RYLA Adult Committee
The RYLA district 7255 Adult Committee is a dedicated group of Rotarians who volunteer their time and efforts to provide guidance for the Youth Committee and oversee all the activities of RYLA.
As each generation of student-leaders moves on to college and beyond, the Adult Committee ensures that RYLA continues to be a safe place where students can hone their leadership skills, form special friendships, and discover that there is more in themselves than they know!
As each generation of student-leaders moves on to college and beyond, the Adult Committee ensures that RYLA continues to be a safe place where students can hone their leadership skills, form special friendships, and discover that there is more in themselves than they know!
Barbara Ackermann
Barbara has been a Rotarian of her Southold Rotary for the past 25 years. A retired Guidance Director/School counselor from the Southold School, she worked previously as a child protective case worker and a medical social worker. Barbara serves on the Board of East End Counselors Association, and the North Fork School Advisory Committee. She is a member of Delta Kappa Gama, and was involved in HUGS from its inception, serving on the Board of Directors for several years. She has served two terms as President of Southold Rotary, as well as currently the New Generations Director for her club. Serving again as an Assistant Governor, Barbara is also the scholarship chairperson for district 7260, and serves on the Youth Exchange committee.The program has been an amazing experience of watching the growth of the young people who attend and is a life changing experience for so many who are involved.
Dennis Brennan
Dennis Brennan was a teacher and then administrator for a total of 30 years in the field of education. During that time he also served in the Peace Corps in Micronesia; established an English as a Second Language program K-12 and a student peer mediation program in the Longwood School District. After retiring, Dennis became Captain of the Fire Police Co. in the Port Jefferson Fire Department, President of the Port Jefferson Rotary and has time and time again been in awe of the leaders that are made through RYLA. He is also President of the Port Jefferson School Board and he’s currently a Superintendent’s Hearing Officer for the Eastport/South Manor School District and editor of a Journal for the Port Jefferson Fire Department’s 125th Anniversary. Dennis and his wife Kathleen have two sons, Christopher and Daniel.
Steve Browne
Steve Browne is presently an active member and Past President of the Hauppauge Rotary club. Co-owner of the family owned and operated “Browne Insurance Agency.” Managing partner of JustNutra. He has been involved in RYLA for the past 6 years and is inspired by the personal growth and development that takes place in our young adults who attend RYLA events. Steve has served in leadership roles in his local church, chamber of commerce and various business groups. In his leisure time, Steve enjoys healthy cooking, golf, hunting and fishing. Steve resides in Farmingville NY with his wife Lisa for the past 31 years, has two daughters, a son-in law, and soon to be a Grandpa ☺. He hopes to see even more wonderful things happen in the future because of RYLA. Steve is the current C0- Chairperson of the RYLA District 7255 Committee. Steve loves to cook and run the kitchen at the RYLA events ☺
Donald Hester
Don Hester has been active with Rotary youth exchange programs since the 1980's. In addition, his family has hosted over 40 students, and he also served as one of the leaders of the first YEP (Youth Exchange Program) Rotary Exchanges with the USSR, later working for ESSEX as country contact for Russia and Ukraine for 20 years.
During his year as Governor of District 7260, he recruited his friend PDG Cliff Mclean to begin RYLA. Mclean previously worked with Don with D7250 YEP. Presently, RYLA now encompasses all Long Islands high schools and Don was recently asked to help oversee all the Rotary Youth Programs, Interact, YEP, RYLA and Rotaract for D7260 and the newly-merged D7255. Don Hester is very proud that the youth services have already merged programs for many years and his involvement in accomplishing this. In the winter, Don lives in Sayville and spends time on Fire Island during the summer with his wife Judy. Together they have three kids, two of which participated in the YEP.
During his year as Governor of District 7260, he recruited his friend PDG Cliff Mclean to begin RYLA. Mclean previously worked with Don with D7250 YEP. Presently, RYLA now encompasses all Long Islands high schools and Don was recently asked to help oversee all the Rotary Youth Programs, Interact, YEP, RYLA and Rotaract for D7260 and the newly-merged D7255. Don Hester is very proud that the youth services have already merged programs for many years and his involvement in accomplishing this. In the winter, Don lives in Sayville and spends time on Fire Island during the summer with his wife Judy. Together they have three kids, two of which participated in the YEP.
