Who We Are
Our Board
Debra Eileen Lewis,
Founding Board President
Debra holds a BA entitled The Arts and Education from William Smith College in Geneva, NY, with a concentration in creative writing and a minor in Religious Studies. She is a graduate of The Entrepreneurship Network in Rochester, NY, where she acquired knowledge that helped her in planning and running the organization. She has experience teaching children creative writing, being a self-employed massage therapist, and teaching yoga (mostly prenatal and children's yoga).
These days, Debra is primarily a full-time homeschool mom of a daughter named Theia (now 9!). As Debra was founding the toy library, Theia’s scribbles could be found all over toy library papers and notes where she added her own two cents to the project. Debra enjoys nature connection, music, dancing, herbalism, gardening, yoga, and the arts, and is excited to see the toy library grow.
“I hope every child in our region will have access to a large variety of high-quality playthings, and that all our lives will become more playful and joyful because of it,” Debra says. “I look forward to helping the community join together to continue to make our organization's vision a reality.”
Connect with me on LinkedIn to learn more. Just say you know me through my job at the toy library ;)
Kelly Sauve,
Treasurer
(she/her)
Kelly holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Northeastern University (NU) in Boston, MA. She has worked in various educational settings: At the Center for STEM Education at NU she worked with the Mayor's office, non-profits and industry professionals to develop and implement programs aimed at eliminating the achievement gap in Boston Public Schools. One of the programs, the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp, eventually led to a cross country move to Houston, TX to work for The Harris Foundation in a national role as a program director.
Kelly's experience in education has focused primarily in the STEM areas and her work has encompassed everything from grant writing to program development and implementation to staff management to data analysis and program evaluation.
Now in Ithaca, NY, Kelly spends her time as a mom to three children, Jordan, Lucy, and Benjamin and as the organizational manager of the Ithaca Farmers Market. She loves the toy library because it allows children to construct their own meaning of the world through play. "The Toy Library is a great opportunity for lots of children and is also affordable and environmentally conscious. I'm excited to be a part of the organization and see how it helps our community."
Erika Mudrak,
Secretary
Erika Mudrak grew up in Ithaca. After she attended college at the University of Rochester (earning degrees in Mathematics and Biology), she spent 10 years living in Virginia, Wisconsin, and Iowa while pursuing degrees and training in Ecology and Statistics. In 2013 she moved back to Ithaca to accept a job as a statistical consultant at Cornell.
Erika has two young daughters and was an enthusiastic member of the Toy Library for 18 months before joining the board.
“We love the toy library because we are able try out a new toy without investing money in it and I can keep up with a variety of age-appropriate toys as my daughters grow. I love that there are also a variety of board games, building sets, and puzzles that appeal to adults as well. I also love supporting an organization that provides all these things to families across our community.”
Fiona McDevitt,
Board Member (she/her/hers)
Fiona is originally from Newport, Rhode Island. She graduated with a B.A. in psychology and sociology from Regis College before pursuing her MSW at the University of South Carolina.
After practicing as a trauma therapist in New York City, Fiona moved to Ithaca, NY, where she was a therapist at Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca, before starting her own private practice. She continues to work closely with clients and has recently become a mother to a wonderful little girl.
Fiona is excited to be a part of the Finger Lakes Toy Library! She deeply believes in their mission and ethos to provide children access to safe, educational, and sustainable toys without financial constraints and to provide the opportunity for parents/caregivers to bond with their children through play.
“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood,” Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers
Maddy Dolkart,
Board Member
Maddy holds a BS from Mills College of Education and an MS in Education from Hunter College. Originally from NJ and RI, she and her husband moved to Elmira, NY where they raised their now grown daughter and son.
For over 45 years, Maddy served as a preschool teacher and was always the one her friends turned to for fun early childhood activities. Her at-home play dates were memorable for their messiness and wealth of developmentally appropriate activities
She did not have a dining room with real furniture until her children were past needing that play space. Thus, her favorite hurrah came in 1993 when she created The Toddler Program at Chemung Valley Montessori School in Elmira, NY. There she worked for 23 years guiding numerous 2-3 year olds and their families - always ready to recommend specific educational resources, including literature and toys, and eager to make a difference in the lives of parents.
