The Bank of Greene County
Paul M. Barrett
Miranda Barry & Charlotte Sheedy
The Berkshire Taconic Foundation 
Barbara & Chip Bohl
Chatham Wine & Liquor
Margaret Davidson
Ellsworth Kelly Foundation
Sheldon Evans & Martha McMaster
Paula & Phillip Forman
John Friedman & Mitchell Motsinger
Richard Friedman & Robert Hughes
Fund For Columbia County
Ginsberg’s Foods
Daniel Greenstone
Jean Hamilton & Rick McCarthy
Kristal Heinz & Ole Breuning
Lisa Bouchard Hoe & Ed Hoe – The Kinderhook Group
Christine Jones & Bert Goldfinger
Meredith Kane
George & Jodi Lagonia – Lagonia Construction
liliandloo
John Lillis & Jeff Bailey
Alice Martell – The Martell Agency
Charles Millar – Janney Montgomery Scott LLC.
David Miller
Quadrille – John Knott
Marie & Robert Rasner
The Red House Fund – Barney Karpfinger & Eric Marcus
Rosepoint Chocolatier
John Schobel & Daniel Dean Schmeder
Stair Galleries
Stewart’s Shops
Matthew White & Thomas Schumacher

Virginia Martin

Virginia earned an MS and a PhD from RPI in communication and rhetoric. As a former election commissioner in Columbia County, she consults and presents on election security issues nationwide, also serving on the advisory board of the National Election Defense Council. She began mentoring with Hudson Reads in 2011. As a child, Virginia’s “second home” was the Kinderhook Memorial Library where she read all the Nancy Drew and Black Stallion books. Then she moved on up to William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and so many more. Now she’s consumed by histories, biographies, and newspapers. She wants everyone, young and old, to love reading like she does.

Jen Nixon

Jen is an avid reader of books for all ages and strives to bring her enthusiasm for books to her students, colleagues, family, and friends. Born and raised in Hudson, Jen is an alumnus of the Hudson High School Class of 1998. She earned her certifications in Elementary Education as well as Literacy Birth through grade 12 from SUNY Cortland. She has been a Reading Specialist teaching academic intervention for the past 17 years at the Hudson Junior High School. Jen is also the co-director of the Hudson Children’s Book Festival. She makes it a priority to bring in diverse authors and illustrators, so that our community and students can see themselves reflected in the literary works represented. She loves spending time with her husband and young son, who is always up for a great bedtime story or two.

Matt Parker
Treasurer/CFO

Matt has lived in Columbia County for more than twenty years. He worked in the Hudson City Treasurer’s office, ran his own tax prep business, and was past secretary and treasurer for the affiliate union of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), with full fiscal responsibility, which he took on in 2017. Matt recently joined the Hudson City School District administration as Treasurer. He and his wife Sarah have two young readers, Olivia and Evan. Both love nothing more than a bedtime read with their dad.

Marlena Peduzzi

Marlena has been a teacher in the Hudson City School District since 1998. Teaching kids to read and write while fostering a love of reading has always been one of her education instructional goals. During her tenure in Hudson, Marlena has been a teaching coach and has supported the professional development of teachers. She is currently the District Literacy Coordinator continuing to support the literacy of students, where she has facilitated multiple literacy projects with the Hudson City School District. Marlena has a Master’s of Science in Reading, is a Literacy Certified teacher for children from birth to 6th grade and is a PhD candidate at the University of Albany in Literacy Teaching and Learning.

Wendy Schmalz Wilde

As Wendy has said, books are her life. From Dr. Seuss to Donna Tartt, there’s never been a time she hasn’t spent part of the day lost in reading. Books are also her career as she is a literary agent. Her tiny 1770s farm house is filled to the gills with books. Books are also why she is on the Board of the Hudson Literacy Fund. Nothing is more important than a passion for reading. It sparks intellectual curiosity and empathy. If she can help just one child find that passion, it’s worth the effort. As the saying goes, “Give a child a book and you give them the world.” 

Christian Trimmer
President

Christian Trimmer turned his love of reading into a career. He has been editing books for more than fifteen years, with stints at the Disney Book Group, Simon and Schuster, and Macmillan. He currently serves as vice president, head of books for the MTV Entertainment Group. Christian found his place in the world through stories and deeply believes that representation matters. As such, he is committed to telling and publishing projects about underrepresented, misrepresented, and marginalized communities. When not editing books, he writes them, including Teddy’s Favorite Toy (art by Madeline Valentine) and What Are You? (art by Mike Curato), among others. Christian lives with his husband in Hillsdale, New York.

Meredith Zapp
Secretary

Meredith Zapp was born and raised in Hudson. She has always loved her hometown and hoped to become a teacher in the school she attended as a student. After college she worked as a substitute teacher in Hudson until she landed a teaching position in Chatham, where she was a reading teacher for eight years. In 2021, she became a reading teacher in Hudson. She loves the diversity of the Hudson City School District and she loves helping kids learn how to read. Meredith has a daughter, Arden, and a son, Granger. When Meredith is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and being outdoors.

Margaret Davidson

When Margaret was nine, her family moved to England. The first thing her mother did was sign her up at the local library, and she practically lived there…the books were her new friends and have provided excitement and solace to her ever since. Margaret has volunteered at her children’s schools in New York City, and as a college advisor in the New York City public schools. Margaret admits she will read pretty much anything!

Martha McMaster

Martha has been a resident of Columbia County since 1986.  She is a retired psychotherapist and a former early childhood educator with a particular interest in literacy.