Ramsay Adams, Executive Director
Ramsay is engaged in all aspects of Mountainkeeper’s work, including shaping programs and campaigns, guiding the team, and cultivating strong relationships with allies and strategic partners in the Catskills and across NY State. He is a member of NY State's Catskills Strategic Planning Advisory Group, which is charged with protecting the Catskill Park's natural resources while making sure the growing number of Park visitors have a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive experience. Ramsay sits on the Advisory Board of Hudson Riverkeeper, serves as a Trustee of the Catskills Fly Fishing Museum, and is a founding partner in the Catskill Brewery, which produces craft beer in a green building awarded the US Green Building Council’s LEED Gold Certification. He's also a film and television music supervisor, author, and educator. Ramsay received a BA in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and he lives with his wife and kids in the beautiful Sullivan County Catskills, where his family's history is many generations deep.
Wes Gillingham, Associate Director
As Mountainkeeper’s co-founder and Associate Director, Wes helps develop the strategic thrust of our programs and coordinates collaborative efforts working with regional, state, and national partners on Extreme Energy Extraction and fossil fuel infrastructure fights. Dedicated to pushing New York into a Just Transition away from fossil fuels he has personally lived off the electric grid for over 30 years and serves on the advisory board of the Center for Earth Ethics. From 1996 to 2007 Wes and his wife ran a 150-member Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) vegetable operation and during that time he also served on the Board of Directors for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY. Prior to farming, Wes served as an Acting Director of Field Programs for the National Audubon Society Expedition Institute, teaching graduate and undergraduate environmental education throughout North America and also worked as a Park Ranger for the National Park Service. Although graduating from the University of Maine his real education comes from his extensive experiences in rural and wilderness America. Growing up learning about the interaction of humans and natural world here in Catskills and leading educational trips throughout the U.S give him a real-world grounding that few people in today’s society have.
Kathleen Nolan, Senior Research Director
Kathleen Nolan, MD, MSL, is Mountainkeeper’s Senior Research Director working out of our Woodstock, NY office and focusing on issues related to the health impacts of fracking and fossil fuel infrastructure, in addition to spearheading our work in the Catskills High Peaks region. Kathy majored in philosophy and theology at Saint Louis University and graduated with honors, going on to pursue a Medical Degree, along with a Masters of Studies in Law, from Yale. Following a residency in pediatrics and fellowship training in clinical research design, Kathy worked at the Hastings Center, writing and teaching on diverse topics in bioethics, before coming to the Catskills in 1989 to pursue residential training at a Zen Buddhist monastery. In 2003 Kathy became Executive Director of Tibet Aid in Woodstock and in 2009 founded Catskills Live! Trails and Wilderness Association. In 2011 Kathy joined Mountainkeeper’s staff and cofounded Concerned Health Professionals of New York. Kathy was elected to the Ulster County Legislature in 2017 and in 2021 and since 2019 has served as the President of the Board of Samadhi Center Inc., a mindfulness-based recovery outreach center in Kingston NY. Kathy volunteers with several area nonprofit organizations, including the Catskill Heritage Alliance and the Shandaken Community Gardens, and she is the volunteer Board President of the New York Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Beth Scullion, Chief Operating Officer
Beth oversees all of Mountainkeeper’s administrative and operational needs; she manages Board relations and compliance issues, handles finances ranging from bookkeeping to grant reporting, maintains donor databases, oversees correspondence and mailings, manages the organizational calendar, ensures compliance for fiscal sponsor grants, and coordinates office management and upkeep. A life-long resident of the Catskills, Beth attended both Sullivan County Community College and SUNY New Paltz, majoring in early education. She joined Mountainkeeper in 2007 after working for several years in the commercial insurance industry.
Taylor Jaffe, Environmental Justice Program Associate
Serving as a Program Associate, Taylor Jaffe is reimagining and renewing Mountainkeeper’s role in Environmental Justice issues in the Catskills. From transportation access to understanding the distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, Taylor brings a community-focused lens to her work. Before working for Mountainkeeper, Taylor graduated with a BA from Colgate University, with Honors in Political Science. In addition to environmental justice work, Taylor lives and works on Snowdance Farm with her family, and enjoys writing and performing music.
Eugene Thalmann, Food and Agricultural Advisor
Eugene Thalmann, MS, CNS, CDN, is Mountainkeeper’s Food and Agricultural Advisor, managing the Liberty Farmers’ Market and following changes to NYS agricultural policy. He is also vice-president for the Callicoon Farmers’ Market board, serves on the Sullivan County Cornell Cooperative Extension program advisor committee, and sits on the board of the Catskills Food Hub. Eugene is a NYS licensed Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, with a MS in Nutritional Science from SUNY Buffalo; when he’s not busy running the farmers’ market, he’s growing chemical-free fruits & veggies on Sprouting Dreams Farm, and helping people understand the role diet and lifestyle plays in improving health and well-being.
Patricia Cronin, Development Director
Patricia Cronin, CFRE, MPA (she/her) has over 17 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising for environmental advocacy, immigrant and labor rights, disability justice, and other social justice causes. As the Development Director at Catskill Mountainkeeper, she helps people channel their passion for and commitment to a sustainable and equitable Catskills region. In 2021 Patricia received her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification, the gold standard in ethical fundraising. She holds a BA with a double major in English and Sociology from Binghamton University and an MPA with a concentration in nonprofit management from SUNY Albany. Raised in the Hudson Valley, Patricia resides in Saugerties with her family and dog, Owney. When Patricia is not meeting with Mountainkeeper's fantastic supporters, she enjoys introducing her 2-year-old to the wonders of living in the Catskills, reading, and checking out her local farmer's market.
Lenny Miret, Stewardship Coordinator
