Meet The Abode Team & The Abode Board of Trustees
Our team brings together people from all paths of life, who give the time and talent that it takes to make the Abode thrive in a changing world. We are thankful to have these beautiful souls supporting the work needed to bring you an Interfaith Retreat & Spiritual Center that is welcoming to all, filled with love, attuned to nature, committed to providing sacred hospitality and attentive to the details that matter to those we serve.
We look forward to seeing you soon at The Abode!
Michal Leah
Interim Operations Manager
Sarah Latifa Taylor
Garden Manager
Khushi Pasquale
Abode Office Staff
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Andy Bruce
Operations Staff
Stuart Raab
Facilities and Grounds Staff
Louis Kristie
Facilities Staff
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Picture Coming Soon!
Amina Silk & Arif Leininger
Volunteer Guest Teachers/Hosts & 3rd Sunday Dances of Universal Peace Leaders
Iromee Gale
Programs Manager
Lucas Cipkowski
Communications Manager
Adriana Syzda
Housekeeeping Staff
Evan Young
Facilities and Grounds Manager
Amber Maisano
Head Chef & Kitchen Manager
Towseef Mirza
Housekeeping & Kitchen Staff
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Picture Coming Soon!
Shaheen Mirza
Kitchen Staff
Kyle Johnson
Grounds and Garden Staff
Meet The Abode Board of Trustees
Blair Davis
Chair of the Board of Directors
Blair Davis arrived at the Abode well over a decade ago. He began attending Universal Worship Services regularly and over the years developed a deep connection to the Sufi path.
While strengthening his commitment to the organization, Blair has been called to serve on numerous committees, been involved with various infrastructure projects for the property and has held the positions of Treasurer and Chair of the Abode Board of Trustees.
As a musician, he has planned and operated sound systems as well as played regularly for events at the Abode.
Since 2005 he has headed a Systems Automation Integrator business. Prior to this he worked in the field of sales, electrical engineering - design, as well as profit and non-profit management positions.
Christopher A.H. Steadman, Esq.
Treasurer
Christopher Steadman first came to the Abode when he was in college, taking a temporary leave of absence to explore Sufism. Once there he was assigned to the building crew and learned the trade of carpentry working on Shaker buildings under the tutelage of a long line of Abode Sufi carpenters. He there met his wife, who had been in residence since 1976, and who built her own house on the Abode property. A daughter, Sarah Noor, was born to them in 1991. She attended Mountain Rd. School and is runs the Abode CSA.. Fourteen years after taking a leave of absence to come to the Abode, Christopher retuned to school ultimately obtaining his J.D. and has been a member of the NYS Bar since being admitted in 2000. In addition, he has contributed 38 years of service to the New Lebanon community as a volunteer fire fighter, upholding a long standing Abode tradition.
In 2015 he became a member of the Abode Steering Committee when the the Sufi Order decided to move to Richmond, VA. Thereafter he was a member of the Abode Board of Directors serving as co-chair, chair and treasurer. He is a founding member of Friends of South Family.
Al Bellenchia
Secretary
Al Bellenchia is an executive with global experience in marketing, management and organizational development. He has worked with or at for-profit and not-for-profit organizations of many sizes and specializes in leading organizations through needed change. Currently, Al serves as Executive Director/CEO of Columbia County Habitat for Humanity. He was Executive Director of the Abode from 2016 to 2021.
Aimée Brodeur Johnson
Aimée has been living at the Abode since 1988. The Dances of Universal Peace and the Universal Sufi message of Hazrat Inayat Khan led her to meeting Pir Vilayat and then to the Abode. Once here, she worked at Mountain Road School as a teacher (in all grades from kindergarten through sixth), director, until her retirement in 2013, after which she served on its board for six years. Aimée is a member of the Abode Center and serves as a Cheraga of the Universal Worship. She still enjoys the monthly Dances of Universal Peace held at the Abode. During her years at the Abode, she served on a number of committees. In 2015 she served on the transition committee and thereafter became a member of the Abode Board. She is also a member of the board of the Friends of South Family, and has done volunteer work for the New Lebanon Library and the New Lebanon Historical Society.
Mark Walcroft - Kyther
Treasurer
Kyther came to the Abode in 1980 as he was attracted to community life and a deeper involvement in Sufi practices. He lived in the main buildings for the first decade before moving to a house of his own creation on Chairfactory Road where he currently resides. In the first 25 years he served continuously on Abode committees, as well as working on building projects. Notable projects include: Doing the completion work for the Mountain Sanctuary, rebuilding the cupola on Rezak, creating a new entrance to the pond, renovating Mughni building, and many electrical projects. Kyther was a high school physics teacher in Pittsfield and also works as an electrical contractor.
V. Josselyne Price
Secretary
V. Josselyne Price (Joss) is a percussionist and retired professor of Ethnomusicology, with over 30 years of study in Ghana, West Africa and related Diasporas. Her work specializes in the ritual and rhythm of West Africa and related forms, and she taught world music classes and drum/dance ensembles at St. Michael's College in VT for 15 years before retiring. She currently lives in the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. Josselyne first came to the Abode in 2003 to produce the 1st year of SpiritFire Festival, a sacred music/dance/ceremonial event held annually on the Mountain. She immediately fell in love with the Abode and its community, and has been committed to the care and stewardship of the Mountain for many years prior to joining the Board of Directors in 2024.
Paul Postiglione
Paul Postiglione participated in the Universal Peace Dance in the late 80’s and has continued his connection in his participation in Abode Mountain retreat programming for the last 10 years. He has retired from a 40-year career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, spending the last 31 years at the Veterans Administration Hospital as a clinician, managing mental health programing and developing programing addressing staff burn out. In addition to his Social Work career he has volunteered in a number of roles and settings that includes the initiation and implementation a LGBT Youth support group at the Albany Pride Center, and assisted area schools in the developing programming for LGBT students. Additionally, he has volunteered with the Red Cross and responded to several disasters including the World Trade Center. In his retirement he enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures. His interest in African drumming is what has brought him back the Mountain Retreat Center and continues to be a passionate pursuit.