration, Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration, and Applied Microbial Remediation. Dwayne has been an active Schoharie County Chamber member for 10 years, and is a member of the Schoharie County Business Generators Group, where he serves on the membership committee. He is also an active member of the St. Johnsville Chamber of Commerce.

Jessica Kirby
Board member
New York Power Authority

Jessica Kirby is the Community Relations Supervisor for the NY Power Authority Blenheim- Gilboa Visitors Center and Lansing Manor.  From 2012 to 2019, she was the Managing Director of Apple Barrel Country Store & Café.  Prior to that, Jessica has been a Cruise Sales Consultant at Cruise.co.uk and Banking Advisor for Halifax Bank in Redditch, England.

Jessica was born and raised in Schoharie County.  She is a 2000 graduate of Schoharie High School and attended Keuka College in the Finger Lakes.  She has spent 10 years living in California and England before returning to Schoharie in 2012.  She is a dual British American citizen.

Community involvement is extremely important to Jessica.  Besides being on the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors she is also on the Board of Directors for Schoharie Valley Association and President of the Reflections Memorial Foundation.  Jessica has previously been a committee member for NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program, and member of the SALT PR & Marketing Committee, Schoharie Alliance, and Schoharie County Business Generators Group, as well as, an EMT Aide for Scho- Wright Ambulance.

Justin Hamm
Schoharie County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Inc.

I have been the Executive Director of the Schoharie County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (SCCASA) since March of 2020. SCCASA is a community based, non-profit organization that specializes in addiction prevention as well as providing recovery supports to individuals and their families who are living with a substance use disorder. I have worked in this field for almost 10 years, starting off as a school-based Prevention Educator in Delaware County. As addiction rates continue to rise my desire is to raise awareness about how recovery from addiction is possible and there are many resources locally that can help. 

In my spare time I am a coach at Middleburgh Central School district. I am a varsity boys’ assistant soccer coach as well as one of the co-head coaches of the JV boys’ basketball team. Having grown up in Amsterdam, my mother’s family hails from South Jefferson, so I spent much of life visiting family and making friends in the great Schoharie County. I look forward to serving on the Board. 

Julie Soard
First New York FCU

I am currently the Branch Manager of the Cobleskill Branch at First New York FCU. I have been with the credit union for over 14 years, and have over 22 years of experience in the banking field. I attended SUNY Cobleskill and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. I was born and raised in Schoharie County and have lived in the town of Middleburgh for the past 13 years with my husband and two children

Kimberly Witkowski

Mohamed Baligh
SUNY Cobleskill

Mohamed is a marketing professional with over 10 years of experience in Digital and Online Marketing. He focuses on up-to-date trends and techniques in various fields ranging from higher education to small businesses & start-ups. Mohamed has volunteered with the Chamber over the past 5 years and he has presented different Social Media  & Digital Marketing workshops over the years. 

Walt Silva
Schoharie Mohawk Initiative for Science and Technology (SMIST)

Walt grew up in Massachusetts and received his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his Master’s degree in Computer Science from Union College.  For over 20 years, he’s been involved in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program; originally working at Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. and then at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory (Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory site), where he currently works as an Engineering Manager.  Prior to his current career, Walt served in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve as a Lieutenant Commander.  He is active in the community previously serving on the Duanesburg Little League and Youth Soccer Boards of Directors and the Duanesburg YMCA Advisory Council. Walt is also the founder and current President of the Schoharie Mohawk Initiative for Science and Technology, a non-profit organization whose mission is expose students in grades K-12 to science, technology, engineering, agriculture, arts, and math. Walt lives in Delanson with his two daughters.