Welcome New Board Members
Shere Abbott is an environmental scientist with graduate training in natural resource policy from the Yale School on the Environment. She’s spent nearly 40 years shaping national and international sustainability science and policy, working in academia, government, non-profits and international organizations. In 2011, she and her family (including two daughters and cats, and now a dog) moved to Central New York for jobs at Syracuse University. They landed in Cazenovia and found home! Having served as Willow Bank Yacht Club Vice Commodore during the pandemic, she hopes for another, hopefully healthy, “all hands on deck” experience in Caz—connecting nature preservation locally with sustainability globally.
Katherine Huftalen is very excited to join the CPF board. She and her husband Rich have lived in Cazenovia for over twenty years, and have raised their four children on Hurd St., enjoying all that village life has to offer. Katherine has a master’s degree in Elementary Education and is currently a math interventionist at Burton Street Elementary School. She loves the outdoors and being in nature all four seasons of the year—especially hiking with her two labradors along the beautiful trails of Cazenovia. She is happy to be a part of an organization that puts such high value on preserving these local gems.
Susan Light holds a doctorate in literature and has spent much of her professional life working in academic departments and administrative offices. After moving to Cazenovia with her husband Eric Olson in 2003, she served on the boards of CazCares, Project Cafe, the Cazenovia Forum, Willow Bank Yacht Club, and the Village of Cazenovia. She currently serves as the vice president on the board of the Cazenovia Public Library and works as the inaugural executive director of CazArts. A regular hiker and cross-country skier on the CPF trail system, Susan is also an ADK 46er, an avid knitter, and a mediocre Laser sailor. CPF’s programs, events, and public trails have played an important role in her life and she looks forward to working with the CPF team.
Susie Michael works at Colgate University as an Off-Campus Study Advisor & Operations Manager. Susie grew up in Cazenovia and moved away after college only to return 22 years later to raise her two children and be closer to family. She has previously served on the Cazenovia Forum and Cazenovia Public Library boards and currently is a member of the CazCares board. She has thoroughly enjoyed all of the CPF trails whether walking, bike riding or cross-country skiing on them and would like to be on the board to help preserve them for our community.