The Ladies Village Improvement Society, whose website tagline reads, "Keeping East Hampton beautiful since 1895," will have a new executive director starting Jan. 1.
Rachel Cooper, its current director of operations, will succeed Russell Kratoville, who, as the first man to serve in the role, was a controversial selection in early 2021.
"I continue to be in awe of the great dedication of the 300-plus women volunteers that run the L.V.I.S.," Mr. Kratoville said in an email. "I work with a dynamic and talented group of people and am excited to support the organization in my new role." He will continue with the L.V.I.S. as its director of finance and development, where he will oversee fiscal responsibilities and develop the operating budget.
Ms. Cooper has served in many roles for the L.V.I.S., where according to her LinkedIn profile, she has volunteered since 2010. She has been a member of the nature trail and tree committees, and the chairwoman of both the landmarks committee and the committee overseeing the children's area of the annual fair. Since 2019, she has been a member of the board of directors. In a press release, she said, "L.V.I.S. is a remarkable organization with a long, rich history of local stewardship. I am grateful for the trust of the board of directors and look forward to helping L.V.I.S. continue to flourish." As executive director, she will head strategy, fund-raising, allocating resources, and policy making. She also oversees the budget and staff.
"The phenomenal growth at L.V.I.S. in recent years has led to the evolving changes in executive leadership," Joyce Tuthill, the president of the L.V.I.S., said. "The advancement of Ms. Cooper as executive director is a continuation of that process. Mr. Kratoville will continue in a different role but will remain a dynamic part of our family. We feel fortunate to have these talented and dedicated professionals working for our venerated 130-year-old organization."
