Advisory Committee

The Independent Advisory Committee is made up of individuals from our community. They are responsible on an ongoing basis for:

• Selecting charities to receive grants from the General Fund
• Determining the amounts to be distributed to the selected charities
• Monitoring the actions of the Trustee

Advisory Committee Members:

Colleen Carlson (Chair)

Board Member since: 2016

Colleen Carlson is a lifelong resident of Saratoga Springs and is the Director at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Ms. Carlson’s volunteer leadership includes fundraising and board positions on the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, Saratoga Springs Recreation Commission, Jake’s Help from Heaven, The Flower and Fruit Mission of Saratoga Hospital, and Skidmore College. Ms. Carlson and her husband Skip have three children and two dogs.

Brian Straughter, Ed.D. 

Board Member since: 2016

Dr. Straughter is President of Turf Hotels, a local hotel management company in the Capital District. As President, he is an active owner/operator of five local properties: Hampton Inn & Suites Saratoga Springs Downtown, Homewood Suites by Hilton Saratoga Springs, Hampton Inn Western Avenue, Homewood Suites by Hilton Albany and Staybridge Suites Albany. Dr. Straughter is actively involved in a number of charities and organizations. He and his wife co-founded Jake’s Help From Heaven in 2011, a nonprofit that is dedicated to supporting individuals with complex medical needs and disabilities resulting from congenital or childhood-onset diseases. Dr. Straughter also serves on the Board of Directors of the Saratoga Regional YMCA, the University at Albany Foundation, is a Past Chair of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, and has been the Chair of the Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund’s Advisory Committee since 2020.

Susan Bokan

Board Member since: 2019

Sue grew up at Anne’s Washington Inn on South Broadway. After college she worked in advertising and real estate and in retirement moved back home. Since then  she has served on the boards of The Saratoga Film Forum, the Community board of WAMC, The Saratoga Foundation and the Nordlys fFoundation.

Ms. Bokan is so impressed with the civic engagement she sees in Saratoga and wants to be involved as much as possible in the extraordinary philanthropy in our community.

Mary Hallquist

Board Member since: 2015

Mary Hallquist is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and is currently employed by Four Winds Hospital. She was born and raised in Saratoga Springs, NY and returned in 2013 after living in Vermont for 8 years. She currently lives in Saratoga Springs, NY with her husband and two small children.

Philip Klein

Board Member since: 2017

Phil Klein is a recent Retiree of the Adirondack Trust Company’ Insurance Division. Phil has been involved in numerous community organizations as well as having been a member of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors for 18 years. Phil and his wife Lynne have lived in Saratoga Springs for over 40 years.

Caroline Putman (Treasurer)

Board Member since: 2014

Caroline has lived in the Saratoga region for most of her life. She has volunteered for organizations such as SPAC, Yaddo, and BH-BL High School.

While living in Irvine, California she volunteered as Treasurer and Communications Secretary on the Board of the National Charity League – Rancho Irvine Chapter, as Board Communications Chair for Operation Valentine, as Registrar for FC Irvine soccer club, and as a volunteer on multiple school projects.

Michael Spilman

Board Member since: 2017

Michael has been in the Capital District working in the Hospitality Industry since 1984. Currently, he is the Sales Director at the Embassy Suites in Saratoga.

Originally from St. Lawrence County, Michael and his wife Lynn live in Queensbury, and have two grown sons. Currently serving on the Board of the North Country Ministries in Warrensburg, and is a past Board member of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, Glens Falls Little League, and Lake George Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Joyce Ure

Board Member since: 2019

Joyce is the Owner and President of Cudney’s Launderers & Dry Cleaners, Inc., a business run by her family for many decades. Joyce is very active in our community as a Saratoga

Springs Rotary Member and the Vice President of the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association.

Advisory Committee members are appointed for a three-year term.