MEET THE TEAM
The Faces of Our Committee
MICHAEL VANDEVELDE
Mayor
Mike V retired after 40 years in IT in the U.S. Navy and Fredonia State University. Mike does some woodworking, started a crypto-currency company, and is currently the mayor of Westfield, a position he has held since 2013.
KATHRYN MCCAFFREY
Consultant
Dynamic leader with demonstrated success in developing and executing short- and long-term strategies and vision in a higher education environment. Expert at identifying opportunities and delivering solutions that reduce costs, improve processes, and achieve organizational excellence. Skilled at ensuring policies and procedures are compliant with regulations, standards, and best practices. Adept at leading project management, budgeting, and resource allocation activities. Partner seamlessly with executive leadership, board members, and staff as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert. Regarded for assessing talent
and structuring teams to reach their highest potential. Dedicated to exceeding goals and expectations.
ROB GENTHNER
Police Chief
Chief Robert Genthner has served the Community of Westfield since 1990. He began his career as a patrolman for the Village of Westfield. In 2005 he became a Sergeant and in November of 2007 he was promoted to Chief of the Westfield Police Department. He has severed on the Chautuauqua County Forensic Investigation Team from 1994-2006. Currently he is the liaison to the Chautauqua County Forensic Investigation Team for the Chautauqua County Chiefs Association. He has a been a member of the Chautauqua County Chiefs Association since 2006, and serves as the groups Secretary. Robert has an Associate's Degree in Applied Police Science and completed the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Academy in 1989. Robert has been a lifelong resident of Westfield and is married to his wife, Brenda, for 31 years. They have three boys, Jacob, Caleb and Collin, two daughter-in-law's, Heather and Emily, along with two grandchildren Elijah and Grace.
MICHAEL FOTI
Police Officer
PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING & SALES EXECUTIVE - Law Enforcement Officer / Instructor (Published), Certified Scotch Professional
Dual Career Professional with 40 years experience in both fields. Medical Technologist with experience in Fortune 100 pharmaceutical firms, start-up medical device firm, and public service organizations.
Recognized as a leader committed to continuous professional development, training and education. Forty plus years in law enforcement as a Patrol Officer, Instructor, Certified Armorer, Author and Grant Writer.
CORBIN MELEEN
Police Officer - SRO
Corbin Meleen has served with the Village of Westfield Police Department as a patrol officer for the past six years, with three of those six years serving as the Westfield School Resource Officer. Corbin is a 2007 graduate of the Westfield Academy Central School District. Corbin furthered his education at Jamestown Community College and then SUNY Fredonia where he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in sociology. Corbin graduated the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Academy in 2014 where he worked for multiple police agencies until being hired full time by the Village of Westfield. Corbin lives in Westfield with his wife, Katherine Meleen and his two young daughters, Madelyn and Maeve.
JOSH SILIANO
Asst. District Attorney
Josh grew up in Ashville NY and attended Panama Central School. Josh attended JCC and SUNY Fredonia studying computer science and criminal justice. While at JCC, John Zuroski, who was teaching at the time, planted the first seeds to be a prosecutor. Josh graduated from SUNY Buffalo Law School and first practiced law in Rochester doing collections work. Josh currently works as an assistant district attorney. He has been working in the office for four years. Josh recently bought a house in Westfield and looks forward to being a member of the community both in his capacity on the committee and as a resident.
JIMMY WILLIAMS
Public Defenders Office
Experienced, trustworthy, fun. These are just a few of the ways coworkers describe this invaluable member of our team. Alex Smith is truly a joy to be around and makes it a pleasure to come to work every single day.
LEE DAVIES
Past Captain of Jamestown Police
Graduate of WACS Class of 1983. Served 5 years US Army as a Military Police
Investigator, assigned to CID Panama Field Office Drug Suppression Team.
Served briefly as a Patrol Officer for Westfield PD in 1989 until hired by Jamestown PD.
Served as a Police Officer, Sergeant and Lieutenant with Jamestown PD.
Served as JPD Acting Chief of Police on numerous occasions. As a Captain with JPD, served 4 years as Operations Commander, directly supervising
Patrol and Investigative Commanders, with indirect responsibility for all sworn officers.
