Council Members

Elected Officers

Alan has been a Bard LLI member since 2023. He is currently on the Communications Committee, working with the technical team that produces the Bard LLI newsletter (and, when nobody is looking, writing for the Funny Bones column). He is also part of the team that fills your mailbox with Mailchimp announcements and notices to LLI members.
Alan moved to Rhinebeck in 2017 and has been a full-time resident since 2020. He is married to Robin Gelburd (also an LLI member), who was the founder and President of FAIR Health, a national not-for-profit healthcare data company. They raised their three sons in Larchmont, in Westchester County, and now have two grandsons. They love the Hudson Valley and enjoy biking and hiking (and Alan can also often be found in the Stevenson Pool).

Alan is a retired attorney who practiced commercial real estate law for 37 years, most recently at Mintz & Gold and previously at Hogan Lovells (formerly Squadron Ellenoff). He holds a law degree from NYU School of Law and a BA from the University of Rochester.

Email: [email protected]

Carmela Gersbeck joined Bard LLI in 2019. She quickly joined both the Communications Committee and the Technology Committee. She is Chair of the Program Support Team, which is responsible for supporting online classes; supporting in-person classes with class managers; providing A/V support; and supporting the hospitality team when on campus.

Carmela is also responsible for Bard LLI technology-related operations, including managing membership renewals, the new-member process, ProClass registration, and the [email protected] email team that assists members seeking technical help.

Carmela moved full-time to the Hudson Valley in 2018, after spending 20 years as a weekender in the Woodstock area with her husband, Al. She retired in 2018 from a 40-year career in leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns, and J.P. Morgan. Carmela’s favorite pastimes include spending time with her two grandchildren, cooking, bicycling, hiking, and reading detective novels.

Email: [email protected]

Grace holds a Masters of Library Science degree and a law degree. She worked on civil matters in banking and was Deputy City Attorney for her hometown of Glen Cove, New York for 10 years. Her career trajectory eventually led her to Bank of America, where she served in the capacity of Executive Vice President until her retirement.

Since then she has lived in Rhinebeck where she has been active with the Starr Library and Bard LLI. As Second VP, Grace plans to deepen her commitment to Bard LLI and offer her legal skills in reviewing our bylaws which is an integral part of the Second VP position.

Email: [email protected]

Susan has served as President/Secretary/Treasurer of many area organizations, and currently is a member of the Red Hook Rotary Club and the Red Hook Ethics Board. Susan is a retired Registered Financial Consultant (RFC®), Registered Life Planner (RLP). She joined LLI in 2021 as a class participant, Zoom session manager, class manager, and…presenter!

Susan is the mother of two adult daughters, relishes time with four grandsons, and serves two cats. For the (even more) fun side of life, she loves to dance/Lindy Hop and performs and DJs for various dances in the Hudson Valley.

Email: [email protected]

Marc Wieder, CPA, moved to Rhinebeck in the fall of 2019 after living on Long Island for more than 30 years, seeking a community where he and his family could enjoy retirement. Marc has been a member of Bard LLI since 2024 and teaches a wine-tasting course. Marc’s spouse is Eleanor Wieder, who currently serves on Council as a Member at Large.

Marc retired in 2023 as Partner-in-Charge of the Real Estate Practice at Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP, where he spent his entire professional career and continues to serve as a Senior Advisor to the firm. Throughout his career, Marc advised clients and their families on complex financial, tax, and business matters, with a particular focus on real estate transactions, long-term planning, and financial stewardship.

In addition to managing sophisticated financial engagements, Marc has extensive experience with budgeting, financial oversight, and internal controls. He has published widely in real estate and financial publications, spoken at industry conferences, and served on the boards of Variety – The Children’s Charity and the Fashion Center Business Improvement District. He has also served as an advisor to the Department of Accounting and Law at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Marc looks forward to applying his financial expertise, nonprofit board experience, and commitment to Bard LLI in the role of Treasurer, supporting the organization’s mission and ensuring sound financial management for the benefit of its members.

