Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation Welcomes Five New Board Members

 Photos of Molly Brindle, Kira Karbocus, Stuart Kaufman, Nicole Messier-Marino, and Ellen Sheehan provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, established in 1977 to preserve and enhance the architectural, cultural, and landscaped heritage of the Spa City, recently named five new members to its board of directors: Molly Brindle, Kira Karbocus, Stuart Kaufman, Nicole Messier-Marino, and Ellen Sheehan.

“We are excited to have the Foundation benefit from their expertise and knowledge,” said Executive Director Samantha Bosshart in a news release.

Brindle most recently served as director of corporate partnerships for the New York Racing Association (NYRA) from 2008 until her retirement in 2018. She also worked in media sales and promotion at WROW and Time Warner Cable before joining Discover Saratoga. A “serial volunteer,” Molly first joined the Foundation when Carrie Woerner was executive director, and in retirement she continues to volunteer for Community Hospice, Wellspring, and several organizations that support the track’s backstretch workers and retired racehorses.

Karbocus currently provides strategic consulting to nationally recognized nonprofit and independent organizations in the music industry, with a focus on business operations and finance. Her current work spans performing arts centers to a major stadium concert featuring some of the world’s top artists. From 2018 to 2024, Kira served as CFO and COO of Newport Festivals Foundation, where she co-produced the legendary Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals during a period of growth and impact. Prior to that, she held the same leadership roles at Fingerpaint Group, helping to guide the company through years of high growth. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and Caffè Lena.

Kaufman is a managing attorney at the Saratoga Office of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, where he provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals, focusing on tenant rights and homelessness prevention. He’s an active member and past president of the Saratoga County Bar Association. He also volunteers with Cindy’s Comfort Camp, a grief support program for children.

Messier-Marino is the managing director of corporate communications for Publicis and MSL, where she leads strategic communications and corporate reputation programs for Fortune 500 companies. A Capital Region native, her family purchased 2 Clement Avenue in 2023, a home built in 1885. The house is celebrated by art historian James Kettlewell in “Saratoga Springs: An Architectural History” as “the most impressive example of the Shingle Style variant of the Queen Anne Victorian.”

Sheehan has lived in Saratoga Springs since 1992. She worked for Catholic Charities, drawn to its commitment to the poor and vulnerable, but architecture remained a strong interest. She took AutoCad and construction materials classes in the Civil Engineering Department at Hudson Valley Community College. She also worked on various committees for Habitat for Humanity and helped with builds. She was appointed to the Saratoga Springs Design Review Board (DRB) in 2019. She recently finished her term.

For more information about the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, visit www.saratogapreservation.org.