Rachel Gilker, President
Currently serving fourth term expiring in 2027
Email: rgilker@voorheesville.org
Rachel Gilker works as an agriculturalist, supporting sustainable dairy farming in the northeast and across the United States.
Dr. Gilker served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger, West Africa. She earned a Doctorate in Soil Science, and Master’s in Agronomy from the University of Maryland. She also holds a biology degree from Wesleyan University.
Dr. Gilker and her husband Chris have two children in school in the district and one who recently graduated from Clayton A. Bouton High School.
Robert J. Samson, Vice President
Currently serving fifth term expiring in 2029
Email: rsamson@voorheesville.org
Rob Samson is a longtime Voorheesville resident, and a proud 1998 graduate of the district. He attended Colgate University, majoring in Economics and Creative writing, and currently works as a software architect at General Electric.
Mr. Samson lives in Voorheesville with his wife and four daughters, three of whom currently attend Voorheesville’s elementary and middle schools.
Matthew Bergeron, Trustee
Currently serving first term expiring in 2028
Email: mbergeron@voorheesville.org
Matt Bergeron grew up in New York’s North Country and is an attorney who has practiced primarily in the areas of labor, employment, education and administrative law for more than 20 years.
Mr. Bergeron received his law degree from Albany Law School of Union University and undergraduate degrees from Clinton Community College and SUNY Plattsburgh.
Mr. Bergeron and his wife, Erika, have lived in the district since 2012. They have two daughters: Molly, who graduated from Clayton A. Bouton in 2024, and Abby, who is in the Class of 2026.
Kathy Fiero, Trustee
Currently serving first term expiring in 2028
Email: kfieroboe@voorheesville.org
Kathy Fiero has been a Voorheesville resident for almost four decades. Fiero taught in Voorheesville for 32 years, before retiring in 2022.
Mrs. Fiero brings an understanding about educational and administrative processes to the role on the district board, gained from decades of involvement with various school and village committees. She served for 21 years as president of the teachers’ union, and currently serves as the chair of the Voorheesville Planning Commission.
Mrs. Fiero and her husband, Alan, also raised three daughters who attended Voorheesville schools.
Elizabeth Guastella
Currently serving first term expiring in 2030
Email: eguastella@voorheesville.org
Elizabeth Guastella is a registered nurse with more than 15 years of experience in critical care and healthcare quality improvement. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing and currently works in healthcare quality, where she focuses on improving patient safety and outcomes. Elizabeth also serves in a leadership role within her organization’s I.N.S.P.I.R.E. Employee Inclusion Group and teaches mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to colleagues and corporate leaders.
A lifelong member of the Voorheesville community, Ms. Guastella attended Voorheesville schools before graduating from Emma Willard School. She is proud to be raising her two sons in the district and was honored to be elected to the Board of Education as a write-in candidate in 2026.
Argi O’Leary, Trustee
Currently serving third term expiring in 2030
Email: aoleary@voorheesville.org
Argi O’Leary is employed as a Principal with Ryan, LLC, a tax consulting firm. She has a J.D. from Fordham Law School and M.S. and B.A. degrees from Boston College.
Mrs. O’Leary and her husband reside in Voorheesville with their three boys.
Barbara Owens, Trustee
Currently serving second term expiring in 2029
Email: bowens@voorheesville.org
Barbara Owens is the Director of Development at the Children’s Museum at Saratoga. Prior to her time there, she held the same position at the Children’s Museum of Science and Technology in Troy, N.Y.
Ms. Owens has more than 20 years experience in development, team management, operations and strategic communications.
She earned her B.A. from the State University of New York at Buffalo in psychology.
Ms. Owens has lived in Voorheesville for 15 years with her husband Frank and their four children: Ian, VCSD Class of 2019; Maeve, VCSD Class of 2021; Erin, VCSD Class of 2024; and Griffin, a 8th grader at the middle school.