Michele Gregson, the founder and chair of Friends of Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, knows that there is great value in being an active member of the community.

 

Gregson and her husband Kevin live in Chappaqua with their dog, a black lab named Dexter, and cats, Ross and Monica. The Gregsons have lived in Chappaqua for 23 years and have been married for almost three decades. The town is where they raised their son, William, a graduate of Syracuse University, who now lives in New York City where he works for Warner Bro. Discovery.  “Even as an empty nester, I still love living in Chappaqua and being surrounded by nature knowing that the city is just a quick ride away,” says Gregson.

 

Gregson received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and is currently the school’s area alumni recruiter. For her master’s degree, Gregson graduated from NYU where she received her MBA in Marketing from the Stern School and her MFA in Filmmaking from Tisch. “For many years, I was a copywriter at large advertising agencies, and then switched to being a communications consultant for large consulting firms, helping organizations communicate change through videos, print, and interactive media.” shares Gregson. “For the past 10 years, I have been more involved in passion projects, chief among those being my involvement as Founder and Chair of Friends of ChappPAC.”

 

The Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, often called ChappPAC, has been providing entertainment to Westchester County since 2017 and relies on the support of the community, sponsors, and organizations like the Friends of Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. Friends of Chappaqua Performing Arts Center is a nonprofit organization that works to support the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. Since ticket sales only cover a small portion of the theatre’s annual costs, the group is dedicated to ensuring ChappPAC is the premier cultural center for the visual and performing arts in Westchester Country by fundraising for special projects and additional programming.  “We develop programming and fundraise to help make ChappPAC, which is owned by the Town of New Castle, a viable and thriving community center for the arts,” explains Gregson. Members of the community who are interested in volunteering with Friends of ChappPAC can contact the organization at friendsofchappPAC@gmail.com. “Having a theater that enhances living in Chappaqua and Northern Westchester means so much to our community. We support local artists, former local high school graduates who work in the arts, and bring a variety of offerings from comedy, to children’s theater to films. Instead of having to drive into the city for live performances, we offer programs that are convenient, diverse, fantastic and reasonably priced.” says Gregson of the center’s impact. “The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive. We hope that sponsorship opportunities and donations can continue to provide us with the capital we need to offer great entertainment at a reasonable price and allow us to offer free tickets to underserved local communities.”

 

Gregson also runs the Facebook group Jewish Women of Westchester, where she gives updates on relevant programs and interviews interesting people each week. She is on the board of Westchester Jewish Council and was previously Chair of Westchester Women for the United Jewish Appeal, an organization she continues to be active. “When I was Chair of Westchester Women for UJA, I was all over the county and saw that the information I was receiving via email was numerous and hard to filter. So I decided to start my Facebook group, Jewish Women of Westchester, which is done in a video format,” explains Gregson. “On Mondays, I highlight interesting virtual and in-person events happening each week and share flyers of the items I share. On Thursdays, I post an interview with someone who is inspirational.” These interviews include non-profit founders, people being honored for their work with their community, women running for Congress, and many others who are leading charitable organizations. According to Gregson, “There are so many people doing amazing things because they feel passionate about something and run with it.”

When she’s not working with nonprofits or forging connections between neighbors, Gregson is an avid competitive tennis player who enjoys gardening. She loves throwing her annual cookie exchange party every December and going on vacations with her family. For family events like birthdays, promotions, or anniversaries, the Gregsons like to celebrate by sharing experiences together and ChappPAC is one of their favorite venues for such occasions.

 

 Gregson has found both joy and connection through her work with the community. “My work in the non-profit sector has brought deeper meaning to my life, which may sound trite but it happens to be true,” says Gregson. “Once your kids are grown and flown, you need to stay relevant and engaged. My work is not busy work but work that makes me feel very gratified most days. Being around like-minded people who are trying to make things better for a group, a community or those who may be voiceless is tremendously satisfying.”

 

“I am very grateful and lucky that I get to have the people and opportunities in my life that provide such meaning to me,” says Gregson.