As CEO since March 2023, Frank Steslow brings a wealth of non-profit leadership experience. Over the past 30 years, mostly in the cultural sector, Frank has led several science-based, non-profit organizations through transition and growth. He was thrilled to join SSP as its first Chief Executive Officer, succeeding the organizations long time Executive Director, Richard Bowdon. In this role, Frank works with the Board of Trustees, alumni, and staff to strengthen and expand SSP’s existing programs, create new programs and expand the impact and reach of the organization, especially to students who may not have been aware or had the means to participate in the program previously.
Frank earned a B.S. in Microbiology from Penn State, and a M.S. in Public Health from University of South Florida. Frank currently resides with his wife in Maine. If he’s not working, you can find him hiking, boating, or working on home renovation projects.
An effective leader with extensive financial and administrative expertise in the non-profit arena, Amy Gillette joined SSP in 2023 as the institution’s Chief Administrative Officer. In this role, she leads SSP’s finance, human resources, information technology, external affairs, and administrative functions, as well as oversees the institution’s risk management. Before coming to SSP, Amy spent 14 years in non-profit leadership, most recently as the CFO of a cultural organization.
Amy graduated with a B.S. in accounting, a B.S in economics, and a M.S. in taxation from the University of Central Florida. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida. Amy currently resides in South Florida with her husband and their two children. In her free time, she loves to travel and scuba dive, and has been to more than 30 countries.
Rachael joined SSP in early 2024 as the Director of Business Administration. In this role, she will provide cross-departmental administrative and operational support to the organization, including compliance, policies, and procedures, assisting with program needs and logistics, writing grants, and more. Rachael brings a wide range of experience, having worked at several non-profits, co-founding and running a start-up, and most recently working for a large corporation in the travel industry.
Rachael graduated with a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Florida and earned an MBA from the University of Miami. Rachael currently resides in South Florida with her husband, their three children and dog. In her free time, and after her children’s activities, she loves traveling, boating, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
In August 2024, Anthony Fernandez joined SSP as the Human Resources Generalist. Over the past 15 years, Anthony has served in progressive Operations Management and Human Resources roles for mission-driven agencies focused on animal welfare, housing, human services, and the specialty grocery industry. He currently holds a Certification in Human Resources from the Society for Human Resources Management and graduated with an MBA from the University of Washington in 2019. Anthony’s expertise spans Human Resources Operations, Strategic Leadership, and Organizational Development, and he is an avid lifelong learner. Anthony is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of SSP and play a role in educating high-potential individuals to enter careers in the Sciences. Anthony and his family currently live in Central Pennsylvania with their two rescue dogs. Outside of work, Anthony enjoys tinkering on DIY projects, cooking with family, biking, and volunteering.
Stacy Dunn has been with SSP since 2019. She works part-time as the Controller, overseeing all accounting operations at SSP. As a senior financial professional, Stacy has a successful track record in both start-up and larger, established organizations. Her specialties include strategic planning, mergers & acquisitions, cash management, systems development & implementation, cost reduction, budgeting, financial management, human resources, global business operations, contract management, and sales operations.
Stacy earned her B.S. in Accounting from the University of Richmond and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in North Carolina. Stacy currently resides in Raleigh, NC. When she’s not working, she enjoys golfing, reading, live music, going to the beach, and spending time with family.
In November 2024, Ernesto Cano joined SSP as the IT Coordinator. Ernesto holds multiple technical certifications from numerous accredited organizations such as Cisco & CompTIA. He has been directly involved in multiple companies as an IT leader and consultant. For the last 5 years he has focused on aiding start-up companies establish their IT operations foundations.
Ernesto and his fiancée currently reside in California. They both enjoy spending time at the beach, going on walks and assisting animal rescue organizations in SoCal.
Amy Belote has been with SSP since May 2011, and she is currently the VP of Program Operations. In this role, she oversees admissions, enrollment, and campus logistics, as well as assisting with faculty hiring. Previously, Amy worked as a research project manager at Johns Hopkins.
Amy holds a Master of Health Science degree in Health Policy and Administration from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Amy currently resides in Cary, North Carolina and has three children. You can find her practicing yoga, meditating or wild swimming when she’s not working.
Christin Latus has been involved with SSP since 2020, when she started as a Site Director for the summer programs. In 2023, she joined the team full-time as SSP’s Director of Residence Life. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the Site Directors and interfacing with host campuses. Prior to joining SSP, Christin taught high school biology for 6 years.
Christin received a B.S. in Biology and a M. Ed. In Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Tyler. Christin currently resides in Tyler, Texas. She has a passion for travel and aspires to watch a baseball game in every MLB stadium.
Laura Corley has been involved with SSP since 2017 as a Site Director, Campus Manager, and operations consultant, and joined SSP full time in June 2024 as the Senior Director of Program Operations. Laura holds a B.S.E. in Secondary Education – Physical Science from East Texas Baptist University and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. Her professional background includes 13 years as a high school chemistry educator and teacher leader; medical education staff roles at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, and Carle Illinois College of Medicine; and nonprofit workforce development.
