Maria Diana Joins Board of Trustees

(Middletown) - Longtime Orange County educator and counselor Maria G. Diana was recently appointed by former New York State Governor George E. Pataki to the SUNY Orange Board of Trustees. Diana, who joined the Board during Monday’s meeting at Morrison Hall, replaces former Board Chair Roberta Glinton, whose term expired in June but had remained with the Board until a new appointee could be selected.

A Middletown native and current Goshen resident who graduated from Middletown High School, Diana spent most of her professional career as a high school counselor before retiring in June 2004. She spent 30 years in the Minisink Valley School District, including serving as the chairperson of the Counseling Department throughout her final 20 years with the district. Before moving into the counseling office, she spent two years teaching English at both Middletown High School and Minisink Valley Middle School.
Diana holds three degrees from The State University of New York at Albany, having earned a bachelor’s degree in English Education, a master’s degree in Student Personnel and a Specialist in Education (Ed.S) degree in Counseling. She is certified as a mental health counselor by the National Board of Certified Counselors.

An active member of her profession and the community, Diana has held a variety of leadership posts in many organizations, including: president of the Orange County Counselors’ Association, chairperson of the Directors of Orange County Counselors, executive member of the State Association of New York Counselors, member of the Executive Board of the Minisink Valley Teachers’ Association and educational representative on the BOCES Task Force for Vocational and Technical Education. She also was a member of the Board of Directors for the Middletown Day Nursery.

Diana is a past recipient of the Walter Kennett Award as “Counselor of the Year,” as presented by the Orange County Counselors Association.

As an appointee of the Governor, Diana’s term with the SUNY Orange Board of Trustees will conclude June 30, 2013.