GOT’s Leadership Team
Our Executive Director, Thomas Cambridge and current Board Members Sam Avrett, Heidi Finkelberg, Maryann Haberthur, Charlie Curtin, Arielle Larson, Amy Becker, Dr. James Lomax, Colette Ballew and President Cathleen Breen, among others, are actively working to initiate a community effort to find solutions to the problems facing our aging population. As of March 2015, GOT was formed and officially began operating January 2017. GOT has adopted the innovative Village model to help older people remain in their homes and stay connected with their communities.
Having spent more than twenty years at a statewide not-for-profit research and advocacy organization specializing in environmental preservation, consumer protection, and government accountability has given me a deep appreciation for public interest work and serving my community.
This work included preparing environmental review documents for proposed projects within the NYC Watershed. It required testifying at government hearings, speaking at public meetings, designing educational and outreach materials, coordinating news events, tours, and seminars, writing grant proposals and reports, and communicating with foundations. I have also successfully organized and worked on numerous teams with government, nonprofit, business, academic, and community representatives.
I draw upon three primary values to succeed in all my endeavors: integrity, passion, and humility. Integrity lets others know that you are trustworthy and honest. When people trust you, they believe your intentions are worthwhile. Passion is needed to do the job to the best of your ability. Your authentic passion for work and a willingness to learn and grow from successes and challenges are the driving forces to keep believing in yourself and having people believe in you. Humility is critical to welcome a variety of viewpoints and ideas to help bring about the best results and appreciate the experiences and expertise of others. Knowing that not everything will work out as planned, it is best to have a positive attitude and remain resilient and hopeful.
These values are essential to achieving the best results in my work serving real estate clients. I am passionate about what I do and know that my effectiveness depends on working hard and staying current on real estate trends and practices so my clients understand all options.
My philosophy is to work hard, not be afraid to fail, keep my sense of humor, be patient (practice it), and recognize and acknowledge the attributes of others. It is essential to listen to the critics, but do not lose heart or your meaning or purpose.
As the founding member and coordinator of a free ecumenical luncheon in Narrowsburg from 2014 to 2020, I understood the importance of bringing people together. The monthly luncheon was open to everyone in the community and operated with the help of many volunteers and through generous donations. We strove to be inclusive and to reach a diverse group of people, especially seniors, people with special needs, and families with children. We conducted fundraisers such as tricky trays for back-to-school supplies, collected holiday gifts and food baskets for those in need, and brought people together to have fun. The luncheon was an opportunity to get to know your neighbor, share a meal, have a conversation, and have a sense of belonging.
I am the First Alternate on the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) for Tusten. The town board appointed me to the Conservation Advisory Council, which advises on developing, managing, and protecting the town’s natural resources. I also serve on the board of the Tusten Historical Society.
I look forward to continuing to serve the community and working with this honorable organization.
Spouse: Jesse Ballew
Colette moved to the Upper Delaware river valley 32 years ago looking for a better life for her family outside of the New York City area. She became a member of the non-profit group Interfaith Outreach United, Inc. in Callicoon, NY and created the Main Street Thrift Shop as a source of income for its community projects. She also worked at the Delaware Youth Center in Callicoon encouraging young people to do river clean ups and water quality testing of the Delaware River basin.
Colette graduated from Marywood University, Magna Cum Laude, with a major in French and
Spanish and minor in Education. She received her Master’s Degree in Education from Wilkes University, and taught languages for 25 years in public schools as well as at Montessori Children’s House. She organized trips to Costa Rica for her students during which they took Spanish classes while traveling and participating in community service projects. She has taught English in China, Nepal and Kenya.
Community service and conservation of natural resources has always been a part of her life.
Since her retirement from teaching in 2018, she has made giving back to the community a priority through volunteering for GOT, for the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, and for WJFF Radio Catskill, where she is a member of the Community Advisory Board. She is also an active volunteer as well as an occasional member of the ensemble of Farms Arts Collective.
In her spare time likes to ride her bike along the river, kayak, swim, and visit with friends. She also writes short stories of her travels and dabbles in the arts.
Sam Avrett lives in the town of Fremont in Sullivan County, having moved to the area with his husband 20 years ago. Sam is recently retired, after working since the 1980s in public health. Sam holds a Masters degree in public health, was certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and has volunteered locally with the Upper Delaware Volunteer Ambulance Corps and the Sullivan County Health Department. In addition to serving on the GOT Board, Sam volunteers with the Delaware Youth Center and the Basket Historical Society.
