Meet The Abode Team & The Abode Board of Trustees

Our team brings together people from all paths of life, who give the time and talent that it takes to make the Abode thrive in a changing world. We are thankful to have these beautiful souls supporting the work needed to bring you an center that is welcoming to all, filled with love, attuned to nature, committed to providing sacred hospitality and attentive to the details that matter to those we serve.

We look forward to seeing you soon at The Abode!

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Michal Leah Isenberg

Director of Operations

Sarah Latifa Taylor

Gardens Manager

Khushi Pasquale

Office Manager

Eileen Mahoney

Development Officer

Scenic landscape of rolling hills covered with green and autumn-colored trees under a pastel pink and blue sky.

Michael Petruolo

Maintenance Tech

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Brahm Gartner

Gardener

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Stuart Raab

Maintenance Manager

Scenic landscape of green trees and rolling hills with a pastel sky.

Scenic view of rolling hills and mountains with a colorful sky at dusk, surrounded by lush green trees and a grassy foreground.

Joshua Bellows

Kitchen Staff

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Rachel Ginsberg

Operations Specialist

Lush green trees and bushes with hints of red and yellow, rolling hills in the distance, and a pastel pink and blue sky.

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Candace Arvidson

Kitchen Staff

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Lucas Cipkowski

Communications Manager

Scenic view of rolling hills and mountains in the distance with a variety of green trees, some showing fall colors, under a pale blue sky with pinkish clouds.

Scenic landscape with green trees, rolling hills in the background, and a sky transitioning from light pink to blue.

Adriana Szyda

Hospitality Staff

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A woman with dark hair, wearing traditional clothing and jewelry, holding her hands in a prayer position, smiling, with a yellow flower in her hair.

Dorinda Withers

Kitchen Staff

Iromee Gale

Programs & Events Coordinator

Evan Young

Facilities and Capital
Projects Manager

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Amber Maisano

Head Chef & Kitchen Manager

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Towseef Mirza

Hospitality Staff

Kyle Johnson

Grounds and Garden Staff

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Shaheen Mirza

Hospitality Staff

Meet The Abode Board of Trustees

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Blair Davis

Chair of the Board of Directors

Blair Davis arrived at the Abode well over a decade ago. He began attending Universal Worship Services regularly and over the years developed a deep connection to the Sufi path.

While strengthening his commitment to the organization, Blair has been called to serve on numerous committees, been involved with various infrastructure projects for the property and has held the positions of Treasurer and Chair of the Abode Board of Trustees.

As a musician, he has planned and operated sound systems as well as played regularly for events at the Abode.

Since 2005 he has headed a Systems Automation Integrator business. Prior to this he worked in the field of sales, electrical engineering - design, as well as profit and non-profit management positions.

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Christopher A.H. Steadman, Esq.

Christopher Steadman first came to the Abode when he was in college, taking a temporary leave of absence to explore Sufism. Once there he was assigned to the building crew and learned the trade of carpentry working on Shaker buildings under the tutelage of a long line of Abode Sufi carpenters. He there met his wife, who had been in residence since 1976, and who built her own house on the Abode property. A daughter, Sarah Noor, was born to them in 1991. She attended Mountain Rd. School and is runs the Abode CSA.. Fourteen years after taking a leave of absence to come to the Abode, Christopher retuned to school ultimately obtaining his J.D. and has been a member of the NYS Bar since being admitted in 2000. In addition, he has contributed 38 years of service to the New Lebanon community as a volunteer fire fighter, upholding a long standing Abode tradition.

In 2015 he became a member of the Abode Steering Committee when the the Sufi Order decided to move to Richmond, VA. Thereafter he was a member of the Abode Board of Directors serving as co-chair, chair and treasurer. He is a founding member of Friends of South Family.

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Aimée Brodeur Johnson

Aimée has been living at the Abode since 1988. The Dances of Universal Peace and the Universal Sufi message of Hazrat Inayat Khan led her to meeting Pir Vilayat and then to the Abode. Once here, she worked at Mountain Road School as a teacher (in all grades from kindergarten through sixth), director, until her retirement in 2013, after which she served on its board for six years. Aimée is a member of the Abode Center and serves as a Cheraga of the Universal Worship. She still enjoys the monthly Dances of Universal Peace held at the Abode. During her years at the Abode, she served on a number of committees. In 2015 she served on the transition committee and thereafter became a member of the Abode Board. She is also a member of the board of the Friends of South Family, and has done volunteer work for the New Lebanon Library and the New Lebanon Historical Society.

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Mark Walcroft - Kyther

Treasurer

Kyther came to the Abode in 1980 as he was attracted to community life and a deeper involvement in Sufi practices. He lived in the main buildings for the first decade before moving to a house of his own creation on Chairfactory Road where he currently resides. In the first 25 years he served continuously on Abode committees, as well as working on building projects. Notable projects include: Doing the completion work for the Mountain Sanctuary, rebuilding the cupola on Rezak, creating a new entrance to the pond, renovating Mughni building, and many electrical projects. Kyther was a high school physics teacher in Pittsfield and also works as an electrical contractor.

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V. Josselyne Price

Secretary

V. Josselyne Price (Joss) is a percussionist and retired professor of Ethnomusicology, with over 30 years of study in Ghana, West Africa and related Diasporas. Her work specializes in the ritual and rhythm of West Africa and related forms, and she taught world music classes and drum/dance ensembles at St. Michael's College in VT for 15 years before retiring. She currently lives in the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. Josselyne first came to the Abode in 2003 to produce the 1st year of SpiritFire Festival, a sacred music/dance/ceremonial event held annually on the Mountain. She immediately fell in love with the Abode and its community, and has been committed to the care and stewardship of the Mountain for many years prior to joining the Board of Directors in 2024.

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Paul Postiglione

Paul Postiglione participated in the Universal Peace Dance in the late 80’s and has continued his connection in his participation in Abode Mountain retreat programming for the last 10 years. He has retired from a 40-year career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, spending the last 31 years at the Veterans Administration Hospital as a clinician, managing mental health programing and developing programing addressing staff burn out. In addition to his Social Work career he has volunteered in a number of roles and settings that includes the initiation and implementation a LGBT Youth support group at the Albany Pride Center, and assisted area schools in the developing programming for LGBT students. Additionally, he has volunteered with the Red Cross and responded to several disasters including the World Trade Center. In his retirement he enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures. His interest in African drumming is what has brought him back the Mountain Retreat Center and continues to be a passionate pursuit.

Interested in joining our board?

We’d love to hear from you! Contact us via the form below and we will get back you shortly about your interest!

Board Application Form