Our Board of Directors

I grew up in Michigan, studying journalism at Central Michigan University, where I was a full-time reporter and editor on the school newspaper. I had a short run in the political world as a committee aide in the Michigan House of Representatives before going to photography school at the International Center of Photography. I have practiced photography as an artist ever since studying at the ICP and worked commercially for many years as an architectural photographer. I was on the faculty of the New York School of Interior Design for eight years, teaching graduate and undergraduate students. In 2017 my wife, Laura, and I relocated to Montpelier where we live quite happily and are raising our son, Emerson, who thrived at Turtle Island and is now an alumnae! Since moving to Vermont I have been involved with Burlington City Arts, and currently serve as BCA's Photography Studio Manager. In addition to managing BCA's digital and black-and-white photo labs, I teach adult photo classes and summer arts camps for kids.

Becca Gentile is a special educator and 504 coordinator at Montpelier High School. She has a BA in biology from Colorado College and an MBA from Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder. She previously worked at LivelyHoods, a small international nonprofit in Kenya but changed careers when she realized that teaching was her passion. Becca lives in Montpelier with her partner and three children: Sage, Kade, and Juniper.

David Hershey is a Family Support Home Visitor and Parents as Teachers Parent Educator with the Family Center of Washington County. He has a BA in Public Policy from Duke University and previously taught middle and high school Social Studies in Vermont, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. David lives in East Montpelier with his wife and three children.

Jennifer Rotblatt works as an Administrative Services Coordinator at the State of Vermont Department of Vermont Health Access. She has almost 15 years of executive-level administrative support experience in Olympia, Washington and Vermont within the non-profit, private, and public sectors. Jennifer lives in Berlin with her husband and two children.

I am a retired pediatrician from Burlington, VT and grandmother of several current students and graduates. Turtle Island is a wonderful unique children’s center and I am excited to be able to help it grow and continue to serve local children and families.

As a parent and community member, Emma is passionate about providing quality childcare and wants to do everything she can to help bring our mission to life. She received her Master of Science in Leadership from Norwich University in 2021. Her expertise includes training and development, leadership best practice, and worksite wellness. Emma's career has spanned across various sectors, including special education, higher education enrollment management, and worksite wellness programs. Her work has brought her worldwide to places such as Vietnam, Sweden, Latvia, and Norway. Emma lives in Barre with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Summers Long works as an Asbestos Inspector at Asbestos Inspections of Vermont. Prior to starting this company in 2020, he worked as an Environmental Consultant/Scientist in North Carolina. He has a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, with a minor in Geology. He lives in Montpelier with his wife and two children.

Brian Senecal works as an Operations and Project Manager for Kroll Business Services where he oversees the implementation of a variety of technology solutions in the Enterprise Architecture group. He has previously worked for ABC News, The Blackstone Group, Angelo, Gordon & Co., and as a middle school English and assistant Special Education teacher. He holds a BS in Journalism from Boston University and lives in East Montpelier with his wife and daughter.