Thaddeus Hill
Thud actively serves as the past-President of the Riverhead Rotary Club and has devoted extensive time and effort to community-minded organizations of various avenues. He is the Executive Director of Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch, located in Riverhead, New York. This is a not-for-profit agency that provides residential and group care for adolescents; he has held various positions within the childcare field including, administrative, clinical and direct care. Previously, Thud has served as President for Long Island Family & Youth Services (LIFY), Chairman of the Riverhead Youth Committee and a Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA) Board Member along with many other positions in his community including the Riverhead High School Varsity Football Team assistant coach from 1997-2005. Mr. Hill is an avid fan of both physical and mental fitness and is actively involved in the RYLA District 7255 Committee.
Milena Kantor
Milena V. Kantor is a member of the Rockaway Rotary and has found every aspect of this experience to be truly rewarding and is now serving as a Treasurer for her club. Helping the local food pantries, she is actively involved in the annual Ocean Run to help the community. She dedicates much of her effort to support of the Gift of Life program which saves lives of children who are threatened with devestating heart conditions. She is on the Board of Directors of this organization and also serves as a medical translator for Russian Gift of Life. Milena works for the Eli Lilly and Company as a diabetes and senior care specialist. Working with local Nursing homes and pharmacies has really allowed her to appreciate life to the fullest. She first began getting involved with RYLA in 2011 and is eagerly looking foward to all she can do for this outstanding organization she has become a part of and more for the community.
Linda and Thomas Kerr
Tom and Linda are both very active Rotarians in all areas of youth programs. Tom works as a consultant for his former insurance business and Linda is a retired teacher. They have both been involved in Ryla since it started. Linda was the chair for Ryla for 3 years and Tom has been an active committee member. Tom is also a Past District governor as well as overall chair for the Youth Exchange Program. Presently Linda is the outbound Youth Exchange Chair. Tom and Linda have been involved in RYLA for years and have seen the tremendous change in students who are able to be a part of RYLA. They have witnessed students whose lives are completely changed because of a weekend spent with other leaders or time spent studying abroad and developing a further understanding of the world around them. They are both very proud of the influence that RYLA has given to individuals everywhere.
Barry Laub
Barry is a business, career and life coach. Prior, he pioneered special education for the City of NY starting schools, training Principals and teachers in the development of special education programs. He is a #1 bestselling author, sales and marketing trainer and an inspirational speaker. He is an active Rotarian in the Amityville Rotary Club, past assistant district governor of 7255, faculty member of the Rotary Leadership Institute and active with RYLA. Barry was a speaker at the first Summer RYLA where he gave a very powerful and thought-provoking message on "The Power of The Spoken Word" and "The Power of The Written Word." Barry has seen students who through RYLA have been able to understand and value their potential and make life-changing decisions because of it. Barry is on the planning committee for RYLA and a facilitator of leadership programs. RYLA is important to Barry as it fosters his desire to make a difference in the lives of our future leaders and it allows him to further honor his commitment to leadership training and development for our youth.
Wallace Mahoney
Wally is an active member of Riverhead Rotary, and has been a Rotarian for the past twenty years. After serving in the Army, Wally graduated with an MBA from Columbia Business School and married Bernadette. They have been married for the past 55 years, and have four children and five grandchildren. They have lived in various places across the United States, while he worked for several large companies mainly in packaged goods marketing (soap, toothpaste, diapers). RYLA is important to him because it helps the youth in our community lead more productive, successful lives. He enjoys seeing students attend RYLA and leave with more insight into their potential; and has yet to see any student who has not been changed for the better by their experience at RYLA.
Diane Marmann
Diane Pacifico Marmann is the past-President of the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club and also the treasurer of the RYLA District 7255 Committee and has been involved with RYLA for 3 years. Diane has been the Youth Protection Officer for District 7250 YEP for 3 years and a host Mom twice. She was Co-Committee Chair of the District Conference in 2011-12 and is currently serving on the Installation Committee for incoming Governor Gwenn Ramage. Diane loves interacting with the students who attend RYLA and hearing their stories and how the efforts made by the RYLA Committee have truly changed lives of many young individuals. Diane is an attorney in Mineola and in her "spare" time is involved as a director and actor with the Cultural Arts Playhouse, The Kings of the Coast Pirate Adventure and the The White Post Players.
