Board Members

Michele Funicello grew up in Corinth, New York. She graduated from Siena College with a B.S. in International Marketing Management. In 1991, after taking a position with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, she moved to Saratoga Springs where she met and married Dieter Funiciello. In 1996, Michele and Dieter purchased a long neglected Queen Anne at 120 Circular Street. They spent several years carefully restoring it to be a bed & breakfast. Circular Manor celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019.

Michele was first introduced to the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation by Carrie Woerner, the Executive Director at the time. She joined the board of directors of the Foundation in 2006, serving five years. Michele was involved with efforts to ensure the preservation of the Saratoga Race Course when the franchise agreement for the track was up for renewal. As part of the 2008 New York Racing Association franchise agreement, a Local Advisory Board was created. She was appointed to that board by Mayor Scott Johnson and continues to serve today. During her time with the Foundation she also served as the Chair of the Board Nominating Committee, Chair of the Candlelight House Tour, and on the Executive Director Search Committee. Michele also is a current member of the Flower & Fruit Mission and a past member of The Saratoga Hospital Gala Committee and board member of Universal Preservation Hall.

Michele shared that she’s is grateful to have had the opportunity to restore, along with Dieter, a lovely historic Saratoga Victorian home and is honored to come back to the SSPF Board. She’s also looking forward to promoting preservation, understanding that there is a delicate balance between preserving our heritage and allowing for living in today’s world.

Chris Armer is a Saratoga native and currently works in the Real Estate industry for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Chris specializes in residential resales, new construction and commercial sales and leasing. Chris and his family own a historic building on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, The Old Firehouse, in which they ran a retail store in the early 2000’s. Chris is married to Kelly Armer, executive director for the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Chris and Kelly have two sons Jeffrey and Jacob Armer. They are new “empty nesters” having just sent their youngest son, Jacob, to St. Bonaventure University.

Chris served on the SSPF board from 2009-2015 as a board member as well as board president. Chris also served on the board for the Downtown Business Association, Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau and the Brookside Museum. 

In 2014 Linda retired as an Architectural Historian with the New York State Department of Transportation in Albany specializing in federal and state historic preservation laws and regulations. Prior to this, she worked at the New York State Historic Preservation Office. She holds a Masters in Historic Preservation Administration from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelors in Art/Art History from Western Michigan University. Her recent passion is with the architecture and history of the National Historic Landmark Saratoga Spa State Park where she gives walking and bicycle tours for the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation.

Stephen Kyne is the owner of Sterling Manor Financial, an independent financial planning and investment advisory firm with offices in downtown Saratoga Springs and Rhinebeck.  A graduate of SUNY Albany, Stephen holds a Certificate in Financial Planning from New York University as well as several related licenses in the financial planning and insurance industries.  Prior to establishing his own firm in 2006, Stephen worked for American Express Financial Advisors.  A frequent contributor to local newspapers on financial planning-related topics, Stephen’s commitment to community service goes back to his involvement with the AmeriCorps NCCC and VISTA programs and continues today as a board member of several non-profit organizations, including Saratoga Springs Rotary and its Education Foundation, Boy Scouts of America’s Camp Wakpominee Alumni Association, and Friends of Camp Little Notch.  A native of Saratoga Springs, Stephen believes to maintain our community’s unique character it is necessary to balance progress and preservation.

After providing part-time/periodic financial analysis services in college for The Western Monroe Historical Society at the Morgan-Manning House in Brockport, NY, Andrew found a rich appreciation for historical buildings, and for the importance of how those structures/landmarks can influence culture today.

After living in New York City for 10+ years, Andrew and his now wife Abbey moved to Saratoga in 2020; achieving a long-held goal of moving to the town, albeit far sooner than previously expected. They now live in Saratoga’s Regatta View neighborhood with one child. Andrew was born and raised in Hamlin, NY, a suburb of Rochester.

Tiffany Blair is a Director of Digital Strategy for Salesforce, a Fortune 500 cloud computing software company. Tiffany works closely with state and local government clients around the country to help transform the delivery of government services with innovative citizen engagement and case management technology solutions. Tiffany has 20+ years of experience supporting a variety of government programs, including health and human services, labor and workforce development, and public health agencies, with their technology transformation projects. Prior to her current role, Tiffany worked at major technology innovators – Oracle and IBM – as well as served as a Medicaid analyst for New York State. She earned her BA in Political Science and Policy Studies from Syracuse University, as well as a Master’s in Public Administration from SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Tiffany’s love of historic architecture started while growing up in the small town of Auburn, NY, a city once home to Harriet Tubman and other notable New Yorkers. Since then, Tiffany has always sought out the opportunity to live in historic cities and neighborhoods, living in downtown Albany, Washington, DC and Boston, MA, soaking up all the great historic architecture along the way. Tiffany lives on Saratoga’s East Side with her pup, LouLou. When she isn’t spending time exploring the city, she is working on her thesis in pursuit of a Masters in Historic Preservation from Boston Architectural College.

