PRESENTER’S BIOGRAPHIES

ROB BUCCHERI and KEITH REILLY are history teachers in the Carmel Central School District with over 26 years of experience. They are also Master Educators for the Living History Education Foundation and teach inservice and graduate level classes to other educators across the country. Both are reenactors and specialists in the Revolutionary War in the Hudson Valley. In 2021, they were awarded a Proclamation of Exemplary Community Service by New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer, Chairman of the New York State Senate Education Committee. Email: rbuccheri1776@gmail.com  Website: 5thny.org

HENRY BURBY is a NYC based working musician with many years of experience in historic folk music interpretation. He is an adjunct professor in the Humanities Department at Hunter College and a site manager at the Van Cortlandt House Museum. He is currently collaborating on and writing music for several ongoing projects and recently returned from an international tour, opening for renowned musician Benjamin Clementine. Facebook: Henry.Burby.7. Instagram: @herny_bruby

DR. VIC DISANTO is a Museum Associate at the Iroquois Museum in Howes Cave, and retired from positions with the New York State department of Historic Preservation and the State Museum. He has done research and published several articles about the life of the Westchester militiamen who captured Major John André. He brings alive the history of the capture from the point of view of one of the three Patriot militiamen captors, David Williams. Email vicdisanto65@gmail.com

SEAN GRADY is a middle school social studies teacher with 20 years of experience. He writes and performs in the plays produced by Drama From the Past and is a reenactor with the 5th New York and Living History Education Foundation. Nominated by the Hudson River Patriots Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Grady was recognized first by New York State and then by the national DAR as the outstanding teacher of American history in 2023. Facebook page Drama from the Past. Email  seanone88@aol.com

MARIA GRILLO has been an elementary educator for over 28 years. Her living history interests center on the roles played by women, specifically the colonial everywoman and her significant contributions to Early American life, many of which are lost to history.  Her other interests and passions include colonial medicine, textile spinning and dyeing, 18th century cookery, animal

husbandry of traditional colonial animal breeds and 17th and 18th century gardening. Maria and Michael Grillo often provide programs together. Email scholargal@hotmail.com

MICHAEL J. GRILLO is a historical performer and educator who has worked in Museum Education and Historical Consulting for over 27 years. Additionally, he has been portraying

General George Washington for 30 years. Michael’s goal is to put New York’s 17th and 18th

century history on the map. He has 24 different uniforms to date , both American and British, as

well as civilian apparel. He enjoys making his own clothing, as well as props for students and

visitors. Email rwffuz94@aol.com   Website: historicalpresentationswithmic.godaddysites.com

CARLA LYNNE HALL is a singer/songwriter with several independently released CDs. She is a former actor with Ruth Foreman’s Pied Pipers’ Children’s Theater in Miami, Florida. She also received the Best Playwright Award for Florida International University‘s theater program. As a performing artist and back up singer, she has performed throughout the United States and Latin America. Email Hello@carlaandkeyes.com Website: carlaandkeyes.com

TOM HUNT has 20+ years of 18th century, revolu-tionary war period, reenacting and craft demonstration experience. He is the sole proprietor of Waterside Forge providing colonial era demonstrations to schools and events in Westchester County and beyond. He was the on-site blacksmith and has given tours of the historical properties, collections, and related crafts/skills at Van Cortlandt Manor (Historic Hudson Valley), Croton, N.Y. Tom is a member and instructor for the Living History Education Foundation, Buchanan, N.Y. Email  watersideforge@aol.com  Facebook page here.

DUANE JACKSON is a Vietnam veteran and a Board Member of the Living History Education Foundation (LHEF) who portrays a soldier in the Rhode Island Regiment. He is a board member of Times Square Busi-ness District, former Village of Buchanan Trustee, and a member of the Committee for the Battle of Pine Bridge Memorial. Web-site: livinghistoryed.org

KYLE JENKS has been a professional interpreter of 4th president and Father of the Constitution James Madison since 2015. He is also a playwright, and a film and stage actor. He is a member of The League of Most Interesting Gentlemen He has worked with other professional interpreters of major founding fathers as well as Mrs. Dolley Madison. You can find him on IG: @madisonportrayer Facebook: facebook.com/PresidentMadison Phone: (216) 509-7502 Email: jaktar773@aol.com

