Our Leadership is composed of key community members who have proven competence in business, finance,  and community agency management. They have exhibited exceptional concern for the quality of life in our community through their leadership in diverse local organizations.

Peter Grossman, President of the Board

Peter Grossman is a partner in the law firm of Hancock Estabrook LLP. He is a 1973 graduate of Northwestern University and a 1976 graduate of the Washington College of Law of American University. After over forty years of experience in general practice, he has focused his practice in the areas of commercial and residential transactions, small business formation and management, trusts and estate planning, probate and estate administration and municipal law. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, serving as a member of the House of Delegates from 1991 to 1994 and from 2014 to the present, and a Fellow of the New York Bar Foundation. He is a member of the Tompkins County Bar Association having served as Secretary of the Association from 1983-1991 and as a member and Chairman of the Tompkins County Bar Association Grievance Committee from 1990 to the present.

Jean McPheeters, Vice President of the Board

Jean served as the president of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce for almost 15 years before starting her consulting business. During that time she worked with small and large businesses, not-for-profit organizations, community groups, and government agencies to make the Ithaca and Tompkins County area thrive. She has also worked as a Congressional staffer, a community education developer, and a campaign manager. Her areas of expertise include not-for-profit management, strategic planning, governance and public speaking. She served on more than 15 local and national boards of directors working in areas including health care, community colleges, museums, and human services.

Dana P. Christofferson, Secretary/Treasurer

Dana Christofferson has owned and operated a wealth management practice with Northwestern Mutual since 2014 based out of Lansing, NY. Focusing his practice on wealth accumulation and wealth management Dana’s firm specializes in strategic tax reduction, mitigation and elimination along with business planning, group benefits (401k, Deferred Compensation) and non-qualified plans. Currently Mr. Christofferson’s practices has grown on the national scale and services clients/businesses in over 20 different states. Mr. Christofferson served on the board of directors with Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland County from 2015-2021, holding the role of board vice president and board president during his tenure with the board.

Amy Dickinson, Board Member

Amy Dickinson has just retired as the author of the popular syndicated newspaper advice column “Ask Amy,” read by an estimated 22 million readers each day. Dickinson has written for the Washington Post, New York Times, Esquire, and “O” Magazine and Time Magazine. She has appeared on the Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, and The View. Amy has survived being needled by Barbara Walters and scolded by Katie Couric. Since 2005, she has been a featured panelist on National Public Radio’s comedy quiz show, “Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” The Chicago Tribune chose Dickinson to be their signature advice columnist after a nationwide search upon the death of legendary advice columnist Ann Landers in 2003. She is known for her warmth and humor.  Dickinson is also author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, “The Mighty Queens of Freeville,” the account of her experiences growing up in the small town of Freeville, New York and of her experiences as a single mother. Her follow-up memoir, "Strangers Tend to Tell Me Things," was published in 2016. After moving home, she married Bruno Schickel, who grew up on a neighboring farm. The couple have five daughters.

David Evelyn, Board Member

David Evelyn has recently retired from Cayuga Medical Center where he was the Vice President for Medical Affairs from 2006 - 2021, and the Designated Institutional Officer for the Internal Medicine Residency Program from 2018 - 2021. He received his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in 1987 and received his board certification in Family Practice in 1990. In 2005 he received his master’s in public health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. His academic appointments included Assistant Dean for affiliate Cayuga Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, 2008-2021, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine in Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine,2008-2021 and Clinical Assistant Professor in Dept. of Family Medicine, Upstate Medical University, 1998-2021. He has served on the Tompkins County Board of Health and the City of Ithaca Mayor’s Drug Task Force.

