Board of Directors
Paul W. Stewart, Director - Associate Professor of Psychology, SUNY Oswego
Paul Stewart, Ph.D, has served on the faculty at the State University of Oswego since August 1996. He founded the ORA in 2013, co-creating the Neighborhood Revitalization Plan with a partnership between CZB llc and dozens of Oswego community leaders. Since then, he has overseen more than $3M in private investment in residential Oswego neighborhoods, partnering with well over 700 households in over 6 dozen residential areas.
Previously, he served as Director of the Oswego Children’s Study, spending the first 17 years of his career designing and directing a large scale longitudinal study of factors influencing child development in Oswego’s communities. As Director of the Oswego Children’s study, he has supervised over a dozen multiphasic research project in the community, and has been awarded over $15 million in federal funding for his projects, from sponsors such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the New York Community Trust (NYCT), and related funding agencies. A resident of the City of Oswego, he is heavily involved in civic engagement and restoration projects in the Historic West Park District.
James Dowd - Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Pathfinder Bank
James Alan Dowd graduated from the State University of New York, College at Oswego in 1989 where he majored in Accounting and minored in Economics. In July of 1989, he began his career at Cooper & Lybrand as an Associate in the Business Assurance Services division. While at Coopers & Lybrand he attained the Professional Designation of Certified Public Accountant. He specialized in the Banking, Healthcare, and Manufacturing industries. In 1994 he was promoted to Business Assurance Manager.
James joined Pathfinder Bank in September 1994 as Controller. In 1999, Jim was promoted to Vice President, Chief Financial Officer; in 2016 Jim was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. In January of 2018 Jim was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer at Pathfinder Bank, and his primary responsibilities as Executive Vice President Chief Operating Officer will be to oversee and direct the daily activities of the Bank’s branch network. He will continue to oversee the Bank’s Marketing and Facilities departments.
Walter Bozek - D.D.S., Arena Michael Dentistry
Walter Bozek. D.D.S. became involved in the ORA in 2017 as a Block Leader in the Historic Franklin Square District.
He is a general dentist in private practice in his hometown of Oswego N.Y. He received his B.S. from LeMoyne College and his D.D.S. from the State University at Buffalo. Upon graduation he decided to return to Central New York, starting with a residency at St. Joseph's Hospital. In addition to private practice he also provides care to the residents at St Luke Health Services.
Walter has been very active at the local and state level with dental professional organizations. He is currently President of the Oswego County Dental Society and Vice President of the 5th District Dental Society. In his roles Walter is concerned with the key issues of access to care, measuring quality care levels and implementation of new procedures/technologies.
Currently Walter lives with his wife and Yorkie in Oswego. He participates in all aspects of his neighborhood, and is regularly seen walking his dog, talking to and helping his neighbors. In his free time he is restoring an 1850's historic home and is involved with many community projects.
Lisa Glidden - Associate Professor of Political Science, SUNY Oswego
Lisa M. Glidden, Ph.D is an associate professor of political science at SUNY Oswego, where she also directs the Global and International Studies program and the Sustainability Studies minor. She is a leader with a local Girl Scout troop, the Girl Scouts Service Unit manager for Oswego and Mexico, and the treasurer of the Fitzhugh Park Home and School Association.
Lisa received her doctorate from the University of Washington at Seattle in 2007, MA in International Relations from the City College of the City University of New York in 1999, and BA from St. Francis College in 1995. She teaches courses on global studies, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, sustainability, and energy and the environment. Her publications include Understanding Energy and Energy Policy (2014, Zed Books), Mobilizing Ethnic Identity in the Andes (2011, Lexington Books), and articles on Cuba’s energy policy, women’s activism in Ecuador, and on Cuban society and US misperceptions of it. She has lived in Oswego, NY since 2007.
She has been a Block Leader of the Oswego Renaissance Association since 2014. In fall 2014 she worked with the 2nd Ward Councilor to secure funding to re-surface the Fitzhugh Park playground. In 2015 she received two Neighborhood Pride Grants to beautify the fence at Fitzhugh Park, and to expand the small playground at Fitzhugh Park. Through the Oswego Renaissance Association, Lisa received in REDC grant for a major renovation of the Fitzhugh Park playground in Oswego, NY.
Austin Wheelock - Deputy Director Operation Oswego County Inc.
Austin Wheelock is the Deputy Director at Operation Oswego County, Inc., the county’s designated economic development agency, and has been employed there since 2006. He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), a designation he received in 2014 by the International Economic Development Council. Austin has been involved in several key initiatives such as the Next Great Idea Oswego County Business Plan Competition, the planning and development of a new Oswego County Business Incubation Center, and the development of strategic shovel ready sites. He has also been involved in the attraction, retention, and expansion of several Oswego County businesses and fundraising at the federal, state and regional level for multiple projects.
He has served on the Board of Trustees of Heritage Foundation of Oswego County since 2007, and has served as its Board President since 2010. He has also served on the Oswego Renaissance Association Board of Directors since 2013. He holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Technology at Alfred State College. He’s been a resident of Oswego County for over ten years and currently resides in Volney, NY with his wife and two dogs.