JUDITH KALAORA is a professional educator, playwright, and living historian. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University; completed the Globe Education Program of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater in London; and earned a Leadership Certificate from the U.S. Army War College, where she was invited to participate in the 2024 National Security Seminar. In 2010, she founded History At Play™, LLC to chronicle the lives of influential and often forgotten figures. @HistoryAtPlay / HistoryAtPlay.com  Email judith@HistoryAtPlay.com

CYNTHIA ABBOTT KAUFFMAN is a historic researcher and first-person interpreter who has spent 12 years researching and portraying the life of Patriot Ann Fisher Miller of North Castle. She is contracted by Westchester County to portray Ann’s life at the County-owned historic Miller House/Washington’s Headquarters, where Ann lived. She also presents at many historic venues, museums, and schools. Cynthia serves as President of the Daughters of Liberty’s Legacy and the White Plains Historical Society, is a member of the Brigade of the American Revolution, and is active with other historical organizations. Presentations can be tailored to your group by request. Email cynthia@DOLL1776.com

BARRY KEEGAN is a Native American crafts expert and museum consultant. Keegan is the former Supervisor of Native American Programs at the New York State Historical Association and Farmer’s Museum in Coo-perstown, N.Y. He has constructed over 80 wigwams and longhouses for museums, nature centers, and edu-cational institutions, and regularly demonstrates early technologies for these organizations, as well as others such as the History Channel. Email  bskeegan436@gmail.com

CONSTANCE M. KEHOE is an educator and civic leader. She earned a history degree from Vassar College and a master’s in teaching from Wesleyan University. She taught high school social studies, and founded and ran an educational consulting business for 20 years. As an elected Village Trustee & Deputy Mayor in Irvington, New York she played a key role in preserving the village’s historic character. Since 2018, she has served as president of Revolutionary Westchester 250, a nonprofit promoting public understanding of the Revolutionary War. She also serves on the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission. Email  1776RW250@gmail.com

JIM KEYES is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer, with many film and television credits. For the last ten years, he has been musical director for Historic Hudson Valley’s “The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow”, for which he composed the score. More recently, he has been the daytime storyteller of the show, in addition to providing music for the evening performances. Email Hello@carlaandkeyes.com Website: carlaandkeyes.com

JOHN KOOPMAN III has portrayed General Washington in documentary films, on television and at reenactments in multiple states. He is the author of the book, George Washington at War–1776. Email: abishai_forhire@yahoo.comWebsite: johnkoopmaniii.com

JONATHAN KRUK is a master Storyteller who has performed for years throughout the Hudson Valley at historic sites, schools, libraries, and festivals. Jonathan holds an M.A. in Educational Theater and is a BOCES Artist Educator. He has been featured on The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, BBC and National Geographic Channel. He is the author of Legends and Lore of Sleepy Hollow and Legends and Lore of the Hudson Highlands. His recording with Rich Bala, "Revolution on the River," earned Hudson Valley Magazine's "Best of " award. The Sons of the American Revolution and the D.A.R. awarded M. Kruk with citizenship medals for his storytelling on the Revolution. Email: jonathankruk@gmail.com  Website: jonathankruk.com

LIVING HISTORY CO. LLC creates experiences that deepen understanding and appreciation of the full breadth and depth of the American journey. Presentations range from battle re-enactments to music and cooking demonstrations that reflect American life from the colonial era through the American Revolution. Living History Co, has done this work for schools, heritage tourism sites, historical societies, film and television productions.  livinghistory@optonline.net

DAVID NEILSEN is a classically-trained actor and professional storyteller who has spent the past decade telling tales and bringing living history to young and old throughout New York City and the Hudson Valley. He has performed at such historic spots as Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, The Poe Cottage, Washington Irving's Sunnyside, The NY Botanical Gardens, Philipsburg Manor, and wherever else people gather to hear stories.