David Iles, Board Member

David Iles has been the Managing Partner of Sciarabba Walker & Co., LLP, a regional certified public accounting and consulting firm, since 1999. David’s primary responsibilities are to create and maintain an environment where firm employees can grow and provide exceptional service to clients. Additionally, David works with individuals and businesses to help them achieve their financial goals. David’s actions are rooted in family, community, and continuous improvement. David has served in numerous community leadership roles including Co-Chair of the Tompkins County United Way Campaign, Board Member of Tompkins Cortland Community College and Chair of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce. David graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Gregory Galvin, Board Member

Dr. Gregory Galvin is Chairman and CEO of Rheonix, Inc., a microfluidic-based fully automated molecular diagnostic systems company. He is also interim CEO of Mezmeriz, Inc. an early-stage MEMS device company, and Executive Chairman of Incodema3D a metals additive manufacturing provider. Until 2013 Dr. Galvin was the President and CEO of Kionix, Inc., a MEMS company he co-founded in 1993. Dr. Galvin was a member of the Cornell University Board of Trustees from 2011 until 2015. He currently serves on the Advisory Council of Cornell’s College of Engineering, the Advisory Council of Entrepreneurship at Cornell, and the Advisory Council of the Cornell Department of Materials Science. Dr. Galvin serves on the boards of the Boyce Thompson Institute and Ithaca Area Economic Development. In 2010 he was a regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner. Dr. Galvin was honored by Cornell as the 2014 Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year. He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology, a M.S. ’82 and a Ph.D. ’84 in Materials Science and an M.B.A. ‘93 from Cornell University.

Tom LiVigne, Board Member

Tom LiVigne worked at Cornell University for 38yrs, 10yrs in Athletics and 28yrs in the Real Estate Department. He served in various positions from 1987 to 2015, retiring as the Director. In this position he was responsible for management of all of Cornell's real estate strategic planning, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and property management. Tom has also served as the 1998 and 2009 Chair of the Tompkins County United Way Campaign, as well as two terms as a past-president of the Tompkins County United Way, and past-president of Better Housing for Tompkins County. He has also served as the Vice Chair of Cayuga Medical Center Board of Directors and was on the Cayuga Medical Center Foundation Board. Currently, he is the President of the Cayuga Health System Board of Directors. He has served as the Chair for the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is a past Chair of the Tompkins Cortland Community College Foundation Board. Tom graduated from Cortland State with a degree in Physical Education and received his master’s degree from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Ryan Lombardi, Board Member

Ryan Lombardi serves as the Vice President for Student and Campus Life at Cornell University. The Division of Student and Campus Life provides a broad array of programs, including Athletics and Physical Education, Campus & Community Engagement, Cornell Health, Campus Life Enterprise Services, the Public Service Center and Cornell Career Services. The Division is comprised of over 1,200 full-time staff. Ryan received an undergraduate degree in Music Education from West Chester University, a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Kansas, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University.

Peter Salmon, Board Member

Peter Salmon founded the International Food Network (IFN) in 1987 to provide advisory services to the food, beverage, and supplement industries. He is a Certified Food Scientist, a Certified Packaging Professional, a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, and a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science & Technology (UK). He earned his B.S. in Food Science & Human Nutrition from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), his M.S. from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) in Food Science (Food Microbiology) and his M.B.A. from Fordham University (Gabelli Graduate School of Business) in Marketing & Finance. In addition to founding and managing International Food Network, Mr. Salmon has held various research and group management positions at large multinational food companies, including General Mills and General Foods (now Kraft Foods) where he was involved with developing and launching several successful food and beverage products that are recognized and used domestically in North America and around the world.

Stephen S. Romaine, Board Member

Stephen S. Romaine is the President & CEO of Tompkins Financial Corporation, a position he has held since January 1, 2007. He had served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Tompkins’ affiliate, Mahopac Bank, from January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2006. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Romaine was Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Mahopac Bank. In addition to the Company Board, Mr. Romaine serves on the boards of each of its affiliates and has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tompkins Trust Company since May 2014. Mr. Romaine currently serves on the Board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, as well as the New York Bankers Association, where he served as Chairman from March 2016 through March 2017. His recent civic involvement includes service as a member of the boards of local historical and educational institutions, previously serving on the boards of the Tompkins Cortland Community College Foundation, Food Bank of the Southern Tier, United Way of Tompkins County, and the Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation. He is a graduate of SUNY Albany with a B.S. in Finance.

