Couples’ Romantic Getaway: Spring

Darmon Meader

Darmon Meader has achieved international recognition as the founder, musical director, chief arranger, composer, producer, saxophonist, and vocalist with New York Voices. As a member of New York Voices, he has released numerous recordings on the GRP, RCA/Victor, Concord, and MCGJazz labels. In the fall of 2007, New York Voices released their long-awaited MCGJazz release “A Day Like This,” and in January 2008, Darmon released his much anticipated debut solo CD, “And So Am I.” Darmon’s solo project is a collection of jazz standards and original works, which reflects his varied interests and skills as a singer, saxophonist, writer, and arranger.

Clinton Claussen

Clinton Claussen is the head gardener at Mohonk Mountain House. In 2017 he started with the Rustic Carpenter team and transitioned to the garden staff that winter. He is an avid outdoorsman who has an enormous wealth of knowledge on the region’s flora and fauna. He majored in Philosophy and Literature at the University of Iowa.

Michael Mednikoff

Michael Mednikoff is the Regional Sales Manager with Empire Merchants North and has over 27 years in the alcoholic beverage industry. He is a certified beverage professional covering the Hudson Valley and is also a certified wine and spirits trainer for Empire Merchants. He has a true passion for Scotch, Whiskey, and Bourbon, and has spent time at some of the largest Scotch producers in Scotland.

Nina Smiley, Ph.D.

Nina Smiley, Ph.D., graduated from Vassar College and earned a doctoral degree in psychology from Princeton University. She is co-author of The Three Minute Meditator, now in its fifth edition and translated into seven languages, and Mindfulness in Nature (spring 2017), along with the CD Mini-Meditations That Will Enhance Your Life. Nina taught psychology at the University of Maryland and worked at the American Psychological Association. She has studied mindfulness with Jack Kornfield (founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center), Sharon Salzberg (co-founder of Insight Meditation Society), and others. Nina’s work has been featured in The New York Times, O, the Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Shape and Prevention. She delights in sharing insights about mindfulness meditation and well-being.

Puja A. J. Thomson

Puja A. J. Thomson brings a wealth of experience from 3 decades as a therapist and celebrant, officiating weddings throughout the Hudson Valley, including many at Mohonk. Puja enjoys guiding couples to create personal ceremonies to reflect their shared commitments to each other. As workshop leader, author, and minister of the Healing Light Center Church, she incorporates meditation & spiritual practices from many traditions as well as from her own life experiences in Europe, India, and the USA. She is Director of ROOTS & WINGS in New Paltz, NY. Her books include Track Your Truth: Discover Your Authentic Self , After Shock: From Cancer Diagnosis to Healing, and other holistic health and wellness titles, available at www.rootsnwings.com. Her charming Scottish accent adds a special touch to our romantic couples’ weekend!

Maria Guralnik & Sevan Melikyan

Fourth generation Smiley family member Maria Guralnik grew up playing the flute and has wonderful memories of many Mohonk concerts featuring her grandmother, Rachel Orcutt Smiley, at the organ and her father, concert pianist Robert Guralnik. Maria graduated from New York University with a flute performance degree and has a master’s in non-profit organizations from Case Western University launching a career in performing arts management and education. She is the Artistic Director of Mohonk’s annual summer Festival of the Arts, established in 1989 by her parents. Maria is committed to continuing the outstanding legacy of music and the arts at Mohonk. Her husband Sevan Melikyan directs Wired Gallery which is often on-site at Mohonk.

Sevan Melikyan is the director of Wired Gallery in High Falls, New York, a founding member and director of Chagall in High Falls, Inc., a lecturer on art museums, a tour guide for Artful Journeys, and an artist. Sevan has produced dozens of art exhibits featuring Hudson Valley artists at Mohonk Mountain House, where he also leads monthly house tours. In 2013, Art Society of Kingston presented Melikyan with its ASKars award in recognition for his “significant contributions to the arts” and The Ulster County Executive recognized Melikyan as an Arts Ambassador. Before moving to the U.S., he lived in Paris, France where he earned a BA focusing on arts marketing, and in Istanbul, Turkey, where he was born of Armenian parents in 1965.