About Us | website

ONYA Board 2025

Sue Raymond

President

Sue Raymond is a retired physical education teacher from Rush-Henrietta. Sue joined ONYA when she learned about ONYA’s mission. Having been involved with girls with low self-esteem and troubled lives, she felt that it was important to support programs that provided an escape from such situations which ONYA’s grants do. Sue feels very fortunate that she came from a loving, supportive family where she was the oldest of seven children. While things weren’t always easy for her family, Sue learned what caring and support can accomplish and felt that by being part of ONYA she could help change the lives of girls and women in the area.

Barb Hamlin

Vice President

Barb Hamlin represented Ward 1 Alderman - Common Council City of Canandaigua, NY January 1976 to December 1987, is a Athena award winner for her volunteer work, won a PBS distinguished underwriting award for the largest contribution to a local PBS station production in 1991, was Wood Library Association - Member and President from 2002 - 2012, Awarded “Most Valuable Trustee of the Year” in 2012 by the Pioneer Library System and led a $4 million capital campaign, has been on the NY State Library Council - appointed to 5 year term by the NY State Department of Education, was a member of the Finger Lakes Community College Board of Trustees. Served as Vice-Chair of the Board (2016-17); currently serves as Secretary.

Currently on the Presidents Council for the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Western Lakes Land Trust . Chapter - co-chair / first-ever capital campaign. George Ewing Forum - founding member of board and currently serving as fundraising advisor, Lakeland Rovers - hiking group member since 2003.

Has been a former board member of the Genesee Fund for Women. Is a long time member and contributor of: Granger Homestead Society, Ontario Historical Society, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Lake Music Festival, The Feminist Press - housed at CUNY, former board member, FLTV - local community access television station, former board member.

Owned and operated seasonal women’s clothing business
Canandaigua Montessori School - co-founder - community's first and only Montessori School.

Professional Experience
Philanthropic Advising - fundraising consulting company 2002 - 2004
Garth Fagan Dance (Rochester, NY)
Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)
National Wildlife Refuge Association, Washington, DC
Finger Lakes Land Trust - Ithaca, NY
Foundation for the Future (Seattle, WA)
Director, Foundation and Government Underwriting - Thirteen/WNET NY
Flagship station of the PBS television system and major producer of national programs, i.e. Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, etc. Funders included: The Lilly Endowment, National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Carnegie Corporation, William T. Grant, MacArthur, Alfred P. Sloan, and Ford Foundations
Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations - National Audubon Society
Associate Director of Institutional Gifts - Metropolitan Opera Association
Director of Marketing/Development - N. Virginia Public Television
Director of Community Support - WXXI Public Broadcasting
Director of Development - Arts for Greater Rochester
Development Director - Bristol Valley Productions

Cheryl Angelidis

Secretary

Cheryl Angelidis was born and raised in Gorham, NY. She spent her adult life working in public accounting in Rochester and moved back to Canandaigua upon her retirement. Cheryl is an avid reader and loves crafts. Cheryl and her husband, Gene, enjoy the Canandaigua Yacht Club and spending time with their daughter, Cate, and their pets. They loved traveling before Covid and hope to return as soon as possible to visiting Europe and the USA again.

She is very active in Literacy Volunteers of Ontario Yates Counties. She served as Secretary/Treasurer with Rochester Youth Hockey League for 15 years and volunteered with the Rochester Yacht Club.

Sue O'Connor

Treasurer

Suzanne O’Connor has lived in Canandaigua since 2013. Starting her career in public accounting in Rochester, she moved into the oil & gas industry, banking and finance. She then spent 14 years working for a not-for-profit business incubator as its finance director until her retirement at the end of 2018. As finance director, she was responsible for accounting and reporting, facilities maintenance, technology, and HR functions. From 2015 through 2023 she was a board trustee at Wood Library Association, serving as treasurer for eight of those years.

CA Basketball Photos (10 x 8 in) (6 x 4 in) (10).png

Jennifer Alessi

Bio in progress

Maggie Atkins

Maggie Atkins has resided in Ontario County since 1986.
Maggie, along with her husband, Neil, both retired engineers, have been active in community affairs for many years. Maggie has served on several boards over the years – including Canandaigua Yacht Club, Canandaigua Community Sailing, YMCA, NY Association of Conservation Districts, Ontario County Soil & Water Conservation District, East Shore Association of Canandaigua Lake, and the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Task Force. Maggie also served as Gorham Town Supervisor and on various town and county committees.

Maggie currently serves on the Boards of ONYA and The George M. Ewing Canandaigua Forum.
Maggie enjoys the Finger Lakes area and all it has to offer. She is pleased to rejoin the ONYA Board and help with the developmental needs of women and girls in Ontario and Yates Counties.

Maggie Bringewatt

Maggie is a community volunteer who serves on numerous non-profit governing Boards and Advisory Committees, with a focus on housing and senior services. Maggie has over 40 years experience in the development, financing and management of affordable housing, in the public, non-profit and for-profit sectors. In addition, Maggie has broad experience in organizational strategic planning and governance. Maggie resides in Canandaigua with her husband.

