Chamber, affiliated programs welcome new staffers

The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and several of its programs are pleased to announce changes to its dynamic full-time staff.
 
The Chamber announces Chelsea Schwarze will move to a new role as Member Relations Director, working closely with the Membership and Events Departments. Schwarze will coordinate of the Chamber’s database of more than 1,500 member organizations and tens of thousands of individuals. She will also assist the Director of Events in the fulfilment of event logistics. The former Community Relations Specialist, Schwarze has extensive experience with both data management and event planning.
 
The Chamber welcomes Jeanine Mosher as the new Community Relations Specialist. Mosher will act as a receptionist and clerk for the Chamber’s front office. Mosher previously held several positions at the Poughkeepsie Journal, most recently as Executive Administrative Assistant. She has a background in customer service as well as significant bookkeeping and sales experience.
 
The Chamber also welcomes Susan Newhouse as Finance Manager. Newhouse will work closely with the Chief Financial Officer to maintain the day-to-day bookkeeping and annual audits of the Chamber and The Chamber Foundation as well as preparing contract claims for the Youth One Stop program. After a long career as a business systems analyst for banks, Newhouse transitioned to the nonprofit field, working with the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board as a one-person accounting department, ensuring Youth One Stop contract claims complied with all regulations.
 
The Career Action Center at Poughkeepsie High School, a partnership program between the Chamber and the Poughkeepsie City School District, welcomes Meredith Madden as a Career Action Center Mentor. Madden will work with high school students to find and complete internship and job-shadow opportunities as well as acting as a mentor, encouraging and helping students to search and apply for jobs, colleges, and scholarships. Madden brings years of counseling experience to the program and has held long-term substituting positions as a school counselor throughout high schools in Dutchess County.
 
Lastly, the Youth One Stop, a partnership between the County and The Chamber Foundation, Inc., welcomes Danica Pierre-Louis as a Case Manager. Pierre-Louise will act as mentor, guiding at-risk youth towards obtaining a High School Equivalency or applying to technical school or college. Previously a phlebotomist, Pierre-Louise also has extensive mentoring experience from her role as Assistant Director of the Read and Write Program in Kingston, which worked with youth to meet set goals.
 
“We’re thrilled to continue our culture of promoting from within as well as welcoming new, talented additions to our team. I am confident each will play an important role in our ongoing efforts to serve our local business community,” said the Chamber’s President and CEO Frank Castella, Jr.