Meet our Board Members
Nat Prentice, President
Having grown up in the Highlands, Nat Prentice and his wife Anita bought Nat’s family’s old house in Garrison in 2000. Employed in the financial services industry for 50 years, Nat formed his own investment advisory firm in 2018. He is a past president of the Chamber and active in the community, serving as a board member of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Stonecrop Gardens and the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley and the coordinator of the Town of Philipstown Comprehensive Plan Update Committee. He is also a member of the Hudson Valley Start Up Fund, which provides seed capital to local companies.
Ann McBride-Alayon, Membership Coordinator
Ann McBride-Alayon joined the Chamber board in July of 2019. She brings strong organization skills and a friendly outreach approach to the Chamber’s membership coordination efforts. She lights up whenever discussing ideas that support growth and development for local businesses. She launched her reak estate brokerage, Hudson River Line Realty, in 2018. She brings to the board an exuberant positive attitude and a background that includes hospitality, graphic design and production, in addition to real-estate. Ann is always eager to inspire connections and good will amongst the members of the Philipstown business community.
Teresa Lagerman, Communications Chair
Teresa joined the Chamber board shortly after moving to Cold Spring in 2019. Her background brings together marketing, entrepreneurship and community development. She is the co-founder of a branding & design firm, Condensed, and has been working with startups and non-profit organizations for over fifteen years. Teresa is also the Co-Chair of the Philipstown Learning Differences Committee. She believes that small businesses shape the community we live in, and is excited to be a part of this unique Chamber, spearheading development & communications and organizing our breakfast meetings.
Jeff Mikkelson, Advocacy Chair
Jeff joined the board in the role of Advocacy Chair in December of 2020. He is a recent transplant to Cold Spring by way of New York City, where he has been in business as an editorial, advertising and fine art photographer for twenty years. Jeff grew up in Kansas, went to college in California and holds two degrees in philosophy—a subject he has taught and published. He is Co-Chair of two grassroots organizations and a Regional Coordinator for the Campaign for NY Health, a statewide coalition advocating for passage of the New York Health Act, which would guarantee comprehensive healthcare to every resident and worker in the state.
Hannah Salit, Member-at-Large
Hannah offers creative inspiration with business leadership to the Chamber board. Her decade-long career as a classical musician and educator along with recent ground-up business ventures will be utilized to cultivate connection between village merchants and the community. Additionally, she’s a contributing singer with the New York Choral Society and committed to various civic initiatives. Her appreciation for engaged citizenry and historical preservation drew Hannah to the rich culture of Cold Spring. She wishes to support the community in creating a thoughtful, vibrant future and looks forward to supporting the Chamber and village at large.
Christine Ortiz, Professionals Committee
Combining her years in the construction industry with her degree from New York School of Interior Design, Christine founded Oh! Designs Interiors, Inc. to deliver soulful, original spaces for residential clients. A Philipstown resident since 1991, she raised her family on 7 acres on an unpaved road in the hills of Continental Village in Garrison. When it came time to create an exciting new chapter of life, she chose to move to the Village of Cold Spring in 2021, and has been enjoying the contrasting experience of village life. Christine joined the Chamber Board in 2024 and looks forward to finding ways to get to know and support Philipstown Professionals and their businesses.
Francine Merando Farnorotto, Secretary
Fran is the owner of The Gift Hut located on Main Street, a toy and gift shop that has been in business for over ten years. She grew up in Cold Spring and has a love for our village. Fran brings her experience from many years in retail business and project management. She is a certified member of the Project Management Institution. She is one of the primary organizers of the annual Cold Spring Aglow candle-lit walk down Main Street during the holidays. As Secretary, she keeps the Chamber’s efforts organized and ensures that projects run smoothly.
Grace Lo, Main Street Committee Co-Chair
Grace opened the doors of Supplies For Creative Living on Main Street in the spring of 2019. An artist, landscape architect and lover of all creatures, Grace thinks that making things by hand is magic, and loves tending a shop and work space that shares that love. In early 2024, she stepped up to lead the Main Street Committee together with Cadah Coulet, owner of Poor George down the hill, and has been working to listen to all voices, gather consensus, and advocate for merchants. When she's not wrangling people and things at the shop, she likes to hang out in the woods, at the edge of the sea or in her hammock.
Erin Murphy, Member-at-Large
Erin Murphy is the owner of Reservoir, a clothing & home boutique that recently joined Cold Spring’s Main Street after 8 years in Beacon, NY. Passionate about how local development is promoted through economic stability, Erin has always made supporting her business community a priority. Former VP of Common Ground Farm’s board & co-founder of Beacon’s Hop & Shop, amongst other initiatives, Erin brings a variety of experience & a love for event planning. Since opening in July 2021, she quickly immersed herself into the Cold Spring community as a key organizer of Cold Spring Aglow and soon became Chair of the Main Street Committee.
Kelly Preusser, Member-at-Large
Kelly is the multi-talented owner of Grey Printing, Philipstown’s beloved full service printing company. An accomplished potter, Kelly is also the talent behind Preusser Ceramics. She joined the Chamber Board in February 2024.