In her current role, she will be responsible for logistics and business operations for SSP’s summer programs. When she’s not troubleshooting, she will review and recommend process changes to improve and streamline program operations for continued growth, assist with faculty recruiting and hiring, and provide support as needed to execute the mission of SSP.
Laura lives in the Greater Houston area in Texas with a Cocker Spaniel named Annie, and enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, relaxing in the pool, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.
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Alvin Yao has been involved with the Summer Science Program since June 2023 and has served for two summer sessions as a Teaching Assistant and Residential Mentor for Genomics at Indiana University and Georgetown. Recently, he has joined the team as a Program Administrator.
Alvin received an S.B. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University. He currently also works as a research technician at Weill Cornell Medical College and hopes to attend medical school in the near future. In his free time, he enjoys discovering new restaurants and singing Broadway tunes.
Cesar joined SSP in August of 2024 as the Admissions Officer. In the role, he supports the Director of Admissions and assists with various aspects of the admissions process, including recruitment, outreach, evaluation and counseling prospective participants. Cesar holds a B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills. As a first-generation and non-traditional student, education played a vital role in profoundly shaping his career and relationships. This personal journey informs Cesar’s passion for helping students navigate life-changing educational opportunities and supporting educational institutions through technology and design thinking. Born and raised in Inglewood, CA, Cesar currently resides in Los Angeles. He enjoys many hobbies—particularly sports involving wheels. You can typically find him cycling on weekdays and dirt biking on some weekends, though he has also started exploring other interests such as yoga.
Nico Adams joined SSP in July 2024 as the Director of Astrophysics. He recently completed a PhD in astrophysics at the University of Minnesota, where he specialized in studying star-forming galaxies using citizen science and machine learning techniques. Nico also has a background in running and coordinating outreach programs, including the University of Minnesota’s Universe in the Park program, which provides free sky tours and telescope observations in parks across Minnesota.
In his current role, Nico oversees and curates the SSP astrophysics curriculum, identifies and recruits new faculty and guest speakers, and generally ensures that SSP’s astrophysics programs maintain their quality as the organization expands.
Nico currently lives in Minneapolis with his partner and their cat Connie. He enjoys cooking elaborate meals with friends, traveling to state/national parks, and finding new coffee shops around the Twin Cities.
Dr. Mike Manzella has been involved with SSP since 2021, first developing the Genomics program and later spending two years as an Academic Director. Mike joined the SSP team full-time in September 2023 as the Vice President of Faculty Recruitment and Training. He is responsible for diversifying faculty for both existing and new programs and ensuring that quality is maintained as SSP grows its programs. Additionally, Mike will help to identify new university partners, faculty, and program areas. Mike also serves on the Admissions Committee. Prior to joining SSP, Mike ran an immersive course-based undergraduate research lab at Indiana University.
Mike holds a B.S. in Biotechnology from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Michigan State University. He resides in Bloomington, Indiana. On evenings and weekends, you can find him gardening, playing video games, or playing table top role-playing games.
Courtney Hill joined SSP in September 2023 as the Director of Admissions, where she leads and manages all aspects of the admissions process with a focus on access and equity– from developing admissions policies and application materials to counseling prospective participants through the process. Prior to joining SSP, Courtney worked as the Assistant Director of Admission at Harvey Mudd College.
Having been a first-generation, low-income college student from a rural background, Courtney’s experiences of discovering STEM education and research were transformative for her, and she remains deeply interested in research in scientific and social fields. She graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Duke University and an M.A. in Education from Louisiana State University. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska and primarily spends her free time attending rock concerts, running, and reading classics.
Kasey Brovan started with SSP in February 2023 as the Programs
Administrator and transitioned to her current role in October 2024. In this
role, she works with the Admissions team on recruitment and application
processing, oversees participant enrollment and the financial aid process, and
supports Program Operations with other administrative tasks.
Kasey holds a B.A. in Spanish, with a minor in Latin American Studies, from Sweet Briar College and has always had a passion for STEM education. Kasey resides in Columbia, South Carolina with her husband and two beautiful children. When she’s not working for SSP, you can find her on a cruise, managing a book club, or running her gourmet cotton candy business.
Katie Dunn joined SSP in 2024 as the Programs Coordinator, but she has a long history with SSP. She is an alum of the Astrophysics program, a four-time former TA, and was the Site Director of SSP’s pilot Synthetic Chemistry program. In their current role, they manage various aspects of program operations and logistics.
Katie holds a M.Ed. and B.Sc. in Physics from MIT. Prior to this role, they have served both as a science teacher at public high schools in Boston and Chicago, as well as a researcher & project manager at various educational nonprofits. In her free time, she enjoys reading, biking, and playing board games.
Emaly joined SSP in early 2025. Emaly brings her knowledge of genomic research, interest to find creative solutions to complex problems, and experience in scientific education program development to the team. Emaly earned her B.S. in Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology from Purdue University in 2012 and her Ph.D. in Genetics and Genomics from The University of Connecticut in 2019.
