The Hudson Valley Center for Veteran Reintegration is an organization governed by a President, volunteer Board of Directors and volunteers. We work in partnership with many organizations to provide Veterans the services they need. Our mission is Reintegration through Purpose, Dignity, Respect, and Honor. Our board brings many assets that assist in accomplishing our mission.
Daniel Gagnon
President
Dan started his accounting career working on tax returns and general business financial operations. He later expanded the practice to include personal financial planning to better service all clients. Dan has transitioned to retirement after over 50 years of serving clients and has joined the team at SCORE to assist new businesses and entrepreneurs to making their ideas a successful reality. Dan earned a Bachelors of Arts in Accounting from Sienna College in 1963. He retired from the Army in 1986 as an LTC. Dan lives in Stone Ridge with his wife Marge. He enjoys watching football, playing golf with the ROMEOS, and spending time with his grandchildren.
Ellen Pendegar
Vice President
MS, RN, retired in November 2020 after serving as CEO of the Mental Health Association in Ulster County, Inc. (MHA) for over 20 years. In the CEO role, she was able to lead MHA’s work in providing advocacy, education & programming to help each person reach their optimal mental health. She was able to focus efforts on suicide prevention and the needs of people dealing with serious mental health challenges. Doing this work has provided her with the opportunity to experience the strength of the human spirit & to witness resilience despite major obstacles. This resilience has enriched her life and strengthens her hope for the future.
Dr. Ann M. Marrott
Vice President of Partnerships & Development
Ann is a strong advocate for community. She served SUNY Ulster for 28 years, retiring as Senior Vice President in 2018. She is a trustee on the Ulster Savings Bank Board, an institution she has served since 1998. Her prior experience includes working for Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation in employee relations and for the New Jersey-based Prudential Insurance Company of America in health promotion and disease prevention. A graduate of SUNY Ulster, she obtained her bachelor’s degree from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in journalism, her master’s degree from Iowa State University in health communications and her doctorate in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College.
Jillian Nadiak-Bruck
Secretary
Jillian Nadiak-Bruck is the sister of a U.S. Army veteran who lost his life to PTSD and an opioid addiction that began due to an injury sustained during his service in the Middle East on April 1, 2016. After moving through the initial stages of grief, she has learned to kick grief, PTSD, opioid addiction, and other issues facing our veterans in the butt by serving veterans like her brother. Since April 2017, she has raised over $35,000 for a scholarship in his name at SUNY Ulster which goes towards students who are pursuing careers that will enable them to help our veterans.
After meeting HVNCVR’s co-founder, Kevin, through the SUNY Ulster Foundation, she joined the board in 2019 and now serves as secretary to the Board and as a facilitator for the Center’s Warrior Writer’s program.
Mary Mendola
Vice President Public relations
Amazing how life sometimes brings us back to where we’ve been before. My lifelong career as a professional writer began in 1962 when I joined the Women’s Army Corps and was trained as an Information Specialist—a news writer. After a short assignment in California, I was reassigned to Germany in 1963—as the PFC editor of a base newspaper and writer for Army Times and Stars & Stripes, 1963-1965. Fast forward 57 years, during which time I worked as a corporate writer. Simultaneously, I somehow wandered into academia where I then spent 30 years as a college professor teaching what I’d been doing my whole life—writing. COVID came along in 2020, and I opted out of the zoom classroom. But retirement wasn’t an option for me! Now in 2021, I happily find myself back in the ranks again—as a writer for HVNCVR. I’ve been “reintegrated” back into where I began, the service. I’ve joined an army of veterans who are committed to serving other veterans. What could be better than being with your “peeps” again and rekindling all those bonds that initially brought and always bring us together. I guess once a vet, always a vet!
Travis Rask
Treasurer
Travis is a senior accountant at Gagnon & Associates CPA’s in Kingston New York. Travis has been with the firm since 2013. His responsibilities include personal, business, and not for profits tax returns as well as being the lead auditor. He also does bookkeeping, payroll, and sales tax returns. Travis earned his Associate’s Degree in Business from SUNY Ulster and went on to complete his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Siena College in Loudonville, New York. In addition to being the treasurer for HVNCVR, Travis is a member of the Kingston Parks and Recreation Commission and currently serves on Ulster County’s Reapportionment Commission. He is the Past Chair of the Young Ulster Professionals and was the recipient of the Emerging Leader of Ulster County Award in 2018.
Kevin Keaveny
Co-founder & Executive Director
Passionate for Veterans, a mentor and advocate. Prefers action over words.
Veteran and student pursuing his MSW.