BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mark Kurtz, President
For nearly 30 years Mark Kurtz has been providing Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and the Adirondack region with outstanding fine art, commercial and event photography. Mark's gallery of fine art black & white photography, located in downtown Saranac Lake, boasts hundreds of hand-made prints and also serves as basecamp for his commercial and event photography services. He received a BFA from Alfred University and has taught photography in high school, college and workshop environments. Mark is one of the founding members of the Adirondack Artist's Guild and Saranac Lake ArtWorks and is widely recognized as one of the Adirondack region's preeminent artists.
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Jill Michalsky
Jill Serrano Michalsky, originally from Pennsylvania, has called the scenic North Country her home for five years now. From a tender age, Jill has been deeply embedded in the arts, both performing professionally and nurturing the next generation of talent as a mentor to young dancers. An arts administration extraordinaire, Jill has an impressive portfolio, having worked with esteemed organizations such as Battery Dance NYC, Baryshnikov Arts Center NYC, and Greenspace NYC, where she helped to curate dance shows of all genres. She is also a co-founder and a vibrant performer at AbunDANCE Company, LatticeWorks Dance and Stranger's in the Park; a performance group based here in the North Country. A proud dog mom, Jill holds a Bachelors degree from Slippery Rock University. Jill's dedication to the arts and her community shines through her myriad contributions and continuous passion for dance and theater.
Lisa Meissner
Lisa joined the BluSeed Board in October 2022. She has enjoyed BluSeed since its inception –especially attending live concerts surrounded by innovative art. It’s a unique experience. Lisa comes to the board with a special interest in supporting live music in BluSeed’s intimate space. She also serves on the Board on the “Pickin and Singin Gathering” a folk music organization based in the Albany, NY region.
Lisa moved to the area in the fall of 1980. Her children attended Saranac Lake schools. They lived in Coreys from the fall of 1981 to 2019. They bucked retirement trends by moving 15 miles northeast to Saranac Lake. She is a retired clinical social worker who had the privilege of developing and running an innovative music therapy program at North Star Day Program for 15 years. She also taught nursery school for 6 years when her children were little. Lisa is a songwriter with her husband Klaus performs new and traditionally informed music as the Rustic Riders. They have recorded 4 CD’s of new music with Dan Duggan. They provide song writing workshops with children and youth, memory cafes for people with dementia and their caregivers and concerts for families and adults across the North Country and beyond.
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Katherine Levin-Lau
Katherine Levin Lau is represented by Walter Bischoff Galerie, Stuttgart. Her recent solo exhibitions include shows in Mexico and Germany. She was born in Saranac Lake, New York, and currently splits time between Saranac Lake and San Jose, California. She has been an Artist in Residence at Bluseed Studios since the early 2000's. For more information, visit https://katherinelevinlau.com/
Jen Ward
Treasurer
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I was born and raised in the Adirondacks, growing up in Port Kent, NY. My accounting career started with Adirondack Community Action Programs in 2004 as an Account Clerk and then later as the Accounting Coordinator. After 9 years working for Community Action, I moved to Saranac Lake and started as the Staff Accountant for St. Josephs Rehabilitation Center, working there for 10 years. In January 2024, I started working for Saranac Lake Central School as the Human Resource/Payroll Supervisor. I have always worked two jobs, in January 2024, I opened High Peaks Ledger, LLC, working with local companies for their bookkeeping needs.
In my spare time, I enjoy traveling and spending time outdoors with my family. I have a 5 year old son, Lucas and 8 year old daughter, Alaina. Every summer we travel to Maine to visit family and enjoy camping. Opening my own business and spending extra time with my family has been very rewarding.
Krystal is passionate about the environment and fashion. She enjoys finding and selling vintage clothing, upcycling and repairing clothes as both a creative outlet and to fight fast fashion. Previously, she was the Climate Smart Coordinator for the Town of Philipstown and wrote a monthly newspaper column on climate topics for the Highlands Current. She has served on many boards, including The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, The Town of Philipstown Conservation Board, the advisory board for Constitution Marsh, The Cold Spring Farmers’ Market, Hudson Valley Seed, and Slow Food NYC. Krystal has a BSc in Nutrition from McGill University, and an MA in Food Studies from New York University.