Board of Directors
Kathleen Dooley
Interim President
Kathleen works as a freelance Japanese-to-English translator, specializing in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. She has an M.A. and M.Phil. in modern Japanese literature from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University. She and her husband, George Lytle, reside in Kinderhook, New York, where they have had a home for almost a decade, and in New York City. She shares her homes with pugs and cats and has two horses, Kapitaine and Prahlhans. Kathleen is devoted to clicker training for all her animals and trains and competes with her pugs in obedience, agility, and conformation. She hones her skills in clicker training for horses through clinics and conferences. Kathleen has been a member of the High and Mighty Board since 2017.
Matthew Paul
Treasurer
Matthew works as an Investment Banker, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. He received his J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law, and his M.B.A from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. His wife, Amparo, has been a volunteer at High & Mighty since 2017. Matthew and Amparo, along with their dogs, split their time between Manhattan and Hudson, New York. Matthew has been a member of the High and Mighty Board since 2021.
Denise Stier
Secretary
We welcomed Denise to the board early in 2019 to manage our public relations. Denise is responsible for promoting all of our High & Mighty events by contacting local radio, newspapers, magazines, online sources and other publications. Because her daughter is one of our beloved participants, Denise has a close connection with the High & Mighty mission. She hopes her place on the board will help her to contribute to our mission so that others can have the same experience of inclusion and love that her daughter receives. For the past seventeen years, Denise and her family have owned and operate a convenience store/deli and a deli/catering business in Ulster County. When she is not busy keeping up the High & Mighty public image or assisting with the two family businesses, Denise enjoys spending time with her family, reading and going for walks. Denise is grateful for all she has in life and appreciates the opportunity to serve on the High & Mighty board.
Joseph Ackiewicz
Joe Ackiewicz joined the High & Mighty team in 2017. He lives in North Chatham with his wife and two daughters, two dogs, two cats and three horses. He has a degree in accounting from Lehigh University, where he put himself through college on a football scholarship. He then went on to get his MBA from Fordham University while living and working in NYC. He loves skiing and hiking and the Columbia County community. He is currently the Director of Securities Lending for Bank of America, but his true passion is microbrewery beer and pizza! On Saturdays you will find him at Old Klaverack Brewery, where he is part owner, working his wood-fired pizza oven.
Daniel Farrell
Daniel Farrell joined the High & Mighty board in 2021. He is a senior investment analyst at Vanguard, where he provides investment management services to nonprofit clients. He helps nonprofits determine appropriate asset allocations, develop investment policy statements, and set appropriate spending policies. Types of nonprofits served include industry associations, religious institutions, colleges and universities, and private foundations, among other organizations. Dan hopes to use his experience serving nonprofits to help High & Mighty continue to make positive impacts on the community. Dan was first introduced to the High & Mighty herd in 2012, and has since volunteered at various H&M events over the years including Kick Up Your Heels, Mane Event, and Caroling to the Horses. Dan lives in Philadelphia with his wife Reba and young daughter Madeline, though they take frequent trips to the Hudson valley to visit Madeline’s grandparents. He enjoys skiing, golfing, biking, and spending time outdoors. Dan grew up in northern New Jersey and attended University of Richmond for his undergraduate degree, and University of Utah for his Master’s degree.
Meryl Corsun
Meryl joined the High & Mighty board in 2022. An avid equestrian, she has been involved with therapeutic horseback riding for many years and currently volunteers with the Veterans program as well as special events. She recently returned to the Hudson Valley after living in Syracuse, NY where she met her husband, Kevin, and attended SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry for a bachelors degree in environmental science and later Syracuse University for an MBA. She works for her family’s manufacturing business in supply chain and corporate sustainability. Meryl can often be found at High & Mighty visiting her horse, Lucky, with her children, Leander and Rose, and dog, Lily, in tow.
Susan M. Tanner DVM
Sue is originally from Indianapolis, IN and is a graduate of Purdue University. She moved to Columbia County in 1989 and opened Wood Hill Veterinary Clinic, where she practiced equine and mixed veterinary medicine. Sue is retired now and enjoys spending time with her dogs and horses, and spending part of the year in Aiken, SC. She also is Veterinary Advisor to Lucky Wildlife Rehabilitation, on the Finance Committee of the North Chatham Free Library, the Treasurer of the Chatham Dirt Road Coalition, and is on the Grant Writing Committee of Neighbors of Northern Columbia County.
Adam Laszewski
Adam works in private credit in New York City. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University in 2011 and MBA from the University of Michigan in 2017. At one time he was a ranked USTA college tennis player, although self-admittedly, is slowly declining. Adam attained his private pilot’s license in 2022 and enjoys flying in his spare time. A Green Bay Packers fan, he has been an owner since 2011. He lives in NYC with his fiancée, Lana, also a High & Mighty board member since 2022.
Elizabeth Bruckner
Lizzy joined the board in August 2023. Lizzy worked as a special education teacher for students with complex learning, medical and communication challenges for over 10 years. She spent many summers working at a summer camp for children with special health care needs in Charlottesville, VA. She graduated from Boston College in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and again in 2016 with her Master’s Degree in special education. She currently stays home with her two young sons and lives in Burlington, MA.
Adam R. Nelson, JD
Adam joined the board in 2023. He is a partner in the Corporate Division of Proskauer. He lives in New York City with his wife Alison, and their daughter Daphne.
Lana Ji
Lana works for an airline in corporate strategy. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 2011 and her MBA also from Michigan in 2017 and is a certified scrum master. Lana enjoys cooking and traveling in her spare time, and was once accidentally featured in an international ad campaign for a (rival) airline. Her other adventures include biking down a volcano and swimming with sharks. She is fluent in Mandarin. She lives in NYC with her fiancé, Adam, also a High & Mighty board member since 2022.