About Us & Our Staff

Outstanding, Experienced Staff

Leadership team-Our directors average more than 12 years of experience

The Musiker Family has directed award winning, well supervised, educational summer programs for teenagers for over 40 years. Each campus has its own Discovery leadership team of experienced directors, knowledgeable academic advisors, and dedicated resident counselors. Our on-campus administrative staff is the most experienced in the pre-college field — nobody else comes close.

Terrific Teachers

Classes are taught by college professors, graduate teaching instructors, top secondary school teachers, artisans and professionals. Most classes are small and interactive, making learning meaningful and fun.

Resident Counselors / R.C. Groups

Our Resident Counselors are mature, enthusiastic upperclassmen, graduates, and teachers from leading universities. Many are Summer Discovery alumni, and all attend our intensive On-Campus Orientation prior to the program. R.C.’s live next to students in the residence halls, (several R.C.’s per floor), to ensure a smooth transition to college living.

All R.C.’s are over 21 years of age and non-smokers. For a more supportive and personalized program, students are divided into small R.C. groups of approximately 10-12, with their own Resident Counselor. Frequent R.C. group meetings provide an environment for social and academic interaction and adjustment.

Program Leadership

Bob Musiker
Executive Director

Bob is a founder of Summer Discovery. He earned his BA in Political Science at Colgate University, studied communications at UCLA, debating and literature at Cambridge and music at the University of Madras, India.

32nd year
Jimmy Musiker
Executive Director

A founder of Summer Discovery, he has traveled and studied all over the world, including Asia, India & Cambridge University in England. Jim earned his BA in Political Science from Hobart College.

30th year
Wil Burns-Garcia
Director of Operations

Wil was born in Puerto Rico, raised in Evanston, Illinois and earned his BS in Economics and Teacher’s Certificate from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

17th year
Neal Chervin
Director of Enrollment

Neal earned his BA in Communications at Queens College, NY; Certification in College Counseling, UC San Diego & has traveled extensively within US and overseas.

31st year
Shari Siegel
Personnel Director

Shari is in charge of hiring several hundred staff each summer. For 10 years, she taught in Rochester, New York. She earned her BA at SUNY Cortland and her MA at SUNY Brockport.

11th year
Ron Jones
Director

Ron received his BA from the University of Maryland in Criminology and was a fraud investigator and security consultant in the insurance industry.

17th year
Jenn Tsivitis
Director

Jenn earned her BA in Communications and Marketing from Palm Beach Atlantic University and is currently working on a Master's in School Counseling at Long Island University.

8th year.
Laura Corrigan
Director

Laura received her BS in Psychology from New York Institute of Technology. She also earned a Certificate in Pastry Arts from the Art Institute of NYC.

9th year.
Rouel Belleza
Director

Born in the Philippines, raised in California, he received his BS in Social Science from the Cal. State Polytechnic University, and his MA from Boston University. Rouel works as an Assistant Principal in Georgia.

17th year
Ellie Belleza
Director

Ellie received a BS in Communications Studies from the University of Central Florida. She is a certified Speech Pathologist and mother to two boys.

17th year
Tom Fuchs
Director

Tom is a Professor at SUNY Cortland. He is a certified American Red Cross Lifeguard Trainer and received his BS and MS in Physical Education from the State University of New York at Cortland.

24th year
Jonathan Shulman
Director

Jonathan earned his BA at Tufts University and his MA at King’s College London. He is now the Chairman of the history department at La Jolla Country Day School in San Diego.

17th year
Andy Kornblatt
Director

Andy is an expert in college admissions. He earned his BA from Harvard and his Law degree from Boston College School of Law. He is Dean of Admissions at the Georgetown University Law Center.

18th year
Jose Garcia
Director

José earned his BA in History from Cal State Northridge. He is currently a teacher for PUC Charter Schools in Los Angeles, where he also coaches soccer. José is fluent in Spanish.

9th year
Dan Simmons
Director

Dan earned his BS in Physical Education and MS in Adaptive Physical Education from SUNY Cortland. Dan is certified in First Aid and CPR, teaches, and coaches football and baseball in Canastota, NY.

23rd year
Amy Simmons
Director

Amy received her BS in Mathematics from SUNY Cortland and Masters in Special Education from Sage Graduate School. She is a high school teacher and varsity volleyball coach in upstate New York.