In 2021, deciding to move back upstate to be closer to family, Joe purchased an Italianate style residence built by Robert Hunter, a mason, in 1851, located in the East Side Historic district. The home had been on the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation’s endangered property list for decades but was lovingly restored just this past year. Joe and his family were recognized for their commitment to restoring a piece of Saratoga Springs’ history at the 2024 Preservation Award Ceremony.

Steven Dodds is a Senior Architect at Phinney Design Group in Saratoga Springs. He is a licensed architect, AIA member and LEED Accredited Professional.

Originally from Schenectady, he received his Bachelors of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Minor in Civil Engineering. After graduation, he worked in Boston for three years, then in New York City for eighteen where he focused on buildings with dense and unusual programs, large consultant teams and complex regulatory constraints. His projects were often located within Historic Districts and/or included a preservation or adaptive reuse component.

Tiring of big city life and outgrowing their apartment, Steven, his wife Jiraporn and two children left NYC in 2018. They now live in Saratoga Springs, attracted by its vibrant downtown, cultural opportunities, architecture, history and proximity to family.

Outside of the office, Steven has written two books and several magazine articles focusing on tools and DIY projects. He also served as president and treasurer of a 100 year old residential coop in New York City, shepherding the building through a major exterior restoration. He is now in the home stretch of the renovation of his own house east of downtown.

Giovanna D’Orazio is an attorney at D’Orazio Peterson LLP, a Saratoga Springs-based employment and serious injury law firm that she owns with her husband, Scott Peterson. Prior to the inception of D’Orazio Peterson, Giovanna was an Appellate Court Attorney at the Appellate Division, Third Department in Albany and spent four years as an associate in the Litigation, Arbitration and Mediation Group at Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna LLP. Giovanna moved to Saratoga in 2010 after several years living in Albany following graduation from Albany Law School.  Giovanna has always loved history, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History from Muhlenberg College, as well as old homes, gaining an appreciation for Victorian architecture living in Albany’s historic Center Square neighborhood.  She now shares a 160-year old home on the East Side of Saratoga Springs with her husband, two children and English Bulldog.  A Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation house history revealed that the home was once owned by a fellow Albany Law graduate who completed a major renovation to the home in 1896.  Professionally, Giovanna also serves on the board of Wellspring, the domestic violence and sexual assault resource for Saratoga County, and is a member of the Flower & Fruit Mission of Saratoga Hospital.

Jim Gold has been a resident of Saratoga Springs since 1980 and lives in a carriage house/stable on Woodlawn Avenue that his wife, Cheryl, and he purchased in 1987 to convert into their residence. Trained in museum management, Jim spent much of his career with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, serving for 29 of those years as Director of the Bureau of Historic Sites. In this capacity, Jim was responsible for the preservation and development of 34 state-owned historic sites and a technical support facility at Peebles Island in Waterford that provided archaeological, curatorial, conservation, exhibition, interpretive, and restoration services for the statewide program. Jim previously served on the boards of the New York State, Mid-Atlantic and American Association of Museums; the Design Review Commission, serving as its chair for twelve years; the city’s Community Land Preservation Committee, today known as the Open Space Committee; the Comprehensive Plan Committee; and the board of directors of Pitney Meadows Community Farm. Jim was a member of the Foundation’s Committee to Restore the Spirit of Life & Spencer Trask Memorial in Congress Park, before being appointed to the Foundation board in 2015 and serving two terms. During the year that he was unable to serve on the board due to bylaw term limits, he continued to serve on the Advocacy Committee and on the Revive 65 Committee.

John Haller founded SportsSignup in 2003 – a company offering tools to Youth Sports organizations.  Based in Saratoga Springs, SportsSignup employed 30 people and had 3500 sports organizations as customers, with 1,500,000 people registering through the platform in 2016, when it was acquired by Time Inc and pulled into the newly formed Sports Illustrated Play subsidiary.

John was a co-founder of NearMe in 1999, a company delivering Location Based Services to wireless devices.  John acted as President and CTO.  The company was acquired by Hands-On Mobile of Seattle in 2001.