Now serving as treasurer for the organization she volunteers with, Maryann brings a wealth of financial expertise, integrity, and reliability to her role. She is known for her thoughtful approach, organizational skills, and genuine dedication to supporting her community. Outside of her professional life, Maryann has a deep love for animals and a passion for helping others, values that continue to guide her in both her volunteer work and everyday life. She is drawn to serving on the Growing Older Together board because she is passionate about supporting others by helping to build a community where we can age gracefully with dignity and purpose and making meaningful connections.
A lifelong volunteer, Heidi has devoted decades to strengthening the organizations and communities around her. She spent more than 20 years on the board of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, including many years as Chair of the Social Affairs Committee, where she organized large-scale events serving up to 150 people. She also contributed extensively to the Unitarian Universalist congregation she joined, holding leadership roles such as Vice President, Secretary, and member of the Caring Committee. Whether establishing a library at her children’s Montessori school or supporting community programming, Heidi has always found ways to give her time and talents generously.
Her personal interests reflect her creativity and love of lifelong learning. An avid reader, she is rarely without a book in hand. She has explored a wide range of textile and craft arts, including needlepoint, embroidery, weaving, and sewing. For over 20 years, she channeled her artistic talents into jewelry-making, creating sterling silver and semi-precious stone pieces under the name Creekside Designs. She also has a deep love of food and cooking, having taken lessons and shared her skills by teaching others over the years.
In 2001, Heidi purchased a home in Shohola, Pennsylvania, with plans to eventually retire there with her husband. Following his passing in 2007, she made the transition to full-time residence around 2010. Living independently in a rural community has shaped her perspective and deepened her appreciation for the importance of connection and support. Heidi is drawn to GOT’s mission because it reflects her own desire to remain independent while building a network of mutual assistance. Through her service on the Board, she is committed to helping others do the same—ensuring that neighbors can age in place with dignity, support, and a sense of belonging.
Arielle Larson is an attorney practicing in Honesdale with Zimmer Law. Attorney Larson practices in the areas of estate planning, estate administration and civil litigation. Arielle is a graduate from New York University with a degree in Social Work (2016). She received a Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University (2019). A native of Green Bay, Arielle worked as a public defender in Wisconsin after graduation. In 2019, she moved to Honesdale to raise her family. She is admitted to the bar in Wisconsin (2019) and Pennsylvania (2022). Arielle serves on the GOT Board to give back to the community.
Jim Lomax is pleased to join the board of Growing Old Together. Much of his medical experience has been in the area of geriatric medicine when he first went into practice in Indiana and then in New York City.
Jim is a graduate of Indiana/Purdue Medical school. He is boarded in Family Medicine. In practice he had both a general practice and then later in his career in Occupational Medicine. He has published several text books and articles. He also was involved with residency education. He also co-founded a workers compensation insurance company in New Jersey.
Dr. Lomax also served on the board of SAGE, Inc (Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders) and as president and president emeritus. The SAGE model is very close to Growing Old Together in that the main focus of the organizations is helping keep people in their home or apartment.
His local volunteer activities include WJFF Radio Catskill, contributor of health articles to the River Reporter and the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. He and his husband Jeff Allison have lived in this area starting in 1983.
Jim has experience with non-profit fund-raising and desires to be lend his talents to fund-raising and supporting program development for GOT! He thanks the organization for incorporating him in to this valuable community organization.
Attorney Charles (“Charlie”) Curtin is The Honesdale National Bank’s lead Trust Officer and is specifically charged with all duties of operation and future development of the Bank’s trust and investment management clients. A native of Clarks Summit, Charlie is a graduate of American University in Washington D.C. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh (2004), where he was a Dean’s Scholar and then went on to complete an advanced law degree in taxation at the University of Washington (2006). Charlie was admitted to the Oregon Bar in 2004 and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Bars in 2010.
My interest for serving on GOT’s Board is to help senior’s in our area thrive in their golden years and hopefully apply some of my professional experience to such a worthy cause.
Originally from Amarillo, Texas, Thomas Cambridge is a multifaceted and accomplished leader whose life and career span the arts, science, and business. Over the years, he has distinguished himself as a corporate executive, technologist, mentor, actor, comedy writer, improvisational performer, and small business owner. Whether in the boardroom or in front of the camera, he brings a deep sense of passion, creativity, and commitment to every endeavor he pursues.
Thomas has led global corporate initiatives, driven large-scale organizational change, and performed principal roles in Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City. He began his professional career in 1983 after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, joining The Railroad Commission of Texas. In 1986, he relocated to New York City to enter the world of finance, first with Shearson Lehman Hutton and later with UBS. Over a distinguished 22-year tenure at UBS, Thomas led global initiatives spanning software and technology infrastructure. In his final five years, he served as Chief of Staff for Networks and subsequently End User Services, overseeing enterprise-wide programs in resource offshoring, leadership development, organizational communications, innovation, and risk management.