Email: [email protected]

Jill Lundquist has been a member of the Bard Lifetime Learning Institute since 2013, and an LLI Council member since 2014. She served on the Council first as a Member-at-Large, then as 2nd Vice-President, as Chair of the Planning and Evaluation Committee, and now as LLI’s Liaison to the Senior Administration at Bard College. In her role as Liaison, she also serves on the advisory board of the Bard Center for Civic Engagement. Jill has been a member of both LLI Long Range Planning Committees over the past ten years, and is also a member of the Communications Team and the Civic Engagement Team.

Jill retired in 2011 from her position as Director of Admissions at Poughkeepsie Day School. Certified in education and in social work, she had a long career as an educator and administrator in education and human service organizations. She was previously the Director of the Mid-Hudson Family Mediation Center, was on the clinical staff of the Catskill Family Institute, and was Director of Community Education for Ulster County Mental Health Services. She was a member of the Board of Education for the Red Hook Central School District, ran an enrichment program for children in the Red Hook Schools and, early in her career, worked in the grants office at Bard College.

Jill is also actively involved in Democratic politics in the local area, is a member of Hudson Valley Strong, of Red Hook Together, and of Re-Sisters, a group of area women committed to political activism.

Jill is a longtime resident of Barrytown, where she lives with her husband, Doug Baz. They have three adult children and three grandchildren.

Email: [email protected]

Members at Large

When Eleanor and her husband became full-time residents of Rhinebeck in 2020, she was looking for a place to meet people and build a community in her new town. Bard LLI was the answer. She joined LLI in the fall of 2020 when we were entirely remote. Despite not being on campus, she made many friends, found interesting volunteer opportunities, and became deeply involved in helping LLI run successfully during a challenging time.

She currently serves on the Curriculum and Membership Development Committees, the Curriculum-to- Catalog Team, and the Civic Engagement Team. Eleanor looks forward to the opportunity of serving on Council while working collaboratively with LLI members to help grow and enrich Bard LLI.

Eleanor is a retired CPA. As an adjunct lecturer, she taught accounting and business classes at CUNY Queensborough for 20 years. In her free time, she loves hiking, cooking, and doting on her two grandchildren.

Email: [email protected]

Chuck has been presenting courses at Bard LLI for many years, including his popular Opera as Politics series, the Leonard Bernstein Centenary Lectures, and recently The Roaring 20s. His commentary on the intersection of politics and the arts continues with a new series of courses.

Email: [email protected]

Standing Committee Chairs

Born and raised in New York City, Mary arrived in the Hudson Valley in 1974 via SUNY New Paltz. Like so many other transplants, she found this area to be a fine place to lay down roots. With her husband, she established a home in Ulster County, where they raised their daughter. Since retiring from her career as a guidance counselor in the Kingston City Schools, she has pursued her interests in travel, photography, writing, reading, hiking, politics, and gardening.

Since joining LLI in 2016, Mary has served on the Registration Committee and worked to develop the previous LLI Bard website. She has been a class manager for several LLI classes and has produced one class. Mary is currently active in the Civic Engagement Team and on the Curriculum Committee. She hopes to continue to serve the Bard LLI community as a member of the Council.

Email: [email protected]

Our goal in Membership Development is to help those new to LLI settle in and feel at home. Our small team does everything from Orientation to the Mentor Program, and social events to keep the entire membership connected.

The heart of all we do happens in Curriculum, and it’s also a joy to Produce Courses. Let’s make it happen!

Email: [email protected]

Carmela Gersbeck became an LLI member in 2019. She soon joined the Communications Committee and the Technology Committee. She is Chair of the Program Support team, which is responsible for the classes presented on Zoom, and the class manager, A/V, and hospitality teams when on campus. Carmela is also responsible for Bard LLI technology, managing the [email protected] team, registration, ProClass, WordPress, MailChimp and other technology issues.

Carmela moved full-time to the Hudson Valley in 2018, after spending 20 years as a weekender in the Woodstock area with her husband, Al. She retired in 2018 from a 40-year career working in senior leadership roles for Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns and JP Morgan. Carmela now resides in Hyde Park and her favorite pastimes are spending time with her two grandchildren, cooking, bicycling, hiking, and reading detective novels.

Email: [email protected]