Our Staff Members
Marc Alessi, Executive Director
Marc Alessi is an attorney and startup entrepreneur, he brings to his role at the Tesla Science Center years of experience in the not-for-profit sector serving as the Executive Director of the Business Incubator Association of New York State, as a board member of Peconic Bay Medical Center and Northwell Health, a former board member of the East End Arts Council, Nassau Suffolk Law Services and the Long Island Power Authority….
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As a former New York State Legislator, Mr. Alessi was instrumental in securing an $850,000 grant from New York State to help preserve the Tesla property, this grant which required a match and was the impetus of the world record-breaking crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo which raised $1.4 Million in six weeks from 108 countries and 33,000 investors around the world. Mr. Alessi has helped to launch and finance several start-up tech companies and is focused on providing entrepreneurs access to innovation hotspots from around the world. Mr. Alessi’s experience in startup enterprise is key to the launching of operations here at the Center. He sees the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe as an important temple to technology that speaks to the history of innovation, celebrates and promotes the current role of innovation in our lives, and inspires future inventors like Nikola Tesla to embrace science and innovation to change the world.
Douglas Borge, Chief Operating Officer
Douglas has over a decade of not-for-profit leadership experience. At TSCW he oversees the leadership team focused with a focus on strategy and implementation. Douglas is focused on implementing the strategy and working towards TSCW’s vision, building the mission-driven culture, and serves as a key member of the senior leadership team
Tony Zisa, Director of Finance
Tony Zisa brings decades of experience in fiscal technical assistance and financial management to his role as Director of Finance at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe. As Principal of The Business Arts Interest Group, Inc. since 1994, Tony has provided comprehensive fiscal consulting services to a wide range of not-for-profit organizations, including social service agencies, arts organizations, and advocacy groups.
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His expertise spans audit preparation, debt restructuring, cash flow management, and board development. Tony has worked with notable organizations such as Girls Incorporated, the Center for the Advancement of Women, and the Partnership for After School Education, helping them strengthen their financial systems and navigate strategic transitions. His dedication to supporting mission-driven organizations aligns seamlessly with the Tesla Science Center’s goals of preserving Tesla’s legacy and advancing STEAM education.
Danielle Butler, Director of Development
Danielle has 20 years nonprofit management experience and has spent the last 13 years managing her own businesses. Much of this experience is centered in building relationships and creating programs with national, state and community level organizations. She has worked with over 300 cross-sector organizations including The America’s Promise Alliance, KaBOOM!, CVS, ING, Capital One, and many others. Her experience in brokering and building relationships has helped organizations realize the unique gifts that they can share with others…
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Her work in the youth engagement field helped organizations authentically involve young people as change agents, and her focus on building community recognition programs brought much needed attention to the hard and often-time, thankless work being done in communities all over the United States. A mother of 3, she has been an active local volunteer and spent the last 8 years on various PTA governing bodies. She bakes in her free time and runs an online bakery called The Bite Size Bake Shop—specializing in the creation and delivery of gourmet mini treats, and teaching classes to youth and adults privately and through our local library system. Ms. Butler has both a Master’s in Public Administration with a focus on Social and Education Policy and her Bachelor of Science in Government from Cornell University.
Connor Flanagan, Collections Manager
Connor Flanagan started at the Tesla Science Center in January 2021 as a volunteer advisor for the History & Collections Committee assisting in the establishment of TSCW’s Collection Policy. In February 2022 he joined the team at the Collections Manager to help with the growing collection. Connor has 6 years of professional museum experience primarily focused on the historic preservation of both buildings and objects…
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Outside of museum work Connor enjoys listening to his vinyl record collection.
Ed Wilson, Director of Amateur HAM Radio
Ed Wilson was licensed as an amateur radio operator back in 1993 and was issued the call sign N2XDD. After a near twenty-year hiatus to focus on his career in law enforcement and to start a family, Ed rejoined the ham radio community, eager to catch up and communicate. His interests in radio include emergency communications, home brewing, and digital modes. Ed currently serves as Community Manager for the M17 Project, a new open source digital radio protocol. ..
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He is also the Vice President of Suffolk County Radio Club, Long Island’s oldest club. Ed has been granted the exciting opportunity to establish a radio club at TSCW that focuses on diversity and inclusion for the next generation of ham radio operators. He looks forward to joining a team of like-minded individuals to shape the future of radio.
Jeffrey Velez, IT Services
Jeffrey Velez has been actively involved as a volunteer at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe for nearly a decade. Jeff is dedicated to helping transform Nikola Tesla’s last remaining lab into a museum and global science center. He wears many hats as a TSCW volunteer and assists with any type of work he can get his hands on. Jeff uses his tech skills and Tesla knowledge to support…
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TSCW operations. He’s very excited to be a founding member of the newly established Tesla Science Center amateur radio club!
Margaux Serocki, Administrative Assistant
Margaux brings a unique blend of expertise to TSCW as the ideal first point of contact. With a degree in Communications and extensive experience in customer relations and office management across diverse industries, she ensures seamless interactions and exceptional support for all who engage with the organization. Headshot coming soon.
Kelly Javidi, Development Assistant & CRM ManagerKelly Javidi is a dedicated nonprofit leader with over a decade of professional and volunteer experience in organizational development, operations, and strategic management. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education and is a New York-certified teacher, bringing a strong foundation in leadership, communication, and program development.
read more Throughout her career, Kelly has worked in various capacities, including development, operations, administrative management, and CRM systems, ensuring efficiency and impact across organizations. Passionate about education and community engagement, she continues to contribute her expertise to drive meaningful change.
Michael Caprio, Volunteer Coordinator
Mike Caprio is a technologist with artistic and philosophical tendencies who believes in the ideals of Nikola Tesla and the mission and vision of Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe. His computer science education at Worcester Polytechnic Institute followed the hands-on, cross-discipline, project-based values of the WPI Plan, shaping him into a well-rounded engineer.
read more Mike’s career has taken him down many different roads, from startups to Fortune 50 companies, but his most fulfilling work has always been centered on community organization and producing public and educational programs and events. Over five years at the American Museum of Natural History, he revolutionized scientist and staff research through hackathon collaborations with nearly 2,000 external technologists. He also led the volunteer organization Space Apps NYC for NASA’s Space Apps Challenge, growing that community to over 3,000 members. Now, as Volunteer Coordinator at TSCW, Mike applies this experience to strengthen community engagement, expand volunteer programs, and create impactful educational initiatives that support the center’s mission.
