SUNY Adirondack welcomes new trustees

College announces appointment of four new board members

QUEENSBURY, New York (Dec. 13, 2022) — SUNY Adirondack is proud to announce new members of the college’s Board of Trustees.

Elijah Cullum, Edward Fitzgerald, Esq., Colleen McDonald and James Nolan, Ph.D., are the newest members of the 10-member board, which is the governing body of the institution, helping the college achieve its strategic goals and fulfill its mission.

"Our new members bring a diverse set of experiences to enrich and inform our work. We greatly appreciate their commitment to our community's college," said Kathleen Grasmeder, chair of the Board.

Cullum, a native of Brooklyn, is a first-generation college student studying criminal justice. He serves as a student ambassador and is this year’s student trustee. A natural leader, Cullum led protests in New York City following the murder of George Floyd and ensuing Black Lives Matter movement. He is also a poet and an active member of the college’s Men of Color Alliance (MOCA).

Fitzgerald was appointed to the board by Warren County Board of Supervisors. He is a partner in the Glens Falls-based law firm of McPhillips, Fitzgerald & Cullum, for which he represents private and nonprofit businesses and landowners.

He is a member of the New York State and Warren County Bar Associations, and served as trustee and secretary of Warren County Bar Foundation. He has served on the boards of Rotary Club of Glens Falls, Tri-County United Way, Glens Falls Family YMCA and was president of the board of World Awareness Children’s Museum.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine and a juris doctorate from Albany Law School.

McDonald is executive director of TEACHMEducation Services, to which she transitioned after a 32-year career at Cambridge Central Schools. She worked as a teacher, teacher leader, administrator, grant writer, curriculum writer and statewide grant site director, and served as a school board member.

She is a professional learning facilitator, grant writer and Classroom Academy coordinator for WSWHE BOCES, and was appointed to the board by Washington County Board of Supervisors.

Nolan was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Gov. Kathy Hochul. He is a professor of Business Analytics and Computer Science at Siena College, where he taught and served for many years as dean of the college’s School of Business.

He serves on Washington County Board of Supervisors as supervisor of the town of Greenwich, and is chairman of Sunnyview Hospital Foundation Board. He has served in many volunteer positions throughout the greater Capital Region, and worked extensively overseas throughout the 1990s.

Nolan earned a bachelor’s degree from Siena College, and an MBA, certificate of advanced study and doctorate from University at Albany.

“We are excited to welcome Elijah, Ed, Colleen and Jim to our board and look forward to the important work we know they will do on behalf of our students, faculty, staff and community,” said Kristine D. Duffy, Ed.D., president of SUNY Adirondack.

McDonald, Cullum, Nolan and Fitzgerald join Grasmeder;  Lee Braggs; Amie Gonzales; Diana Palmer, Ed.D.; Robert Judge, Ed.D; and Patricia Pietropaolo, Ph.D.