Jean Mahoney
Recruited by Barbara Ackermann, to be a member of Southold Rotary, Jean Mahoney is currently an English teacher at Mattituck High school. She earned her BA in English from Holy Cross, and her Master of Arts from Stony Brook University. For the past twenty years she has been coaching varsity spring track and cross country. The proud mom of a Marine, She is also been an avid supporter of the Southold NROTC program as a volunteer and chaperone.
Jean loves to read, travel, garden, and spend time with her family and her bernese mountain dog.
Impressed with the incredible impact both Rotary and RYLA have on current and former students, Jean hopes to increase awareness and involvement in the Mattituck/Southold area.
Jean loves to read, travel, garden, and spend time with her family and her bernese mountain dog.
Impressed with the incredible impact both Rotary and RYLA have on current and former students, Jean hopes to increase awareness and involvement in the Mattituck/Southold area.
Jackie Merriweather
Jackie Merriweather is a member of the Brentwood Rotary Club. She has dilligently been involved with RYLA for 5 years and is the Logistic Chairperson of the RYLA Committee. Jackie enjoys meeting and working and collaborating with people all over Long Island, Queens and Brooklyn who come to RYLA. Jackie has seen RYLA grow over the years and continues to be in awe of the changes it makes for people and how much of an impact it really has. Everyone she meets has a different story to tell and she is truly amazed to see the individual progress made by the students along with how they take their experience with them and use it in their own schools and communities. Jackie is now retired from work and spends time in caring for her family. Additionally, she is involved in Boy Scouts and the activities they do in her local community.
Lydia Wells
Lydia is a two time past president of the Greenport Rotary Club. She serves as New Generation Chair for her club and is currently the District 7260 Interact Chairperson. She has been on the RYLA Committee in 7260 since the beginning and is thrilled to see the program blossom and grow. Lydia has been in education for 39 years, first as elementary teacher and currently as Guidance Counselor in Greenport. She is the Interact advisor for the High School and Junior High Interact Clubs. As an active member in her community , she has served on CAST Board of Directors, Cub Master for the Cub Scout Troop 51,Girls Scout Leader, and currently is on the Vestry of her church and is the chaplain of the American Legion Auxillary. Lydia feels very honored to be part of such a wonder experience as RYLA and feels blessed to be involved with such wonderful future leaders. Lydia is currently the C0-Chairperson of RYLA 7255 with Steve
Jacki Yonick
Currently a member of the Rotary Club of Glen Cove, Jacki is the Youth Employment Coordinator for City of Glen Cove Youth Bureau, and serves as Chairwoman of RYLA District 7255. A Rotarian since 2006, Jacki is past-President of the North Shore Rotary Club, was the 2012 GSE Team Leader to India (Group Study Exchange), and an active Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Faculty member.
Jax has introduced RYLA to over thirty Rotary Clubs, and their local high schools, of Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau County since Spring 2008, after first being introduced to the program herself. Sharing the inspiration and enthusiasm of RYLA, with Rotarians and teens, has helped further develop her leadership skills as much the program does for RYLArians, Facilitators and Youth Committee members. She has cultivated friendships that will last a life time, and is inspired by the transformation and personal growth that happens in a young person through their RYLA experience.
Jax has introduced RYLA to over thirty Rotary Clubs, and their local high schools, of Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau County since Spring 2008, after first being introduced to the program herself. Sharing the inspiration and enthusiasm of RYLA, with Rotarians and teens, has helped further develop her leadership skills as much the program does for RYLArians, Facilitators and Youth Committee members. She has cultivated friendships that will last a life time, and is inspired by the transformation and personal growth that happens in a young person through their RYLA experience.
Rich Wells
Rich Wells became a Rotarian in 2017, but has been involved with RYLA over the last 17 years with his wife Lydia. In 2015-16, Rich was adopted by the Youth Committee as their 8th member. Rich volunteers at all the RYLA events. He can be seen at Spring RYLA parking cars and in the summer cutting up fruits and veggies in the kitchen. Rich is retired from the Government( Air Force, Plum Island) and also from his second career in health care. Rich and Lydia enjoy working with Rotary, RYLA, and traveling. They enjoy traveling with Rotary and have attended several programs in Cambodia, Toronto, Atlanta, and Germany.
Also a member of the RYLA 2012-2013 Adult Committee is Thomas Licari. His valuable contributions to RYLA have truly helped develop the program to what it is today and all of them continue to support RYLA and be amazed at the students who come into the program and are developed as leaders from what truly is an expereince of a lifetime.
