Sheryl Christy Gilmore, the Executive Director and Owner of AIO, is beginning her 28th season. For 15 years, Sherry taught and directed environmental education programs in southern Maine. She received her B.A. & teaching certification from Kalamazoo College in Michigan. Other experiences include classroom teaching, teacher training and teaching marine biology, navigation and sailing on Puget Sound. Sherry has taught marine science in the local schools, written curriculum for classroom teachers and taught the NWF’s CLASS Project. She is PADI certified and runs AIO’s Jamaica, Belize, Bermuda and Florida programs. Her interests include marine mammals, coastal ecology, music and her family.

 

Jim Gilmore, Associate Director/Owner of AIO, is Associate Professor of Screen Studies at the University of Michigan- Dearborn. Jim works mostly behind the scenes in the summer with advertising & administration. He holds a B.A. from Kalamazoo College and M.A. from the University of Iowa in Film. Jim is an award winning documentary filmmaker and the President of Acadia Pictures. He is currently filming a documentary project focusing on Detroit’s alternative economy. Other recent projects have included videos for Tamoka State Park, the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, and the documentary “Saving Face.”

 

Kathy Dubbs returns as the AIO Co-Director for her 23rd summer. With a B.A. in Biology from Kalamazoo College in Michigan and a M.S. in Geology from Stephen F. Austin University in Texas, Kathy is currently teaching Geology and Oceanography at Blinn College in Bryan, Texas. She has spent several years teaching marine studies and env. education in a variety of ecosystems. Previously a teacher/ program director for an environmental center in New England as well as an instructor of tropical marine ecology in Florida, Kathy also teaches in the Jamaica, Belize, Bermuda and Florida programs. She is also PADI & Life Guard certified. Her interests include hiking, running, birding and wildlife conservation. Each spring, she and her husband, Tim, volunteer for the National Park Service patrolling for nesting sea turtles along the Texas Gulf Coast.

 

Timothy Dubbs is joining us for his 17th summer as the Co-Director. He has a B.S. in Environmental Geology from the U. of Mississippi, a M.S. in Environmental Science and a B.A. in Anthropology from the U. of Texas, Dallas. Tim has taught and directed in science field programs in New York and Texas. He is currently a core teacher at Houston's ISD's Outdoor Education Center where he has spent more than 20 years. Additionally, he has been a classroom science teacher within the Texas public school system. Tim devotes much time and effort to environmental issues including sea turtle conservation and wilderness preservation. He has research experience in alpine ecology at UTD field camp in Colorado, habitat survey and restoration in Wyoming and has studied at the Black Hills geology field camp. With an interest in mountaineering, he has completed successful ascents of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Aconcagua in the Argentine Andes. He is a PADI certified scuba diver and a YMCA trained lifeguard. Tim is a blues music aficionado, has skydiving experience, and also has interest in flying in historic aircraft and auto racing.

 

Peter Mortensen has a Masters Degree in Anthropology and Quaternary Paleoecology from the Univ. of Minnesota. In addition to teaching at AIO for 12 summers, he is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Earth Science at Richland Community College in Decatur, IL. Between graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1992 and entering graduate school at the University of Minnesota in 2000, Peter worked at organizations such as the Deep Portage Conservation Reserve in Minnesota, the Dahlem Env. Ed. Center in Michigan, the Desert Sun Science Center in California and the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School in Oregon. Peter has an extensive background in emergency medicine and rescue, having worked as an EMT and as on-site medic for outdoor education programs, where he also trained wilderness trip leaders in first aid and emergency care. Peter has participated in archaeological excavations in both the U.S. and the Czech Republic and spent several weeks in Siberia. His next adventure will take him to Iceland in pursuit of another advanced degree.

Matt Lubicky will return for his 8th summer after spending the last school year working for Houston ISD Outdoor Education Center. Matt has a B.A. and B.S. from UNH with degrees in English and Marine/Freshwater Biology, respectively. He’ll be returning this fall to begin work on a PhD where he’ll study sex change in Black Sea Bass. He has conducted research on the Atlantic Cod stock in the Gulf of Maine and studied at SEA Semester, sailing from Honolulu to San Francisco while completing research on phytoplankton in the Pacific. Matt has worked for the AIO Florida Career Seminar, as a substitute teacher and a volunteer/tutor at 826 NYC’s Superhero Supply Co. In his free time, Matt enjoys just about everything from Ultimate Frisbee to photography. But he’s an avid ping pong player and has played in at least one tournament.

 

Alison Kelly is returning to AIO for her 6th summer. She graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. in Biology and her M.S. in Science Education from Hofstra University. Currently, Alison is teaching ecology and physical science at Babylon High School. To say that Alison loves travel is an understatement! She has been to France, New Zealand, Hawaii, Bermuda, Jamaica and Peru on an Ecological Field Studies program. Besides her summers, she has also taught in the AIO Belize program. She and her husband, David Knuffke – also a former staff member (and their hairless cat) live on Long Island.

 

Becky Reese will be joining us for her 6th summer as well at AIO. Becky is a graduate of Texas A & M with a degree in Recreation Park and Tourism Sciences. During the school year, she is a science lab teacher at Mark Twain IB World School in Houston. Becky spent several years in environmental education with middle and high school students, four of those at Houston ISD Outdoor Education Center. Becky recently traveled to Peru because she loves to backpack, hike, bike and paddle. She’s looking forward to escaping the Texas heat for the Maine coast!

