Ryemarkable Genevieve Weber

Leading with Heart (and Usually 8% Phone Battery)

Tell us about your family and background:

My husband Kenny and I moved to Rye in 2008 back when Victoria’s Secret and GapKids were at the center of town, and the housing market was on the verge of its collapse. Fresh out of graduate school and just a year into my tenure-track professorship at Hofstra University, we bought a small yet mighty 100-year-old house on Midland Avenue. We have raised three daughters in Rye and the public schools: Penelope (16), Georgina (13), and Evangeline (11). We are grateful for all Rye has offered us, including living in the same town as my sister Lynn Biase and her family! Originally from Jersey, I earned a BA in Psychology from University of Vermont, a MA in Community Counseling from New York University, and a PhD in Counselor Education from Penn State University. I’ve been a licensed mental health counselor in New York since 2008, and Kenny and I just celebrated 26 years together (54% of my life). My desire to create a sense of belonging shapes my purpose on this earth, and this is reflected in my work as President of Rye Girls Softball and co-founder of the pRYEde Community Group.

What inspired you to get involved with Rye Girls Softball, and how has the program evolved since you began?

When our oldest daughter Penelope picked up a softball glove at age five, we quickly

realized softball wasn’t exactly Rye’s “it” sport. Lacrosse and soccer ruled. But as a former high school pitcher, I was determined to nurture Penelope’s love for the sport. We joined Rye Girls Softball, and despite this league flying under the radar, it was a gem with a 40 year history. A decade later, all three of our girls play softball in Rye: Penelope (RHS Varsity), Georgina (RHS JV & Varsity), and Evie (RGS 10U). To help grow the softball program, I joined the RGS board in 2018 and became president in 2021. My husband Kenny has been a head coach for three years. From day one of joining RGS, I knew our community had the talent and resources to take softball to the next level. We’ve grown from a small recreation league with t-shirt jerseys to a 200+ player program with 16 spring teams (open to Rye and Port Chester residents), a thriving year-round travel league, a sponsor waitlist, and a dedicated Board I’m proud to call friends. I’ve had the honor of meeting and working with great kids, dedicated volunteers, and cool Rye families who share my passion for softball. 

What’s been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in running the softball program, and how did you overcome it? 

The inequality between Rye High School’s baseball and softball fields was a major challenge to the softball players and families. An initial meeting years back with a former president/OG Sarah Ball and Rye City School District administrators (where we called out the discrepancies between the fields) didn’t go too far. The timing wasn’t right. While some improvements were made as our recreation league grew, the gaps in safety, maintenance, and quality remained and were unacceptable. As president in 2024, I couldn’t stay silent. I sent a detailed email with photos from that day highlighting the shocking disparities between the boys’ and girls’ high school fields to all our administrators, including Dr. Eric Byrne. In particular, side by side photos showed a well-mowed baseball outfield (with diagonal lines) compared to 10 inch high grass on the softball outfield. Another photo showed live batting in the baseball double batting cage compared to a collapsing single softball batting cage being used by rugby players as a bounce back. The photos were evidence to a forgotten group of athletes. Not too long after I hit send, I was invited to a meeting where administration listened to my concerns.

Community discussions with softball players and families followed, a budget vote was passed, and history was made in Rye. A new softball field was built at the high school with a proper size field, exceptional drainage, new clay that was laser leveled, a backstop with high netting to protect neighbors from foul balls, a home run fence, and thick, green, and manicured outfield grass. Further, Rye Fund for Education led by Ronda Gilroy donated 50% funding for a new scoreboard and Rye Girls Softball and Rye Softball Booster Club raised the remaining funds through the generosity of families. We held a field opening ceremony where players shared what the new field meant to them. Now in full use, the new field serves Rye Girls Softball, RHS JV and Varsity teams, Rye Little League, and the Women’s League. This upgrade has strengthened the sense of belonging among softball players in Rye, connecting families and creating memories. I'm deeply honored to lead this organization and grateful for the trust our community has placed in me.

How does your role in pRYEde Community Group align with your passion for belonging?

For over 20 years, I’ve consulted with colleges nationwide to improve access, opportunity, and belonging for vulnerable student populations, especially minoritized groups. My research focuses on the stress LGBTQ+ students face in unwelcoming college environments, which is often compounded when students also hold other marginalized identities. I was outraged to witness a drag queen story hour canceled at our library owing to complaints from some community members and anti-gay protests on our own city green by a traveling religious group. I wasn’t surprised when the story made headlines nationwide, or when Saturday Night Live framed its next episode around a canceled drag queen story hour. In response to growing tension within our community and within the Rye Moms Facebook group, I joined forces with five fierce women (Alison, Amanda, Danielle, Joie, and Molly) to take action. Five years later, our grassroots effort became pRYEde Community Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocating for safe, inclusive spaces through Pride Month events, educational programs, a student-led mural, pRYEde lawn flags, a family network for parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth, and more. The deep bonds we’ve built through this work define what nonprofit advocacy creates: change, community engagement, and connection. 

You juggle a lot. What does a typical week look like for you during your academic semesters as a professor, softball season, and PRYEDE programming? How do you balance it all?

Some weeks, the work feels overwhelming (definitely not Instagram-worthy), but then come the moments I can’t imagine life without my nonprofit work. When I stand as an onlooker at a softball game at Disbrow field or Rye High School and witness the smiles, cheers, and overall connection among players and families, I feel completely fulfilled. The night the City Council approved the raising of the Pride flags, my doorbell rang. Standing in the rain were familiar faces of a Rye family who came just to share a hug and celebrate the moment. After they left, I closed the door and cried. That’s when I truly felt the weight and importance of advocacy and that creating space for productive discomfort is not just ok, but vital. 

My weeks are chaotic. My phone is usually at 8%, I’m often four (okay eight) minutes late to pretty much everything, and my gas tank hovers near empty, but I feel a deep sense of fulfillment and gratitude for finding my people and anchoring in Rye. Special thanks to my husband, Kenny, who steps up without complaint into multiple roles and also makes a killer sesame chicken when I’m teaching late!  

What’s one life lesson you’ve learned through all of this that you’d share with the Rye community, especially moms looking to get more involved or lead in their own way?

Put people first. If something matters deeply to you, especially when it affects others, do not be afraid to challenge the status quo. Find your people in Rye. When you feel a sense of belonging here, it’s truly an incredible place.