Hospital Board Appoints New Members

(Newburgh) - Two new members - Ramona Burton and Vivien Collens - have been elected to the St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital Board of Trustees.

A Newburgh native, Burton has a B.S. from Hampton University and an M.A. from Long Island University. She is Director of the SUNY Orange Liberty Partnerships Program, which provides academic support services, counseling, workforce preparation, Vivien Collens Ramona Burton

and cultural enrichment opportunities to local youths. Burton is former Vice President of the City of Newburgh Youth Bureau Advisory Board, and both her professional and volunteer careers have focused on developing youth through education, motivation, and skills training.

Burton has served on the board of the Newburgh Community Action Committee, several Newburgh Enlarged City School District committees, and the Orange County Youth Bureau Children and Youth Coalition. She has two children and lives in Newburgh with her husband, Rufus Williams.

Collens is an artist who holds a B.S. from Carnegie-Mellon University and an M.F.A. from Mexico’s Instituto Allende. She has volunteered her talents to the hospital for more than 10 years, and launched a program through which local artists display their work in public areas of the hospital for the enjoyment of patients, families, and staff. A native of Cleveland, Collens has worked at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Institute of Art, and Rutgers University.

Collens has a long history of service to the community, and has served on the boards of Museum of the Hudson Highlands and Temple Beth Jacob. She has two children and lives in Cornwall on Hudson with her husband, David.

“We’re proud to welcome Ms. Burton and Ms. Collens to the SLCH Board,” said Chairman Richard O’Beirne. “Their experience and commitment to our community will serve the hospital well as we continue to move forward, bringing new facilities, programs, and services to our region.”