Board
Terry Bienstock
President and Co-Founder
One of the nation’s most experienced and respected communications attorneys and media executives, Terry is also an entrepreneur, simultaneously founding Mobilactive Media, which introduced mobile marketing and advertising into the North American market, and WorldExtend, which offers cloud computing desktop solutions and application publishing for small and mid-size businesses. Currently, he is in a venture to produce television shows with David Zucker, and is an advisor to various digital video companies and content search engines. Bienstock previously served as the top cable lawyer in the United States as executive vice president and general counsel, law and government affairs, for Comcast Cable Communications. He was a member of the Rutgers Board of Overseers for almost 20 years, and is involved with other charitable and educational endeavors. Bienstock has been interested in space and astronomy since childhood.
Susan Harder
Vice President and Co-Founder
Since moving to East Hampton in 1996, Susan Harder recognized the importance of preserving one of the East End’s most important natural resources: its dark skies. Consequently, Susan founded the Dark Sky Society and, as the NY State Representative of the International Dark Sky Association, has tirelessly worked to establish regulations and guidelines to protect the night sky from the effects of light pollution caused by excessive and misdirected lighting. She frequently delivers educational lectures about the deleterious impact of light pollution and what we can do about it. Susan is a former New York City art curator and namesake gallery owner; she represented, and exhibited the photographs of Andre Kertesz, Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, William Clift, Ansel Adams, and Sylvia Plachy.
David Larkin
Executive Board Member
David is managing Director of the Loft Group - Digital Distribution Content and Commerce which owns, manages and invests in unique entrepreneurial companies that are at the forefront of change in traditional industries. He is also on the Board of Directors of Trickle Up,an innovative group that helps the world's poorest people start businesses thorough micro grants and business training. In the last 25 years, Trickle Up has started over 125,000 businesses in more than 90 countries
Sean Tvelia
Executive Board Member
Sean recieved his B.S. From SUNY Oneonta (Chemistry) and his M.S. from SUNY Stony Brook (Hydrogeology). He currently teaches Geology and Chemistry in Suffolk County Community College's department of Physcial Science. Sean is also acitve in the Astronomy program at SCC, often organizing and lecturing at SCCCs many open nights. He also acquired and maintains the college's robotic observatory located in Riverhead and is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Staff
Hamptons Observatory Board of Advisors
The role of the Hamptons Observatory Advisory Board is to assist the Executive Board in ensuring the affectiveness and proper functionality of the Hamptons Observatory.
Dava Sobel - Author of Longitude, Galileo's Daughter, The Planets, and AMore Perfect Heaven
Eva Growney - Graduate of RISD, European Honors, a conservationist, the AIA Peconic Chapter Chair of Preservation, and Director for AIA 150 Blueprint for America "The Duck Project"
Michael Inglis Ph.D. - Author and Professor at SCCC , NASA Solar System Ambassador, Fellow Royal Astronomical Society
Alan Rice - American Museum of Natural History
Joseph Malave - Science Teacher at Montauk Public School, Nasa Educational Unit Teaching Coordinator
Deane Peterson Ph.D. - Associate Professor Emeritus, Astronomy Stony Brook University
Matthew Putman Ph.D. - Scientist, educator, musician and film/stage producer. Putman currently serves as the CEO of Nanotronics Imaging, which provides ultra high-resolution images for industry and science.
Donna L. McCormick - President, Custer Institute, Inc., 2007-2012; VP, Scientific Consultant Services, Inc.; writer
Jeffrey Owen Katz, Ph.D - President, Scientific Consultant Services, Inc.; Board member, Observatory Research Director, Custer Institute, Inc., 2004 - 2012; publications incl. Encyclopedia of Trading Strategies