Staff Directory

Alexis Perry loves hiking and the outdoors. After studying Public Administration at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY she has had many different types of careers throughout the years. When she is not at work, she enjoys exploring and traveling around the U.S; and spending time in her garden.

Caroline Bailey grew up in Kingston, New York and is passionate about outreach and community engagement. Caroline has a BS in both Biology and Art from Skidmore College, and an MBA in Sustainability from Bard College. Caroline is driven by her belief that nature should be accessible to all, and enjoys planning inclusive experiences and helping people connect around nature and art, and community-building. She is an avid birder and worked for the National Audubon Society before joining the Ashokan Center team. She also has published research on Tooth-billed Bowerbirds that she researched in Australia.

Ruth was raised in West Hurley, NY and attended Onteora High School. She graduated from Bard College in 1997 with a BA in Drama/Dance, and has spent over two decades as a touring musician and recording artist in the band The Mammals. She co-founded the Winter & Summer Hoot, Ashokan's bi-annual community music festivals, with her partner Mike Merenda in 2013. From 2018 - 2025 she worked full-time at Ashokan establishing the in-house Public Events team, curating and producing cultural and educational workshops, concerts, camps, and festivals, and expanding initiatives like free or flexible pricing and Pay it Forward scholarships. Ruth remains an outside event organizer and partner on the Hoot festivals and Music & Dance Camps, originally founded by her family in 1982. She is passionate about inter-generational experiences in nature and art, loves connecting Ashokan with our vibrant local community.