Larry Baum, Former Board, Development Committee

Larry Baum is originally from Genoa NY and moved to Ithaca as a young child. He attended Ithaca city schools graduating in 1968, and then attended Cornell University graduating with a degree in Communications. His work as a journalist took him from Ithaca, but in 1970 he returned to work locally as a photojournalist and writer through the 1970s. Larry founded a small technology company that became The Computing Center in 1978. After serving the community for over 43 years, he sold the company in 2021. Over the years Larry has been involved with numerous local community organizations including: The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, Ithaca Area Economic Development, Cayuga Medical Center, the Paleontological Research Institute, Cornell University Council, East Hill Flying Club, and others. He served on the Legacy Foundation board for many years. He has been a private pilot and plane owner for over 45 years. He is active in boating, photography, and has traveled extensively. He is married to Trudy for nearly 42 years and has two grown sons, Brian and Ari.

Joanne Florino, Former Board, Development Comm.

Joanne Volpe Florino has worked in the philanthropic sector for over 35 years and is currently the Adam Meyerson Distinguished Fellow at The Philanthropy Roundtable, a national organization of foundation leaders and individual donors. Previously, she served as senior vice president for public policy at The Philanthropy Roundtable, executive director of the Triad and Park Foundations in Ithaca, New York, and a program associate at The Atlantic Philanthropies. She currently serves as a board member of the Network of Enlightened Women and the New York Council of Nonprofits and is a lifetime member of both the Cornell University Council and the President’s Council of Cornell Women. Ms. Florino earned a bachelor's degree in history from Georgetown University and a master's degree in American history from Cornell University.

Greg Hartz, Former Board, Development Committee

Gregory J. Hartz (Greg) is the former President of Tompkins Community Bank CNY, and the Executive Vice President, Tompkins Financial Corporation. He began his career in 1983 with Citizens Savings Bank where he was SVP for retail banking. Citizens was acquired by M&T Bank in 1994. He left M&T in March of 1998 to join Finger Lakes Productions as CFO and COO to help launch a new business producing and distributing English language radio internationally. In 2002 he joined Tompkins Trust Company following the sale of The Radio Voyager Network. He has served on several NFP boards over the years, including The United Way, Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, Challenge Workforce Solutions, and The Legacy Foundation, and currently serves on the boards of Cayuga Health System and Ithaca Area Economic Development. He has enjoyed involvement with Cornell in various capacities currently as a member of Cornell University Council, Cornell’s Community Relations Committee, Emeriti member of the Dyson Advisory Board and long-time hockey fan. He is married with 3 grown children and 6 grandchildren.

Mary Kane, Former Board, Development Committee
Mary Kane is the President of Concept Systems, Inc., an Ithaca-based woman-owned small business working with the public sector and not for profit organizations to improve the public good. Mary’s commitment to Tompkins County began in 1983, as Executive Director at the Community School of Music and Arts. She was one of the founding members of the Community Arts Partnership and the Arts Managers Group and served as the first Chair of the Advisory Board on Tourism Development. Mary is a 30-year member of Ithaca Rotary and is currently the President. She has served as President of the Hangar Theatre Board, Treasurer of the Legacy Foundation; and as a member of the Tompkins County Public Library and many other organizations that enrich our community. She contributed her talents to developing strategic plans for the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, the Ithaca Public Education Initiative, the Community School of Music and Arts, the Hangar Theatre, and other organizations that are vital to our community strength. Mary sings, plays guitar and ukulele a little, and loves taking part in the remarkable arts offerings in our County. She is happy to have been asked to support the Legacy Foundation again, as a member of the Development Committee; it is an honor.

Mary Opperman, Former Board, Development Committee

Mary Opperman is senior vice president and University Secretary at Syracuse University and president of The Opperman Consulting Group.  She held the position of Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Cornell University until August 2022.   Ms. Opperman has served on numerous boards of local organizations, including Challenge Industries, PRI, Boyce Thompson Institute, Foodnet, Tompkins Cortland Community College Foundation, the Community Dispute Resolution Center, Workforce Investment Board, and the Women’s Opportunity Center.  She is currently active on the board of the Sciencenter.