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Thena Lindhorst, Executive Director

As a life-long resident of Tompkins County Thena knows our community and its many resources. She brings to LLH extensive experience with membership organizations, as well as in marketing, grant writing, social media, event planning and fundraising. Thena has experience working for both not-for-profit organizations as well as for-profit businesses within Tompkins and Cortland Counties. Her most recent positions included Exectutive Director of Cortland Arts Connect, Marketing Director at the Hangar Theatre Company, and Membership and Marketing Manager at Island Health & Fitness. She lives in Freeville with her husband, Erich and their infant daughter, Ivy. She is excited to join the LLH community! 

Cassie Besemer, Assistant Director

Cassie resides in Trumansburg with her husband and their two sons. She earned an associate degree in human services from Tompkins Cortland Community College in May 2019 and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Keuka College in May 2022. She previously worked as a certified nursing assistant with Cayuga Medical Center and Cayuga Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.  In her free time, Cassie enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time at the lake with her family. 

 

Leslie Schultz, Administrative Assistant

In addition to working for LLH, I am a research support specialist at Cornell University in the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA). In that role, I learned about LLH this winter and spring when I worked on a survey sent to members, volunteers, and friends of LLH regarding their experiences with LLH over the last 5 years. This was my first introduction to LLH, and I was delighted to work with Cheryl and some board members. Their commitment to the LLH mission really impressed me and influenced my decision to apply for the administrative assistant position.

Three fun facts about me that relate to home and community are…

1. I have direct experience caring for my grandmother, my great aunt, and my parents as they decided to age in place but needed support to do so.

2. It is my privilege to help launch my son, a recent HS graduate, into the world as an independent and compassionate being.

3. We live in a house where we can offer living space to folks who need it. We provide additional hospitality by giving away food, perishable in coolers, daily to anyone.

Wendy Fillmore, Office Assistant

Wendy arrived in Ithaca in 2003 to finish up a Bachelor's degree at Cornell after a long hiatus from school, interrupted with the birth of her two children. She has worked in non-profits and member organizations almost her entire life with a 7-year period working as a Lab Tech for Biology at Cornell. A true humanist at heart, Wendy has worked as an elder caregiver, she started and managed a Natural Foods Cooperative during the 90's, and has been Executive Director for a small midwifery school and a Buddhist center. Settling into a slower pace of life, she was overjoyed to find that LLH, an organization she used to volunteer for, needed an office assistant.