Managed scheduling, resource management, internal affairs investigations, and
coordination of all patrol and investigative functions.Served as JPD Interim
Chief of Police from January through March 2006. Retired from the Jamestown PD in 2009 after more than 25 years of public service.
Served 2 years as a Member of the Westfield Fire Department, and 3 years as a member
of the Hartfield Volunteer Fire Company.
VINCE LUCE
Westfield Village Clerk/Administrator
Vince Luce has served the community as our Village Clerk since 1996 and as Administrator/Village Clerk since 2001. He is an ongoing member of the Chautauqua County Municipal Clerks Association (CCMCA) and served as its President, Vice President and Secretary. He has also been a member of the New York State Association of City & Village Clerks (NYSACVC) since 1996 and earned the Registered Municipal Clerk (RMC) designation in 2017. He is a member of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) and was a Senior Certified Professional (IPMA-SCP) from 2012-2015 and a Certified Professional (IPMA-CP) for three years prior to his SCP. He is also a long term member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and formerly earned the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in 1996. Vince holds a Masters Degree in Community Services (Public Administration) and a BS with a dual major in Business and Health Care Administration, both from Alfred University. Vince resides in Westfield with his wife Heather and three daughters, Kailtyn, Brooke and Raegan and their two pets, Lexi the dog and Nella the cat.
ROBERT COCHRAN
Village Trustee
Rob is a lifelong residents of Westfield. He is currently serving his 6th term as village trustee.
JOEL SEACHRIST
Village Attorney
Village Attorney, having lived and practiced law in Westfield for 21 years.
MARTHA BILLS
Town of Westfield Supervisor
Martha has served as town supervisor for over 20 years.
CHRIS REESE
Fire Chief
Chris graduated from W ACS in 1999 and Suny Fredonia where he graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Communications and a minor in Criminal Justice.
He started his career at Chautauqua County South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer Districts where he has held many positions. He has been involved in development of a GIS mapping system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and training employees in safe working practices.
Chris joined the Fire Department of Westfield in 2003. He has proudly served as a Lieutenant, Captain, 2nd Assistant Chief and 1st Assistant Chief of the Hook & Ladder Company. He is currently serving as chief of the fire department of Westfield. His top priority is the health and safety of the firefighters along with helping protect the community of Westfield.
Chief is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Amanda Reese, and is a father to his son Ayden Reese and daughter Adalyn Reese. He is actively involved in the community where he has enjoyed coaching T-ball, soccer and baseball. He also serves on the Town Planning Board and looks forward to joining the Police Reform and Reinvention Committee to help our police department better serve the community of Westfield.
MICHAEL CIPOLLA
Westfield School Superintendent
Mr. Cipolla joined the Westfield Academy and Central School as superintendent of schools in January of 2020. Mr. Cipolla is an experienced educational leader with practice as a high school principal, school counselor and in curriculum and instruction.
Mr. Cipolla has led initiatives that have realized steady growth in academic performance and the development of a Character Education Program which has helped create a positive school culture for students. He has led various exercises pertaining to the enhancement of communication and organizational development. His varied operational and educational experiences have been based on the “student learning process” as a whole. Providing students with opportunities for educational, social, and emotional growth are the core values of Mr. Cipolla’s educational leadership.
SCOTT COOPER
Westfield School Guidance Counselor
Ash Marcus joined Westfield Police Reform and Reinvention Committee with the vision and drive to improve upon our Non-Profit Organization, and focused on developing the organization with experience and integrity.
STEPHANIE STEVENS
Executive Director YWCA Westfield
Stephanie has been at the YWCA Since October 2018. At the YWCA Stephanie works towards their mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities.YWCA is one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families.
YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for more than 160 years with YWCA Westfield serving 125 of them — from voting rights to civil rights, from affordable housing to pay equity, from violence prevention to health care reform. Today, they combine programming and advocacy in order to generate institutional change in three key areas: racial justice and civil rights, empowerment and economic advancement of women and girls, and health and safety of women and girls.
Stephanie loves being very active in the Westfield community and resides in Fredonia with her husband David and children Sophie and Carter.
