Staff
Clare Murray, Executive Director
Clare Murray is the Executive Director of the Community Center of Northern Westchester. She has held this position since 2016 prior to which she served as the Assistant Director for Operations at the Community Center from 2009. She has worked continuously to develop the organization which provides vital services to families and individuals struggling in our community and to meet their needs in the best possible way. Providing support to 2,000 families annually with food and clothing, programs to develop job skills and enhance education, the Community Center strives to improve economic stability for all who seek help.
Clare was born and raised on the south coast of England and trained as a physical therapist at the Bath School of Physiotherapy, graduating in 1984. She moved to Toronto, Canada in 1986, where she practiced as a physical therapist in a variety of settings ranging from emergency rooms to palliative care units to home care. She also lectured at the University of Toronto as a Clinical Instructor. Upon moving to the United States in 2001 and settling in Bedford Hills with her husband and two young daughters, Clare managed a retail and wholesale clothing import business to support women artisans in South America and brings her skills in both business and health care to her non-profit work at the Community Center.
Nicole Sorgi, Operations Manager
Nicole Sorgi joined the Community Center as Operations Manager in January of 2020. She has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry focusing mostly on hotel openings and event operations. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in psychology Nicole moved to Manhattan where she lived for many years. Prior to the Community Center she led volunteer committees for A New Chance Animal Rescue and was Director of Events for hotels in NYC such as Hotel Eventi, the Gansevoort, and the Royalton. Nicole lives in Katonah with her husband, twin teenage boys, and their two dogs. As an ongoing supporter of the Center Nicole is now thrilled to be a part of the team!
Before immigrating in 1990 to the United States, where she joined her architect husband, Noya studied business administration in her native Ecuador. She is bilingual and became an American citizen in 2001. When she first arrived in the US, she worked as a housekeeper and babysitter. Noya understands the travails of a new immigrant and dealing with difficult times. She applies this sensitivity to her everyday work counseling clients. For her part, the best aspect of working with the Community Center clients is "helping people with real problems who still manage to smile every day. They help me be a better person." Noya's work at the Community Center has been a family affair, as she has recruited her three teenage sons to volunteer regularly. She says it helps her children to "keep in touch with the real world." 
Lisa Brotmann joined the Community Center in the spring of 2017. She has worked for 20+ years as a graphic designer and most recently at several local non-profits doing everything from marketing to event coordinating. Born and raised in Syracuse, NY, she attended college at SUNY-Binghamton and moved to Westchester County after graduation. Lisa has been living in Pound Ridge for over 19 years with her husband, two grown children and their dog. When not working she enjoys spending time tending to her chickens, listening to her son and husband play music and being outdoors. Lisa is excited to be a part of the Center's team and to help with our mission!
Celeste worked for over twenty five years in the publishing sector working both in editorial and design for books and magazines. Before she moved to Katonah, she worked for a privately held company helping to create textbooks and educational products. In 1996, she started her own book packaging business with a partner. While working from home, she volunteered in the schools and at the Community Center. She has had the pleasure of residing in Katonah for over 18 years.
Tracy Kaufman joined the Community Center staff in the spring of 2021. Tracy is a 25-year veteran of the hospitality industry having worked for numerous hotels in NYC and most recently as Director of Member Services for the Princeton Club of New York managing membership, events, communications, and human resources. With a wealth of experience in cultivating relationships and with her background in sales, Tracy brings her skills in connecting people to causes and businesses to opportunities to further build community goodwill and advance our fundraising goals. "There is nothing more satisfying than helping create a new relationship." I love discovering connections and I am constantly amazed by how many ways we are tethered together." Tracy is a 20-year resident of Katonah and lives with her husband, John Samayoa. Their son, Alejandro attends Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. Tracy loves gardening, watching her son play baseball, dogs, and everything outdoors.
Ann Hardy join the Community Center in the spring of 2019 and “loves doing the most fulfilling and meaningful work of my career”. Prior to joining CCNW she ran the Preppy Turtle, a consignment shop in Bedford Hills. Ann also had a 20 year career in corporate marketing and communications and is a graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technolgy. She’s lived in Bedford Hills for over 20 years with her husband, two daughters and their dog.
Jody Mack began as a volunteer at the Community Center in 2015 and became a staff member the following year. Her past work as a library assistant, receptionist, and graphic designer allowed her to hone the organizational skills she employs in her role as Office Manager. Jody enjoys the variety of her administrative tasks and finds inspiration in the smallest details of her work. One of her favorite things to do is to add a new volunteer to the Volunteer Database. This gives Jody the opportunity to scroll through the extensive list of active volunteers and be reminded of their contributions to the work of the Center. “I’ll catch the name of one of our founding members, still active after almost 30 years, or the name of a new student volunteer who’s just worked their first shift. It’s a joyful reminder to me that our mission has always been sustained and renewed one willing heart at a time.”
Amanda Godsoe, Client Resource Coordinator
Amanda started volunteering regularly at the Community Center during March of 2020 and she joined the staff in the fall of 2021. Amanda is the thirteenth generation of her family born and raised in the State of Maine. Like her father and grandfather she is an artist and paints primarily in oils and acrylic. After graduating from Princeton University, Amanda moved to Cambridge Massachusetts where she worked as in interface designer for a software company. Once she moved to Westchester, she worked as a freelance web designer while raising her daughters and volunteering at their school. She has lived in Westchester for 13 years with her husband, daughters and dog, Lola. Amanda is pleased to join the excellent staff of the Community Center to fulfill its important mission.
Anthony Pereira, Operations Assistant
Julietta Appleton, Program Assistant
Julietta Appleton is the founder and former director of The Birth Cottage, the first freestanding birth center in Westchester County. She co-founded the Hudson Valley Birth Network and one of Montreal’s first rape crisis centers. Her writing credits include the books Sola, Clothing Optional, and Journey to Parenthood, and she served as editor for Spinning Babies’ Breech Birth Quick Guide and Spinning Babies’ Quick Reference Booklet. In addition, Julietta has translated the diary of Frida Kahlo and writings of Cuban dissidents. Through her work as a certified hypnotherapist, Julietta helps people overcome their fears and limiting beliefs, guiding them to create positive change and achieve their goals. Julietta has also been a textile artist, glass artist, and quilter for nearly thirty years. Julietta's unique combination of skills makes her a good fit for the Community Studio, where she began volunteering in 2021. She is honored to be the Studio's new Program Assistant.
