Former Board Members

Bryan C. Amedio is a banking professional with KeyBank N.A and has over 18 years of leadership experience in the areas of banking, operations, and technology support.  He is the Vice President and Division Leader of the Technology Enterprise Operations Center and core member of Key Bank’s Information Technology (IT) Change Advisory Board, Batch Advisory Council, and Internet Oversight and Security Operation’s committees. He is a 1991 graduate of Union College with a BA in Economics and a 1994 graduate of the State University of New York at Albany with an MA in Economics.  Bryan’s leadership experience includes serving as a Major, Battalion  Operations Officer with the United States Army Reserves in Schenectady and is a graduate of the Adjutant General (AG) Corps Officer Basic and Advanced Schools, as well as, the Command and General Staff School (CAS3) at Ft. Leavenworth, KS.  Bryan will be a member of the Finance and Physical Plant Committee.

Erin M. Breslin is a marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, public relations, and business development. She is the Director of Marketing for the Capital District YMCA. A member of the YMCA's senior management team, Breslin handles all aspects of marketing for the YMCA, and supervises all aspects of communication and social media for the YMCA. Breslin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Concentration in Writing from Nazareth College of Rochester, and a Master of Arts degree in English from the University at Albany.

Ray F. Bogucki, Ph.D. served on the Dudley Board Ex Officio, as President of the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers. He received BS and MS degrees in chemistry from Holy Cross College, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Clark University.  For almost forty years he taught chemistry and did chemical research in several universities including Boston College, Purdue, Texas A&M and the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey.  His final 25 years as a Professor were spent at the University of Hartford where he also served as Chairman of the Chemistry Department and Director of Graduate Studies.  He currently holds the title of Emeritus Professor of Chemistry. After his retirement, he moved to the Albany area where he joined the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers, returning to astronomy, his first love in science.  For ten years he has written a weekly Skywatch Line for the Dudley Observatory.  He lives in the small rural town of Petersburgh, NY where he enjoys celestial observing in very dark skies.

Dr. James B. Comly, Ph.D. retired after a career at GE Global research. He received a BEE from Cornell University, and MS and Ph.D. degrees in Applied Physics from Harvard University. He worked for GE Global Research from 1966 to 1999 and managed various areas including intelligent controls for satellite scheduling, automated torpedo defense, materials processing and aircraft engine controls, and including thermal sciences and solar energy, and laser research. Throughout his career Comly has served on many boards for many different professional groups. He won undergraduate scholarship awards at Cornell, an NSF Graduate Fellowship at Harvard, and an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship for study in England. Comly joined the Dudley Observatory Board because it promises to have a valuable impact on science education.

Alan French served on the Dudley Observatory Board of Trustees as Vice President and Chair of the Education Committee. Alan received his B.A. in Physics from Clark University and has done graduate work in Computer Science from Union College. His work experience at the Schenectady Museum and Planetarium permitted him to share his knowledge as a public lecturer; and at New York State Department of Family Assistance as a computer programmer and systems analyst; and as the supervisor of Medicaid Eligibility Systems. Alan is now retired. At the Albany Area Astronomers, Inc. Alan’s positions have included: President, Vice President, Public Observing Session Coordinator, Chair of the Northeast Region of the Astronomical League Convention Committee, newsletter editor, and is currently serving as President. Alan is active in amateur astronomy, observing, and is a telescope maker. He is a guest speaker at astronomy conventions and meetings; gives talks and observing sessions at local schools, organizations, and Albany Area Amateur Astronomers; along with giving constellation tours at Landis Arboretum. He is on the Town of Glenville's Park Planning Commission and on the Board of Directors of George Landis Arboretum.

Michael A. Kornstein joined Cooper, Erving & Savage in 1978 upon his admission to the bar and became a partner in 1983.  Michael represents several financial institutions and has actively participated in work outs, foreclosures and bankruptcies and has been involved in the foreclosure of numerous residential and commercial properties, including office buildings, apartment complexes, hotels and marinas.  Michael has extensive experience in representing financial institutions in transactional work as well, including residential and commercial real estate lending.  Michael also has represented these clients in bankruptcy courts throughout the state. Michael received his bachelor's degree with honors from Union College in 1973 and graduated from Albany Law School in 1977, where he was a member and associate editor of the Albany Law Review.  Michael has lectured at continuing legal education seminars sponsored by the New York State Bar Association in the area of mortgage foreclosures.

