The BSEF is a volunteer, not-for-profit corporation, incorporated under the laws of the State of New York and registered with the Office of the New York State Attorney General, Bureau of Charities and has a 501(c)(3) designation by the IRS. This organization's success is due to the dedicated group of volunteers that donate their time, energy and skills to raising and distributing funds for educational enrichment outside the realm of the daily operational needs of the Ballston Spa Central School District.
If you or someone you know would be interesting in serving on the Ballston Spa Education Foundation Board, please contact Ellen Mottola at 885-3715 , emottola@nycap.rr.com. We are always interested in adding board members with their skills, talents and enthusiasm. Our monthly meetings are at 7:00 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month and are held at the District Office at 70 Malta Avenue. If you would like to be a volunteer, without joining the board, please contact Ellen at the above phone number or email address.
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Cheryl Sovern, Chair
Cheryl is an attorney at the law firm of DuCharme, Harp & Clark, LLP, practicing in the areas of labor & employment, civil litigation and matrimonial/family law matters. She is a graduate of Albany Law School. She is the Vice-President/President-elect of the Adirondack chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Saratoga County Bar Association and the Schenectady County Bar Association. She is the past president and treasurer of the Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary. She is also the Secretary for the Ballston Spa High School Ice Hockey booster club. Cheryl and her husband, Chuck, have two children Amanda (BSHS ‘05) and Andrew (BSHS ‘12). Cheryl joined the board in October, 2007 and is the current chair of the Grants Review Committee.
Kelly Pilkey, Vice Chair
Kelly has been a resident of Ballston Spa for 12 years and is new to the Ballston Spa Educational Foundation. Kelly is employed by Glens Falls Hospital as the Manager of a grant-funded health education and outreach program to improve the health of communities in the Northeast Region of New York State. Kelly and her husband have one child in the Ballston Spa school district and is currently serving as an officer in the Malta Avenue PTA.
Andrew Menzie, Secretary
After spending sixteen years teaching, coaching, and supervising a dorm in boarding schools in Connecticut and southern New York, Andy became a proud member of the Social Studies department at Ballston Spa High School in 2006. He currently teaches Global History 9, U.S. History, and Participation in Government. He lives in the district with his wife, a math teacher at Amsterdam and FMCC. Their son Gil graduated last year from Ballston Spa, and is now studying nursing at Waynesburg University. Their son Doug is currently a senior at BSHS. Andy has been on the BSEF board since 2007.
Cynthia Young, Treasurer
Cynthia , a self employed bookkeeper, has on the BSEF board since 2006. She lives with her husband, Doug, in Malta and her three children, Jim, Andy and Emily, are all graduates of Ballston Spa High School. Cynthia is Chairperson of the Malta Youth Commission and a member of the Malta Sunrise Rotary.
Martina Bantham
Martina has been a resident of Ballston Spa since 1991. She works for State Farm Insurance as a Credit Union Branch Supervisor. She is a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.S. in Accounting. Martina has a son who graduated from Ballston Spa High School in 2011, and another in the class of 2016. Martina has been on the board since September 2003, and has served as secretary and Grand Review committee chair. She enjoys spending time in the Adirondacks and New England hiking, skiing, and camping with her family.
Tim Bantham
Tim is employed as an Underwriter for State Farm Insurance in Malta, NY. A resident of the district since 1991, Tim has a step-son who graduated from Ballston Spa High School in 2011 and a son who is a member of the class of 2016. He is a graduate of Stockton State College in Pomona, NJ with a degree in Business Management. Tim joined the BSEF Board in September 2011. He is an avid skier, hiker, and triathlete. Tim also serves as an active member of the Saratoga Triathlon Club.
Graig Carbino
Graig joined the BSEF Board in September 2009. He is a 2002 graduate of BSHS. Graig graduated from Siena College in 2006 with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing/Management and is working on his MS in Adolescence Education at the College of St. Rose. He works as a Senior Staffing Specialist for Manpower, Inc. in Albany, NY. Graig is a resident of Ballston Spa and has coached youth soccer in the village since 2006.
James Curley
James is the founder and CEO of the Saratoga Springs, NY based eCommerce development company, Mountain Media. Mr. Curley served on the board of directors for the St. Jude Retreat House, from 2001 thru 2005. James lives with his wife Susan and two children Kira and Hayden in Ballston Spa, NY. He enjoys skiing, hiking and volleyball. Mr. Curley sits on the Strategic Planning Committee and serves as the web developer since joining the BSEF in March of 2006.
Susan “Sue” M. Filburn
Sue is an Associate Budget Analyst for the New York State Division of Budget in Albany. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree from the United States Military Academy and served in the United States Army for eight years, resigning as a Captain. After her military service, Sue attended the Syracuse University Maxwell School earning her Master’s of Public Administration. At present, she serves as Milton Terrace North’s PTA Treasurer, a board member for the Saratoga County Concerned Citizens for Mental Health, a member of Congressman Murphy’s Academy Selection Committee and continues to support West Point in her positions as a Class Advisor and Class Officer. Sue and her husband, Troy, have lived in Ballston Spa for eight years, with their daughter Molly, who is a first grader at MTN. Sue joined the board in 2009.
