Board of Directors

Dawne Adams is the earth science teacher at Pavilion Central School. She has been a science educator for sixteen years. During her time at Pavilion she has been very active developing science curriculum. Using such educational tools as the wind turbine and PV array at PCS, she developed an Energy awareness course for juniors and seniors to explore a variety of topics including alternative energies, energy conservation and energy management. During the first year of the course the students conducted an Energy Fair for the school community and were recognized for their efforts by winning the Ecology and Environment Earth Day contest and are runners up in National Fuel's Energy detective contest. Dawne is the advisor for the Pavilion Envirothon team and has held numerous leadership positions in the field of youth development.

Roger Bruce is Director for On-Line Asset Development for George Eastman House, the museum of photography and motion pictures in Rochester, NY where he is currently implementing a special project to enrich the collections access experience for scholars and recreational learners. Until recently, he served as the Museum's Director of Interpretation, supervising information management, the Education Department, and other educational initiatives. Mr. Bruce came to Eastman House as guest curator in 1993, joining its senior management staff in 1994. Mr. Bruce is especially devoted to the special challenges of photographic archives in the digital age. Prior to his coming to the Museum, he served with the National Endowment for the Arts and was founding Director of the New York State Artist's Fellowship Program, providing grant support to artists of all disciplines throughout New York State.

Corinne Kingsley is a 2008 graduate of Pavilion High School. She is currently an undergraduate chemistry major at Saint John Fisher College. In 2007, she traveled to the Thailand/Burma border to work with the Global Youth Service Team to install solar powered electrical systems at Mae Tao Clinic and the Pa Noi Pu School. She also helped to educate the people of this area about solar energy and the use of the installed systems. She is currently the secretary for the Board of Directors for GYST.

Dr. Lewis is Assistant Provost for the State University of New York at Geneseo where she directs International Programs and Study Abroad for the University. She is also is president of the board of trustees for Pavilion Central School District in Pavilion, NY. Her son, Carter Bruce, a graduate student in cinema studies at York University in Canada, has worked in support of GYST, traveling to Thailand to gather video footage for a documentary about the program.

Austin Moag is a 2008 graduate of Pavilion Central School and currently attends the School of Industrial Labor Relations at Cornell University. Joining the GYST team in 2007, Austin traveled to the Thai/Burma border with two of his high school classmates in July of 2007. Since their trip Austin has remained active in the organization and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors.

Jeremy Palotti has been an educator for the past 10 years in the Dansville Central School District. The past three years, he has served as an elementary school principal in the Ellis B. Hyde Elementary School. Jeremy grew up in Pavilion, New York and came to know GYST founder Doug Hollinger as first his high school science teacher and later as a co-worker during the summer months while he attended college at the University of Maine. Once in the field of education, Doug and Jeremy remained colleagues and friends as they are both very likeminded in the pursuit of making education meaningful, engaging, and equipping students with a skill set that can be used after the "schooling" is complete. The mission of the GYST does just this. Jeremy's work with the GYST relates to both securing financial resources necessary to organize future service trips as well as to maintain the educational components to the program. As the program grows, Jeremy will work with other administrators in the area to promote the program and recruit future participants in area high schools.

Charlene Schoenenberger is a small business owner in Pavilion, NY. She received an A.A. in Nursing from Freed-Hardeman University, a B.S. in Chemistry from Abilene Christian University, and an M.B.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has volunteered and served on Boards of Directors for several non-profits for the past twenty-five years and is currently involved with Girl Scouts of Western New York and LPS Kiwanis, as well as GYST. She and her business partner sell and service industrial and municipal water instrumentation and components, and also service HEPA air filtered applications such as hospitals and cleanrooms.

Ben Stauber is a second year student at the Rochester Institute of Technology, majoring in Biotechnology. He has been a Global Youth Service Team member for the past 3 years. Ben was an original student ambassador for GYST on the 2007 project to the Thailand-Burma border that educated young adults on renewable energy. He helped install 2 photovoltaic systems that helped give power to an agricultural school and a surgical room in a hospital. Current interests include cell biology and Environmental Studies.

Dennis Whitney - In 2010 Dennis retired from his second career, after completing seven years as a financial advisor. Prior to this, he retired from Eastman Kodak Company, where over his 31-years with the company, he filled a variety of engineering and production management positions. While with Eastman Kodak, he lived for four years in the People's Republic of China, assisting in the start up of a manufacturing facility. During that time, he traveled extensively in China and Asia, giving him an appreciation for some of the issues faced by developing countries. Mr. Whitney earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics from Bucknell University, an MS in Statistics from Rochester Institute of Technology, and an MBA from the Simon School of the University of Rochester. He has been a member of the National Ski Patrol for 25 years, associated with Swain Ski and Snowboard Resort. For several years he has been on the Board of the Parkinson Support Group of Upstate NY and is actively involved in organizing support and education programs for people with Parkinson's Disease in the Greater Rochester area. Dennis resides in Penfield NY with his wife, Louise. They have two grown sons and two granddaughters.