Erika Alexia Tsoukanelis lives in enchanted Willow, where she teaches yoga and writes away. She holds a master’s of social work from Columbia University and a master’s of fine arts in fiction writing from Sarah Lawrence College. A Kripalu-certified yoga teacher, holistic health counselor, Reiki practitioner, actress, singer, former ashram resident, recovering proofreader and dog lover, Erika will be completing her first novel Bird Faces East any day now. Erika listens in on parents and children at “Music Together” on page 87.
Patricia Hasegawa is a certified integrative coach whose specialty is helping women pursue their creative ideas. She holds a Master’s of Divinity degree and her studies of comparative religious story and myth provide her unique insights into transforming emotional and mental blocks. Patricia founded and managed an Alaskan company that handcrafted and retailed her original art designs statewide for 10 years. Returning to the East Coast, she advised small and midsize businesses how to handle and leverage rapid growth. She lives in the Hudson Valley, where she coaches, writes, and is the mother of two. You can visit her website at www.patriciahasegawa.com. Patricia’s meditation on getting inside the creative flow appears on page 100.
Ken Charney is the author of The Bold Vegetarian Chef (Wiley & Sons, 2002) and of numerous food articles and features. He was a cooking instructor in Seattle for over seven years, specializing in the finer aspects of tofu, soups, and improvisational cooking. Before returning to New York he was the sous chef at the Seattle Art Museum’s Taste Cafe. Ken is a frequent contributor to Hudson Valley magazine, penning restaurant reviews. His diversions in life include kickboxing, torturing himself with crosswords, and the Yankees. He lives in Beacon and works fulltime as a corporate writer in Danbury, Connecticut. Ken’s profile of the Amenia restaurant Serevan appears on page 64.
Brian Rubin, a teaching assistant and graduate student in the English department at SUNY New Paltz, is a regular contributor to the Ellenville Journal, covering arts and entertainment events and news for the area. He has also written two articles for the new entertainment magazine, Geek Monthly, to be published in the coming months. His short play “Around the Block” was published and produced at the Unison Arts Center by the Mohonk Mountain Stage Company in 2004, and produced off-off-Broadway by the RAT Theatre Company in 2005. He currently lives in New Paltz, and expects to graduate this fall. Brian’s assessment of Ellenville’s artistic renaissance appears on page 34.
