The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) Board of Directors approved two new members at its recent annual meeting.
Board Chair Jon Donk introduced Emily Brown and Paul Hai as the most recent additions to the board. “We’d like to welcome Emily and Paul to the ROOST Board of Directors,” he said. “Their backgrounds, expertise, and local knowledge will provide benefit and insight to ROOST as we continue to focus on our destination marketing and management work.”
Emily Brown is the owner and co-founder of Above Social, a digital marketing firm based in Wilmington, NY. She is also the owner of Small Town Spirits located in Wilmington. Prior to opening Above Social in 2018, Emily was the manager of O’Neills Stadium Inn and served as marketing assistant for Fox Run at Orchard Park. Emily holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Canisius University.
Paul Hai currently serves as director, Timbuctoo Climate Science and Careers Summer Institute in Newcomb, NY. He has also served as associate director for the Adirondack Ecological Center since 2018 and the associate director for the Northern Forest Institute since 2016. Paul has worked in the field of Informal Science Education for almost three decades, having led multi-disciplinary educational programs and initiatives including curriculum design, course development, workshops, and conferences, along with academic, professional, and public education and outreach initiatives, focused on Adirondack natural and human history, environmental and social justice, and leadership development.
According to ROOST CEO Dan Kelleher, the board of directors is responsible for defining the organization’s long-term goals, fiduciary oversight and ensuring that future plans support its mission. “ROOST board members focus on the organization's strategic direction,” he said. “ROOST’s mission and vision remain at the forefront of all board decisions and future plans. We look forward to welcoming and working with Emily and Paul as we continue to develop our initiatives and complete our important work.”
“We are pleased to have Paul Hai and Emily Brown joining ROOST’s Board of Directors,” stated Essex County Chair Stephen McNally. “These two individuals bring diverse geographic representation and backgrounds that will ensure Essex County continues to be the fastest growing tourism economy north of the Mohawk River.”
Two representatives from the Essex County Board of Supervisors, Town of Elizabethtown Supervisor Cathleen Reusser and Town of Jay Supervisor Matt Stanley, serve on the ROOST board in an ex-officio capacity, providing real-time information exchange between ROOST and the county’s board of supervisors. “We are grateful for Essex County’s commitment to this organization along with the supervisors’ professional insight, expertise, and unwavering service.”
The ROOST Board of Directors also elected its officers for 2026: Jon Donk, chair; Chandler Ralph, vice chair; Garrick Smith as treasurer and Susan Delahanty as secretary. ROOST officers serve in their executive role for one year; each board term is three years, with a maximum of three terms. Each board member represents a different industry and region of the Adirondacks.
Additional ROOST board members include: Juliet Cook and Dan Rivera representing the Lake Champlain Region, Andrea Crisafulli representing the Adirondack Hub Region, Nick Politi and Alex Madden from the Lake Placid/High Peaks Region, Jodi Gunther and Leslie Karasin from the Saranac Lake Region, Hillarie Logan-Dechene from Hamilton County, Rebecca Kelly from the Whiteface Region, and Mariann Rapple also representing the Lake Champlain Region.
The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is a destination marketing and management organization that leads tourism initiatives in Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the Adirondack communities of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake. ROOST’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for residents by managing and diversifying the region’s tourism economy while promoting sustainable visitation.The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) Board of Directors approved two new members at its recent annual meeting.
Board Chair Jon Donk introduced Emily Brown and Paul Hai as the most recent additions to the board. “We’d like to welcome Emily and Paul to the ROOST Board of Directors,” he said. “Their backgrounds, expertise, and local knowledge will provide benefit and insight to ROOST as we continue to focus on our destination marketing and management work.”
Emily Brown is the owner and co-founder of Above Social, a digital marketing firm based in Wilmington, NY. She is also the owner of Small Town Spirits located in Wilmington. Prior to opening Above Social in 2018, Emily was the manager of O’Neills Stadium Inn and served as marketing assistant for Fox Run at Orchard Park. Emily holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Canisius University.
Paul Hai currently serves as director, Timbuctoo Climate Science and Careers Summer Institute in Newcomb, NY. He has also served as associate director for the Adirondack Ecological Center since 2018 and the associate director for the Northern Forest Institute since 2016. Paul has worked in the field of Informal Science Education for almost three decades, having led multi-disciplinary educational programs and initiatives including curriculum design, course development, workshops, and conferences, along with academic, professional, and public education and outreach initiatives, focused on Adirondack natural and human history, environmental and social justice, and leadership development.
According to ROOST CEO Dan Kelleher, the board of directors is responsible for defining the organization’s long-term goals, fiduciary oversight and ensuring that future plans support its mission. “ROOST board members focus on the organization's strategic direction,” he said. “ROOST’s mission and vision remain at the forefront of all board decisions and future plans. We look forward to welcoming and working with Emily and Paul as we continue to develop our initiatives and complete our important work.”
“We are pleased to have Paul Hai and Emily Brown joining ROOST’s Board of Directors,” stated Essex County Chair Stephen McNally. “These two individuals bring diverse geographic representation and backgrounds that will ensure Essex County continues to be the fastest growing tourism economy north of the Mohawk River.”
Two representatives from the Essex County Board of Supervisors, Town of Elizabethtown Supervisor Cathleen Reusser and Town of Jay Supervisor Matt Stanley, serve on the ROOST board in an ex-officio capacity, providing real-time information exchange between ROOST and the county’s board of supervisors. “We are grateful for Essex County’s commitment to this organization along with the supervisors’ professional insight, expertise, and unwavering service.”
The ROOST Board of Directors also elected its officers for 2026: Jon Donk, chair; Chandler Ralph, vice chair; Garrick Smith as treasurer and Susan Delahanty as secretary. ROOST officers serve in their executive role for one year; each board term is three years, with a maximum of three terms. Each board member represents a different industry and region of the Adirondacks.
Additional ROOST board members include: Juliet Cook and Dan Rivera representing the Lake Champlain Region, Andrea Crisafulli representing the Adirondack Hub Region, Nick Politi and Alex Madden from the Lake Placid/High Peaks Region, Jodi Gunther and Leslie Karasin from the Saranac Lake Region, Hillarie Logan-Dechene from Hamilton County, Rebecca Kelly from the Whiteface Region, and Mariann Rapple also representing the Lake Champlain Region.
The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is a destination marketing and management organization that leads tourism initiatives in Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the Adirondack communities of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake. ROOST’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for residents by managing and diversifying the region’s tourism economy while promoting sustainable visitation.