Karen McLaughlin Cuccinello is a dedicated local historian, author, and journalist who preserves the regional history of upstate New York. She serves as the official Town Historian for Summit, New York, as well as the Village Historian for Stamford. For decades, she has written the regular "Around the Neighborhood - Summit" column for The Mountain Eagle newspaper, documenting local government updates, seasonal changes, community milestones, and historical deep dives for Schoharie and Delaware counties.

In addition to her weekly journalism, Cuccinello is an accomplished genealogist and the author of over a dozen books. Her publications include Historic New York: A Tour of More Than 120 of the State's Top National Landmarks, which reflects her broader service as the deputy director of Region 7 for the Association of Public Historians of New York State. Her archival research focuses heavily on tracking local citizens from "crib to grave," detailing the histories of old family farms, and meticulously documenting the lives of local Civil War and Revolutionary War veterans. Originally from Westchester County, Cuccinello moved to Summit in 1978, anchoring her life and career in the community she writes about.