SUE POSTER
Westfield Barcelona Chamber of Commerce
Sue Crawford Poster-
Sue spent her youth living in Westfield where she attended WACS, The Presbyterian Church, Mi- Y, girl scouts, and did a lot of babysitting. The family moved to Texas then to Michigan where Sue still maintains a home.
Her love of Westfield and Chautauqua county remained with her all of her life. After an absence of 45 years she purchased her home in town several years ago and is committed to the community.
Sue serves on the board of Lake Shore Center for the Arts and The Westfield Fund. She was involved in the creation of the First Responders Tribute. Sue works on all First Fridays, Christmas in the Village, Village Beautification and has participated in the Farmers Market and Cemetery Tour.
KELSEY THOMAS
Senior Manager - Freed Maxick
Kelsey is a Senior Manager in Freed Maxick CPA’s. Kelsey is a graduate of Chautauqua Lake Central School. She received her BBA in Accounting from James Madison University.
Kelsey is a member of the American Institution of Certified Public Accountants and the Buffalo Chapter of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. In 2014, Kelsey was selected as one of Buffalo Business First’s 30 under 30.Locally, Kelsey is the Co-race chair for the Run for Bereda.
Kelsey began her career in Washington, D.C. and Charlotte, North Carolina before returning home. Kelsey started with Freed Maxick in 2012 and lived in Buffalo for three years before purchasing a home in Westfield with her now husband, Josh, stepdaughter, Jade and their two ‘pitbulls’, Buster and Franky.
Kelsey enjoys traveling to visit friends and family all over the country and exploring new places. On any given weekend, you might find them camping, hiking, biking, running, walking the pups, or supporting a local brewery.
Kelsey feels very strongly about supporting the local community and feels that having lived, worked, and traveled in different areas of the country (and world) has allowed her to appreciate our community with a different perspective upon return. Kelsey feels strongly that all individuals should be provided equal opportunities. She believes our responsibility as humans is to practice empathy, compassion and never stop seeking to better ourselves and the world around us.
VINNY SANZO
Pastor - Lakeshore Assembly of God.
Vinny has been part of the Westfield community and pastor here since 1999.
MARK DOUGHERTY
Retired Custom Officer
Mark Dougherty, U S Customs, thirty-two years federal law enforcement experience. Retired 2010, U S Customs, Supply Chain Security Specialist, C-TPAT, (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism), program, Houston, Tx. Awarded U S Customs " BLUE EAGLE " ( U S Customs highest award for outstanding actions in law enforcement), 1999, for a seizure of 4500 LBS. of cocaine Port of New Orleans, La. Team member on four national enforcement projects for U S Customs and assisted with the U S Customs reorganization project. Two years as a member of National Labor Management Committee for U S Customs, meeting quarterly, with the Commissioner of Customs and his Executive Management Staff on national issues. U S Customs International Trainer, ten overseas enforcement program training assignments, two as team leader. BS in Administration of Justice, 1978, American University, Wash., DC. Trained facilitator in interest based negotiations. Nine year resident of Westfield, NY. I previously served as a NY state certified ombudsman in area nursing homes and I am currently working as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity on our second restoration project here in the Village of Westfield.
CASSANDRA FARRELL
Social Worker
Cassie Farrell is a Licensed Masters Level Social Worker. She is employed by Family Service of the Chautauqua Region. She works as a school social worker in an elementary school as well as an office based mental health counselor. Cassie has worked with a variety of client populations included juvenile mental health court, persons with developmental disabilities, foster youth, group homes, older adults, hospice, home care, folks with addiction and drug and alcohol issues, individuals who are homeless, and she has taught as an adjunct professor at SUNY Fredonia. Cassie was born and raised in Mayville NY, attended Binghamton University where she obtained a bachelors in environmental science and geology. She then moved to San Diego, CA and attended San Diego State University to earn her masters in social work. Cassie lived in San Diego for 11 years before moving home five years ago. Cassie is a mother of two young children who attend WACS, she is also a village homeowner. Cassie is passionate about social justice and working to improve her local community.
KAREN SURKULA
President at WESTFIELD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - AHN
Senior Healthcare Executive with a proven track record of healthcare redesign, transformation, business development and market expansion. Expertise in solving complex problems with aggressive deadlines across the healthcare continuum. Strong operational and execution skills rooted in data driven decision making that aligns with key stakeholder goals.