Community Weaver

Elizabeth’s mission follows in the footsteps of family members who dedicated their careers to helping people and improving community. Her great grandfather founded one of the first Boy Scout camps in Dutchess County, NY while another relative served as President of the International Council on Alcohol and Addictions- American Foundation. Her dad, Woody Klose, gained the reputation of being an easy going, fair, generous, and bi-partisan member in county and local politics. 

Engaged in 4-H and sports Elizabeth’s strengths and interests naturally led her to a career in social work, maintaining this family legacy. After twenty-six years as an outpatient therapist she recognizes, as do most, a growing need for mental health counseling. However, she believes now, more than ever, that individual counseling is not the answer. Loneliness is a public health epidemic fueling ever growing numbers of deaths due to suicide, addiction, heart disease and cancer. She is inspired to teach people what she’s learned in the course of her personal and profession journey- that body awareness and human connection are the key to well-being.

Elizabeth acts as a community weaver by joining community resources and agencies to each other. For example, she reached out to the local clergy group in town and found out their concern about the homelessness crisis in the area. Elizabeth introduced a representative of this clergy group with the Healthy Oxford Hills Coalition and other local resources. Currently, Elizabeth is working with management of local affordable housing complexes in Oxford County to connect residents with the five ingredients to well-being.