Leadership
Gretchen Belanger
Executive Director
Gretchen grew up in the Capital Region and has a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Union College and a M.Eng. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Gretchen spent roughly 15 years of her career working at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory in Niskayuna as an engineer, team lead, and project manager. Gretchen also spent some time recently with Espey Mfg. and Electronics Corp in Saratoga Springs as a Program Manager. During her time away from engineering, Gretchen was a youth leader at a local church, volleyball coach and volunteer with the Schenectady City Mission. Gretchen is also an experienced leader of volunteer teams through her work for the Northeast Region of Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child. Gretchen is thrilled to be a part of the Rise High family and is excited to see how these exposure opportunities help students chart their path in middle school, high school, and beyond.
Gretchen has three adult children and spends some of her free time visiting them and watching their athletic competitions. She enjoys a variety of colorful crafts, especially knitting and crocheting. She is a member of the Schenectady Rotary Club and also spends time volunteering with a variety of missions organizations in the community.
Jillian Baird
Curriculum Lead, Grades 8 & 9
Jill grew up in the Capital Region and moved away from the area for ten years. During that time, she did work towards her undergraduate degree at both Paul Smith’s College and SUNY Potsdam. At Paul Smith’s College, she studied Wildlife Conservation but then transferred to SUNY Potsdam after discovering a passion for teaching. Jill transferred to SUNY Potsdam to pursue a degree in Physics, Biology, and Adolescent Education. At SUNY Potsdam, she continued to earn her Master’s degree in Science Teaching. Jill is a certified (NYS) teacher in Physics and Biology, with an extension for General Science.
Jill has taught in various public schools since graduation in the Rochester area and is now back in the Capital Region. Her teaching experience includes working with various K-12 Science Curriculum to make engaging hands-on learning experiences for students, focusing on NYSSLS standards. She has also worked with students previously as a STEM Teacher for the 21st Century Grant Program at her previous school district. Currently, Jill is a Physics teacher at Schalmont High School, but has taught grades 7th through 12th in her career so far.
In her free time Jill enjoys going Geocaching and doing needlepoint crafts!
Chris Andersen
Curriculum Lead, Grades 6 & 7
Chris was born and raised in the rural hamlet of Ironton MI, near a
small car ferry made famous by Ripley’s “Believe It Or Not!” Working
at East Jordan Iron Works provided funds for his college education at
Michigan Tech, and a teaching scholarship led to his service in the US
Peace Corps in Botswana.
He taught middle-level science in a remote desert village for most of
the next three years, after which he continued on to San Francisco,
where he became involved in the intersection of science, technology,
and education, and the new world of STEM education. While completing a
Master’s of Education at SF State University, he was fortunate enough
to meet another educator who also wanted to experience life abroad.
So, after several years in Paraguay working at the American School of
Asuncion, Chris returned to the U.S. with his wife, Kim, and two
children to teach middle school at Shenendehowa CSD. Until recently
leaving the classroom after more than three decades, he balanced
teaching and family life with helping his wife grow her own fair-trade
business and World & English language schools.
Currently, he supervises student teachers in Siena’s MAT program,
works with the Rise High program, and spends time working on his 42 ft
wooden boat in the woods.
Cynthia Lee
Curriculum Lead, Grade 10
A native of Newark, NJ Cynthia received a B.S in Engineering Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, before relocating to Ann Arbor, Michigan. She joined Pfizer, Inc, as a formulation scientist, working to develop solid dosage and transdermal delivery systems. A few years into her residence, Cynthia moved back to the east coast, when her position was transferred to Groton, Ct. While at Pfizer, Cynthia served on Pfizer’s corporate community grants committee, partnered with schools to introduce STEM programming , and earned her masters in business administration.
After a decade in the pharmaceutical industry, Cynthia decided to answer the call for STEM educators. She became a NYC teaching fellow and earned a masters in secondary math and special education at St. John’s University. She began teaching in the NYC public school system, before moving to the Capital district. She currently lives in Schenectady with her husband and twin daughters.
Outside of the classroom, Cynthia enjoys reading, spending time with family, and traveling to her daughters’ cheer competitions. Cynthia is excited to support our Rise High scholars on their educational journey.
Hilary Dee
Curriculum Lead, Grades 11 & 12
Hilary Dee has dedicated over two decades to advancing instructional technology and promoting innovation through her work on the Instructional Team at the Northeastern Regional Information Center. In this current role, she has consistently focused on working to support the implementation of leading-edge digital and STEM tools into regional classrooms to enrich learning experiences. Over the years, Hilary has led numerous events, workshops and professional development sessions, helping educators to effectively incorporate technology into their teaching practices. She is a passionate believer in the importance of lifelong learning, digital wellness and the power of hands-on STEM activities. Hilary earned her Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Sage Graduate School of Education..
Outside of her professional life, Hilary enjoys spending quality time with family. Her two sons, one grown and one in middle school, keep her very busy. She can often be found on the bleachers cheering for her youngest at basketball games. Adventures with their energetic dog, Henry, are a regular part of her weekends. She enjoys the outdoors and loves biking and kayaking. Other interests include flipping old furniture, painting projects and amateur woodworking.
Jennifer Jennings
Marketing & Development Support
Jennifer Jennings grew up in Fairfield County, Connecticut. In 2002, her family changed their lives when they purchased a 400-acre dairy farm in Montgomery County, New York. Jennifer holds a Masters Degree from London School of Economics and Political Science, where her focus was on placemaking, a practice that connects people to each other and the places they call home.
Jennifer has worked in the nonprofit realm for both local and international organizations for nearly 30 years. Throughout her career, she has spoken at state and national conferences, led trainings on communication and community-building, and worked with nonprofits to share their stories with the world through nonprofit marketing, communication, and fundraising.
Jennifer lives in Fort Johnson with her partner and two nearly grown sons (19 and 22). The family loves to travel, cook, and spend nights out at local trivia.
Board of Directors
Mark & Terri Little
Founders, Board President and Secretary
Mark, former GE CTO and Senior VP of GE Global Research Center, brings decades of experience in technology, leadership and operations. Terri, who is passionate about education, is an active community leader. Mark and Terri founded and operate their own family foundation, while making an impact in their own community. Rise High is grateful for their commitment to students in Schenectady.
Andrea Schmitz
Vice President
Shane Bargy
Treasurer
Angela Trudell
Board Member
Angie is a former GE Human Resource executive with decades of global experience in industrial, hi-tech and financial sectors. Skilled at partnering human resources with wide variety of stakeholders in transforming organizations and balancing business and employee advocacy. Experienced in strategic portfolio shifts, coaching, talent acquisition/development, HR service delivery, and compliance. She was instrumental in guiding and inspiring a generation of leaders through their career and introducing creative HR models to optimize the impact of the organization.
Angie loves spending time with her family & friends, summers at the Jersey shore, reading, cooking, and volunteering.
Jeannine Plis
Board Member
Staff and Volunteers
We have an amazing team that keeps things rolling! This group includes local scientists, educators, college students and professionals in various fields of science, and dedicated volunteers that simply love children! Our people engage in various roles that include, but are not limited to…
- managing all technical planning that supports computer-aided curricula
- guiding curriculum development alongside local experts who deliver current and highly relevant content
- supporting student engagement
- weekly mentoring of students assigned to each grade cohort represented
- planning and distribution of weekly meals for our students during session
We could not do it without them!
If you are interested in volunteering with Rise High, contact contact@risehighstem.org. Check out our Open Positions page to see employment and volunteer opportunities.
You must be logged in to post a comment.