BOARD MEMBERS

“Everything starts with a SEED”

SEED began in January 2012 when a group of interested residents, friends and neighbors joined forces to help plant an educational foundation in our community. Our founding board members bring a variety of experiences and strengths.

Bob Draffin, Chairman

Bob is a lifelong resident of Bayport and BBP class of 1978 graduate. He is founder and eleven-term President of the Bayport Civic Association and is the Immediate Past President of the Bayport – Blue Point Little League where he has been actively involved for the past 10 years.  Bob is also the proud father of two Bayport – Blue Point (BBP) graduates.

Karl Auwaerter, Vice Chairman

Karl is a  BBP class of 1985 graduate, and has one child currently in the high school and two BBP graduates. He runs a fourth generation community business, Bayport Flower Houses. As former President of the Chamber of Commerce, he has worked closely with the business community and school groups.  Most importantly, his mother was a teacher in our district for many years.

Carol Cinelli, Secretary

Carol is an educator who has lived the past 33 years in our community.  Carol has five children all of whom are BBP graduates.  She has served sixteen years on the BBP Board of Education and brings that experience to the SEED Foundation.

Howard Rowland, Treasurer

Howard is a partner in Long Island’s largest non-residential building construction firm as well as a 30 year resident of Blue Point.  He has three grown daughters (special-ed teacher, school psychologist and registered nurse) all of whom benefited tremendously from the education they received at BBP. “It’s time for me to pay back by helping start SEED and tapping outside sources to support science and math programs to help develop future architects engineers and tradesmen.”

Katherine Brand
Kathy is a Blue Point resident and both of her children are BBP graduates.  Her expertise is invaluable. She has taught in our district for thirty years and served as the academic advisor for our award winning  Sixth Grade School Science Research program. After retiring in 2013, she was invited by Brookhaven National Labs to judge student work in their BNL May science fair. Kathy is the Past President of the BBP Teacher’s Association.   Originally invited by the board to serve as our founding advisory member, we are happy to welcome her as a voting board member.

Kate Constantine Farley

Kate is a mother of two current BBP students, (and 2018 and 2021 BBPHS grads). A St. Joseph’s College graduate, currently employed by a Long Island business owner with a Philanthropic mission.  Kate’s experience in PTA Board positions, including: Chairperson of the elementary Arts in Education Program, Membership chair and Secretary. Kate has been a resident of Blue Point for over 25 years.  She is proud to be one of the founding members of the BBP SEED Foundation, as education is something she feels passionately about.

Steve Taitz

Steve is a 1974 graduate of JWYHS.  He received his BA at John Hopkins University and graduated University of Miami School of Law in 1982.  He is a founding partner of the law firm Roe Taroff Taitz & Portman.  Steve is a director at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital and a former trustee of the Bayport BluePoint Public Library.

Marlene Brennan

Marlene served as the Executive Director of the Public Education Resource Center at Stony Brook University.  She has been actively involved in research, development and delivery of professional development programs for K-12 teachers and administrators and was the campus coordinator and a founding member of the SBU Phi Delta Kappa chapter.  She has served United University Professions (UUP) as Treasurer, Delegate, Department Rep, Workshop Presenter and Chair of the College Review Panel and has been an active member of the SBU Academic Judiciary Committee.  She is currently staying connected by serving as the Chief Grievance Officer for UUP, the bargaining unit for all faculty and staff at SBU.  She also continues to plan programs for SBU’s Phi Delta Kappa chapter (PDK@SBU). Marlene regularly attends School Board meetings and is a strong supporter of the BBP School District with a deep appreciation for all it offers to the children of this community.

Susan Chant 

Susan Chant has lived in the Bayport-Blue Point community for over 25 years. Both her husband and two children are BBP graduates. Over the years she has served as the Arts-in-Education PTA coordinator at Sylvan Avenue elementary school , as a girl scout troop leader, and has volunteered at numerous school and community events. She was instrumental in the implementation of the FIRST Lego League program in the middle school. Susan has enjoyed working at the Bayport-Blue Point Public Library for almost 20 years.

Jim March

Jim is a lifelong Bayport resident whose Mother was an Elementary and Middle School classroom teacher in our District for over 25 years.  He graduated with the Class of 1970 and married his HS sweetheart, Kathleen.  Together they chose to settle in their hometown and raise three children who also graduated from the B-BP system.  A desire to give something back to the community where he grew up lead Jim to:  10 years of service with Bayport-Blue Point Little League (two as President); 18 years of service on the Board of Education (12 years as President); 12 years of service on the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association Executive Board representing 112 Long Island school districts (2 years as President); becoming a founding member in 1989 and remaining on the Board of Directors today of the Bayport-Blue Point Foundation, a local charity organization responsible for raising over $1,000,000 for redistribution to worthy causes within the community.

