Steve Biren
“Be easy on the people, but hard on the issues.’ This advice has served me well in my careers as a ‘rocket scientist’ engineer and an intellectual property attorney and has been revived in retirement as I administer several social media groups. So many people today have it backwards; they argue and call each other names, and then wuss out when it comes to discussing the issues. The best way to approach the difficult issues of the day, in my opinion, is to have a vigorous discussion on the merits while treating each other with dignity and respect.”
Steve Biren is a long-time Chappaqua resident. Now retired and widowed, he is as an editor for The Examiner, a docent for the Pray Museum, spends time with his Chappaqua family, and plays golf and tennis.
Dana Dince
“The best advice came years ago during yoga shavasana. While we all embraced stillness and the summer breeze through the open studio windows and doors, the teacher said, ‘Allow Peace.’ Unexpectedly, I burst into tears on the mat. The weight of years of absorbing life’s challenges stoically hid a deeper craving for inner peace. Those two words changed me.”
Dana Dince has been a SPED Teaching Assistant at Bell for 17 years; co-runs the Bell Green Bulldogs Club featuring Hydroponics, Bell (traditional) Gardening and Sustainability; and works with the PTA as a school administrator and coach for the 2025 Science Olympiad.
Elissa Weinhoff
“The best advice I’ve gotten is to do your absolute best in whatever you are doing.”
Elissa Weinhoff has been married to her high school sweetheart Greg for 30 years and has three sons Nate, Spencer, and Ben. She owns Sugar Hi in Armonk with her twin sister, is a first responder at Armonk Fire Department, and has been an EMT for over 10 years. Her passion is saving lives and helping people in her community.
Stacey Winnick
“The best advice I ever received was my father’s adage: ‘Roll with the punches.’ Ed Winnick was the youngest of six boys growing up in the depths of the Depression. He served in WW2 and exhibited a mental toughness perfectly captured by his advice to take life as it comes. When I didn’t get into my first college choice, I was devastated, but his words rang true. I got an appointment with the admissions director, took two summer classes, and was finally accepted. ‘Roll with the punches’ is my mantra: a reminder of my father and life’s trials and tribulations.”
Stacey Winnick is a vintage clothing and sustainability influencer. She appraises and blogs on antiques on her Instagram “Turn your Cutter into Cash” and serves on the Briarcliff Sustainability Advisory Committee.