Don Hillmann
Don is an attorney with the firm Couch White, LLP. He practices in the areas of commercial litigation, commercial transactions, business ventures, and construction law. He is a graduate of Ballston Spa High School (1994), and attended SUNY Plattsburgh (B.A. in Environmental Science). Don graduated from Albany Law School, and is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Albany County Bar Association and the Schenectady County Bar Association. Don also served with the U.S. Marines. He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hiking in the Adirondacks. He lives in Glenville, New York.
Erik LaChance
Erik joined the BSEF Board in September 2007. He is a 2002 graduate of BSHS. Erik graduated from Siena College in 2006 with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing/Management. He works as an Agency Field Specialist at State Farm Insurance in Malta, NY. Erik enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing soccer and traveling. He is a resident of Ballston Spa, NY.
Kim Lambert
Kim joined the BSEF board in September 2007. She is a 1994 graduate of BSHS. Kim is head of the Imprintable Sportswear Division at Walton’s Sport Shop in Saratoga Springs, NY. She received her BS degree from Rochester Institute of Technology in Environmental Management and Technology and is working on her MRP in Urban Planning at the University of Albany. Kim is very active in the Saratoga Springs Junior Chamber, where she was the 2007 Chapter President. She is also on her second year on the National Awards Committee with the United States Junior Chamber, founding member of Junior Chamber International. Kim became Vice Chair of the BSEF in December 2007. She was elected chair May 2008 and is on the grants review and public relations committees.
Ellen Mottola
Ellen chairs the Membership Committee. She has been an active volunteer in Ballston Spa schools, including past PTA president at the Middle School and at Milton Terrace Primary School, past district PTA Council Secretary. She has participated in several district steering and interview committees and currently serves on the Building Leadership Team at Ballston Spa High School. She is the Executive Administrative Assistant for the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association. Ellen and her husband, Bill, have 2 daughters and a son: Amy (BSHS 99), Michael (BSHS 04) and Megan (BSHS 13). Ellen joined the board April 2003.
Christine Richardson
Christine has been a resident of Malta for 12 years. She works for Biogen Idec in pharmeceutical sales. Christine recently was President for the Malta Avenue Intermediate School PTA and still serves on committees. She also participates on the Shared Decision Making Team at Malta Avenue. Christine and her family are active in the Arthritis Foundation. Christine and her husband, Todd, have three children in Ballston Spa Schools. Christine has been a member of the board since November 2007.
Stephan Scribner, CFP®
Stephan has been a resident of Malta for 19 years and grew up in Clifton Park. He works For Ballston Spa National Bank as a Certified Financial Planner. Stephan became a CFP® in 1991 and has 24 years experience assisting clients in the financial services industry. He graduated from Shenendehowa High School, and graduated from The College of Saint Rose with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration/Management. Prior to that he attended and graduated from Paul Smiths College located in the Adirondacks. He has three children Sasha, Ryan, and Nick. Sasha graduated from Ballston Spa school district, and Ryan and Nick are current students in the High school and Middle school. Stephan joined the BSEF board in the Spring of 2010.
Dorothy “Dottie” Sellers
Dottie is an Administrative Assistant at the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, Inc. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree from University of Maryland University College. She is a retiree from the United States Army National Guard in which she served 16 years active duty and 8 years in the Maryland National Guard. Her husband Jim, also a retiree from the U.S. Army is a graduate of Galway High School. At present, she is serving as the Ballston Spa Middle School PTA Secretary and a PTA Council representative. Dottie and her husband, Jim, have lived in Ballston Spa for two years, with their daughter Samantha, who is an eighth grader at BSMS. Dottie joined the board in 2010
Betsy Seplowitz
Laurie Sickles
Laurie joined the Board in the Fall of 2007. She is the vice president of the Milton Terrace South PTA and sits on several of the Foundation's committees as well as chairs The Taste of Ballston committees. Laurie received her B.A. from SUNY Oswego and her Masters in Education from the College of Saint Rose. Laurie is a consultant for Storm King Strategies and lives in Malta with her husband and two daughters.
Valerie Valla
Valerie has taught at Ballston Spa Central School District for 20 years in Science and Family & Consumer Science departments. During summer school she also taught Social Studies and English. She has served as an advisor to various clubs over the years and brought the National Junior Honor Society to the Middle School. Prior to coming to the school, she was the Coordinator of Medical Research and Physician's Continuing Education at Glens Falls Hospital. Valerie earned her Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, Master of Arts and Liberal Studies and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership at SUNY Plattsburgh. She has been a Saratoga County 4-H leader for 23 years. She enjoys various needle crafts, hiking and exploring rivers with her husband while she serves as a photographer for his fly fishing books. Valerie resides in Ballston Spa with her husband, Mike. She has three grown children and two grandchildren. The returns to the BSEF after a few years of hiatus.
Susan Curley - 5k Run Chairperson
Scott Dolan
Dwight McGlynn (senior student)
Megan Mottola (junior student)
