ABOUT US

GREGORY MONFRIES
Vice President

 Greg moved to the Hudson Valley three years ago from Manhattan, continuing to work full-time as an award-winning art and creative director for major national magazines. With friends in the area, he has been a frequent visitor for 20 years prior, and the opportunity to be a part of a wonderful community and center provides great satisfaction in this, his next phase. The center also provides a wonderful source of interaction for his senior father who also lives with Greg, along with his husband and three dogs. 

KAREN BARIGHT
Treasurer

Karen moved to Red Hook when she married her husband 35 years ago. They raised their two grown boys here. Karen is the CFO of their family run businesses.  She is happy to bring her bookkeeping skills to the center as Treasurer.

BAILEY WILLIAMS
Secretary

First charmed by the area during visits to her now husband at Bard College over 15 years ago, Bailey Williams moved to Red Hook in 2016 from Phoenix, Arizona. With her background primarily in education, Bailey received her M.Ed from Arizona State University, specializing in Autism Consultation and Collaboration. She has taught at the middle school and collegiate levels, as well as worked in exceptional education. Bailey became acquainted with the RHCC because of her two children, who fell head over heels for the playroom, and is delighted to now serve as a member of the Board. Bailey is also a member of the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights.

DR. GEORGE VERRILLI
Founder and Member

 Dr. Verrilli is a retired physician, husband to Chris, and father of seven children. He is the founder and benefactor of the Red Hook Community Center, Neugarten Birth Center, and proprietor of Eastgate Motors. 

DR. THOMAS COSTELLO
Member 

Tommy teaches at SUNY Dutchess Community College, and holds an M.Phil in Irish Theatre and Film from Trinity College, Dublin, and a Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance from the University of Pittsburgh. He lives in Red Hook with his wife and two children. Locally, he has worked and performed with the Porch Story Hour, Storyhorse Documentary Theatre, and The Ancram Opera House. 

KAREN JERRO 
Member 

Karen is the Owner of One Less Thing Inc. In addition to serving as a Board Member of the Red Hook Community Center, Karen serves as Secretary to the Red Hook NY Chamber Of Commerce and is a Board Member of Northern Dutchess Community Coalition. Karen holds a BBA from A&M University. She is a 15 year resident of Red Hook, NY and proud mother to a 23 year old daughter.

MARY McARTHUR
Member

Mary McArthur is the Branch Manager of Rhinebeck Bank in Red Hook, and is passionate about serving her community. Mary is a proud graduate of Red Hook High School, Class of 2010 – go Raiders! Growing up in Red Hook, Mary learned to appreciate all our special town has to offer and feels that it is a privilege to be able to give back to the same community that has given her so much over the years. Mary and her soon-to-be husband Bryan enjoy all the Hudson Valley has to offer and reside in nearby Kingston. Mary is also a member of Hudson Valley Young Professionals.

DR. MARTHA TEPEPA
Member

Martha was born and raised in Mexico City and moved to New York  two decades ago. She's been calling Red Hook home for the past 10 years along with her husband and daughter. Martha holds an M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from El Colegio de Mexico in Urban and Environmental Studies. She's currently an adjunct professor at Western Connecticut State University. Her academic background has allowed her to spend time with urban and rural communities in Mexico and Argentina where she has witnessed the power of community to improve peoples' lives and most importantly, to find insights and new directions for collective understanding.

BIANCA VERRILLI
Member

Bianca, a native of Red Hook, is proud to be a member of the RHCC Board of Directors and to support the vision her father had when founding RHCC. Bianca is committed to ensuring the Center's valuable programming continues to be available to the community's future generations. Bianca holds a M.S. in Development Management from American University and has significant experience in nonprofit and project management with a focus on operational excellence and business process management. In her current work, she supports small businesses with financial, operations, and administrative management.

SARA UGOLINI
Executive Director

For 20 years, Sara has worked and volunteered in nonprofits across Dutchess County, always in an effort to create opportunities for people to come together and form meaningful connections. Before she joined us at RHCC, Sara proudly served residents of eastern Dutchess as the Director of Community Engagement at Northeast Community Center. Sara is a member of the District-Level Team for Red Hook Central School District, a member of Red Hook Together, and a sector representative for the Northern Dutchess Community Coalition. She is a 16 year resident of Rhinebeck and proud mother to two children.

JEUNG-IL TSUMAGARI
Program Director

Jeung-il graduated from Red Hook High School in 2008 after moving here with her family back in the year 2000. She has since earned her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Art Therapy and became a mother to twins. Even after moving to Colorado for graduate school, Jeung-il knew that she would return some day to the Hudson Valley to practice mental health in her home community. Before joining RHCC, Jeung-il worked for Red Hook Responds as their Executive Director in its first year as a non-profit. Her dedication to building and fostering a community that is radically accepting of all those who choose to be a part of it fits well with the mission here at RHCC. She hopes to strengthen her connections with the community around her while holding space for those looking for creative expression, meaning-making, and friendship.