John co-founded MapInfo in 1985 (now Pitney Bowes MapInfo).  MapInfo pioneered the ‘Desktop Mapping’ marketplace and had grown to become a global leader in business mapping and Geographic Information System tools. MapInfo went public in 1994 (MAPS), and grew to over $185M in annual revenues, 1100 employees, and thousands of customers worldwide. John was regarded as the company’s resident technologist serving as vice president and CTO for 14 years. 

John received his B.S. in Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  He enjoys sailing on Lake George, hiking and traveling.

Leigh Hornbeck was raised in the Adirondack Park and grew up in a farmhouse built in 1848. After graduating from Saint Michael’s College in Winooski Park, Vt. and beginning her journalism career in the Boston area, she worked for 20 years as a staff writer at the Times Union. It was while working as a reporter that Leigh fell in love with old buildings and historic architecture. In addition to writing about real estate, Leigh explored old houses with a series called “Architecture” and another called “House Proud,” about homeowners and their relationships with their homes. 

In November, 2022, Leigh left the newspaper business to join the public relations firm Behan Communications in Glens Falls as a senior associate. Prior to serving on the board of the foundation, Leigh was a trustee of the Saratoga Springs History Museum and contributed to the LifeWorks Latino Community Advocacy Program as a committee member.

 Leigh, her husband Josh and their two sons live in Wilton.

Following graduation, Alex and his wife relocated to upstate New York, where they fell in love with the strong community ties of Saratoga Springs and decided to start a family and a business here. Alex is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University at Albany. He expects to graduate by the end of the year, at which point he plans to expand his services to include preservation consulting.

Alex’s passion for both the built environment and hands-on craftsmanship inspired him to blend his academic interests with specialized trade skills. A significant project that highlighted Alex’s dedication to historic preservation was his role in the “Revive 65” restoration on Phila Street, a collaboration that brought him into close partnership with the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. His involvement in the project reinforced his commitment to the foundation’s mission, and he is honored to serve as a member on the board.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Alex enjoys spending time with family and friends, engaging in activities such as carpentry, snowboarding, hiking, and golf.

Vincent is a Project Manager for Bonacio Construction in Saratoga Springs. Over the past ten years he has had the opportunity to manage over $40 million of residential and commercial construction projects, majority, within the City of Saratoga Springs. His experience varies from historic restoration and remodeling, to new construction. Some of his most recent notable projects include: the Cantina Restaurant on Broadway and its new event space & rooftop bar, an extensive historical renovation of the 1871 Universal Preservation Hall transforming it into a state-of-the-art performance facility, and the 63-unit Promenade Affordable Housing Apartment Complex.

Vincent grew up in and around Saratoga Springs and currently resides in the East Side Historic District with his wife. He graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. In his free time he enjoys remodeling homes such as 62 Van Dam Street, an 1868 contributing structure to the West Side Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. He also enjoys finding and collecting rare memorabilia of historic Saratoga Springs. Vincent is always up for the next big challenge and appreciates the uniqueness Saratoga Springs offers, as he has a passion to contribute to the city prospering while retaining its early 19th century appeal. 

Samantha Nass is the owner and founder of Samantha Nass Floral Design. A floral studio specializing in weddings and events. Sam fell in love with Saratoga Spring after visiting it one day when she and her husband were looking for a place to move after working and living in NYC for 7 years.

Sam and her husband married at the National Museum of Dance in 2008 and purchased a 150-year-old Victorian in the historic district that same year; which they painstakingly renovated, taking care to preserve and match many of the original features. 

She was born in Rome, Italy and moved to the UK as a teenager, where she lived before moving to the US in 2000. Professionally, prior to establishing her own business, Sam spent 20 years working for JP Morgan in the UK, California and NYC, holding various client-facing roles. In 2014, when she and her family finally moved from NYC, she left her banking career to pursue a love of flowers and design; and opened her floral design studio.

Since becoming a member of the Saratoga Springs business community, Sam has been a sponsor and supporter of local organizations/initiatives, such as: SPAC Junior Committee, UPH, Hospital Gala and Heart Ball for American Heart Association.

Michelle Paquette-Deuel is the director of the Pre-College Program and associate director of academic programs and residencies at Skidmore College. Having earned a BA degree in English Literature from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, she also holds a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing about Art from Skidmore College. A Capital Region native, Michelle has lived in Saratoga Springs since 1997. Before joining Skidmore, she taught English as a Second Language in the Czech Republic and was the founder of an online fine art gallery. In addition to co-chairing the LifeWorks Latino Community Advocacy Program’s Visión planning committee, she previously served on the Preservation Foundation board from 2013-2019. Michelle has also contributed as a committee member to a number of local organizations, including SaratogaArtsFest and the Saratoga Regional YMCA, and is a 2011 graduate of Leadership Saratoga.

