Board of Trustees

Learn More about our Board Members

Dr. Angela Flesland, Chair

Dr. Angela Flesland graduated from Dutchess Community College in 2006, going on to complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. In 2023, she earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Quinnipiac University. She was inducted into the Dutchess Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018. 
 
Flesland served on the Dutchess County Legislature from 2008 to 2017, fulfilling roles of assistant majority leader, majority leader, and chair of the Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee. As a healthcare professional, she worked as a cardiothoracic nurse at Vassar Brothers Medical Center until 2022, when she became the supervisor of clinical care management and utilization review for Westchester Medical Center. She is now network director of Clinical Care Management for WMC Health.
 
An active volunteer, she works with organizations that support veterans who are recently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. In addition, Flesland serves on the Ethics Committee at Westchester Medical Center as well as the Town of Poughkeepsie. She is an avid runner who has completed the New York City Marathon and dog mom to two rescues, Justice and Maevis.  
 
Appointed to the Dutchess Community College Board of Trustees by the Dutchess County Legislature in 2018, she currently serves as chair. Flesland says, “I am passionate about the opportunity to make DCC the best institution for students in the Hudson Valley to earn degrees and learn skills that lead to good-paying jobs.” 

Michael Dupree, Vice Chair

Michael Dupree was a contributor and editor at several magazines before moving to Hyde Park. He served two eight-year terms on the Board of Hyde Park Visual Environment Committee, where he led the repair of the town’s signature stone walls and helped establish the Hyde Park Farmer’s Market.

Past community service positions include treasurer and vice chair of the board of Friends of Mills at Staatsburgh (2002-2010); member of the Dutchess County Planning Board (2010-2019); chair of Planned Parenthood of the Mid-Hudson Valley’s 501(c)4 Board and chair of the Hyde Park Democratic Committee. Dupree was named the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce’s Volunteer of the Year in 2004 and 2011.  

He is presently in his eighteenth year as chair of the Hyde Park Planning Board and is chair of the Dutchess County Democratic Committee. Dupree recently joined Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital’s Board of Visitors. He has also chaired and co-chaired events to raise funds for Walkway Over the Hudson, Scenic Hudson, Planned Parenthood, the DCC Foundation and The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. In 2023, he and his husband, Michael Fleischer, received the DCC Foundation’s Bridge to the Future Award and were presented with Family Services’ Quality of Life Award at their annual Family of the Year Awards ceremony.    

Dupree has served as trustee at DCC since 2015 and held the office of chair of the Board from 2019-2024. Of that experience, he shared, “It is a huge honor and one of the most rewarding roles I’ve had. Education – whether technical, traditional liberal arts or workforce – continues to provide the most reliable pathway to financial, professional and personal success as well as becoming truly engaged as citizens.” Michael Dupree assumed the role of vice chair in 2024, noting that he was happy to let others share in the fulfilling chair experience.

Darrah Cloud, Secretary

Darrah Cloud is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter from Evanston, Illinois. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Goddard College along with two Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in writing — poetry from the University of Iowa Writers Workshop and playwriting from the University of Iowa. Cloud began her career in New York City as a playwright and teacher. She has worked on award-winning productions across the U.S. and Europe and on major networks like CBS, NBC and FOX. 
 
Cloud currently teaches in the MFA in Creative Writing programs at Goddard College and Southern New Hampshire University. She taught previously at Fordham University, Wesleyan University, Vassar College, University of Nebraska and in the New York state correctional system. 
 
In 2017, Cloud was elected town supervisor of Pine Plains, serving for four years. She was instrumental in writing major grants for town improvements, updating police policy and reform, and updating the town’s comprehensive and out-of-date plan. Cloud also helped Pine Plains earn the designation of Clean Energy Community through targeted investments in energy-reducing infrastructure. 
 
She actively serves her community, with a special focus on housing equity. Cloud is a founding member of the Tri-Town Coalition for Affordable Housing and sat on the Dutchess County Affordable Housing Committee from 2021 to 2022. In addition, she worked on the Dutchess County Municipal Investment Grants Committee and is a Pattern for Progress Fellow on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Cloud currently runs the Local Produce Reader’s Theatre series at The Stissing Center for Arts and Culture in Pine Plains. 
 
