Board of Trustees
Cindy Armine-Klein, Chair
Cindy Armine-Klein recently retired from First Data Corporation where she was Chief Operations Officer and Head of Customer Experience. Prior to that she was the Chief Control Officer with responsibility for Risk and Controls. She also lead Unity, First Data’s LGBTQ diversity and inclusion program as well as being co-head of the Women’s Leadership Council. .
Cindy was honored by Citigroup and then First Data as their Champion of Diversity for her work and outstanding commitment to diversity. She was inducted in the YWCA’s Academy of Women Leaders in 2007. In 2016 PaymentsSource selected Cindy as one of the Most Influential Women in Payments. She has been named as one of the FT/OUTstanding Top 100 LGBT Executives for three consecutive years and has recently received the Most Powerful and Influential Women for Diversity and Inclusion by the Tri-State Diversity Council. In 2018 Cindy was one of Moves “Power Women” for her work advocating for women’s rights and social fairness.
She is the Chairman of the Board for WIN (Women in Need) and was formerly the Vice Chairman on the Board of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network); she was the former treasurer and Board Member for Out & Equal Workplace. Cindy and her wife live in Brooklyn and Greenport New York and have two children. Their daughter Ruby is a PCS alumni.
Elizabeth Casey Searl
Liz Casey Searl is Co-Founder and Co-Director of Peconic Community School. She can be found most days at the Eastern Campus with Early Childhood and Kindergarten classes, romping in the field and playing the tambourine. Liz handles the admissions process at PCS and loves sharing the magic and wonder of a Peconic Community School education with prospective families. Ms. Casey Searl has over 20 years experience in a variety of school settings, both public and private. She received a Masters of Arts in Theater and Creative Education from NYU and loves to help guide and plan project-based, integrated, creative, hands-on educational opportunities at PCS. Working alongside her sister Kathryn, and the beautiful children and passionate educators at Peconic Community School is a dream for Liz, and fills her life with so much love and joy. Liz lives in Mattituck in her childhood home, a multi-generational setting, with her partner Stephen, and three boys Owen, Connor, and Aidan, and their dog Daisy.
Kathryn Casey Quigley
As a co-founder of PCS, Kathryn has helped oversee the growth of the school from a 9-student single-classroom program to an early childhood-6th grade school, serving over 100 students, in addition to summer and after school programs. She oversees the operations, finances and fundraising efforts at the school. Prior to starting PCS, Kathryn worked as a community organizer, civic engagement program director and professor of service learning. She has developed an expertise in non-profit management and leadership, board governance, development, program implementation and evaluation. Kathryn is deeply passionate about trying to make the world a better place, and sees her work and efforts through that lens. Kathryn holds a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University, and an undergraduate degree from College of the Holy Cross. Her free time is devoted to political organizing and family. In addition, a classically trained ballet dancer, she has over 25 years experience dancing and teaching ballet. Kathryn grew upon the North Fork and returned to the area in 2011 to raise a family. She lives in Greenport with her husband, 2 children and their dog, Gracie.
Lori Cohen
Lori recently retired from a thirty-five year career as a Criminal Defense Attorney. She started one of the first women owned boutique trial law firms in New York City and spent thirty five years defending the rights of the accused. She is the Past President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and sits on the Board of several other legal defense organizations. Lori also spent much of her career engaged in different types of activism, including representing direct action groups such as Act-Up, Wham! and others. Lori began teaching Criminal Justice at CUNY, and several years later created the curriculum and course materials for a Constitutional Law class at the Criminal Justice Academy at BMCC. She has been given numerous awards for her work, including the Gay and Lesbian Bar Association’s Community Service Award. Lori recently qualified for her Level 1 CrossFit Instructor Certificate and coaches classes at CrossFit North Tribe in Southold.
Mary C. Crosby, Vice Chair
Mary is President and CEO of East End Hospice (EEH), which annually provides comprehensive hospice services to nearly 700 residents and their families on the East End of Long Island. Mary has an extensive background in clinical care, healthcare research and project management. She previously held positions at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the United Nations.
Mary was born and raised in Southampton, New York and returned to the region in 2014. Prior to assuming the role of President and CEO, she worked as a Hospice nurse and later as Nurse Manager of EEH’s in-patient facility, the Kanas Center for Hospice Care. She holds an undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross, a Master’s degree in Public Health from Columbia University and a nursing degree from New York University. Mary resides in Southampton with her husband, Hilton, Executive Director of Heart of the Hamptons, and their two sons.
Patricia Eckardt, Co-Founder, Secretary
Patricia N. Eckardt has been an educator for over 20-years and has taught learners ranging from early childhood through graduate studies. She received her PhD in Language, Literacy, and Learning and MST in Curriculum and Teaching from Fordham University. Patricia is an assistant professor of education at Molloy College. She teaches in the School of Education and Human Services, serves on Molloy’s ELA advisory board, and is a field supervisor for prospective teachers. Patricia is also a co-founder of Peconic Community School. Areas of research and interest are literacy, dyslexia, cognition, and project-based learning.
Franceska Earls
Bio coming soon.
Anita Haber
Anita Haber grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where education was one of the community’s first priorities. She received her bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Toledo and her master’s in history at Bowling Green State University. Her relationship with progressive schools began over 30 years ago when her first born son, Henry, attended Corlears School, located in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood. It is there where her passion for teaching and learning that focuses on a child’s social, emotional, and academic development began. Her 27-year career as a school administrator was launched in the mid-1990s at Ethical Culture Fieldston School (ECFS) located in Manhattan and the Bronx. After 14 years at ECFS working in parent relations and communications, she moved to Corlears School where for seven years she was its Director of Development and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. For the last six years, Anita worked as the Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at Bank Street School for Children on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Anita and her husband Keith are currently full-time residents of New Suffolk after having spent weekends and summers there since 1985. Their two sons Henry and Clark have a deep affection for the North Fork as does Henry’s wife Dori. Her granddaughter, 3-year-old Alice, loves the North Fork too, especially running on the beach, splashing in the bay, and eating soft-serve ice cream at the end of the day.
Candace Hall
Bio coming soon.
Melissa Hobley
Bio coming soon.
Jeff Zeiger, Treasurer
Jeff is founder and managing member of Old Block Capital, a venture capital and advisory firm with primary focus on the financial technology, data and information services spaces. Jeff has held senior leadership positions in banking, technology and private equity in North America, Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia at firms that include JPMorgan Chase, NM Rothschild, Ion Trading and the portfolio companies of Warburg Pincus. Jeff holds a BA degree in English and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Yale University. He is a member of the board of directors of several privately-held technology companies and serves on the board of trustees of the Down Town Association in New York City.