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Our Mission
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Act as a catalyst for
business and community development in the
greater Saranac Lake area
Our Values
INTEGRITY
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We do everything with our values in mind.
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We assume the best of intentions in people and give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
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We do what we say we are going to do.
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We do everything thoughtfully and with high quality.
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We give feedback directly, respectfully, and with a focus on solutions.
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We communicate our needs and expectations openly and do not get angry at others’ failures to fulfill expectations we never clearly set.
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We actively listen and are open to feedback and improvement.
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We take responsibility for our mistakes and learn from them.
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We acknowledge our roles in conflicts and participate in finding and implementing solutions.
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ACTION
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We plan to the best of our abilities and take timely actions using available information.
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We take calculated risks and view failures as learning opportunities.
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We are not afraid to change course as more information becomes available.
TRANSFORMATION
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We support each other and give everyone a chance to learn and to improve because we believe individuals are the key to societal transformation.
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We are not afraid to have courageous, sometimes even painful conversations that may lead to the positive transformation of our organization, of Saranac Lake, and of the wider community.
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We recognize our role in supporting leaders and organizations to transform policies and systems.
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We encourage and create opportunities for diverse communities to support each other and build solidarity across identities.
EQUITY
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We are thoughtful about our privileges and how they affect our interactions with others.
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We create environments that allow for voices that are often less heard to be heard, including checking in with those who tend to be quieter, and asking more dominant voices to step back and do more listening.
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We acknowledge and celebrate the strengths and differences in others, and do not assume that the ways we are used to doing things are the only correct ways to do things.
COMMUNITY
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We create a space for everyone. We actively build an environment where everyone of any race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, accessibility needs, or country of origin feels welcomed and seen.
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We welcome and encourage energetic conversations across diverse perspectives and challenge each other respectfully.
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We take time to get to know each other as individuals.
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We support each other to learn and to grow.
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We have a good sense of humor and find fun and joy in our work.
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We are thoughtful of everyone’s needs when coordinating events and activities. We consider accessibility challenges and strive to accommodate everyone.
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We are thoughtful of our impact on the environment as we do our work.
Meet The Team
Tori Vazquez
Membership &
Engagement Coordinator
Tori Vazquez moved to Saranac Lake to attend Paul Smith's College in 2016. While working on her environmental degree, she learned about the fashion industry's impact on the planet. This led her to working in the local consignment shop, Main Street Exchange, fusing her love for fashion and the environment. In 2021 Tori became the new owner of Main Street Exchange opening up lots of opportunities to get involved in the community and spread awareness for the slow fashion movement. After closing the shop at the end of February 2024, the stars aligned and she got the opportunity to work in the Chamber of Commerce. Tori is also active in the Women’s Civic Chamber and the Winter Carnival Committee. When she isn’t working or in committee meetings you can find her walking around town with friends, attending various events or walking the runway in our local fashion shows.
518.891.1990
Welcome@slareachamber.org
Christine Farah
Executive Director
Christine has lived in Saranac Lake for 10 years and moved here to attend Paul Smith's College after growing up in Yonkers NY.
She graduated with a degree in Hotel resort and Tourism Management, after graduation spent some time working in Ireland and returned to Saranac Lake where she has been a Senior Sales Manager in the hospitality industry before taking on the role of Executive Director of the Chamber.
When she is not working you can find her traveling spending time with family and walking her dog on the trails of the ADK.