The Board of Trustees is responsible for the policy direction of Russell Sage College and its educational and administrative organization, as required by law. The institutional authority of the Board is paramount in all matters affecting Russell Sage College. Specifically the Board provides oversight of all fiduciary and policy matters, and is responsible for hiring and evaluating the President.

Board of Trustees 2024-2025

Matthew Shaftel
President
Russell Sage College
Troy, NY

John Bennett, MD
President and CEO
CDPHP
Albany, NY

Therese Bentley ‘82
Managing Partner
Moose Meadows Properties, LLC
Elverson, PA

Judith Campisi ’80 (Vice Chair)
Senior Director of Corporate Relations/
Workplace Giving Consultant (Retired)
American Heart Association
Wilton, Connecticut

Christopher C. Dahl
President Emeritus
State University of New York at Geneseo
Ann Arbor, MI

Caroline Leavitt DeCota ‘84 (Chair)
Vice President (Retired)
Managed Markets at Smith & Nephew Biotherapeutic
North Attleboro, MA

Kathryn Diamond ‘60
Assistant to the Chairman of the Board (Retired)
Natus Medical
San Francisco, CA

Julia Greenstein-Bleicher ‘78
Founder
Life Science Advisors
Newton, MA

Catherine Hill
Founder and Acting Partner
CooperHill
Loudonville, NY

Belinda Hilton ’97
Director of Finance
The Business Council of New York State, Inc.
Guilderland, NY

Alexandra Jupin ’67, ’65
President
The Arts Group
Sarasota, FL

James Kellerhouse ’98, ‘96
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Hartwick College
Albany, NY

Jeff Mirel
Executive Vice President
The Rosenblum Companies
Albany, NY

Nicole Newman, ’91
Assistant Principal
North Albany Middle School, City School District of Albany
Rensselaer, NY

Chester J. Opalka
Retired
Albany Molecular Research, Inc.
Averill Park, NY

Ebony Pompey-Conway ’02, ’99
Strategic Programs Manager
Key Technology Operation Services
Troy, NY

Stacey Rowland
General Counsel
Genting Americas Inc.
Cohoes, NY

Ronnye Shamam, ’64
President/Owner
Shamron Mills, Ltd.
Troy, NY

Albert Szesnat, ’03, ’05
Chief Financial Officer
Center for Internet Security
Latham, NY

Patricia Timpano Sparrell ‘78
Global Manager Process & Optimization Engineering (Retired)
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Oakton, VA

Robin Livingston Taubin ‘74
Attorney (Retired)
New York, NY

Nancy Valley
Retired
KPMG LLP
Wynantskill, NY

Christine Werner Ward ‘71 (Secretary)
State Archivist & CEO (Retired)
New York Archives Partnership Trust
New York State
Troy, NY

Benita Zahn
Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Capital Cardiology
Producer & Host of Health Beat
WNYT
Clifton Park, NY

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