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 & Interim Treasurer
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.
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!
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.
Board Member
Sharon Toney-Finch
Sharon is a disabled US Army Combat Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient, an HVNCVR Board member, and the Founder and Chairman of the Board of YIT Foundation. She is a passionate and open-minded individual supported by a team of incredible and committed individuals prepared to harness all their strength, capabilities and skills to catapult this charitable organization to fulfill its tremendous vision.
Jeanie Scott
Board Member
Jeanie served 35 years with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), retiring as Director, Informatics Patient Safety in Oct 2021. During her work with VA, she advocated for safer Veteran healthcare by improving clinical information systems and quality standards for health information technology. Jeanie was raised in Ulster County. She obtained a Bachelor of Science from Albany College of Pharmacy in medical laboratory technology, her master’s from College of St. Scholastica in health informatics, and is a fellow in American Medical Informatics Association. She is active in her local food pantry in Rensselaer County and 4H program, and enjoys outdoor activities to achieve personal best.
Kevin Keaveny
Co-founder & Executive Director
Passionate for Veterans, a mentor and advocate. Prefers action over words.
Veteran and student pursuing his MSW.