Email neilsendavid@gmail.com Website https://david-neilsen.com/

ERIK PAUL has 10+ years of 18th century, Revolution-ary War reenacting and woodworking demonstration experience. He has appeared at many historic sites and living history events. Erik also performs as a musician and fiddler with The Colonial Buskers. Email  epaul014@gmail.com

GARY PETAGINE is an award winning retired special education teacher with 36 years of experience and a historical reenactor with Living History Education Foundation. With Sean Grady, he performs in the plays produced by Drama From the Past taking on the roles of John Adams, Benjamin Tallmadge, John Laurence and others. Email  gapetagine12@gmail.com  Facebook page here

LINDA RUSSELL explores history through music. Having served as a balladeer for the National Park Service at Federal Hall on Wall Street, the site of Washing-ton’s inauguration, Ms. Russell now takes her music to historic sites, schools and festivals throughout the country. Appearances have included Lincoln Center, The New York Historical Society and the Carnegie Hall Folk Festival. In Westchester, she has presented 18th century music for the Main Street School in Irvington, Hillside School in Hastings and Midland School in Rye, and historic events including Revolutionary Hastings Family Fun Day, St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site and the Washington/Rochambeau Trail in Dobbs Ferry. Email lindarussellmusic@gmail.com

JOE RYAN is President and Founder of the Living History Education Foundation. For 32 years he taught middle school social studies, and was an adjunct graduate professor for 22 years. Awards include: 1st Outstanding Teacher of American History in the Nation and the Freedom Foundation Valley Forge Teacher Medal. Email: livinghistory@optonline.net  Web-site: livinghistoryed.org

CELESTE SHERRY is a living historian with 40+ years of experience in re-enacting and demonstrations of 18th century life (ca. 1760-1785). As a teacher of English literature at two local Rockland county colleges, Celeste brings her educational skills to her talks and demonstrations.  Email: cmsherry@optonline.net Website: historyspinning.com

JACK SHERRY taught high school history for 16-years and has been a Revolutionary War reenactor since 1980. His uncanny resemblance to Dr. Benjamin Franklin led him to portray the charismatic, influential historic figure and share his history. Email jsherry49@hotmail.com Website: visitwithBenFranklin.com

DREW SHUPTAR-RAYVIS (Pekatawas MakataweU “Black Corn”) holds a B.A. in Anthropology/Sociology (cum laude) and a Certificate in Archaeology. His heritage includes Pocomoke, European and Jewish roots. He focuses on colonial-era living history, public education, preserving Eastern Woodland languages (Renape, southern Unami, and Nanticoke) and colonial period European languages. In July 2021 he was chosen to be the Cultural Ambassador of the Pocomoke Indian Nation of Maryland. From June 2023 to June 2024 he was a research/preservation specialist with the Maryland State Archives, recording oral histories of Maryland's eastern shore tribes. He is the Algonkian historical consultant for the New Amsterdam History Center of NYC, specializing in 17th-century Algonkian culture. Email  dshup1000@aol.com

JENNIE STEINHAGEN brings to life both Loyalist and Patriot women of the American Revolution, focusing specifically on the tensions that divided families during that difficult time in Westchester’s “Neutral Ground.” She also educates children as a historical reenactor (schoolmarm) and docent at the one-room 1835 Marble Schoolhouse in Eastchester. Email  veggietownnyc@gmail.com

NANCY RUSHTON VAN TASSEL has worked with fibers for over 35 years–knitting, spinning, weaving and exploring the history and traditions of the art. She grows flax and dye plants for handspun yarn. Nancy is a mem-ber of the Palisade Spinners and has demonstrated at Muscoot Farm, Stone Barns Farm and living history events in Westchester County. Email nancyannvantassel@gmail.com

CHAR WEIGEL frequently publishes and presents new research on Benedict Arnold’s treason and Revolutionary War history in the lower Hudson Valley. She is Vice President of Special Projects for Revolutionary Westchester 250 and on the board of the Friends of the Odell Rochambeau Museum. Email caweigel@verizon.net

CINDY WOLF has over 10-years of living history experience as a camp follower. Sarah Eaton has over 2 years experience as a camp follower. They have demonstrated cooking, butter churning, candle making and made presentations on soldier life and historic clothing in schools and historic sites in NY, CT, NJ & PA. Email vampyrelc@gmail.com

KATHY PURE WRIGHTt has been reenacting for 25 years portraying both British and American, presenting her weaving demonstrations at various historic sites in NY, NJ and CT. She has her Master’s Degree in Design/Weaving and sews all her own 18th century clothing, which she ties into the weaving process and at the same time tries to satisfy the public’s curiosity about all those odd clothes. Email  purelyfiber@bestweb.net