SCOTT TILLITT
founder

Scott is a connector — of dots and people. At times — often at the same time — throughout his 30-year career he has been a strategist, publicist, marketer, social entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, and writer (full bio).

He has a broad perspective working in various culture-shaping (and sometimes suffocating) worlds — advertising, media, interactive design, photography, technology, television and fashion… before turning to social impact.

He has an insatiable interest in the behaviors that drive people, what resonates with them, and how to engage them.

Years ago, catalyzed by 9/11 and an ongoing journey of spiritual and social awakening, he broke the trance of an increasingly cynical consumer culture and started applying his corporate-honed skills to positive, impactful change.

He founded communications consultancy Antidote Collective in 2004 and has worked with innovative nonprofits, foundations, citizen groups, social entrepreneurs and thinkers at the intersection of progressive issues, media, arts and culture, socially responsible business and big ideas — with clients from across the US, in Europe, Asia, and down under in Australia. (In a rare lapse of socially-focused work, he did creative naming development for American Express and global visual rebranding support for Coca-Cola with Ogilvy & Mather’s Brand Integration Group.

Scott was also a co-founder and board chair of Re>Think Local, a nonprofit co-creating a better Hudson Valley economy that is vibrant, sustainable, locally rooted and human-scale with an equal concern for people, planet and profit. He was a co-producer of Social Venture Institute / Hudson Valley, a weekend retreat for world-changing social entrepreneurs, and was a producer of TEDxLongDock, a day-long event of stimulating and inspiring talks exploring the intersection of the creative economy and entrepreneurship and their impact on community vibrancy and economic development in the Hudson Valley. He’s also a member and former board member of BeaconArts, which promotes and nurtures the city’s multi-faceted arts and culture community.

He moved to Beacon from Brooklyn in 2006 and started BEAHIVE in 2009.


SAMI AVILES
community activator

Sami joined the Newburgh hive in 2021 as a member and soon after joined the BEAHIVE team as a community activator — leveraging her nerdy, operational superpowers and joyful charm to help BEAHIVE run smoothly and have greater impact in the community through our programming. She lives in Newburgh.

Through her own enterprise Embodying Ease, she supports heart-centered business owners in creating space for what they love by embracing the power of systems and integrating tech and efficiency tools.

What does she like best about BEAHIVE? “Ultimately, it comes down to the people,” she says. “I lost a crucial hub of community in Brooklyn when COVID hit, and I finally feel like I’ve found my new home base. Everyone radiates warmth and a desire to genuinely connect at BEAHIVE.”


COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS

Our ambassadors are a friendly presence at our hives, basically exchanging their help for membership, resources and meaningful connections. We’re always open to bringing on new folks if they’re the right fit.