Meet Jason Sarubbi—born and raised in New Paltz, an avid endurance athlete, and the bassist behind local favorites The Trapps and The Sweet Clementines. As founder and engineer of Split Rock Recording Studio, Jason opens up about life, building a world‑class recording space in the Hudson Valley, and how the studio serves artists across music and professional audiobook, voiceover, and post‑production projects. From stage stories to studio smarts (with an athlete’s mindset), this conversation spotlights a hometown creative helping others sound their best. 

Join us as we sit down with Clare Hussain owner of Runa Bistro in New Paltz, to explore her inspiring path from growing up in Bangladesh to becoming a celebrated restaurateur. Clare shares how family traditions, a love for hospitality, and experiences across Dublin, Baltimore, and New York City shaped her culinary vision. Discover the stories behind her passion for food, the influences, and what makes Runa Bistro a unique dining destination in the Hudson Valley.

Henry Gartner Public Program Coordinator at Wild Earth, grew up in rural Greenwich, NY, where his love for the outdoors began.   After earning a mathematics degree from SUNY New Paltz, Henry made the Hudson Valley his home. Today, you’ll find him trad climbing and mountain biking in the Gunks year-round, and when winter hits, he’s carving telemark turns on the slopes.

Executive Director Wallkill Valley Land Trust

Al and Christian Favata, Father and Son, owners of TRT Bicycles, Rosendale, New York.  From the professional to the weekend warrior TRT Bicycles has the entire spectrum of equipment and accessories covered!

Father, Husband, proprietor of the Grazery and Benton Beer Garden.

Mother, Wife, and  founder, and clinical director, of Wellness Embodied, a center for psychotherapy and healing.

Father, Husband, and founder Kayrock Screen Printing

 Marian Dealy is an author, filmmaker and award-winning Ph.D. in Biology. Throughout her life, she has gravitated toward the excitement of cutting-edge science. As a young adult, Marian worked as an AIDS researcher at the National Institutes of Health, helped decipher the sequence of human DNA at Human Genome Sciences, then traveled across the country to UC San Diego where she did her thesis project in Genetics. After getting her Ph.D. in Biology, Marian pursued her other passion in life – storytelling. She has worked as a filmmaker for the last 20 years and was recently inspired by her young son to write books that convey her love of science to the next generation. Marian uses her scientific background to weave the latest and greatest in science and technology into her fictional stories in fun and unexpected ways.

Father, Husband, endurance athlete, and  Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Owner of Skytop Mental Health Counseling PLLC