Community Conversations
Perseverance, Second Acts and Resilience after Loss or Change.
We all find ourselves at a crossroads eventually.
When we face times of upheaval, it can be hard to navigate how to get from point A to point B. The choices we face can feel overwhelming. We can feel frozen or unsure where to start.
We will hear from three inspiring community members who have agreed to share their stories about resilience, second acts, and perseverance.
Featuring Sara Quartiers, Rodney Allen Bentley, and Lauren Arena
Wednesday, June 21, 7 p.m.
Free to attend
333 Glen Street, Second Floor, Glens Falls, NY 12801
Sara Quartiers
Sara Quartiers has been a special education teacher in the South Glens Falls School District for the past 23 years. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1999 and earned her Master’s Degree in 2002 from SUNY Albany. She holds certifications in Elementary Ed K-6, Special Ed PreK – Grade 12, Social Studies 7-12 and is a Literacy Specialist for students Birth – Grade 12. She spent 14 years as an adjunct lecturer for the branch campus at SUNY Plattsburgh, teaching graduate courses in literacy instruction. She has hosted a summer reading program for local students for the past 27 years.
Sara is the Founder/President of Project: Cameron’s Story, a 501 c3 not for profit children’s charity (November 2009). She was a recipient of The Post Star “20 Under 40” award for her work in the not for profit community. She also serves as a board member for Glens Falls Community Theater.
Most importantly, she is the proud mom to Schuyler (16), Cameron, and Liam (11). Sara currently resides in Glens Falls.
Rodney Allen Bentley
Rodney Allen Bentley is a native of the area and an artist based in Glens Falls. He shares the life changing moment he would become a professional artist following a severe traumatic brain injury. Not only was the the brain injury severe but the loss of a lengthy corporate career, homes, friends and daily life weighed heavy on him. His brain injury guided him to speech and language therapy, cognitive therapy, occupational therapy, emotional therapy and unfortunately alcohol abuse and incarceration. The recovery process is lifetime and he has learned that disabilities can blossom to unknown abilities as reflected though his creativity. He knows he is extremely blessed to use his creative ability to help heal as well as a positive voice to those experiencing massive catastrophes and those disabled.
His livelihood as a freelance commissioned artist allows him to partner with local companies such as Adirondack Trust headquartered in Saratoga and Glen Street Associates LLC headquartered in Glens Falls. Adirondack Trust is a pillar of the banking community and also provides mortgages to many new homeowners. The heartfelt lifetime gift provided to new homeowners includes a charcoal and pastel rendering of their new family home. Glen Street Associates LLC is specialized in restoring memorable, generational and historical architecture. He provides creative community service by assisting in the planning, designing and restoration of the historical properties all complimented and enhanced with charcoal, pencil and pastel.
He enjoys the comforts of biking along the Hudson River and reading much about local history as well as spirituality. Creating Holiday themed art work, personalized pet portraits and landscapes are some of his favorites. His website shares a small portion of his work as well as more detail of his story...www.rodneyallenbentley.com
Lauren Arena
Lauren Arena is a 2023 Magna Cum Laude graduate of SUNY Adirondack with an AAS in Media Arts. She was Vice President of their chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She was on the Dean’s list for four semesters and on the President’s list for her final semester. She was named to PTK’s All-State Academic Team and earned PTK’s Academic Achievement for a Non-Traditional Student award. She also received the Web Design/Multimedia Student of the Year award from SUNY Adirondack. Lauren will attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in the Fall to pursue a BFA in Graphic Design.
Lauren is an award-winning wheelchair ballroom dancer, a certified dance therapy teacher, and was Ms. Wheelchair New York 2020.
Out of nowhere, Lauren had a grand mal seizure on her tenth birthday. That day would begin a journey that would shape her into the person she is today. Over a short period of time, she went from being an active child to becoming bedbound, unable to speak clearly or swallow without choking. In November 2014, she was diagnosed with a very rare epileptic condition known as MEAK(Myoclonic Epilepsy and Ataxia due to KCNC1 mutation), which causes constant involuntary twitches of muscles and sometimes seizures. She is one of 20 known cases worldwide and the first one diagnosed in the United States. There is currently no cure or treatment for the condition. Since her diagnosis, Lauren has become a mentor to several others who are newly diagnosed, she started the Lauren Arena Fund for MEAK Research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. To date, she has raised over $25,000, which directly supported the generation of a mouse model of the disease and led to a $2.5 million grant from the NIH. Both are being used to develop novel treatments.
