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Staff Members

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

 

 



William Dillon, Director of Finance
William Dillon joined TSCW in 2017 as the Director of Finance and Contracts. Bill comes with 35 years of managing finance and administration areas for large and intermediate-sized international and domestic public and private businesses. Today Bill focuses his energy on read more

non-for-profit financial and compliance planning and mapping to ensure the longevity of TSCW.

 

 



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!

 



Jennifer Rocca, Office Administrator
Jennifer Rocca is a local resident of Wading River, Long Island. Born and raised in Amityville, NY she moved out to Wading River with her husband and two children in 2015.  Graduate of CW Post (Long Island University) for Visual and performing arts. When Jennifer found out she was neighbors with Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe. She was beyond excited to get the opportunity to work with such an amazing organization…
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Her duties include office administrative with proven organizational skills. Excellent communication and people skills with extensive strategic planning capabilities. Social media management and Graphic design for additional support.