20th year
Sam Berey
Director

Sam graduated with a BS in History and Social Studies Education from NYU. He lived in Costa Rica, where he taught English and Social Studies at The Country Day School. He now teaches in Florida.

7th year
Victor Luna
Director

Victor received his BA in Business Economics at Cal State Long Beach, and his Master’s in Social Work from USC. He is a school Social Worker for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

11th year
Christy Booth
Director

Christy received her BA in English and Psychology from U. of Michigan. She is currently pursuing an MA from Michigan State University and teaching language arts to eighth grade students in Birmingham, MI.

8th year
Ann Carman
Director

Ann earned her BA in Communications from Western Kentucky University and her Masters in Education/Student Affairs Administration from Clemson University.

8th year
Ed Healy
Director

Born in Denver, raised in New Hampshire, Ed earned his BA in Biology from the University of Kansas and his Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law School. Ed attended Summer Discovery as a high school student.

6th year
Tim Hoke
Director

Tim earned his BS in Secondary Education/Math from York College of Pennsylvania and has worked for 8 years as a math teacher in Pennsylvania.

11th year
Kathleen Lombardo
Director

Kathleen received her BS in Childhood Education from SUNY Cortland and an MA from NYU. She is currently the Director of Youth Programs at a Non-Profit Organization in New York City.

7th year
Shannon Davies
Director

Shannon received her BA from Wagner College, her MA in American Studies from George Washington University; and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. Shannon has taught for The Princeton Review for a decade.

8th year
Rodney Monbrum
Director

Rodney graduated from Eastern Illinois U with a BS in Physical Education, and is studying for his Master’s in Educational Administration. He has been a P.E. teacher, athletic director and varsity basketball coach.

3rd year
Doug van der Vossen
Director

Doug received his BS from Frostburg State and his MBA from Robert Morris University. He is a high school teacher in Maryland and is pursuing his MA in ESOL from U of Maryland.

11th year
Greg Sewell
Director

Greg earned his BA in Education and teaching certification from SUNY Cortland and now teaches sixth grade in a middle school in Suffolk County, New York.

8th year
Brantley Turner-Bradley
Director

Brantley, the founder of China Prep, graduated with a BA in East Asian Studies from Brown University plus grad work at Beijing Language/Culture U. She speaks fluent Mandarin.

7th year

Associate Directors and Administrators

Karen Tarantino
Campus Administrator & Office Manager

BS, Adelphi University

14th year
Susan Kornick
International Admissions

BA, University of Wisconsin

3rd year
Helene Korman
Associate Campus Administrator

BS, SUNY Oneonta

11th year
Mike Musiker
Director of College Counseling

BA, Northeastern U.
MS, Columbia University

46th year
Eileen Cohen
Business Manager

BBA, Baruch College

25th year
Arthur Giordano
Travel Coordinator

BA, City College of New York

15th year
Lori Widelec
Associate Director and
Recruiting Director

BA, SUNY Stony Brook

7th year
Stacey Todisco
Associate Director

BA, SUNY Buffalo

11th year
Nicole Coviello
Associate Director

BS, University of Tennessee
MA, University of Memphis

6th year
Maureen McCann
Associate Director

BA, College of Saint Rose

M.Ed, Fitchburg State

M.Ed, Endicott College

7th year
Jesse Candelario
Associate Director

BA, Hofstra University

2nd year
Lexi Lepler
Associate Director of
Int'l Programs

BA, Macalester College

2nd year
Allison Pendleton
Associate Director of Int'l Programs

BA, Colgate University

MST, Fordham University

2nd year
Helene Michael
Associate Director

BA, Dean College

3rd year
Sean Grady
Associate Director

BA, Salford University
Cert. of Ed., Cambridge U
MS, London University

22nd year
Jodi Kaplan
Associate Director

B.S. Penn State University

M.Ed. Rutgers University

5th year
Ethan Goodman
Associate Director

B.A. University of Maryland

M.A.T. Towson University

4th year
Dave Payne
Associate Director

BS, University of California, San Diego

5th year
Ann Liu
Associate Director

BA, Shanghai University

7th year
Audrey Palmen
Program Consultant

BA, University of St. Thomas

1st year