Lauren refuses to let the condition diminish her spirit and determination. She lives every day with grace, dignity, strong faith, and a sense of humor. Lauren’s motto has become “Dream Big, Work Hard, Inspire Others.” She hopes to be a role model and inspire others to never give up on their dreams.
FAIL!
Conversations about Lessons Learned on the Road to Success
Every success story has failure behind it, yet most of us fear it. Let’s reframe failure as courage and as a vital opportunity for growth.
Featuring Carrie Woerner, Jim Siplon, Mark Frost, Tay Fisher, Christian Weber and Kate Austin
Thursday, May 11, 7 p.m.
Found Bridge asked successful people from many fields to join us in a conversation about setbacks and failures they had experienced on their path to growth. Join us for an engaging panel discussion from leaders in athletics, arts, business, journalism, and politics.
Past Events
Carrie Woerner
Carrie Woerner represents the 113th Assembly District, including portions of Saratoga, Washington and Warren counties. She was first elected in 2014. Public service is a second career for Carrie, following thirty years working in the software and services industry.
In the Assembly, Carrie advocates for common-sense policy making and is focused on the needs small businesses and farms, ensuring an affordable transition to strengthening public schools and protecting the traditions, heritage and culture of Saratoga, Washington and Warren counties.
Now in her fifth term, Assemblywoman Woerner is the Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Libraries and Educational Technology. She is a member of the Assembly Standing Committees on Agriculture, Local Governments, Racing and Wagering, Small Business and Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development committees, as well as a member of Joint Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, the Legislative Sportsman’s Caucus and serves as first vice chair of the Bipartisan Legislative Women’s Caucus.
Over her first eight years in office, Woerner has authored significant pieces of legislation positively impacting the people and businesses in her district and across New York State. Examples of her legislative accomplishments include the New York Textile Act to grow the sustainable textile production supply chain across upstate New York, a law to improve healthcare delivery by allowing air ambulances to carry blood and initiate transfusions, a law creating a dedicated Opioid Fund from the proceeds of the opioid lawsuits, a law expanding the successful state historic rehabilitation tax credit program to support small building rehab projects, a law easing requirements for in-classroom continuing education for insurance agents, a law creating the Upper Hudson Wine Trail, and a law to reduce license fees for seasonal restaurants/bars.
Prior to her election to the New York State Legislature, she was elected Round Lake Village Trustee for three terms. As a local official, Woerner was a champion of fiscal responsibility and worked to control spending and reduce the tax burden on Round Lake residents each year in office. She also served as an appointed member on the Town of Malta Planning Board from 2008-2014.
Woerner earned her undergraduate degree from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and her MBA from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California.
Carrie Woerner is currently a member the Board of Directors of the Saratoga Center for the Family and has served on the Saratoga Arts Board of Directors.
Mark Frost
Mark Frost was born and raised in Glens Falls and began his newspaper career as an eighth-grader covering sports for the Glens Falls Times. He graduated from Wesleyan University with High Honors in 1972 and from the University of Maryland School of Law with honor in 1978. He wrote for The Post-Star, the Baltimore Sun and the City Paper in Baltimore, then was a newsman/commentator for WWSC radio in Glens Falls. In 1980 he launched The Chronicle on a $1700 investment. It will publish its 2,000th issue on June 8. Mark and his wife Sandra Hutchinson have two sons. Sandra and son Zander are key members of The Chronicle staff. Son Max in 2020 co-founded Rocanews, "one of the world’s fastest-growing media companies."
Tay Fisher
Professional basketball player, community builder, husband, father, and philanthropist Tay Fisher was born and raised in Kingston, NY. A graduate of Kingston High School, his legacy looms large not only as the player with the most single-game points (61), but as a beacon of possibility for others. His KHS accomplishments led him to a full athletic scholarship at Siena College where he earned a BA in Psychology and played on the school’s Basketball team. While there, he was recognized as Most Improved Player (2006), Defensive Player of the Year (2007), and Rev. Benjamin Kuhn’s Student-Athlete of the Year (2008). In his senior year, Siena won the competitive MAAC tournament and made an appearance in the NCAA tournament, upsetting Vanderbilt in the first round.
