MEET THE GAGE TEAM

Valerie Luzadis, Ph.D., is professor of Social-Ecological Systems and Ecological Economics at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). Luzadis served as Interim Provost and as the first Executive Vice President of ESF and held several other leadership roles in the institution. She is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Global Council for Science and the Environment, and she serves on the National Board of Advisors for Planet Forward, a project of the Center for Innovative Media at the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. Luzadis is the founder of Heart Forward Science, created to develop holistic knowledge through a balance of intellect, imagination, and intuition to advance equitable, sustainable scientific outcomes. She is past President of the United States Society for Ecological Economics and led the effort to charter the US Society for Ecological Economics. Luzadis sings with the Syracuse Chorale and serves on their Board of Directors and she volunteers for Lasagna Love providing homemade meals for local families. 

Michele Jones Galvin is the co-founder and former director of the ACCESS Center, an infant mortality prevention program sponsored by the Department of Social Services.   She serves on the Board of Directors of FOCUS Greater Syracuse,  George and Rebecca Barnes Foundation, Guardian Angel Society, Loretto Management Corporation and 

League of Women Voters.   

Among her numerous awards Ms. Jones Galvin was the recipient of the Syracuse Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women Community Service Award in 2013.   In 2019, she was awarded the Junior League of Syracuse 20th Annual Spirit of Mary Harriman Award for Community Leadership.  Ms. Jones Galvin and her mother Joyce Stokes Jones have co-authored a creative nonfiction.  The work is based on genealogical research and their family ties to Harriet Ross Tubman, Conductor of the Underground Railroad.

Dianne Apter joined our Board when she retired from the consulting firm she founded, Apter & O’Connor Associates.  She also served as a Project Director for The Early Childhood Direction Center at Syracuse University’s School of Education for over 30 years. She facilitates Gage House tours and visits and assists with grant writing.   In addition to The Gage Foundation Board, Dianne spends her time writing creative nonfiction and has published in several online journals. She also serves on the Board of Contact Community Services of Central New York.  

Betty Lyons, President and Executive Director of the American Indian Law Alliance (AILA), is an Indigenous and environmental activist and citizen of the Onondaga Nation. Betty has worked for

the Onondaga Nation for over 20 years. Ms. Lyons serves as a member of the Haudenosaunee

External Relations Committee and has been an active participant at the annual United Nations

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) since the first session in 2001 as a delegate of

the Onondaga Nation. Betty continues to work for the protection of Indigenous peoples who are

fighting to protect their traditions, territories, resources, and care for Mother Earth.

Out of her concern for Indigenous peoples and Mother Earth, Betty serves on numerous boards

like: 4 The Future Foundation, Connie Hogarth Center, Center for Earth Ethics, The

MOST,  Skä•noñh- Great Law of Peace Center  Academic Collaborative, and is Co-Chair of

the Center of Earth Ethics Advisory Board.

Cathy Stevens-Tripiciano is the owner and creative director of Maple Seed Creative, a public relations and content creation company. She lives in Auburn, NY with her husband and young son. An award-winning video producer; Cathy was honored with the Phyllis K. Goldman Encouragement Award by the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce in 2020. The award is given to a female business owner who has shown noteworthy entrepreneurial pursuit and inspires other women to pursue their dreams. Cathy is an adjunct professor of communications and media studies at Cayuga Community College. She began her career in media at the Syracuse public broadcasting affiliate, WCNY. It was in this role as a television producer that she first ‘discovered’ Matilda Joslyn Gage. She has worked with the foundation in the past as a volunteer to promote Matilda’s work and ideals as well as fundraising events for the foundation. 

Cynthia O'Connor (MPA) is President of Apter & ;O’Connor Associates

(A & O) and she offers over thirty years of experience in public administration and human service programming to clients across the country.  These enterprises are both numerous and diverse. They range from school districts, universities, government entities, community coalitions, and foundations to

nonprofits of all sizes.

Prior to the founding of A & O in 2003, Cynthia was a team leader at Syracuse University for family literacy program evaluations, served as the Public Health Administrator with the Onondaga County Health Department in Syracuse, NY and served as the Director of Special Children Services in Syracuse. She has a Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse

University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

In addition, Cynthia is a graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse and a

Master Lifecycle Consultant with Nonprofit Lifecycle Institute founded by Susan Kenny Stevens Ph.D.  Cynthia has served on several Boards in leadership positions including The Salvation Army Syracuse Area, The

Brady Faith Center, United Way Community Impact Team Chair, Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo and the Child Care Council. She is a sought-after leader and innovative facilitator for program evaluation, organizational planning, and capacity building.

Awhenjiosta (Whenji) Myers is an Onondaga Nation Eel Clan member, the mother of seven and a community member, organizer, activist, and supporter. Growing up in the

Longhouse Tradition was important to her, and Whenji still carries on the traditional way of life, carrying that on to her kids and community. Gifted to be a stay-at-home mom for

many years, she now works at the Onondaga Nation school. A hard worker, she welcomes new challenges.

A big part of sports organization in her Onondaga community, Whenji has been involved in the Onondaga Athletic Club for most of her life. She played for years, then was a team mom, coach, and is now president of the organization. She has also been part of the North American Indigenous Games for 18 years.

For years she has been working hospitality at concerts. She started out washing dishes and last year got hired as a manager, which lets her hire other people, including a lot of single mothers from the community, where they work together having lots of fun. Getting to know artists, Whenji 

always welcomes them to 

Onondaga Territory.

She is a graduate of the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, where she learned more about the traditional natural medicinal knowledge handed down from her grandmother and mother. Whenji always credits who she was raised by, her mom, 

Jeanne Shenandoah. I’ve had my own path, she says, but followed the path of my mother and grandmother, Audrey Shenandoah.

When we go off the territory, Whenji believes, no matter what we’re doing we’re always an ambassador 

of our people, we’re speaking 

from our nation.