Tolga Yildirim – GFTSE Programs Manager, Izmir, Turkey

Tolga has a B.S. in Astronomy and Space Sciences from Ege University and is currently pursuing a B.A. in Business Administration. He worked for Space Camp Turkey from 2000-2002 as a counselor.

Tolga joined Global Friendship Through Space Education in 2002 and is responsible for managing the organization’s scholarship program and the Partner School Science Program.

Marilyn Kirby Anderson – PSSP U.S. Schools Coordinator, New York, USA

Marilyn has been working with NYC Middle School Students for over ten years. As director of the Student Urban Farming Project, often using the Distance Learning Video Classroom, she has helped many schools build and maintain their outdoor Garden Classrooms and Indoor Hydroponics projects. While working on a Space Farming project with a NY school involved in the Partner School Science Project, she went to Space Camp Turkey for the first time and has been hooked on Global Friendship ever since.

Scott Woodham – Director of Marketing & Public Relations, Izmir, Turkey

Project Manager for Space Camp Turkey 1997-2000. Director of Space Camp Turkey 2000-2001. Retired Major, U.S. Air Force, with over 26 years in management, public relations, marketing, and journalism. BA in Journalism, San Jose State University, California; M.S. in Management, Troy State University, Alabama. Returned to Turkey in February 2005 to undertake his present position at Space Camp Turkey.

Beth Mitchell Gencel - Program Advisor, Izmir, Turkey

Started working for Space Camp Alabama in 1996 as a counselor for 2 years after graduating from the University of Louisville with a BS in Political Science.

In 1999, started working at Space Camp California in a managerial role. In 2000, was promoted as the International Space Camp Foundation representative to help Space Camp Turkey with its opening. Stayed with Space Camp Turkey after being offered the position of Program Advisor.

Beth assists Global Friendship Through Space Education with the scholarship program in select countries.

Matthew Danner - US Regional Advisor

Matthew is a senior at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee currently pursuing a major in Biology and Chemistry with a minor in Secondary Education.  He will graduate with a teaching license in December of 2009.  Attending US Space Camp as a student from 1999-2004, he joined the Space Camp Turkey staff as a counselor in 2005.

Matthew has assisted Global Friendship since 2005 by helping to organize Astronaut and Cosmonaut visits, recruit new partner schools at national educational conferences, and act as a local contact for current partner schools in the southern US.