She currently resides in coastal Maine and enjoys spending free time outdoors with her dog Elvira. Her favorite hobbies include knitting, hunting for mushrooms, kayaking, and learning to cook authentic cuisines.
Katherine Hougland joined the SSP team in December 2018 as the Alumni Relations and Development Manager. In 2023, she was promoted to SSP’s VP of External Affairs. In her current role, she is responsible for alumni engagement, donor relationships, and corporate and foundation giving. Katherine also oversees SSP’s communications strategy and social media and SSP Connect, a program that pairs SSP’s most recent participants with alumni mentors.
Katherine has a B.S. in Arts Management from Northern Arizona University and a M.A.L.A. in Western Literature from St. John’s College. She lives in Southern Arizona with her husband and their children. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and exploring the southwest landscapes around her home. You’ll also often find her curled up with a book or sitting at her sewing machine quilting.
Pamala Roberts began working with SSP in January 2022 as the Alumni Relations and Development Administrator. Her duties include recording contributions and generating donor acknowledgement letters, managing meeting logistics, acting as the Board of Trustees liaison, and assisting with SSP’s mentoring program, SSP Connect. Pamala was a teacher for 31 years before retiring in 2021. She taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels where she specialized in teaching students who were identified as academically and intellectually gifted.
Pamala has a B.S. in Education and has always been passionate about providing quality learning opportunities for bright students. Pamala lives with her husband in eastern North Carolina, where her hobbies include fishing, cooking, and golf.
In July of 2024, Jana Coon joined SSP as the Alumni Relations Administrator. Since 2017, she has been serving in public schools, committed to making a difference in the lives of her students. Most recently as a High School Counselor, she focused on mental health, career exploration, academic achievement, and the college application process. Her role allowed her to guide students through critical stages of their development, helping them by removing barriers and navigating personal challenges to plan for a successful future. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Brigham Young University Provo, focusing on child and adolescent development, and obtained her Master of Education in School Counseling from the University of Akron. Her educational and career background provide the tools needed to support students in their academic, emotional, and social growth.
She lives in Central North Carolina with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. In her free time she enjoys gardening, swimming, and teaching her daughter to love 80s and alternative rock just as much as she does.
Kristen Dominguez joined SSP in 2015 as the Alumni Relations and Development Associate. In her current role, she is responsible for alumni communications, events, SSP connect mentoring program and working with the Alumni Relations committees. Raised in a cultural mecca of the arts, Kristen pursued an undergrad degree in Arts Management. She took her love of nonprofit marketing and fundraising to the next level with a Masters’s Degree in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy.
Kristen is from the Berkshires, MA, where winter is too long and summer too short. When Kristen isn’t planning the next alumni activity, she’s teaching herself to cook complex recipes, vacationing on the beach with her son and husband, reading, and trying to figure out new hobbies that keep her off social media.
In February 2024, Cammy Austin joined SSP as the Social Media & Marketing Manager, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a passion for communication and creativity.
With a BA in English Literature from the University of North Florida, Cammy has cultivated a deep understanding of language and storytelling. Prior to joining SSP, Cammy owned her own wedding photography company for 12 years, capturing over 500 weddings worldwide.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Cammy lives in Northern Florida and is a devoted mother to her 7 year old daughter. In her free time, you can find Cammy indulging in her hobbies, which include gazing at the night sky, immersing herself in sci-fi books, and embarking on adventures to a new country every year.
In April 2024, Melanie Morgan joined SSP as a grant writer. She has worked with a variety of human services and educational nonprofits, with experience including everything from writing complex federal grants to running public events attracting more than 100,000 attendees.
Melanie lives in Southern Arizona. When not writing, she spends her free time watching her teenage daughter excel at sports—an ability obviously inherited from her father. She also loves spending time in her workshop, road tripping and binge watching true crime. On the rare occasion she gets to visit a lake or river, she loves to canoe and kayak.
With 30 years of experience in fundraising and philanthropy, Paula brings a wealth of expertise as Director of Development at Summer Science Program International. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing educational opportunities, empowering communities, and fostering philanthropic partnerships that create lasting impact.
Paula has successfully led capacity-building initiatives, secured major gifts, and cultivated enduring relationships with donors and stakeholders. Her ability to design and execute strategic fundraising plans has driven the success of campaigns nationally, regionally, and locally. A creative problem-solver and collaborator, she thrives on aligning organizational goals with donors’ passions and interests.
Before joining SSP, Paula held leadership roles across various nonprofit organizations, where she championed innovative fundraising strategies and inspired teams to achieve goals and drive meaningful change. Her dedication to mission-driven work and passion for STEM education makes Paula a perfect fit to further SSP’s mission to provide students with immersive, transformational opportunities to learn, do, and belong in science.
When not driving development efforts, Paula enjoys exploring the outdoors and is always eager to support initiatives that inspire curiosity and lifelong learning.
SSP International is a nonprofit offering inspiring science immersion experiences. Founded in 1959, its mission is to provide opportunities to accelerate learning, doing and belonging in science. SSP International’s flagship program is Summer Science Program, a leading education experience for exceptional high school students in astrophysics, biochemistry, genomics and more.