Spotlight on our Speakers

Our contracted Minister, Rev. Diane Diachishin graduated and was ordained by All Faiths Seminary in NYC in 2022. She taught music for 30+ years in private and public-school systems. She has been an active member of the UUCRT for 25 years, wearing many hats. Diane has been Chair of Pastoral Care, served as VP and Secretary to the Board, and Chair of Sunday Service Ministry.

She facilitated the study and practice of Compassionate Communication for several years and currently facilitates the monthly Soul Matters group. Diane considers herself a life-long Unitarian. From the age of four, summer vacations were spent with her family and her Star Island community, at an ongoing retreat for UU’s of all ages, which still continues to be a source of renewal and inspiration for her. Diane is passionate about her family, playing music, hiking, and travel.

Although Geoff Kaufmann is best known for his 35 years of singing and organizing maritime music at Mystic Seaport Museum in CT, he has always maintained an active touring schedule featuring music from such formative influences as singers and songwriters from the “folk scare” of the 60s (Tom Paxton, Joan Baez, Steve Gillette…), songs collected in the Catskill Mountains where he grew up, and his time as a Sloopsinger with the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and Pete Seeger. Since his retirement from Mystic in June of ’19, Geoff has turned greater attention to music that speaks to issues of social justice, the climate crisis and our need to find common ground, and from that has come his latest recording, “On a Day Like Today,” including covers of songs from Jacques Brel, Leonard Cohen, David Mallett, Phil Ochs, John Prine, Pete Seeger and Kate Wolf.

 Hollis Kellogg joined the UUCRT in 1997. Since he was a pianist, he was immediately recruited to help with music. He loves to perform music he loves, and also loves to talk.  He has stayed with UUCRT through years of great change, and hopes to continue serving with music and presentations. Since 1997, he has given a variety of talks- new beginnings, Emerson, transcending differences, ethical eating, gun violence, and other issues. He is a retired Occupational Therapist, and lives alone with his cat, Merlin. 

Deborah Cashara returns to our congregation after 20 years of exploring other faith and spiritual traditions and raising two children. She was an exchange student to Germany, a board member of Maternal Infant Services, a Court Appointed Special Assistant to Family Court, and a Master Gardener. Her surname is on the Cornwall High School.
  Deborah organized and successfully saved land in Cornwall from being developed. It is now a dog park and has a clear view of Storm King Mountain which is the birth place of the environmental movement. While her nest is empty, Frankie and Ernie her two dogs love her into wholeness.
    She dapples in creating art. She visits galleries, travels, writes poetry and she tends her home, gardens, friends, and family.

Mike Landrum. For those newcomers who may not know me – I am a Missouri Boy who disobeyed his father’s orders and ran off to join the circus. Shakespeare in Repertory, called back from Canada to fight in Vietnam, came to NYC, acted on Stage and TV, finally became a father at 51, became a corporate trainer, speechwriter, Adjunct Professor. Joined this congregation in 1994, been trying to help since then. Partnered with Etty Decker in 2017.

  Evan T. Pritchard, a descendant of the Mi’kmaq people, has taught Native American studies at Pace University, Vassar College, and Marist College and is the director of the Center for Algonquin Culture. Steeped in bird lore by his Mi’kmaq great aunt Helen Perley, he is the author of several books, including Native New Yorkers and No Word for Time. A regular on radio shows such as NPR’s Fresh Air and on the History Channel, he lives in the Hudson Valley.