Appointed by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022, Cloud is the DCC Board of Trustees secretary. She says the mission common to all her professional roles is “to promote education accessibility for everyone by creating and sustaining a college that is relevant to today’s needs and a community of learners that influences and partners with its larger community to make learning a way of life.”  

Frank Castella Jr.

Frank Castella graduated from DCC in 1999, completing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University at Albany in 2000. He was inducted into the Dutchess Community College Hall of Fame in 2017. Of his time at DCC, Castella said, “As a student, what I recall most about DCC was that it was an organization that was part of the community.” 
 
Since 2014, he has served as president and CEO of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and president of the Chamber Foundation. He represents more than 1,300 clients and manages a staff of 24. A business advocate throughout his career, he previously owned two companies, including a family-owned printing business and a direct mail entity.  
 
Castella was appointed to the DCC Board of Trustees by the Dutchess County Legislature in 2022. “I’m proud to be able to give back to the organization that gave me my first leg up and continue that tradition for others,” he shares. 

Stephen Caswell 

Stephen Caswell is in his third term as a Dutchess County legislator representing the Town of East Fishkill and serves on numerous legislature committees, including the County’s Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee of which he is chair. Prior to his appointment, Caswell held various roles in accounting and finance during his career at IBM, most recently serving as worldwide operations manager for internal audit. He is a graduate of Siena College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. 
 
Dedicated to the community, Mr. Caswell serves as board director and treasurer for the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, board director and treasurer for Julie’s Jungle Playground Project, board trustee for the East Fishkill Historical Society and announcer for John Jay High School boys soccer. He served previously on the East Fishkill Recreation Advisory Board (2011 to 2016) and the East Fishkill Planning Board (2014 to 2019).  
 
Appointed to the DCC Board of Trustees by the Dutchess County Legislature in 2022, Caswell serves as chair of the standing committee on Finance and Facilities and served previously on the policy committee.  

Ibis Guzmán ’00

Ibis Guzmán graduated from Dutchess Community College in 2000, going on to Binghamton University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in History with a double minor in Sociology and Anthropology in 2002.  
 
Guzmán began his banking career with Stissing National Bank as a teller in 2002, moving up the ranks — head teller, customer service representative, assistant manager — to manager/assistant vice president for the Bank of Millbrook. 
 
Currently the deputy comptroller for Dutchess County, Guzmán has served as town justice for the town of Pine Plains since 2019. He also volunteers with the Pine Plains Fire Department, as interior firefighter and fire police; the Pine Plains Lions Club, where he serves on several boards; and the Pine Plains Business Association, which organizes an annual Town Decorating Day and Parade of Lights.  
 
Guzmán was appointed to DCC’s Board of Trustees in 2021 by the Dutchess County Legislature. “As an Otomi who was born in a small village named Tetzhu in Mexico,” he says, “I feel very proud to be a first-generation immigrant to represent the Spanish-speaking community.” 

Lisa Ghartey Ogundimu, Esq.

Lisa Ghartey Ogundimu, Esq. is the chief operating officer (COO) for Girls Inc., the preeminent girls’ leadership organization in the U.S. and Canada. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and Juris Doctorate from Pace University School of Law.  
 
Ghartey Ogundimu served previously as the deputy commissioner for Child Welfare and Community Services (CWCS) within the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). She is also a former member of the judicial screening committee to review candidates in the Third Judicial Department of New York. 
 
Ghartey Ogundimu was appointed to the Board of Trustees by the New York State Governor’s Office in 2018.

Evelyn Panichi

 A lifelong Dutchess County resident, Evelyn Panichi graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes High School and Pace University. She co-owns Royal Carting Service Co. and Welsh Sanitation with her father and sister. 

