News
GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK — Tri-County United Way is excited to announce the appointment of several distinguished leaders to its Governing Board and Executive Committee. These community leaders will guide the organization in its mission to strengthen communities and improve lives throughout the Tri-County service area, which includes Warren, Washington, and Northern Saratoga Counties.
Michael Jacobs, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Arrow Financial Corporation, has been appointed as the new Board Chair. Mr. Jacobs brings a wealth of experience and innovative thinking to the role, succeeding Liza Ochsendorf, Director at The Warren County Department of Workforce Development, who has served with great dedication.
Lottie Jameson, Director of Compliance & Risk Management at SUNY Adirondack, will continue her vital role as Vice Chair Elect. Kristine Orr, Superintendent of South Glens Falls School District, will serve as Secretary, while Brian Corcoran of The Post Star remains as Treasurer.
In addition to these leadership positions, Tri-County United Way is pleased to welcome several new board members:
- Scott Brown – Director & PI Operations Underwriting, Northeast Region at Travelers
- Lauren Cygan – Executive Director at Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area
- Rebecca Evansky – Executive Director at The Wellness Collaborative of New York Independent Practice Association (WCNY-IPA)
- Tom Lyons – Director of Volunteer Services & Amanda’s House at Glens Falls Hospital
- Amanda Metzger – Strategic Advisor at Behan Communications
- Taylor Myers – Communications and Events Manager at Six Flags Great Escape
Meet Our Newest Board Members Below:
Scott Brown is a Lake George resident employed by Travelers for the past 17 years and is a current member of the local leadership team as a Director of Underwriting for the Northeast Region. He is actively engaged in fostering opportunities to support the community in which we are privileged to live and has been a member of the Tri-County United Way Community Investment Committee for the past two years, as well as a member of the 518 Day Working Group. Brown has a passion for creating a sustainable future for underrepresented populations and is actively engaged with his church as it relates to a variety of organizations including Hope for Kenya, Village of Hope and Hearts That Hear. Brown and his wife, Becky, and son, Remy, are often found attending various events in the area (big fans of Chicken Wing Fest and Take a Bite) and also enjoy the beach, experiencing new restaurants and traveling internationally with France up next on their list.
Lauren Cygan is the Executive Director of the Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area. A graduate of Rutgers University, Cygan started her career as a Middle School Special Education Teacher and Clinical Test Administrator. She later bridged her passion for teaching with her personal focus on health and wellness, becoming an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Professional. Her experiences in corporate, commercial, and community wellness, in concert with her background as a small business owner, are deeply rooted in a community-first perspective. She has always found profound personal purpose in volunteering and service, and believes fervently in the purpose and impact of non-profits serving the region. Cygan looks forward to being able to bring her background, experience, and passion to this opportunity with the Tri-County United Way.
Rebecca Evansky is a licensed social worker and Executive Director of the Wellness Collaborative of New York. She has worked as a compassionate advocate for special victims and supported human services for her entire career. Evansky loves presenting and collaborating to advance an understanding of trauma informed practices, working on behavioral and population health initiatives, and fostering collaborative partnerships in our community. In addition to being a dedicated volunteer for The Domestic Violence Project, a Tri-County United Way supported member agency, you can find her on the weekends at the local dog rescue walking dogs.
Tom Lyons, MBA is an experienced human services professional with over two decades of operational leadership experience in several capacities within the healthcare industry. Lyons diverse experience across the healthcare continuum has spanned sales, marketing, community relations and development and executive multi-departmental management. As the Director of Volunteer Services and Amanda’s House at Glens Falls Hospital, he has worked to build upon a long legacy of volunteerism at Glens Falls Hospital through reinvigorating the program in a meaningful and contemporary way post-pandemic. The addition of new and returning volunteers, musicians, and a robust therapy dog program has served to brighten the patient, employee, and visitor experience. Passionate about relationship building and customer service, Lyons takes great pride in assisting volunteers in their mission to help others in a purposeful way, ensuring the experience is a positive one for volunteers, staff, and patients alike. Tom is thrilled to be returning to the Tri-County United Way Board after previously serving for six years. In addition to his role on the TCUW Board, Lyons also serves on the Board of the Hudson Mohawk Area Health Education Center, and volunteers for Therapy Dogs International. Lyons resides in Glens Falls with his wife and their rescue dog Walter who proudly serves on the Therapy Dog Team at Glens Falls Hospital. He also enjoys traveling, photography, and cheering on the New York Mets.
Amanda Metzger is a mother, writer, and marketer based in Upstate New York, passionate about using visual elements and storytelling to create resonant narratives. With nearly a decade of experience in digital marketing, she has helped businesses enhance their social media engagement and connect effectively with customers. Metzger led the marketing efforts for the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau for seven years, navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the evolving marketing landscape. She is now a marketing and communications consultant as well as a strategic advisor with Behan Communications, content coordinator for Lake George Living Magazine, and writer and assistant editor of Endless Summer Quarterly, The Beach Boys Publication of Record. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University at Albany and was an award-winning journalist, recognized with multiple Associated Press awards and the New York State Federation of Lake Associations Media Award. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys outdoor activities near the water and in the woods, along with reading, writing, and playing the violin. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Lake George Land Conservancy, is a member of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation, and every year helps raise funds for Angel Names Association in memory of her first daughter, Aurora, who was stillborn.
Taylor Myers is the Communications and Events Manager at Six Flags Entertainment Corporation in Queensbury, New York, where Myers manages strategic public relations plans and fosters community relationships. With over a decade of experience in communications and family entertainment, Myers has successfully overseen a variety of public relations responsibilities from promoting a new roller coaster and coordinating in-game sports experiences, to managing media outreach and crisis communications. Previously, Myers held roles at Harlem Globetrotters and American Orthotics and Prosthetics, building cross-functional experience in sales, marketing communications and community relations. A graduate of SUNY Empire State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Economics, Myers is actively involved in the community as a member of the Tri-County United Way Community Investment Committee and the Board of Directors for the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council.
To learn more about United Way of Tri-County United Way’s leadership click here. For questions or comments about this news alert, please contact Laura Jensen, Director Community Engagement, at (518) 793-3136.
About Tri-County United Way: Tri-County United Way is an organization dedicated to helping people. We work to improve lives and make a positive impact in our communities by raising resources, both monetary and volunteer. We strive to do this through collaboration with others, encouraging volunteerism, and resolving community problems through identifying and communicating our community’s priority issues.