In 2013, Thomas launched his acting career, training in comedy improvisation, writing, and on-camera technique. Since then, he has appeared multiple times on national television and in numerous stage productions. Known for his versatility, he performs a wide range of characters and dialects, and brings additional talents in piano, guitar, and vocal performance to his artistic work. He is also a writer and performer with Comedy Tribe, a Narrowsburg, New York–based sketch comedy ensemble, which recently completed a sold-out five-performance run of its latest show, Time’s Up!. His feature film, the thriller An Angry Boy, is available on Amazon Prime and other major streaming platforms.
Thomas currently serves as Executive Director of Growing Older Together, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping seniors in the Upper Delaware River Valley live independently and age in place in the homes of their choice. He has also served on the Board of Directors of Tusten Social, supporting its mission to advance positive social change in the region he proudly calls home. Through his leadership, he is committed to strengthening community connections and improving quality of life for individuals of all ages.
He holds an MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University and has studied acting in New York City with the Upright Citizens Brigade, HB Studio, and the Penny Templeton Studio.
Thomas resides in Cochecton, New York, with his Labrador Retrievers, Maude and Babe.
Diane Yaddow was born in upstate New York, on the St. Lawrence River. She has lived in Connecticut, Nebraska and, since the 1980s, resides in Pennsylvania.
Diane worked at Crystal Run Village, Inc. in Middletown, NY for 32 consecutive years where she wore many hats. Her last position there was manager of a group home for eight developmentally disabled women. In that capacity, she was responsible for the physical well-being of the women, ensuring their medical care and maintaining their records. She oversaw a staff of fifteen advocates and was responsible for managing their training records. During her career, she sat on many committees for the agency, did in-service training for fresh staff, presentations for the agency, and was a member of the Surrogate Decision-Making Program. She was able to make informed decisions for individuals that had medical needs, but no families involved. Her executive director once said that when Diane saw a need, she accessed it and addressed it. To this end she became a Defensive Driving Instructor for New York State and did training for Crystal Run Village as well as BOCES in Sullivan County, New York.
Diane worked at Victims’ Intervention program for almost 25 years. She was a volunteer liaison to the board, counselor/advocate, board member, board president, volunteer liaison, office manager and program director. Regardless of her title at Victims’ Intervention Program, and whether she was a volunteer or a paid employee, Diane would always fill in the gaps. She was instrumental in getting the shelter up and running at VIP. She also assessed and addressed the needs of the agency as well as the needs of the victims and survivors. Diane retired from VIP in April of 2017 but returned just two weeks later to stay involved!
She was also involved in Wayne County Business and Professional Women and served as treasurer.
Diane was involved with the theatre group, Way Off Broadway, in Honesdale, PA. She didn’t want to take the stage but was the Producer for Light Up the Sky. She takes immense pride in her family and has two lovely children and three wonderful grandchildren and two great grandsons. Also included in her family are her two chihuahuas, Penny and Pablo. Diane rescues animals and loves them dearly.
Although I was born & raised in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY, my dad was born and raised in Narrowsburg, where I settled in 1980. I spent my summers here in Narrowsburg as my father’s eldest brother and wife, J. Frank & Ruth Behling owned and ran Peggy Runway Lodge, on the PA side of the bridge. As family, we all worked there. My mom was office manager, my dad bartender on weekends after working in NYC all week. We kids worked many jobs as we grew up, but especially enjoyed being in the country atmosphere over living in the city.
We moved to Narrowsburg, in 1974, when I graduated from HS. And you couldn’t get my dad out of the city fast enough to come back home. I stayed for one year, then went to college, then to Cincinnati, and then lived a couple years in Tucson. I returned in 1980 to be closer to my folks who were aging then (dad would now be 114 and mom 112!). My plan was to be in driving distance, but when I got back to Narrowsburg, that was it. And glad I am still here!
My father was an amazing man who volunteered for many organizations in his time. Did your group need raffle tickets sold? He was the guy! I know that his volunteerism was a big factor in my life, and I have since, volunteered for and organized events with the help of many dedicated volunteers, including the Tusten Repair Cafe and also the RiverVibes Concert series (formerly RiverFolk Concerts)
When I learned about GOT, it was a natural fit for me. I took care of my aging parents and have often helped others to the best of my ability. The mission of GOT is in my heart and soul, and I am so glad to be a part of this caring organization.