Ulster BOCES has announced that Katherine Faye Hammill has been appointed Director of the Mid-Hudson Information Center (MHRIC). Hammill, who currently resides in Rochester, is planning to relocate to the Kingston area. She will assume her duties at the MHRIC’s New Paltz offices in January.

According to Ulster BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Jonah Schenker, Hammill is exceptionally well prepared for her new position. “Katherine Hammill brings a wide range of skills and a wealth of relevant experience to the MHRIC, which serves 47 school districts and four BOCES in Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties,” he said. “Her leadership at the MHRIC, as it continues to help its many educational clients maintain their technical and management services in a cost-effective manner, will be impactful.” 

Hammill comes to the MHRIC from Wayne-Finger Lake BOCES, where she has served as the School Library System director for the past decade. In this role, she learned to navigate the complex systems and services that represent technology, student learning, and digital inclusion and equity within the NYS P-16 (Pre-Kindergarten through higher education) framework. Here, Hammill worked to develop consistent, equitable, and regional approaches to services, systems, and programs that allow students and staff to engage with technology as safe and socially conscious digital citizens in local, regional, and global communities. 

Driven by her core belief in the right for people to learn and grow, Hammill is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education in Human Development at the University of Rochester. As a student at the University’s Warner School of Education, her work with data and research has added a layer of knowledge and expertise to her role as an administrator, as does her holistic philosophy towards education that considers social, cultural, and familial contexts as they relate to learning and development over the lifespan. 

Hammill earned her Master of Science in Education, Educational Leadership, from St. John Fisher College and a Master of Science, Information, and Library Science, from the University at Buffalo. In addition, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in American Studies, from SUNY Geneseo.

Hammill is certified as a New York State School District Building Level Administrator as well as a District Level Administrator, and also holds a Professional New York State Library Media Specialist certificate. 

Reflecting upon her immediate professional aims, she said, “My primary goal is to cultivate strong relationships with the team at the MHRIC and Ulster BOCES. By developing these connections, I aim to gain a deeper understanding of the region's priorities and work strategically to enhance and expand the services we offer.”

Hammill is excited not only by her new job, but also by the prospect of putting down roots in a new area. “I am looking forward to getting to know the Hudson Valley, a region renowned for its beauty and rich character,” she said. 

When she is not at work, Hamill enjoys playing with her dog, Ingrid, spending time with her nieces and nephews, and relaxing at her family’s home in the Finger Lakes.