LRA Board of Directors – Lake Rescue Association

Mary Rita Batesole

The Lake Rescue Association Board was greatly saddened in April 2018 to learn of the death of Mary Rita Batesole, who had been a leader and valuable member of the LRA Board for many years. Mary Rita, known to all as MR, had lived in Vermont since 1976 and lived on the lake with her life partner, Gary Fletcher, for many years. MR loved to be on Lake Rescue, and she did a great deal for the betterment of the lake. Serving on and helping to lead the LRA Board since 2009, she contributed so much to the Association and the lake community. She will be deeply missed.

Natalie Fisher

Natalie and her family have owned their Lake Rescue home since 1992. It has been a ski destination in the winters and a welcome respite from hot NY/NJ summers. Since retirement they spend the summers at the Lake, and winters in Florida. In prior years Natalie worked as an actuary at the Massachusetts Insurance Dept. in Boston and at Crum and Forster Insurance Co. in New Jersey. She has served on the LRA board since 2011 and is committed to preserving the beauty and integrity of the lakes for future generations.

Kevin Golmont

Kevin and his wife Kathleen first visited Lake Rescue in 1986. They continued to visit the Ludlow area to enjoy the lake in the summer and ski at Okemo with their two children through the years. In 2001, they purchased their Log Cabin on Round Pond. They currently spend most of the summer at the lake and frequently ski in the winter. Kevin worked as a financial consultant for troubled and bankrupt companies in New York until he retired in 2010. Kevin joined the LRA Board in 2018 to help the Lake Rescue Association continue to preserve and protect the lakes.

Gloria Katsiff

Gigi and her husband, Tim, first visited Ludlow in the summer of 2010. They fell in love with the area after only two visits and bought their "weekend getaway” on Benson Point in 2011. Gigi and Tim live in Philadelphia and have two wonderful adult children, Austin and Emily. Gigi worked for over 20 years in the fashion industry and has served on the board of directors for two non profits in Pennsylvania. She has co-chaired numerous fundraising and community building events. Gigi is passionate about protecting the lakes region and expanding community involvement. She spends as much time here on Lake Rescue as she possibly can!

PHILIP NEWELL

Phil and his wife Amy have owned a home on Round Pond since 2009 but have been staying in the area for decades visitng Amy's childhood family vacation home in nearby Plymouth. Originally focused on winter activities, the beautiful summers on the lake have become the favorite escape of Amy, Phil and their two college-age children. That escape was interrupted by Tropical Storm Irene and Phil quickly realized both how resilient and fragile the Lake's ecology is and how thoughtful stewardship is needed to protect this beautiful asset. Phil works at an investment firm in Boston and the family makes the trek north every weekend they can.

Spencer Rubin

Ludlow has been Spencer's home away from home for his entire life, as the 3rd generation of his family to enjoy their home of 40 years on Lake Rescue. He learned to ski at Okemo, he honed his boating skills during summers on the lake, and he even married his wife Erin at the top of Solitude in 2014. Spencer and Erin reside in Westwood, MA with their three children Hadley, Parker, Landon and Golden Retriever Tucker (keep an eye out for him on the bow of the boat sniffing out the nearest BBQ). Spencer works in software sales for Boston-based start up WePlayedSports, building a new sports video automation platform (investors welcomed!) Spencer is thrilled to join the LRA Board and continue their efforts in protecting our beloved Lakes and expanding on the community we all treasure.

Jacqueline Thong

Jacqueline and her family have had their house on Lake Rescue since 2018. An avid skier who grew up skiing in the mountains of British Columbia, her family's initial idea was to find a ski house so their young daughter would have the same opportunity to ski. As it turned out, the house they loved was on Lake Rescue. While the lake was at first a nice bonus for a ski home, the beauty, tranquility and year-round recreation opportunities of Lake Rescue have turned out to be the true reason Jacqueline and her family come to Vermont nearly every weekend year-round. On weekends, you will find her family skating, swimming, or boating on the lake but from Monday to Friday, Jacqueline lives in Boston and is a client management executive at Get Well, a healthcare technology company.

George Thomson

George and his wife Linda, purchased their weekend cottage on Lake Pauline in 1977, on the day of the birth of their daughter. It was a weekend get-a-way from the in-residence job of Headmaster of a private school in Massachusetts. With the addition of two sons, they all embraced the beauty of the lakes and the mountains and moved to Ludlow permanently in 1989. With the loss of their house as a result of Tropical Storm Irene, they built the perfect retirement home ten feet in the air across from the Green Mountain Sugar House and maple creemies! George retired in 2018 after a 29 year career as the Principal of Cavendish Town Elementary School. Now he has plenty of time to ski, hike, swim, paddle board, kayak and volunteer. He is excited to work with others living in the lakes area to preserve our beautiful waters for all to enjoy for years to come.

Bruce Zanca

Bruce Zanca and his wife Michele have had a home on the Round Pond end of Lake Rescue since 1999. First as a weekend escape for skiing/summer fun, their home now is their full time residence from May to October. In the winter they live in Jupiter, Florida.

Bruce retired in 2015 as the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the internet company, Bankrate, Inc. He now operates a consulting practice and is an expert in public relations, communications strategy, investor relations and marketing.

Bruce joined the LRA board in 2017. He is a committed steward of the wildlife habitat and watershed of Lake Rescue and Lake Pauline. Hearing the call of the loon, seeing the Eagles soar, and watching a sunset on Round Pond make Lake Rescue his happy place.