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Current Members of the Bethel Education Foundation Sallita Ballard, Vice Chair Sallita Ballard, her husband and two children have enjoyed living in Bethel for the last 6 years. Being from the area, her family decided to call Bethel “home” due to the community and all that it offers. Sallita has been involved in the field of education in neighboring school districts for the past 16 years in the role as an early childhood teacher. As a newcomer to the Bethel Education Foundation, Sallita shares her expertise as related to the field of education with the board. She believes in the mission of the board to “promote innovation, creativity, and excellence in learning” for the children and community of Bethel. Sallita looks forward to being a valuable asset to the foundation board. Patricia Cosentino has been an educator since 1983. She is currently the Principal of Bethel High School. She has been a member of the Bethel Public Schools for the past 7 years, five of those years as the Principal of Frank A. Berry School. Prior to that Ms. Cosentino was Principal of Public School 206 in Queens, NY. Ms. Cosentino is attending Western Connecticut State University as a doctoral candidate, hoping to graduate in May 2008. Ms. Cosentino lives in Bethel with her son, Vincent. She and Vin moved to Bethel to be near her sister and three nephews who also live in Bethel. Pat is a big Yankee and a NY Giant fan. She loves to go to NYC, visit the museums, see a concert at Madison Square Garden or take in a Broadway Show. Ms. C. loves music; her favorite artists are Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. Sue Dolan and her husband, Bob, have lived in Bethel since 1994. Their three children, now aged 15, 13, and eight attend three of the Bethel Public Schools. Over the years, Sue has been an active volunteer in each of their classrooms. She also served several years as a Cub Scout Den Leader, served on the Board of Directors for the Newcomers and Neighbors Club, and been active in local charity fund raising. For the past four years, Sue has taught 6th grade CCD at St. Mary's Church. She is a Realtor with William Pitt Sotheby's here in Bethel. Joining the BEF this Spring, Sue looks forward benefits the Foundation will bring, uniting both the public and private sectors of education and promoting excellence throughout the community at large. Beth Gorry, her husband, and 2 boys have lived in Bethel for six years, and is one of the founding members of the Bethel Education Foundation. She is a Vice President in the Advisory Services arm of MasterCard Worldwide. Beth is a frequent volunteer for school budget related initiatives. Beth is excited about the Bethel Education Foundation as a new and important source for educational innovation and the funding to see the ideas through to implementation. Brian Gorry, Beth’s husband, is also one of the founding members of the Bethel Education Foundation and was elected as the first president. He is an IT Customer Support Specialist at Chemtura Corporation. Brian has volunteered as a Weblo den leader for a local Cub Scout pack and as an Assistant Scoutmaster and merit badge counselor for a local Boy Scout troop. He looks forward to raising money to support the many teachers in the town of Bethel both in the public and private sectors. Kim Lemone, her husband, and three children have lived in Bethel for seven years, and she is one of the founding members of the Bethel Education Foundation. She is employed by deVisscher and Company as a Director of Finance and Marketing Coordinator. Within the community of Bethel, Kim is known for her extensive work on behalf of the Bethel High School renovation and for her advocacy of school budgets. Kim is an active volunteer of PTO, the Scotty Fund, and she is on the Board for Village Pre-School. Kim finds her work on the Bethel Education Foundation to be both important and exciting because she believes in the foundation's mission to financially support creative ideas submitted by innovative teachers. Kim also loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends. Janice Jordan has been the Associate Superintendent of Schools in Bethel for the past two years, and she is one of the founding members of the Bethel Education Foundation. She serves as an ex officio director. She deeply enjoys working with the eclectic, passionate group of community members who comprise the Bethel Education Foundation. In addition, she relishes building support among the hardworking "special friends" of the foundation who are found in our community and school system. Dr. Jordan believes in the power of educational foundations to generate innovative ideas in teachers and administrators, and she's convinced that Bethel's foundation will do just that! Her hope is that the foundation will always be a unifying, positive force for Bethel and for all of the town's children and families. When Dr. Jordan is not at work in Bethel, she can be found with her husband, Jim Dyas, in Sherman or with her extended family in Wilmington, North Carolina. Jennifer Spear, her husband and son have lived in Bethel since 2004. Jennifer earned her bachelor and MBA degrees from Pace University and has worked as a Human Resources Executive for over fifteen years. Wanting to become more active in the community and upon learning of the the Bethel Education Foundation, Jennifer sought to become a member in March of 2008 and was asked sit on the board in May. She strongly believes in the foundation’s mission and looks forward to supporting it's mission. David A. Stevenson GRI has been a Bethel resident since 1973. His wife Diane have been a Bethel residents since they were married in 1993. His three children - Kimberly, Sarah and Colby - attended Bethel schools. David has been a real estate professional for twenty years - the last twelve with Coldwell Banker / Shaker Real Estate. David's other interests include music, poetry and progressive activism. Carol Ann Viebrock is a founding member of the Bethel Education Foundation with a history of service and support for the town's schools and St. Mary's Church. Carol Ann is a past president of the Bethel Newcomers and Neighbors Club, and she is actively involved in the Berry School PTO. With her husband George, she's been a resident of Bethel for the past ten years, and she has two children who attend Bethel schools. Carol Ann works closely with other BEF members on corporate grant writing, and she is currently involved in the creation of a greenhouse project located at Bethel Middle School which is partially funded with corporate funds from the Duracell Corporation. Carol Ann co-chairs the committee working on the second annual Barnum Ball 2008! Filomena Weiner and her husband have lived in bethel for seven years and they have three girls, ages 11, 7 and 5. Filomena has been an active volunteer in the schools, both in the classrooms and with the PTO, where she served as Berry School PTO Treasurer for two years. Filomena is also in her fifth year volunteering as the Cookie Manager for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop. Prior to motherhood, Filomena attended Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and worked for ten years as a power plant engineer for a government contractor. Filomena looks forward to serving on the board and working to provide additional educational opportunities for the students of Bethel. |
