Meet the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee and its Chairs Nancy Haneman and Michele Thomas
In this series, MyRye.com will introduce readers to the boards and commissions of the City of Rye and the residents who run them. All volunteers, these residents give their time and expertise to keep our city running. The series is intended to bring visibility to what each board and commission does, its priorities and what might prompt a resident or another person or company to interact with the group.
We have made our best efforts to reach out to each board and commission chairperson directly or via City officials. If you are a board or commission chair and have not been contacted, or if you are a reader with feedback on this series, please get in touch with MyRye.com.
Meet the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee and its Chairs Nancy Haneman and Michele Thomas.
Your Name: Nancy Haneman and Michele Thomas
Board or Commission you chair: Rye Senior Advocacy Committee
Your role: Co-Chairs
What is the charter for your Committee?
Haneman and Thomas: We advocate for seniors in Rye and work as a liaison between seniors’ needs and the city.
- Senior Summit – An informational program for seniors hosted by the Senior Advocacy Committee. Information provided are health and fitness, senior scams, estate and financial planning in later years, technology and the changing world.
- Senior Directory – A directory of services and business that would pertain to seniors living in Rye that can be located on the city website.
- Emergency preparedness kits for homebound seniors. The committee put together backpacks kits to be used in case of an emergency. The backpacks contained a radio, flashlight, batteries, first-aid kit and other supplies that may be needed if someone had to evacuate.
Looking at 2025, what will be your top initiatives?
Haneman and Thomas: To continue addressing the needs of older adults living in Rye, we aim to provide valuable resources, information, and access through our ongoing programs and initiatives.
- Update the Senior Directory with new information
- Collaborate with the Boy Scouts to distribute emergency packs to those who are homebound
- Prepare for an informative 2026 Summit
Who is the City Council liaison to your Committee for 2025?
Haneman and Thomas: Mayor Josh Cohn.
Looking back across 2024, what were your Committee’s top achievements?
Haneman and Thomas: The 2024 Summit was very successful with 75 seniors in attendance and many organizations and government officials represented such as Yale New Haven – Greenwich Hospital, White Plains Hospital, The Osborn, Lamson & Cutner, SPRYE, Rye Police Department, Josh Cohn, George Latimer, Steve Otis, Shelley Mayer and Catherine Parker.
Tell us about you
How long have you been in your current role?
Haneman: Many years.
Thomas: Since 2019.
Who appointed you to this position, and when?
Haneman and Thomas: Mayor Cohn.
Is the role full time or part time? Paid or volunteer?
Haneman and Thomas: Volunteer Part Time.
What is your day job?
Haneman: I am the retired Founder of SPRYE and still actively involved.
Thomas: I work at the Osborn Home Care.
How much time does your role require in a typical month?
Haneman and Thomas: 4-10 hours per month. Preparing for events such as the summit, keeping the directory up-to-date, researching, backpack assembly, meetings and phone calls.
How would your friends and family describe you in one word?
Haneman: Committed.
Thomas: Busy.
Where did you grow up?
Haneman: Westchester.
Thomas: Ohio.
What is your favorite unimportant thing about you?
Haneman: Everything is important, but probably enjoying my mornings in Lake Placid.
Thomas: I love Saturday morning coffee.
Where do you live in Rye and how many years have you lived in the City?
Haneman: Milton point since 1984.
Thomas: I sadly do not live in Rye.
Are written agendas and written meeting minutes available?
Haneman and Thomas: Yes, written minutes are available.
Thank you Nancy and Michele!
Learn More:
Are meetings recorded?: No.
Are written agendas and meeting minutes available?: Yes.
Main Rye Senior Advocacy Committee page on City website
Members of the Commission:
Nancy Haneman, Co-Chair 12-31-26 (term expires)
Barbara Brunner 12-31-27
Kathleen McGuire 12-31-27
Vivian Linder 12-31-25
Linda Ritacco 12-31-27
Michele Thomas, Co-Chair 12-31-25
Brenda Wilkin 12-31-26
Updated: Barbara Hughes of the Rye YMCA is also on the commission.
