Two men loading firewood into the bed of a red pickup truck parked on a cracked asphalt surface next to a grassy area with trees, under a cloudy sky.

Meet our Team

Our team is a close-knit group of connectors and operators who shape experiences, coordinate details, and create a campus where community and curiosity can thrive.

The organization is guided by a shared set of values:

  • Fostering human connection

  • Encouraging thoughtful discourse

  • Prioritizing time in nature

  • Supporting lifelong learning

Key Team Members and Roles:

Doug Parvis

Executive Director

With a background in business and law, Doug handles the strategic and physical evolution of Hilltown Commons. He spent nearly a decade building the phone-free movement with a spirit of rebellion, pushing back against screen monopolies to normalize presence. In 2025, he brought that entrepreneurial drive to the Upper Hudson Valley to reclaim the historic campus. Doug operates the Commons with a sharp instinct for inquiry and an iterative approach to growth, often paired with a penchant for good times. Alongside a small, dedicated team, he is building a living third place dedicated to stewarding curiosity and reclaiming the human commons.

A young woman sitting outside on a wooden chair, holding a bouquet of sunflowers, wearing sunglasses, a black long-sleeve shirt, and denim shorts, smiling and looking down, with a wooden wall and trees in the background.

Kasey Quicksill

Sr. Director of Programs & Strategic Partnerships

With a background in community engagement, event production, arts programming, and grassroots fundraising, Kasey believes that creativity flourishes when people feel genuinely welcomed into it. As Senior Director of Programs & Strategic Partnerships, she designs experiences at Hilltown Commons–retreats, residencies, workshops, gatherings–while building partnerships that make them possible. A Brown University graduate with six years’ experience cultivating relationships at the intersection of arts and community, she brings the conviction that well-held space doesn't just host people; it helps them show up more fully.

A woman standing inside a cozy, rustic bar or pub with wooden walls and floors, sitting near a wooden bar counter decorated with bottles and glassware. There are windows, a chandelier, and various decorations in the background.

Ariana Mavaddat

Chief Operating Officer

With a background in public health, health tech, and life sciences consulting, Ariana brings a systems-oriented lens to the social architecture of Hilltown Commons. She works across strategy, programming, and operations, helping shape the Commons as a living third place in the Upper Hudson Valley. Drawing on a core premise of public health — that environment shapes wellbeing — she sees the Commons as a collaborative experiment in how people gather, connect, and grow together.

Melissa Pelletier

Head Chef
Program Manager

Eve Sarbanes

Michaela Lawyer

Head of Housekeeping
A man with brown hair and beard in a red shirt and jeans, sitting on a riding lawn mower in a grassy yard with trees in the background.

Ryan Walker

Head of Buildings & Grounds

Join Our TeaM

Hilltown Commons also provides opportunities to join their staff for current or future full-time and seasonal positions.

Email us at info@hilltowncommons.org to learn more.