Chamber Staff

Rebekah LaMoreaux
President/Chief Executive Officer

Rebekah E.B. LaMoreaux, President/CEO, joined the Chamber team in February of 2008. Unbeknownst to her, during those first cold, snowy Upstate New York days she fell in love with Chamber work and found herself whole-heartedly supporting the mission of the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce. As she moved from Contract Bookkeeper to Director of Operations & Finance to Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer, she continued to learn the intricacies of Chamber programs, events, and activities. Rebekah is committed to supporting the Chamber members, constituents, partners, and team. In May of 2010, by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, she was named President/CEO of the Chamber and is ready to lead this Chamber forward!

Rebekah’s professional career began at Schuyler Hospital (a rural, big-hearted hospital located in Montour Falls, NY) in the accounting office, where she worked for seven years. In 2005, when Rebekah resigned from the hospital to stay at home with her young children, she was functioning in the capacity of Assistant Director of Human Resources and Junior Accountant. For the next three years, Rebekah was the sole-proprietor of two different businesses – a registered group daycare (REBEKAH’S PLACE DAYCARE) and a consulting business. While wearing her “consultant” hat, she contracted with Corning’s Gaffer District (Corning, NY) as its Interim Director of Operations, performed all billing services for two small medical offices, performed Sales Tax Recovery Projects for local non-for-profit organizations, and prepared small business and personal income tax returns.

Rebekah is proud to say that she has lived in the area since she was ten, and currently resides in Burdett, NY with her husband, Mike, and their children, Ryanna and Alexandria. Rebekah enjoys reading, writing poetry, cooking, and playing basketball. Rebekah is actively involved in the community and serves on the following board of directors: The Bible Speaks Community Church - Millport, NY; Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development (SCOPED) – Watkins Glen, NY; Schuyler County Child Care Coordinating County – Montour Falls, NY; and Finger Lakes Wine Country – Corning, NY. Rebekah is a member of the Watkins-Montour Rotary Club and the Schuyler County League of Women Voters. She is a recent graduate of Leadership Schuyler and earned her Business Administration (A.A.S.) degree from Corning Community College (Corning, NY) in 2009.

Katie Strawser
Visitor Center Coordinator

Katherine Strawser, Visitor Center Coordinator, joined the chamber full time in early 2008. Prior to working full time for the Chamber, Katherine worked part time as a summer staff member in 2007, as well as filling in when needed. Katherine’s main focus is in the Chamber’s Visitor Center, where she meets and greets travelers, as well as answering the phones and questions about the area. Katherine also does a lot of administrative work, staffs the Business & Education Committee and helps with upcoming events when needed. Katherine feels that because she is local to this area, that she can tell the visitors first-hand about places to see, as well as interesting facts that they may not have known.

Katherine graduated from Watkins Glen High School in 2007. She was involved with Watkins Glen cheerleading, Art Club, and Chorus. She was awarded the Peter A. Pevo Award for Education at graduation.  Katie enrolled at Corning Community College during the 2010 Fall Semester and is excited to continue furthering her eduction.  She started her career at the age of 14 by cleaning a local bed and breakfast. She then worked at Seneca Harbor Station as a busser, and at Pick-A-Flick Video Store.

Katherine has lived in Schuyler County since the age of 8, and currently resides in Watkins Glen with her family and her significant other. She loves to do arts and crafts, and to learn new things about the wonderful area that she lives in. Katherine plans on continuing her career with the Chamber. She loves living in the Schuyler County area, and hopes to one day, have a family of her own.




Jillian Kubasik
Tourism & Information Coordinator

Jillian Kubasik was hired at the Chamber in 2010 as Tourism and Information Coordinator. Responsible for all website programs and maintenance, database updates, calendar of events coordination, e-newsletters, social media management, assisting with public relations and marking duties with the Director of Tourism and Marketing, Jillian also works alongside Chamber staff assisting with organization correspondence, special events management, customer service, member retention and many other programs.

Jillian received her A.A.S degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management from SUNY Genesee. She has passionately worked part time at the Seneca Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Waterloo since high school; and has most recently spent her time gaining industry experience from a position at the Finger Lake Visitors Connection, the tourism promotion agency responsible for the management of all Ontario County tourism-marketing efforts.

A Seneca Falls native, Jillian has grown up in the Finger Lakes. When she is not working she enjoys spending time on the lake or exploring other local attractions.

Nikita Hairston
Director of Tourism & Marketing

Nikita Hairston, Director of Marketing & Tourism, “hit the ground running” with the Chamber in the bustling summer season of 2011. She immediately fell in love with Schuyler County & the Finger Lakes. The wineries, lakes, people and the beautiful scenery in the State Park, made her feel right at home.

Nikita is responsible for the Chamber's marketing and public relations initiatives, membership recruitment, and event planning. She also supervises the operations and staff of the Chamber's Tourist Information Center.

Previously, Nikita worked in Corning Incorporated's Corporate Communications Department as a Communications Specialist, as a contractor, where she promoted the Global Energy Management initiatives. Through those efforts, she helped secure the company's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building. Prior to that, Nikita had a career as a television news reporter for several years. As an on air broadcaster, she reported “live” & breaking news for daily news broadcasts for WENY (ABC) in Horseheads, NY; WUHF (FOX) in Rochester, NY; and WGME (CBS) in Portland, ME.

Nikita has lived in upstate New York for more than three years with her significant other and their dog. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, swimming, kayaking, camping, and anything the great outdoors offers. Nikita believes in staying involved in the community. She is the publicity chairman for the Women of Friendship Baptist Church – Corning, NY. She’s also a member of the Schuyler County Planning Committee. Nikita holds a B.A. in English from Tuskegee University.

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Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce
2012 Board of Directors

Vicki Schamel, Chairwoman of the Board
Keller Williams Realty

Carl Blowers, First Vice Chairman
Hawk's View Consulting

Dawn Vurlew, Second Vice Chairwoman
Corning Enterprises

Anthony Fraboni, Treasurer
HSBC Bank

Donna David, Secretary
Sunset on Seneca Bed and Breakfast

Rob Halpin, Immediate Past Chairman
The Halpin Firm

Caroyln Guyer
Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel

Brett Brubaker
Seneca Lodge

Michael Printup
Watkins Glen International

Rick Carroll
Chemung Canal Trust Company

Susannah Knapp
O'Susannah's Quilts and Gifts

Ted Marks
Atwater Estate Vineyards

Brian McKenzie
Finger Lakes Distilling, LLC
 

Thomas G. Merrill
Professional Land Surveyor

Thomas Phillips
Watkins Glen School District

Andrew Manzer
Schuyler Hospital

Lindsay Wickham
New York Farm Bureau

Dennis Fagan
Schuyler County Legislature

Kelsey Jones
SCOPED