CA Basketball Photos (10 x 8 in) (6 x 4 in) (9).png

Dr. Deb Gregory

Deb is originally from the Finger Lakes region, having grown up on a farm on the outskirts of Gorham, NY. Upon receiving her teaching certificate, she relocated to downstate New York where she taught for 9 years before going into school administration. Working her way up the administrative ladder, she retired in 2009 as an Assistant Superintendent of Schools.

After retiring from the NYS public school system, Deb, now with her husband, Pete, returned to live in the Finger Lakes region in 2010. Retirement was short lived as she assumed the role of Program Director for the BS in Organizational Management and the MSM in Business Management at Keuka College in the fall of 2011. She was active in this position until July 2021. After a 6-month consultant role as General Education Coordinator at the Northeast College of Health Sciences in Seneca Falls, NY, she decided to embrace retirement and enjoy travel and leisure.

Deb has been active in the Canandaigua community in different ways. She served as Vice President of the Towne Harbour Island HOA Board for several years; was active as a docent at Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion for 5 years; and served as a Board Trustee on the Wood Library Board for 9 years.

Her strengths lie in strategic planning with a focus on systems thinking. Deb’s interest in helping/serving the women/girls of our area is rooted in her many years of experience in working with students from kindergarten through to the Master’s degree level of college.

Peggy Kane

Peggy Kane was born and raised in Southern Connecticut. After college I moved to São Paulo, Brazil teaching and counseling at the American School. During those years I was able to travel thru much of South America. I also taught in Lisbon Portugal and again, was lucky to travel through much of Europe. Upon my return to the States I worked at SUNY Colleges as a Professor and College Therapist. In 1982 I married Dr. Peter Kane and we lived and worked in Brockport raising four step-children.

In 1996 we moved to Canandaigua and were busy ever since volunteering for many community, political, and church organizations as well as traveling the world, living in St. Croix and Belize, and along the way caring for two teenage granddaughters as well as my aged and ailing parents.
When we moved to CanandaiguaI it was evident that social services, particularly for women and girls were poor or non existent. Thus, a group of local women (Jane Baker, Terri Hall, Lauree Hersche Meyer, Linda Martin, Barbara Hamlin, Adrienne Kantz, Sue Rea, Gail Furst, and myself)) contacted the Women’s Foundation of Genesee Valley to learn what they were doing for women and girls in a Five county area. Ultimately , we created the Ontario Yates Fund for Women with specific focus on grant funding to programs for women and girls in Ontario and Yates Counties. We began with $600.00 and with the generosity of so many people, 25 years later ONYA’s grants have touched the lives of literally thousands of women and girls.

I am so grateful to be a part of ONYA and am excited to see where ONYA will go in the next 25 years.

Nancy Stelnyk

I have been a resident of Ontario County for 50 years, living in my present home in the City of Canandaigua for 40 years. I have one daughter (having brought her up as a single mom during all her school years, so I know how hard it is for women to support a family and what they need to achieve that important job). I have one granddaughter and 3 step-granddaughters and 4 step-great granddaughters. We truly are a blended family. I have worked in law firms as a legal assistant for the past 40 years. My volunteer experiences are past Junior League of Rochester member and board member, Past board members for The Granger Homestead, Canandaigua Lake Pure Waters and the Canandaigua Family YMCA (serving as president). I am presently involved with the Rotary Club of Canandaigua, just completing my year as President. I hold many committee positions with our Club and the District. After being divorced and remarried; then widowed, I am enjoying my life with my family, traveling, gardening and my pets, dog Ivy and cat Gloria. I’m very proud to be associated with ONYA.

Stacy Taylor

I have had a business life that has included many great opportunities. I was in banking for 20
years, holding many different positions, including Manager, Director and Vice President. My
management experience in the banking arena includes claims processors, IT staff and
bookkeeping staff.

After banking, I worked as a Manager and a Director at Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield. My experience at Excellus includes managing auditors, project managers, provider management
and vendor oversight for the division. While working at Excellus, I was formally trained in
project management, strategic planning and received my Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma.

My non-work life experience includes Board Chair of Gleaners Community Kitchen in Canandaigua and a Board member for The George Ewing Forum.

Dr. Carol Urbaitis

Dr. Carol Urbaitis joined Finger Lakes Community College in 1991 and has served in Student Affairs and Enrollment Management leadership roles, currently as Vice President of Enrollment Management since September 2008.

Carol currently serves as the Chair of the FLCC Association Board of Directors, as well as Vice Chair of the Geneva 2030 Executive Board and is a member of the Thompson Health Care Guild Board of Directors, serving as Chair of the Scholarship Committee. She previously served as the Vice President of the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators (NABCA) and Northeast Regional Coordinator of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). Carol is a past recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service and the Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce Women of Distinction Award.

Carol earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Communication from SUNY Brockport, a Master of Science in Education in College Student Development from Alfred University, and a Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College.