Mark Marchand is Director of News and Editorial Services at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, overseeing media relations and other communications efforts at one of the nation’s leading technology universities. Prior to joining Rensselaer in 2010, he served as director of communications for the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany. Mark worked in communications for Verizon and its predecessor companies for over 24 years, at locations in Boston, Albany, and Basking Ridge, New Jersey. When he retired in 2007, he was a senior manager at Verizon, directing media relations efforts for network and technology issues. Before that he worked in public relations for Boston University and as a reporter at The Springfield, Mass., Daily News. Mark often lectures at communications classes in colleges and high schools. He teaches part-time in the Journalism Department at the University at Albany. He is a member of the Supervisory Committee at Capital Communications Federal Credit Union in Albany, and serves as an associate director at Parsons Child and Family Center in Albany. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is also an instrument-rated private pilot.

Brian D. Mercy, Esq. is an attorney at Brian D. Mercy, PLLC. focusing on Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Litigation. He is also the Acting Village Justice for the Village of Scotia. He received his BA from SUNY New Paltz in Political Science and his JD at Albany Law School. Mercy is a member of the American Bar Association, NYS Bar Association, Schenectady County Bar Association, Capital District Trial Lawyers Association, American Trial Lawyers Association and Ancient Order of Hibernians. Mercy joined the board because of Dudley Observatory's dedication to education in Astronomy and Science.  He believes Dudley does great work in promoting Astronomy to high school and college students.

Peter D. Persans, Ph.D serves as Ex-Officio, representing the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  He received his BS in Physics from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn  and his PhD in Physics from University of Chicago.  He currently serves as Professor of Physics and Associate Head of the Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  His research over thirty years has ranged from fundamental optoelectronic properties of disordered, quantum dot, and crystalline semiconductors to characterization of x-ray optical systems.  Current projects include novel optical detectors, optical properties of compounds likely to be found on the surface of Titan, and introduction of new technologies in introductory undergraduate Physics education.  Professor Persans has served as the President of Rensselaer's Faculty Senate.  He won the Rensselaer Board of Trustees' "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" award in 2009.

Jean K. Sheviak currently is the Executive Director of the Capital District Library Council and was formerly Systems Librarian and Associate Professor at Union College. She received her MA in Library Science from Northern Illinois University and her MA in Teaching of Social Studies from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. She is active in numerous library and service activities including the American Library Association, the New York Library Association, the Southern Adirondack Library System / Mohawk Valley Library System Joint Automation Committee, and the Schenectady County Community College Library Advisory Committee.  Since her time at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and later Union College, Sheviak has appreciated the importance of Dudley Observatory’s collection of publications. She joined the board because it’s important to have professional library expertise when making decisions about collections of such age and potential significance.

Louis J. Suarato is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Curran Investment Management. He has been a registered Financial/Operations Principal in the securities industry and a member of the Securities Industry Association and Bond Market Association as well as an associate member of the New York Stock Exchange. Throughout his career in the financial services industry, Louis has managed the Trading, IT and Operations departments of Key Trust Company, established a department to support Drexel Burnham Lambert’s entrance into new domestic and global markets, developed and became director of  Nomura International Trust Company and was the Director of Operations for First Albany Corporation. Louis is a graduate from Sage College, receiving a Bachelors of Business Administration. Louis is a member of the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers and was the Development Director for Astronomy.FM.

Cherrice Traver, Ph.D. received her BS in Physics at the State University of New York at Albany and her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. She has been a faculty member at Union College in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department since 1986, and is currently the Dean of Engineering and David Falk and Elynor Rudnick-Falk Professor of Computer Engineering. She teaches courses in the Computer Engineering area including Digital Design, Embedded Systems, and VLSI. She has co-taught international project courses in Turkey and in Spain. Her research has been focused on timing issues in digital systems.  She has directed local and national outreach programs, including Robot Camp and the P. O. Pistilli Scholarship. She joined the Dudley Observatory Board of Trustees representing President Ainlay.

Samuel C. Wait, Jr., Ph.D. received his BS, MS and Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) where he is an Associate Dean of the School of Science and Professor of Chemistry. Wait has been a member of the Mathematics, Science and Technology Committee of Schenectady County Community College for over thirty years and spent about four years assisting with the gutting and complete renovation of the undergraduate chemistry instructional facility, Walker Laboratory, at RPI. Wait was also a member of the Schenectady County Hazardous Materials Team as a scientific advisor and has published about 40 articles in scientific journals. Dudley Observatory has always been interesting to Wait because of his interest in scientific literature, such as the library at Dudley including the rare books. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dudley Observatory since 1972 and served as President 1990-2001.