Staff Directory

Jay was born to Hungarian and Macedonian immigrant parents and raised in the Bronx, NY where he developed a rich appreciation for music and art, and a longing for time in nature. In 1980 he started Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camps at Ashokan, then SUNY New Paltz's Ashokan Field Campus. Inspired by the camps, he composed the fiddle tune "Ashokan Farewell" in 1982, which he recorded with Molly Mason and their band Fiddle Fever. Taken by this haunting melody, filmmaker Ken Burns invited Jay and Molly to provide music for many of his PBS specials, most notably The Civil War, in which "Ashokan Farewell" became the main theme. The sound track won a Grammy, and earned Jay an Emmy nomination. In 2006, when Ashokan was unexpectedly being sold, Jay and Molly formed the Ashokan Foundation and with community and state support preserved the land and Ashokan’s important programs. Read the full story here. Jay is president of the Ashokan Foundation and Ashokan Center boards, and is acting CEO. He and Molly have been married since 1991. They co-direct Ashokan Music & Dance Camps and tour nationally spreading their authentic, acoustically-rooted music and the story of Ashokan wherever they go.

Marni Pasch joined the development team in the fall of 2023. With an MA in School Counseling from University of Central Florida, she previously worked as a private academic coach, helping students embrace their unique strengths, turn challenges from stumbling blocks to stepping stones, and navigate school with confidence. Now at Ashokan, Marni is happy to channel her passion for education and student empowerment to the development team at Ashokan, contributing to a mission which creates a much needed safe sanctuary for children and adults to explore their creativity and build confidence through its diverse programs. Marni is delighted to support the Ashokan community by playing a role in growing the future of the Ashokan Center, a place known for the transformational impact it has on its visitors and the surrounding communities. Outside of work, Marni enjoys spending time with her family at concerts, attending theater productions, dancing to 80's music, and expressing herself through creative writing, including poetry, fiction, and reflective essays.

Molly grew up in Battleground, WA with a fondness for traditional fiddle music and ’30s and ’40s popular tunes and the jazzy sound of the Swing Era. She studied environmental education at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA and cut her musical teeth playing in clubs and colleges. In 1978 she became the bassist in the house band for Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion in Minnesota then continued east making New York state her permanent home in the 1980’s. Here she saw the beginning of the Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camps, a world-renowned destination for enthusiasts of American music and dance traditions. Molly’s passion for history, nature, and music found a home at Ashokan. In 2006, when the property was unexpectedly being sold, Jay and Molly formed the Ashokan Foundation and with community and state support preserved the land and Ashokan’s important programs. Read the full story here. Molly is vice president of the Ashokan Foundation and Ashokan Center boards. She and Jay have been married since 1991. They co-direct Ashokan Music & Dance Camps and tour nationally spreading their authentic, acoustically-rooted music and the story of Ashokan wherever they go.

Peter was born and raised in the Catskill Mountains/Hudson Valley area. He received a BA in History from Hartwick College. After serving as Director of Technology for a Boston-based law firm, he attended UMass Boston and obtained a Masters in Secondary Education and taught History in the Boston Public School system. In 2011, he returned to the area and worked with at-risk adolescents at Family of Woodstock. Peter has been the Volunteer Coordinator for the winter and summer Hoots since 2013. In the fall of 2015, Peter joined the staff at The Ashokan Center where he is able to bring together his love of music, the environment and history.

Rochelle blends her background in art and technology with a focus on non-profits. After leaving a career in animation and teaching in NYC 25 years ago to raise her family in the Hudson Valley, Rochelle has specialized in developing and managing custom management systems. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in nature especially late-night hikes with her husband and dog.

Sara Trapani has worked in nonprofit fundraising or small business development since 2010 and believes in the power of philanthropy to create lasting change. After completing her BA with a double major in Journalism and English at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Sara served in the United States Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa where she developed community projects such as a girls leadership seminar, an educational radio broadcast, health/yoga programs and more. After her early career in development and institutional gifts at Omega Institute, Sara founded and directed a small business, Whole Sky Yoga, which still serves many hundreds of Ulster County residents every year. Sara lives just fifteen minutes from the Ashokan Center with her husband Ryan and their four energetic kids Metta, Maple, Tanner and Magnolia. Together they enjoy their backyard orchard, maple sugar shack, chickens, and taking long walks. Sara is an experienced fundraiser, grant writer, advanced yoga teacher, avid reader of nonfiction, and a personal wellness enthusiast.

Tammy, a native of Kingston, NY, brings a wealth of experience to her role as a finance manager, with a decade-long dedication to supporting non-profit organizations. Tammy is also wife and mother, having married her high school sweetheart. Joining the Ashokan Center a year ago, Tammy's commitment to community and nature shines through. She finds solace and joy in her cabin upstate.