After graduating college, he was drafted by The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters. While part of the team he was given the nickname ‘Firefly’ for the way he lit up the court with his shooting, dribbling, and infectious smile. As a Globetrotter, Fisher traveled to over 70 countries bringing athleticism and entertainment to youth, fans, and US military personnel. In his years on the team, Fisher appeared regularly on CNN, ESPN, the Oprah Network, as well as youth programs Stomp and GoNoodle to promote healthy, active living.
Committed to inspiring future generations, he pursued a Master’s in Education at the College of Saint Rose - while still playing for the Globetrotters. Despite the rigorous touring schedule and course load, he graduated magna cum laude. His unique perspective and encouragement of cultural exchange was recognized with a Dr. Huey C. Bogan Award for Creativity in Teaching.
After an impressive ten-year career with the Globetrotters, Fisher retired in 2019 to focus on his family. He met his wife Yasmin back in their undergraduate days at Siena College, where she works as the Director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). Her role demonstrates their shared commitment to helping others achieve their dreams, by providing support to students who may typically face academic or financial limitations. After their son Durand was diagnosed with Epilepsy, they became advocates for the disease raising awareness and funds so that other parents wouldn’t feel alone.
After pivoting on the court of life, Fisher has continued to find routes for assisting others. Over the past 18 years he has developed a range of programs to build basketball mechanics, as well as leadership, work ethic, sportsmanship, and self-confidence. These include leagues, clinics, trainings, Tay Fisher’s Fundamental Basketball Camp, Fisher’s Fight 4 the Cure breast cancer fundraiser, and T-A-Y, an anti-bullying curriculum. He recently established Team Vibes, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) traveling basketball team, to bring youth together from a range of communities between Kingston and the Capital Region. Throughout these initiatives and public speaking engagements, Fisher brings the hard work that made him famous, the world perspective gleaned from globe-trotting, and the community-mindedness that brought him back home.
Jim Siplon
Jim Siplon is the CEO and President of the Economic Development Corporation of Warren County. Prior to this role, Jim was the founding COO of Just Water, building its operations and establishing the business in Warren County. He is the past Managing Director of Fiji Water, the founder of water innovation company RethinkH2o and a past executive with MCI, GE and Teleflora. Jim was an officer in the US Air Force for more than eight years leading space related work after graduating from Utah State University with a degree in astrophysics. He also holds an MBA from Boston University. Jim lives in Glens Falls with his wife Susan, rescue dog Ruby and visits his two adult daughters in North Carolina as often as he can.
Christian Weber
Christian is the son in the father/son team. His craft beer journey began in 2005 as a home brewer in college, which led to an apprenticeship at a brewery in New Hampshire during grad school. After a few years heading an environmental nonprofit, Christian returned to his roots to fulfill his dream of opening Common Roots Brewing Company with his father, Bert. Christian is the President at CRBC, and heads business development, in addition to running the day to day operations of the business. Christian and Bert also co-founded the Common Roots Foundation which is a 501c(3) nonprofit and charitable organization dedicated to giving back to the community.
Kate Austin
Born and raised in Killington, Vermont, Kate resides in Glens Falls, New York, with her dog Sasha and her three kiddos Henry, Daniel and Elizabeth.
Kate is known in Glens Falls for her creative advocacy. She’s co-founder and administrator of the Arts District of Glens Falls and was interim director of the World Awareness Children’s Museum, manager of The Shirt Factory Arts & Healing Center, president of NorthCountryARTS, arts calendar editor for the Glens Falls Chronicle, and board member of Art in the Public Eye. She was one of the Post-Star’s 20 under 40 in 2019.
Kate has delivered her sought-after Marketing for the 21st Century talk at SUNY Adirondack numerous times, and gave her Developing Your Brand seminar for the Small Business Development Center at the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce, for the Adirondack Business Development Partnership at SUNY Adirondack’s Regional Higher Education Center, and at the Shirt Factory’s LocalFest. Kate was also part of a panel on Branding for Nonprofits at LARAC, and has offered workshops on WordPress and web design at LARAC in years past.