Family Leadership Council

Members of the Family Leadership Council (FLC) play a leadership role in the Bard community through a range of activities. FLC members develop and participate in on-campus and regional recruiting and mentoring events, promote and provide career opportunities for students, and participate in peer-to-peer fundraising. Parents on the FLC play a prominent role in the success of the Bard College Fund through annual gifts of $1,500 or greater. The Family Leadership Council meets two times each year: once during Family Weekend and once in the spring.

Dear Bard Families,

Welcome to the Bard Family Network and the Bard community! Parents and family members are warmly received at Bard—we welcome your involvement with the College and we encourage you to take advantage of the many offerings available to the parent community.

Being the parent of a college student is a big step. The Family Leadership Council at Bard College offers a wonderful opportunity to stay involved in your child’s college experience. The FLC meets twice a year and offers opportunities to:

Connect with other Bard parents
Gain insight about Bard professors and programs
Share in conversations about public issues
Receive invitations to select Bard talks and events
Advance the work of the undergraduate college, the foundation of the Bard network, through their financial support

I joined the Council during my child's freshman year and have enjoyed the warmth and enthusiasm of the FLC. An added bonus is that, during these various events, there exists the possibility of seeing a tiny bit more of your own Bard student.

Congratulations again, and a very warm welcome to the Bard community.

Steve Aresty, Parent of Eve Aresty '24
Chair, Bard Family Leadership Council

Photo by Karl Rabe

Interested in Joining or Have Questions?

Contact Sasha Boak-Kelly, senior director of development, at [email protected] or 845-758-7407.

Family Leadership Council Members

Steve Aresty*
Christopher Boyatt and Linda Riefler
Gregory Fields and Rozanna Leo
Mark and Marnie Franklin
Patti Galluzzi
Nancy Hughes and Craig Gemmell
Jeff and Dana Gossett
Chava Danielson and Eric Haas
Dara Friedman and Mark Handforth
Vera and Richard Hough
David and Sylvia Inchausti
Jim Israel
Brian Katz and Maria Rosenblum
Jane and Richard Leider
Diana Levitch
Walter Levitch
Julie Harris and Timothy O'Neill
Noah and Stephanie Perlman
Stephen Pirozzi
Joe and Sharon Risse
Jim and Victoria Sutton
Mary and Robert Vermylen
Ellen Waldinger
Duncan Webb and Stephana Bottom

*Council Chair

Supporting Bard

Bard has held fast to a commitment to the liberal arts with readiness to innovate. Bard emphasizes independent and creative thought with its extraordinary faculty, interdisciplinary approach, and unique curricular structure including Language and Thinking, First-Year Seminar, Citizen Science, Moderation, and Senior Project. The cost of offering our unique academic program cannot be covered by tuition alone. Please consider making a gift to support the exceptional liberal arts education offered at Bard.

Where Your Support Goes

The Bard College Fund helps make the Bard experience possible for all students. Your donation contributes to hiring stellar faculty, maintaining small class sizes, and providing innovative academic programming and accessibility for our students.

FLC Member Benefits

Invitations to meet with President Botstein during Family and Commencement Weekends
Seating in the President’s Section during Commencement
Early notification of upcoming campus news and activities
Invitations to private Bard events, including concerts, lectures, and salon-style evenings
Opportunities to purchase tickets to Fisher Center events in advance of public sale