Michelle grew up in a house built in 1930 by her grandfather, a Danish cabinetmaker, and is deeply committed to the architectural preservation of Saratoga Springs. She and her husband, Bill, spend their free time renovating their off-grid camp in the Adirondacks.

Dorothy Rogers-Bullis, owner of drb Business Interiors and founding partner of Saratoga CoWorks, has always had the spirit of an entrepreneur. After working her way through college at Temple University, where she majored in management, Dorothy started her first business in New York City.

She moved frequently with her career, which had an unforeseen benefit: fine-tuning not only her project and management skills, but also her design and renovation talents while she and her husband, Dan, purchased and renovated properties. This experience ultimately inspired Dorothy co-found drb Business Interiors in 2009, a commercial furniture and workspace design company located in Saratoga Springs, New York. At drb Business Interiors, Dorothy leads the company’s business development efforts and oversees design and management.

Hoping to cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit of others, Dorothy undertook another venture in partnership with Dan, opening the doors to Saratoga CoWorks in 2014, the city’s first collaborative coworking space for entrepreneurs, independent professionals, freelancers, and startups. A second Saratoga CoWorks location opened on Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs in 2018.

Dorothy lives in Saratoga Springs and she and Dan have two adult sons. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and is active in her church. In addition, Dorothy is an avid volunteer, donating her expertise to organizations in her industry and in the Saratoga Springs community. She cofounded Saratoga Women in Business (SWIB), a networking group for female professionals in the area, and serves as a career mentor to students at Skidmore College. Dorothy also is a board member for the city of Saratoga Springs.

Sheila Sperling was born and raised in Saratoga Springs. Her family has had businesses on Broadway since the 1970’s and they currently own the Saratoga Arms Hotel where in 1999, due to their massive rehabilitation of the 1870 dilapidated buildings, they received recognition from the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation for their extraordinary contribution to historic preservation and downtown revitalization. Passionate about her hometown, she feels fortunate to be able to work and raise her triplets in the best place in the country. Sheila is a real estate agent and has served on the Heritage Board, currently serves on the Board of Assessment for Saratoga Springs and Coesa. Sheila was graduated from Leadership Saratoga in 2014. Sheila served as the Foundation’s Vice President for two years.

Jason grew up in Greenwich, NY and was raised on his family’s farm in Easton. After graduating from high school, he moved to Victoria, Australia. While there, he worked on an irrigated dairy farm. After attending a State school in Kansas he moved back to Saratoga Springs to attend Skidmore College in 1997. He graduated in 2000 with a degree in Theater Design and Technology. Jason went on to join Roohan Realty as a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson and a property manager for commercial and residential properties. He works with tenants and sells real estate in and around Saratoga Springs. Apart from his real estate career, Jason is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Greater Capital Region Association of Realtors (GCAR). In his free time, Jason collects vintage Star Wars toys, prototypes, and concept artwork from the 70s and 80s. He got his first figurine in 1978 and he’s presently involved in Star Wars social groups with other collectors from all over the country and world.    

Roger Woody is a Vice President of Ceded Reinsurance for AmTrust Financial Services, a Fortune 500 global property and casualty insurer headquartered in New York, NY.  Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, he is a St. Peter’s Prep graduate and received a Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from Rutgers University, institutions he maintains strong ties to as a Sigma Alpha Mu member and as an active alumni and professional association member and contributor. Roger served as treasurer of his New York City co-op for 18 years. Proud father to Ryan, now a marketing professional, he mentored youth for many years and was a coach and commissioner for Little League Baseball, CYO basketball, and the Manhattan Kickers Soccer Club. Roger is a bass guitarist, having played in bands at various New York City venues. His current passion project is the restoration of a 100-year-old upright bass, a family heirloom he received as a gift from his father-in-law. 

As frequent visitors, Roger and his wife, Tricia, enjoyed the vibrancy of Saratoga Springs and felt a connection to its community and culture. They fell in love with Saratoga Springs’ rich history, architecture, and beautiful spaces, happily making this city their home in 2020. With deep appreciation for the passion and purpose of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, they joined as members while also lending support as frequent volunteers. Both are committed to the Foundation’s mission and focus to preserve and protect Saratoga Springs’ character and heritage.