Ms. Parise’s early career involved starting a commercial photography studio, and then establishing clothing and furnishings stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Her work included training staff, buying merchandise, attending trade shows and managing the stores. She and her husband, noted sculptor Peter Woytuk, founded a sculpture studio in Wassaic. Having completed the Master Gardeners program from the Cary Institute, she works with the farm communities of the Northeast, including NOFA-NY, NOFA-MA, and MOFGA (Maine). Her focus is the organic production of food and protecting native habitats for beneficial insects and bird populations. She also volunteers her time with the Giving Garden, a food pantry in Amenia Union, NY.
As a neighbor of Melode and Deborah, Ms. Parise is committed to finding a way to use Rex Brasher’s legacy to inspire better protection of the environment.