Chairman

James Monty was born in Moriah and moved to Lewis in 1971. He graduated from Elizabethtown Lewis Central School in 1975 and SUNY Canton in 1977. James started his career in the New York State Department of Corrections as a Corrections Officer in 1985, where he worked at various facilities. In 1989, James transferred to Moriah Shock Correctional Facility and became involved in the State Employee Assistance Program. In 2009, James resigned from Corrections to go to work for the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations in the Statewide EAP program, becoming the Regional Representative for the North Country. He assisted all state employees and their families with a variety of issues which may be causing difficulties in their work life. James retired in 2016. He was a Town Councilman for the Town of Lewis from 1998 – 2016 and became Town Supervisor. James has been on the Board of Directors for Adirondack Community Action Programs since 1998, and is on the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Adirondacks since 2019. He is the Vice Chair of the Essex County Board of Supervisors since 2020 and on the Board of Directors for Essex County Soil and Water. James has been married to Cynthia Monty for 45 years and has a son Tyler Monty and a daughter Abby Monty.

Director

Mary Lamphear is the newly elected Supervisor for the Town of Newcomb and Essex County’s
representative to the Essex County Land Bank. She has served as Chair of Newcomb’s Housing
Committee for five years and, as Town Council over the past two years, has worked closely with the
Essex County Land Bank on the turnover of Town-owned property to support housing development. She
is committed to expanding workforce affordable housing and has helped advance Newcomb’s first home
in Phase 1 of a two-phase project, with four additional homes planned in Phase 2.
Mary grew up in Newcomb after relocating with the Village of Tahawus in 1963. After graduating and
living in Salt Lake City, Utah, she returned to the Adirondacks in 1993, lived in Raquette Lake, and
worked for 20 years with the United States Postal Service. In 2015, she purchased a second home in
Newcomb and, following her retirement as Postmaster in 2016, became a permanent resident of
Newcomb once again.
Mary is focused on strengthening year-round communities by supporting housing opportunities for
working families, children, and young residents who sustain community life through school involvement
and volunteerism. She views the Essex County Land Bank as a vital partner in helping small towns
accomplish housing goals that would be difficult to achieve alone.

Dr. Katie Alexander

Director

As the owner and veterinarian at Ticonderoga Animal Hospital, Dr. Alexander contributes a healthcare perspective and small business insight to the board’s housing and revitalization mission.

Director

Allison Kaupelis is an accomplished individual who has made significant contributions to her community and the hospitality industry. As a resident of Ticonderoga since 2009, she has deep roots in the community and is passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of those around her.  With a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s degree in Psychology and Counselling, Allison brings a unique perspective to her role as the Regional Director of Operations for Milya LLC. She is responsible for overseeing the operations of Northeast region hotel, ensuring that guests have an exceptional experience during their stay. Moreover, Allison is an active member of the Ticonderoga Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as the Chairwoman, where she advocates for the interests of local businesses and works tirelessly to promote economic growth in the area. Adding to her impressive portfolio, Allison’s husband is a New York State Master Teacher and works as a math teacher at Ticonderoga High School. The couple has two children and is committed to providing them with a bright future. Allison’s dedication to her profession, community, and family is truly inspiring and serves as a shining example for others to follow.

Alan R. Jones

Director

Alan was born and grew up in Potsdam NY and has been a resident of Essex County for 30 years, he is the Executive Director/CEO of Adirondack Community Action Programs, Inc. (ACAP), an Essex County based organization serving the human service needs of the residents. He served as President of the board for the New York State ECLC (Early Care and Learning Council) an agency dedicated to the promotion of excellence in early care and education. Alan Also served for 10 years on the Elizabethtown/Lewis School Board and Board Vice President of the Boquet Valley Central School District.

Alan served as President of New York State Community Action Association (NYSCAA). He is a Senate appointee to the CSBG Advisory Council with the NYS Department of State. Alan currently serves on the Executive Committee of the BRIEF (Building Resilience in Essex Families) Coalition and is a Board Trustee for The University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital. Alan has his Associates Degree from Paul Smith’s College in Business Administration, a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Clarkson University and holds his Family Development Leadership Credential from Cornell University.

Stephanie DeZalia

Director

Native to the Adirondacks, Stephanie has enjoyed living in the North Country her entire life. She grew up in the tourist Town of Schroon and graduated from SLCS in 1988. She then pursued furthering her education and studied Design, Drafting and Architecture for a period of time until she joined the workforce.

Stephanie began her career in the Insurance Industry and moved on to take a position at the local Building Supply Company, where she promoted through various positions during her 10 years with Curtis Lumber. During her tenure there as a Department Manager, Business Office Support, Purchasing Agent, doing Kitchen and Bath Design and Store Merchandizer she built a strong knowledge of the local building industry and its needs.

In 1990 she married her late husband, Kelly and soon moved to North Hudson where they spent the next 25 years and where they welcomed their two children, Miranda and Jordan. In 2004, Stephanie began her career in local government when she took a position in the County Clerks office where she was responsible for various roles including the Pistol Permit Clerk. She was elected to a seat on the North Hudson Town Board. During which time she worked with then Supervisor Moore on the development projects happening at Frontier Town. In January 2019, Stephanie became North Hudson Town Supervisor and during her term as Town and County Supervisor, Stephanie was a member of the Housing Committee (among many others) and was a staunch advocated for finding ways to improve the housing stock in our region. She continued to work with local business owners, area organizations, and State agencies to advocate for the needs of our region’s residents.

Currently, as an Administrative Support Specialist with the Non-Profit Adirondack Community Action Programs Inc, she sees the needs of our region’s residents from a new perspective. Stephanie is also a small business owner and Independent Contractor for Mary Kay Inc. where she enjoys helping others feel their best, live their best lives and pursue a life of abundance.

In her leisure time she enjoys reading, hiking, doing remodeling projects and spending time with her parents, children, granddaughters and her Partner, Brian.

Director

A preservationist and regional advocate for housing equity, Brooke brings experience in nonprofit finance, architecture, and sustainable development. With roots in Schroon Lake and a passion for rural revitalization, she supports creative strategies to expand housing and repurpose underutilized sites.