Despite her work and family responsibilities, Panichi has devoted herself to several causes in the community. She has served as a member of the Board of Visitors of Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital, the Westchester Medical Center Foundation, the Board of Directors of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Bardavon 1869 Opera House. Panichi is the former chairperson of the Saint Francis Preschool and Communication Disorders Advisory Council and previously served as a trustee of the Saint Francis Hospital, Saint Francis Hospital Health Care Foundation, and the Dutchess Day School. 
 
Panichi received the Franciscan Award from Saint Francis Hospital, the Spirit of Giving Award from WMC Health and the Falcon Award for Business Excellence from Dutchess Community College. She and her family have been honored by the Walkway Over the Hudson, the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce, and the Exchange Club of Southern Dutchess. 

Panichi was appointed by the Dutchess County Legislature to the DCC Board of Trustees in 2023.  

Linda Pratt

Linda Pratt has been a literary agent for over 30 years, launching her boutique agency – Wernick & Pratt – with her business partner in 2011 after 23 years together at a larger firm. She has a particular passion for children’s literature, ranging from toddler-aged board books to young adult novels.  

Early in her career, after earning her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin, Pratt held positions as bookkeeper, accountant and controller – roles she returned to at various points over a 14-year span.  
 
As co-owner and literary agent at Wernick & Pratt Agency, a full-service literary agency focused exclusively on the children’s book industry, Pratt represents authors and illustrators and oversees all business operations. Her broad skillset – editorial expertise, legal knowledge, management abilities and business acumen – has led to professional success and is an asset to her work with the DCC Board of Trustees.  
 
Pratt was appointed to the board in 2022 by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. She shares, “I’ve been truly inspired by the positive, forward-thinking philosophy shared by Dr. Jordan and the board. There’s such a unified vision and focus on how DCC can best serve students and the broader community.” 

Bobby Biersack, Student Trustee

An adult student who resumed his education at DCC in the fall 2022 semester, Bobby Biersack has been part of the Falcon community for the past 11 years. Since returning to school, Bobby has excelled academically, earning a 3.9 GPA and being inducted into Phi Theta Kappa this past spring. He also served as president of the Outdoor Adventure Club, where he organized activities such as kayaking, skiing and rock climbing, fostering a sense of community among students.

Biersack brings a unique perspective to the student trustee position. He first attended DCC as a recent high school graduate, unsure of his direction. Now, he balances a full-time job at Vassar with a full-time class schedule and plans to complete a bachelor’s in social work after earning his associate degree in human services at DCC.

In his new role, Biersack aims to boost engagement on campus and in local high schools. Having experienced DCC both before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, he has observed a decrease in in-person student activities and is committed to revitalizing them. He also plans to visit local high schools to promote DCC, highlighting the benefits of community college and encouraging prospective students to consider DCC for their higher education.

His goal is to build on the College’s strengths and ensure it remains a welcoming and supportive environment for all students. “I saw this as my chance to give back to the campus and leave my mark,” he says. “Now, I’m looking forward to finishing my story and starting anew.”

Dr. Peter Grant Jordan (Ex-Officio member, DCC President)

Dr. Peter Grant Jordan became president of Dutchess Community College on August 2, 2021. An ambitious, transformational and collaborative leader, he is committed to serving the community – both within and beyond the College. 
 
Dr. Jordan is a current member of the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet and Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board, and Chair of the Dutchess County Economic Advisory Council (EDAC) Education & Workforce Committee. Dr. Jordan is also a member of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). In August 2023, he participated in a White House and USDOE Career and Technical Education Working Session focused on exploring opportunities for community college-union partnerships.  
 
During his career, he has served in a range of capacities, most recently as president of Tarrant County College-South Campus in Texas. Prior to this leadership position, Jordan was vice president for institutional effectiveness and vice president of enrollment management and student development at LaGuardia Community College. 
 
Jordan’s extensive career also includes roles as interim vice chancellor for student affairs at CUNY; vice president of enrollment and student affairs at Vaughn College (College of Aeronautics); and dean of student enrollment at New York Institute of Technology. He has also served as dean of university admissions at Polytechnic Institute of New York, among other roles. 

Jordan holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania; an M.S. in Operations Management from Tandon School of Engineering/New York University, and a B.A. in English and History from Colby College.