 

Rita Salinas will join us for her third summer at AIO. Rita has her B.A. from Stephen F. Austin University in Texas in Spanish and kinesiology. She currently teaches upper level Spanish classes and coaches several sports. She also acts as the district translator. Rita spent five years as a teacher at Houston ISD Outdoor Education Center in Texas. A few summers were spent working for the scouts as a Nature Director and Group leader in California and New Mexico. Bilingual in Spanish and English, her interests include hiking, running, snowboarding, photography and travel. Welcome, Rita!

 

Kelley Stephens joins our staff for her 2nd summer after spending the school year teaching for Sound to Sea on the southern outer banks of North Carolina. . Kelley has her B.S. in Marine Science from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. Prior to her time in California teaching Marine Science and Island Ecology, Kelley was an instructor at Harbor Discoveries through the New England Aquarium, a volunteer with Ocean Conservancy, a research assistant with various dolphin projects in Florida and New Zealand, spent a summer at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and sailed from Boston to the Virgin Islands with the Ocean Classrooms Foundation. Kelley is also a certified Lifeguard and diver.

 

Megan Begley also returns for her 2nd summer at AIO and is a graduate of the University of Maine, Machias with a B.S. in Marine Biology. Currently, Meg has been working for the ISD Houston Outdoor Education center during the school year. She has also worked as an instructor at Newfound Harbor Marine Institute where she taught school groups about the ecology of southern Florida. During college, Megan spent a couple of summers working in Alaska as an Interpreter at the Alaska SeaLife Center and collecting data for the National Marine Fishery Service and NOAA on fishing vessels. Megan is also a certified PADI diver and Lifeguard, and her outside interests include the theatre and belly dancing!

 

Kenneth Pyle is returning for his 4th summer after several summers away. He has his B.A. from Sam Houston State University in Texas in Education and has taught biology in the Houston Public schools in the classroom and Houston ISD environmental education center. Kenneth spends a lot of his free time hiking, camping, kayaking, taking photographs and participating in recreational activities.

 

Anna Kintner returns to us after five years living, working and attending school in Scotland. She has her B.S. in zoology from James Cook University in Cairns, Australia where she studied and published papers on the venom of the box jelly. During her undergraduate years, she also studied at Brandeis, UNH and the Isles of Shoals Marine Lab. She has also received her Professional Graduate Diploma in science education from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. She is returning to Scotland at the end of the summer to continue her PhD studies at the University of St. Andrews. Anna also enjoys hiking, diving and is a very talented fiddler.

 

David Knuffke has also been away from us for many years during which time he has earned a second Masters from SUNY in New York. He adds this to his B.S. in ecology, M.A. in teaching and an Advanced Graduate Certificate all also from SUNY. David has been teaching Biology and Chemistry at Deer Park High School for several years. A highlight for David was spending a month in the Galapagos Islands with Hofstra University. Besides working with the REACH program in NYC, he is a Dept. of Energy ACTS fellow and has been a researcher at Brookhaven National Lab for the past six years.

 

Chris Cayo returns to us for his 3rd summer as a Recreation Staff member. Chris (or CJ as many of us call him) has attended more of the outside Maine AIO programs than anyone. He lives in Miami, Florida in the summer and sometimes winters in Colorado so he can partake in two of his favorite past times: diving and skiing. He has worked with injured youth for several years.

 

Gayle Starratt joins us for her first summer at the AIO nurse. Gayle has worked as an RN in several hospitals in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, including Cape Cod Hospital, Emerson Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital amongst others. She has also worked home health care, residential care and, most recently, at Falmouth Public Schools. We’re looking forward to having her with us this summer!

 

Chris Greves will be the Head Cook this year. Chris attended Johnson and Wales University as well as the Southern Maine Technical Institute to study culinary arts and playing soccer. He spent 9 summers cooking for Camp Vega and several years coaching soccer and basketball. Chris is also the proud parent of a 13 year old gifted math student daughter. We’re looking forward to him demonstrating all of his talents for us this summer.

 

Grace Gilmore will join us for her 4th year and her 2nd year as the Cook’s Helper. She is a recent graduate of Pioneer High School and will be attending Kalamazoo College in Michigan starting in the fall. She has spent a lot of her free time in the theatre, mostly on stage but also loves to read and write so she’ll study both in college. Lottie Broadway also returns to work in the kitchen this summer as the dishwasher and the Cook’s Helper later in the summer. Lottie also just graduated from Pioneer High School and will be a student at Western Michigan University studying law and psychology. Her favorite color is purple and she loves to laugh!

 

We have 3 former students who will be the staff interns this year. Genna Black is now a student at Maine Maritime Academy pursuing her dream of Marine Biology and Small Vessel Operations. She’s a graduate of Belfast High and the daughter of a lobster fisherman so she’s got sea water flowing through her veins. Allison Rolfe is currently a student at University of Tampa where she is majoring in Marine Biology. At school, she is a member of the Biological Honors Society and ELITE (Educating Leaders). Allison is a certified Life Guard and has also volunteered at UNE’s Animal Rehab Program. Finally, Eric Boodman will join us before beginning his studies at Yale University. Eric is an avid birder and has worked at the Long Point Bird Observatory. In addition to his humanitarian work, Eric is a violinist and freelance writer.