Maddy currently serves on the Chemung Valley Reading Partnership Board, is a member of Traveling Books, prepares meals for The Community Kitchen, and helps fundraise for Congregation Kol Ami. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening, exercising, yoga, walking with friends, playing mahjong, and traveling with her husband - especially to visit her grown children and other relatives and friends in NYC, Philly, NH, and Maine.
Jason Sidle,
Board Member
Jason Sidle grew up in Ithaca and is a graduate of Ithaca High School. Jason is married to his wife, Melisa, for 20+ years, they have 2 children, Jason and Cassandra.
Jason has spent his professional life working as a leader within the hospitality industry. Having worked for large companies such as Marriott International and Hilton, but having moved back to Ithaca in the early 2000's, Jason found a home leading the opening of Tompkins Cortland Community College's culinary center, Coltivare. More recently Jason has started in a new role as the General Manager of La Tourelle located just past Ithaca College on South HIll. Jason has served on boards such as the Ithaca Downtown Alliance, the McGraw House, The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the Strategic Tourism and Planning Board.
Jason enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, playing sports and giving back to the community that raised him in any way to the benefit of others.
Yogini Borg,
Board Member
Yogini is passionate about creating resources that help nonprofit organizations and families flourish. She is an MBA candidate at Stevens Institute of Technology, specializing in financial technology, and holds a BFA in Design from Rutgers University.
Originally from New Jersey, Yogini became a proud resident of Ithaca nearly a year ago. She is excited to contribute to the vibrant Finger Lakes region. Dedicated to supporting the library’s fundraising efforts, she aims to strengthen its connections with local businesses and residents.
Our Staff
Caroline Hyneman, Director of Operations
(she/her)
Originally from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Caroline has called Ithaca home for the past decade. A licensed social worker, Caroline’s passion for supporting children and families has led her to work primarily in local schools. She strongly believes in the critical role of play in a child’s educational and social-emotional development, and she is excited to contribute to the Finger Lakes Toy Library's mission of providing access to high-quality play experiences for all children in our community.
When Caroline’s not at the Toy Library, you might find her curled up with a good book, practicing yoga, catching a film at Cinemapolis, or exploring Ithaca’s beautiful trails with her husband and very energetic border collie, Kamu.
Yogini Borg, Open Hours Host
Yogini is passionate about creating resources that help nonprofit organizations and families flourish. She is an MBA candidate at Stevens Institute of Technology, specializing in financial technology, and holds a BFA in Design from Rutgers University.
Originally from New Jersey, Yogini became a proud resident of Ithaca nearly a year ago. She is excited to contribute to the vibrant Finger Lakes region. Dedicated to supporting the library’s fundraising efforts, she aims to strengthen its connections with local businesses and residents.
Our Volunteers
Amber Smith,
Founding Board Vice President (2016-2020)
Open Hours Host
(she/her)
Amber was the toy library's volunteer Executive Director for our first 15 months of operation and is now the Executive Director of the Family Reading Partnership. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Child Development from Empire State College and has 15+ years of experience as a nanny. Much of her research during her education focused on play and its benefits and international iterations. She has extensive knowledge of infant and toddler development and its relationship to their play.
In her spare time Amber loves to hike, camp, kayak, and sit around a bonfire with friends.
"Creative, open-ended, and imaginative play are essential to early development. Play is a child's method of communication and growth, and the toy library is a fantastic way to bring children from all corners of our community together in play."
Kay V.,
Open Hours Host
(she/her)
Kay joined FLTL because she just loves libraries!
Challenge Workforce Solutions,
Toy Cleaners
Challenge Workforce Solutions is a non-profit organization that is committed to creating pathways to employment for people with disabilities or barriers. They began volunteering weekly at FLTL in November 2022. The participants always enjoy their time at the toy library for a unique volunteer experience cleaning recent toy returns to ensure the continuation of FLTL's health standards. They are self-described "Santa's helpers" all year round!
Mia Pan,
Open Hours Host
(she/her)
Mia Pan (she/her) is a master’s student in Engineering at Cornell University. She loves reading, hiking, and exploring new places. She joined the Finger Lakes Toy Library to support its mission of making toys accessible to all children and fostering inclusive play opportunities.