Hudson River Sloop Clearwater’s Spirit of the Hudson Gala

Artwork by: Elinor Kwitney Stapylton

Gather with Clearwater in celebration of preservation of place, music, and the Hudson River. For nearly 60 years, Clearwater has united the Hudson Valley through education, advocacy, music and sailing to protect and preserve the Hudson River and steward the next generation of environmental leaders. We are proud to recognize long-time and emerging leaders Erik Kulleseid, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, and Maya Kalender who are preserving open space, musical history and heritage, and the shared ecosystem of the Hudson Valley.

Support Clearwater by joining us at our annual Spirit of the Hudson Gala by purchasing tickets or a journal ad, or becoming a sponsor.

HONOREES:

Erik Kulleseid, Spirit of the Hudson Award
Erik Kulleseid is a visionary conservation and public land management leader with a passion for protecting natural resources, creating welcoming parks, and championing meaningful outdoor experiences for all.

In his current role as President and CEO of the Open Space Institute, Erik is committed to advancing land conservation through fostering partnerships, embracing new opportunities, and ensuring that the Hudson River and the public lands that define it remain protected, accessible, and welcoming for generations to come. Kulleseid’s decades-long conservation career has been built on protecting land for public use and natural resource protection, serving as Commissioner of New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, formative years at the Trust for Public Land and his prior government service as Deputy Commissioner for Open Space Protection at New York State Parks.

While parks commissioner, Erik led major capital initiatives including the opening of Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn; creating a state-of-the-art welcome center at Niagara Falls State Park; the new Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center on Long Island; the creation of the new Sojourner Truth State Park in Kingston; and the opening of the Autism Nature Trail in Letchworth State Park, a first-of-its kind trail designed specifically for people on the autism spectrum and their families.

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Lifetime Contribution to Clearwater Award
Jay Ungar and Molly Mason are among the most influential duos in American acoustic music, blending old-time, swing, folk, and original compositions into a deeply American sound. Musical collaborators since the 1970s and life partners since the 1990s, the pair have been mainstays of Clearwater’s musical productions, from the stages of the Great Hudson River Revival to community events including Pumpkin Sail concerts and the Kingston Earth Fair. Behind the scenes Jay helped to shape the Revival’s musical direction as a member of the festival program committee. He and Molly stood alongside Pete Seeger in shaping the Hudson River Valley’s vibrant folk community.

That community included the Ashokan Fiddle and Dance Camps at the SUNY’s Ashokan Field Campus, for which Jay and Molly were artistic directors. When SUNY decided to sell the property, Jay and Molly led the effort to preserve its musical and environmental education legacies by founding the non-profit Ashokan Foundation and its partner the Ashokan Center to purchase and operate the facility. Since 2008 the Center has grown physically and programmatically to successfully fulfill its mission of inspiring learning and building community through shared experiences in nature, history, music, and art. Clearwater salutes Jay and Molly for their vision and commitment to goals we share, goals vitally important to healthy, sustainable, and culturally rich communities along the Hudson and around the world.

Maya Kalender, Next Generation Environmental Leader Award
Maya Kalender is a freshman at Columbia University, majoring in Economics and Environmental Sustainability, drawn to the intersection of environmental health, policy, and equity. She serves as an officer in the university’s Sunrise Movement chapter and is deeply engaged in environmental advocacy, policy dialogue, and community organizing.

Raised in Nyack, New York, Maya’s commitment to the natural world began early through Strawtown Studio’s summer and afterschool programs, where she was introduced to river ecology and environmental stewardship. In middle and high school, she founded and led environmental clubs, elevating awareness of local and global issues and bringing speakers to inspire her peers.

As a high school junior, Maya was selected for the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory’s Next Generation of Hudson River Educators Program, receiving intensive training in Hudson River ecology and leading public science and education programs. Maya is a compelling young voice in the Hudson Valley.