Happy International Women's Day: Celebrating Award-Winning Women in Dutchess' Tourism Industry

Date Published: March 8, 2023

 To celebrate International Women’s Day, here are just a few of the incredible, award-winning women that make Dutchess a premier tourist destination. Many of these businesses and organizations can attribute their success to hard-working, female professionals on their teams. Each year, Dutchess Tourism recognizes tourism businesses that provide exceptional offerings to our visitors with Awards of Distinction in multiple categories. The 2023 Awards of Distinction will be held in November. Stay tuned for details.

2021 Mary Kay Vrba Spirit Award: Judy D’Alessandro

Judy D’Alessandro is the Area Director of Sales, overseeing all NY and Connecticut Hyatt House and Hyatt Place hotels for Aimbridge Hospitality. Judy has 25 years of experience as a Director of Sales in the hotel industry including 12 years at the Hyatt House in Fishkill, an extended-stay hotel with spacious accommodations and deluxe amenities. The only hotel in Fishkill with two-bedroom suites is in close proximity to several attractions including SplashDown Beach. Judy was also previously a member of the Dutchess Tourism Board of Directors and previously served as Board Chair.

2022 Hospitality Service Award of Distinction: Paige Flori

Paige Flori is a  Sommelier (Master Court of Sommeliers), Certified Cider Professional (American Cider Association), Certified Bourbon Professional (The Council of Whiskey Masters) as well as being one of less than 45 people in the US to have Champagne Expert from Champagne MOOC (with distinction). This autumn, she strives to become one of less than 70 Certified Pommeliers in the world pending the results of her exam with the American Cider Association. Boutique Wines, Spirits and Ciders is the only liquor store in NYS to currently offer hard cider and mead on tap, with one of the largest collections of craft hard cider in the area—300 varieties with nearly 100 from New York State.

2021 Hospitality Service Award of Distinction: Janett Pabon

"We are situated in a charming historic village, surrounded by an amazing community of farmers and artisans. The hotel is filled with light, color, and the scent of Holland tulips - what better way to start the day!" Janett Pabon has strived to make Hotel Tivoli and The Corner restaurant a bright, welcoming space for visitors for almost a decade. Don't miss a delightful stay at this century-old historic hotel in the village of Tivoli. Each of the 11 spacious rooms has a unique contemporary design as well as a private bath and shower. Their accompanying restaurant The Corner, offers a farm-to-table Mediterranean inspired menu, inventive cocktails, and an international wine list.

2021 History Award of Distinction: Mount Gulian Historic Site

 

For over three decades, Elaine Hayes has served as the Executive Director of the Mount Gulian Society. “One of the areas I became interested in was the Mount Gulian garden, and the story of James F. Brown—an escaped slavewhose freedom was paid for by the Verplanck family and who became the master gardener,” Hayes says. Managing a historic site requires constant care and ongoing restorations, like the rebuild of its 1804 garden (featuring the descendants of the original yuccas, peonies and roses) and the 1720 Dutch barn. “We’re a small, small site, but we have a lot of history—from the Wappinger people through the Revolutionary War period to the reconstruction.”

2017 History Award of Distinction: Staatsburgh State Historic Site

Pam Malcom is the site manager for Staatsburgh State Historic Site, which offers special programming that invites visitors to connect with the Mills family in a unique way. Their Gilded Age Tea & Talk series, Downton Abbey, Titanic, and WWI-themed tours and more at the Beaux-Arts mansion, give a one-of-a-kind glimpse into an era gone by.

2017 Outdoors Award of Distinction: Harlem Valley Appalachian Trail Community

Stancy DuHamel is a co-chair of the Harlem Valley Appalachian Trail Community, which was designated by the Appalachian Conservancy in 2013, following two and a half years of construction on the oak-decked boardwalk across the Great Swamp in Pawling. A project completed in total by more than 75 volunteers, the Appalachian Trail is an important local and national asset as well as an international draw for visitors from all over the world.

 

Several new board members joined Dutchess Tourism in 2023, including Jasmin Nicole Davis, City Chamberlain for City of Poughkeepsie, Julie Krieger, Senior Vice President and Group Manager at M&T Bank Fishkill, Coleen Murphy Alexander, Vice President for Administration at Bard College, and Tricia Reed, Managing Director at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park. To learn more about our newest board members and officers, click here.

From the female-led Dutchess Tourism team, Happy International Women’s Day!