A perfect place for Plein Aire, including the awesome company…Great idea, Jim!
Reflections
A Tribute
It is a humbling honor to share these words people have written in support of this work. None of it happens alone. Everything is a product of every kind offering that has come before. To hear that these endeavors have been appreciated is gratifying…especially when if comes from people whom I deeply respect and give thanks for in turn.
These testimonials are also a tribute to Trudy Fitzsimmons, a longtime friend and business partner who retired in 2021, whose love and practical support of this and other endeavors are forever greatly appreciated. We are grateful to name Trudy “Founder Emeritus” and have her as the first member of the Synchronicity Network Honorary Advisory Council.
We met toward the end of 1999 when Trudy sat on the board of a new organization where Katie had just been hired.
“I’m so glad we picked you! You are wonderful. This is going to be marvelous.”
“How the heck do you know?” asked Katie, “We just met!”
“Oh, I know.” said Trudy. With that, she turned and walked out the door.
It was the start of many things interesting, challenging and deeply worth-while; a wonderful journey featuring great people, resources and more. While I feel a little bit like Dumbo without his feather, I am grateful that Trudy continues to be my friend and forever an integral part of this adventure. It is an honor to now continue this with all of you.
Select Testimonials
“I think this will be a big thing. People are so sick of opening the newspaper and getting depressed. This offers hope.”
~ Gus Mavrudis, Black Belt Academy
“I would say that what I find unique about the work and why I appreciate the content is that it is primarily a humanist-driven approach to the world. To that end, I find that the value that is brought is in amplifying human connections. Many services and social media provide the ability to network, but your services amplify connections between people through providing message platforms and highlighting/advocating for their work. I also find that you have a baseline value-set that links what others would otherwise view as disparate, so I am drawn to the content to hear about both interesting people and events/ top issues back home. It also has an optimistic tone which is unique – much of today’s news as well as advocacy has a negative slant. Yours is the message of ‘think global, act local’ that reminds me good things are happening everywhere, we just don’t always see it.”
~ Danielle Alexander, Owner Studio AKA Landscape Architecture
“The value both of you bring to the table is your network. It’s not an ordinary network though. Where most people make introductions based on business done in the past whom they may know on some personal level, I feel like you each have much deeper connections because you’ve volunteered/worked/ collaborated side by side with so many individuals, non-profit organizations, and professionals that it brings a unique vibe to any introduction you’ve made for me in the past.”
~ Elissa Oransky, Huntington Community Leader
“You have brought a level of insight and understanding of me and my needs beyond what anyone else has ever brought me. Because your insight is sometimes deeper than my own, you have helped me clarify my thoughts and feelings, which has helped me to grow. Due to the breadth of your knowledge and resources you have helped me see a broader picture than I would have seen without your help.”
~ Susan Karbiner, Local Activist
You are valuable connectors and advisors. You know the Long Island landscape as well as the players who are positioned to help people reach their goals. You not only introduced me to folks I never would have met on my own, but you took the time to schedule and set up lunches and dinners to bring us together. Your knowledge, skill, professionalism, and kindness are wonderful. Thank you very much.
~ Allen Hecht, Attorney, Teacher, Founder of Kindness Hall
“Trudy and Katie brought unparalleled, passion, professionalism, and planning in their work. Their enthusiasm and ability to articulate the benefits of the leadership program we offered attracted many recruits, donors, and leaders around the community in diverse sections such as business, government, and not-for-profits. They implemented a series of themed workshops, a gala, networking events, and carried out the role of program ambassadors in the community.
The public relations aspect was probably the most important benefit along with the workshops themselves. Through personal visits, attendance at community events, networking, the newsletter, and photographs to document the program and its players, they kept the organization’s profile quite visible to current and future participants and supporters.”
~ Sharon Saudino, Former Board President, Leadership Huntington
“Where to start…. Katie is an incredibly talented, dynamic professional. She has the ability to assess an organizations needs while pulling solutions together to address them. She has the experience to combine fundraising, public relations, strategic planning and management all together without compromising the creative energy needed that keeps a mission of the organization intact.
In a workforce full of colleagues who are often self-important ‘specialists’ with tunnel vision Katie is a breath of fresh air. She is a very giving and productive person who can be essential to an organization or business. Vision Long Island would not have achieved half or our goals without her. Cannot say enough good things.”
~ Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island
Thank You, Craig!
An Unabashed Testimonial by Craig Rider, The Rider Group
“While I no longer reside in the Huntington area, it will always be my home (and OUR region). It is where I always return when I need to be grounded, healed, inspired, and refreshed. I continue to care deeply about its well-being and have been heartened by the efforts of two incredible community stewards, Trudy and Kate. It has been an ongoing honor and pleasure to watch them work. They are consummate professionals, innovative problem solvers, tireless community activists/advocates, loyal and loving friends, and beacons for me and others.
I’ve heard that two of the most important things are why and how we live our lives. For the former, I have seen Kate and Trudy employ their prodigious and ever-expanding talents in the service of making our community and region a better place to work, play, and live. That is the essence of why they do what they do. We are, indeed, blessed by their commitment to and stewardship of our region. Their actions and efforts have also made each of us a better person in ways we may not yet fully appreciate.
They have also inspired me by their how – facilitating the connection of all segments of our region, again, with the goal of unleashing, nurturing, and expanding the collective talents and resources. They have devoted countless hours to this effort in moving us all towards this goal. Their role is like a catalyst – making a change and then leaving intact to make more. As such, they have sought no recognition for their own efforts. Results and benefits are their primary motivators.
Further, although they would never say so, in their long commitment to these goals they have come through serious challenges, setbacks, and obstacles, both personal and professional. No matter what life threw at them they remained optimistic, forward thinking, and always took the high road as they worked through, around and over those challenges. Even more impressive is that they did this with a delightful and refreshing sense of humor. Under duress, this is extremely hard to do, but they did.
For all the above, they are true community treasures and the reason why I support Synchronicity with whatever talents and resources I might have to offer.”