Regina Jankowski

A Bayport resident since 2017, Regina has always been passionate about the BBP community, having visited family members here for more than 20 years! As a mother of two boys currently enrolled at Sylvan Avenue Elementary School, Regina is excited to be part of SEED and to help ensure all BBP students have the best experience possible. Regina is also active in various school organizations through the PTA and as a class parent. She also previously served as Corresponding Secretary of the Sylvan Avenue Elementary PTA from 2019-2021. Married to her husband, Mike since 2011, Regina works as a Content Developer for Morey Creative Studios, a mission-based digital marketing agency located in Syosset, NY.

Kim Harrison

Kim is the mother of three children in the BBP School district and is a graduate of SUNY Cortland with a biology degree and a minor in environmental and outdoor education.  She has worked corporately in the personal care industry and has been a chemist for the cosmetics and skin care markets with her own consulting firm since 2010.  She serves the BBP community by being active in various school activities, as a catechist at Our Lady of the Snow Church and as an executive board member with the Blue Point Civic Association.  She and her husband, a BBP HS graduate, have lived in Blue Point for 20 years.

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS

Daniene Byrne, Founding Secretary 2011-2014

Daniene is a Blue Point Elementary – BBPHS mom and education advocate, interested in connected and life long learning.  She has enjoyed working with the founders “planting” the SEED foundation which will provide increased educational opportunities for district students. Daniene was SEED’s original board Secretary.  Her work in the district has included serving from 2012-2014 as President of the Bayport Blue Point Library Board of Trustees,  Past-President of the BBP PTA Council 2011-2013, BBP Budget Advisory Committee (2013 & 2014)  and she holds a 3 year seat on the ESBOCES School Library Council, as the Suffolk County Region PTA representative.   In May of 2014 she was elected to a three year term on our district’s Board of Education, finishing her direct involvement with SEED.

ADVISORY MEMBERS

These volunteers bring their experience and expertise to the table. This is a group of non-voting members were invited to share ideas and help us grow and develop. For our long-term growth we are looking for members with a diversity of talents, knowledge and experience to contribute. We welcome anyone interested in working with SEED to contact us and let us and let us know how you are able to contribute.

Carrie Almskog

Carrie is a lifelong Bayport resident and a graduate of the BBP class of 1993. Carrie earned her BA in English at Lafayette College, and then returned home to get her MS in Elementary Education from Dowling College, in order to pursue her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. Carrie has been teaching at Academy Street Elementary since 2000. She has been Academy Street’s PTA recording secretary for over 10 years and she has been involved in the PTA Council as well as many other district and community organizations. Carrie has three children, one in JWY Middle School, one in Academy Street, and one who will begin kindergarten next fall. She is honored to be an Advisory Member for SEED – a foundation which she believes truly enhances the educational experience for her own children as well as for all the students of the BBP School District.

Sara Desmond

Sara Desmond considers it a privilege to work as a teacher in the Bayport- Blue Point School District, as it is the same one she was proud to grow up in. While attending Dowling College for her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, her love of teaching blossomed as she student taught at Sylvan Avenue Elementary School. She then went on to pursue her Masters’ Degree in Literacy. She continued on to teach both first and second grade for the past fifteen years. Sara considers Sylvan Avenue Elementary her second home. Sara has two children of her own in fifth and third grade. She is thrilled to be an Advisory Member of SEED and greatly appreciates all the foundation does for both the teachers and students of such an amazing district!

Tammy Santora

Tammy Santora is a lifelong member of the Bayport-Blue Point School District and a graduate of the BBP class of 1990. She has earned her Bachelors degree in Elementary Education with a minor in the Earth Sciences, and a Masters in Special Education. Tammy has been teaching in the district since 1994. She started her career at James Wilson Young Middle School as a sixth grade teacher, then spent most of her career at Academy Street Elementary. Currently Tammy teaches first grade at Blue Point Elementary, the same school she attended as a child. Tammy loves being involved in the community and district events. Tammy has three boys, her first graduated in 2017, her second graduates 2019, and her youngest is in fourth grade. Her mission is to inspire each and every student to love school and make their positive mark on the world. Tammy is excited to be a Member of Seed and looks forward to contributing to the enhancement of the education of our children.

Joe DeSantis

Bio coming soon!