Tracy T. Andersen is the Account Clerk for the Town of Dover. She graduated from Iona College with a Bachelor of Science in CMA/Journalism and a Minor in Art History. Tracy is active with her children's classes helping with fundraising and is also the author of the children’s book “Luckiest Matilda”. Tracy and her husband Donn have lived in Dover Plains for 18 years raising their two children; Donny and Abigail. Hobbies and interests include reading, writing, and traveling. Tracy believes DEEP provides educators and students the opportunity to help Dover students explore new avenues of discovery and learning beyond their traditional school experience.
Board Member Bios
Meet the Board...
Annemarie Abrams is the Graduation Coach as well as a bilingual liaison for our Spanish speaking population at Dover High School and a resident of Dover Plains for over 20 years. Annemarie and her husband, longtime local business owner, Renny Jr have two children, Andrew and Alexandra. She is an active member of the community as a board member for the Center of Compassion and a committee member for the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation's Northeast Dutchess Fund. As a graduate of Marymount College with B.A. in Psychology, Annemarie believes DEEP is a way to expose the children of our community to the larger world - to see, touch and listen to things that would otherwise not be a part of their lives.
Valerie Brunow , Valerie Brunow is a 24-year resident of Dover Plains and has been a teacher with the Dover Union Free School District for the past two years. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Education and a Master’s Degree in Literacy, Language and Diversity at Manhattanville College. She currently serves as Board President of Dover Little League and on the School District’s Oversight and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees.
Valerie and her husband, Sean, have two daughters, Sadie and Sloane and she enjoys baking and writing. She believes DEEP enhances education for both educators and students by offering valuable support and expanding educational quality. DEEP learning opportunities go beyond traditional classrooms and foster a culture of lifelong learning that empowers all stakeholders to grow and enrich their educational journeys. As a past DEEP grantee, she believes education enrichment opportunities provided through DEEP not only benefit individuals, but also have a positive impact on the broader community.
Robin Conklin, a lifelong Dover resident, Robin Conklin is a Dover High School graduate and has been employed by the Dover Union Free School District for the past 21 years. Additionally, she serves as the Community Service Advisory for Dover High School helping students connect and complete their 90-hour requirement of community service for graduation. She enjoys reading, travel and spending time with family and friends. Robin and her husband, Scott, live in Dover Plains with their son, Colton, who attends Dover Middle School. She believes DEEP grants "provide opportunities to expose our students to a variety of new experiences and ideas they may never experience through school alone as well as an invaluable enrichment experience."
Erica Drnek is a Special Education Teacher at Dover High School. A graduate of Messiah College, she also earned a Master's of Science degree from Simmons College in Boston. A native of Dover Plains, Erica and her husband, Tom Drnek, are 1995 Dover High School graduates and returned to Dover after they married in 2005. She is a member of the High School AVID Site Team, the High School Leadership team and the District's PTSA. Erica and her husband live in Dover Plains with their three sons, Nolan, Conor and Thomas. She enjoys reading and traveling. Regarding DEEP's benefit for students and the quality of education in our community, she writes, "DEEP provides opportunities to grow their foundational knowledge and skills to keep them engaged and motivated to excel in school and inspire a lifelong journey of learning. My own children have benefited from DEEP projects and I am so appreciative of the opportunities they've been given!
Dr. David Fine, the Superintendent of Schools of the Dover Union Free School District, moved to Dutchess County last year after joining the DUFSD community. David and his wife Christine, along with their children- twin girls Jackie and Leila and son Danny - enjoy a variety of hobbies and interests. Among these are time spent with family, friends, sports and music. Dr. Fine believes DEEP not only is a positive partner for our schools but for our community as well. It provides a collaborative vehicle for our stakeholders to work together to make each day better than the next for our students, staff, and community campus.
Deanna Gonzalez Deanna Gonzalez is the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Staff Development and Technology with the Dover Union Free School District since June 2023. Prior to joining the District, she was a building principal, assistant principal and classroom teacher. A resident of Pleasant Valley, she and her husband, Mario, have two children, Sienna and Samuel. She enjoys travel, walking and reading. Deanna believes DEEP provides opportunities for teachers and students to explore their passions and enrich their education.
Marianne Johnson, a Town of Dover native, is a retired elementary teacher from the Dover Union Free School District.. A Dover High School graduate, she completed a B. S. degree at SUNY Fredonia and a M.S. degree at Western Connecticut State University. Marianne is a former trustee of the Dover Library and a past recipient of the Dover PTSA's Founder's Day Award. She and her husband, James, live in Dover Plains and have two sons, Casey and Collin. To enhance and enrich educational experiences for our children is her hope through serving on the DEEP Advisory Board.
Hon. Bradford Kendall, the Dutchess County Clerk, has resided in Dover Plains with his wife Barbara for 30 years. The father of two Dover alumni (Travis and Stephen), Brad is also a member of the Dover Lions Club and former coach of Dover Little League and youth soccer. Brad enjoys hiking, canoeing and politics. Brad believes that in a small school district it is a must for students to be exposed to experiences that occur both inside and outside the classroom, and DEEP can provide those experiences.
Jennifer Lazarow, is a second grade teacher and grade level coordinator at Wingdale Elementary. Jenn and her family have lived in Dover for 21 years. Jenn and her husband Jonathan have three children- Alex, Taylor and Ryan. An active community member as a volunteer basketball coach through the recreation dept., member of DOC, WESIT and PTSA. She also enjoys planning enriching and engaging activities for our WES students- Read Across America, author visits and school spirit/building activities throughout the year. Jenn believes DEEP has created an overwhelming opportunity for our students in so many ways over the past several years. We have such a strong, passionate and committed community and this organization has created an avenue for bridging the dedication of individuals to providing unique and rewarding experiences for our students at all levels. We always had creative individuals with great ideas and DEEP provided the means to bring those visions to reality.
Sarah Nash, a Dover graduate who has lived in Wingdale for 22 years, is a teacher at Dover Middle School. Along with her teaching certification, Sarah earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Marist and is completing her Master's degree at Marist in Educational Psychology. Sarah thinks that the collaborative efforts of the members of DEEP stem from a genuine appreciation for and value of an endless pursuit of knowledge. She hopes that DEEP will encourage and inspire lifelong learners to seize the opportunity to participate in and lead educational enrichment, within contexts that allow both students and teachers to learn with and from each other.
Katie Palmer-House, Katie has served as the Town of Dover Town Clerk since 2012 and she and her family have lived in Dover Plains for the past 38 years. She has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in psychology and an Ed.D. in Adult Learning and Leadership from Teachers College Columbia University. A parishioner of St. Charles Borromeo Church, she is also the secretary of the Town of Dover Lions Club and serves on the Sharon Hospital Board of Directors and chairs its Community Health Committee. She and her husband have two children and four amazing, funny, talented and precious young grandchildren. Katie envisions the innovative programs funded through DEEP will help ignite students’ passion for lifelong learning in ways that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
Samantha White, Samantha White proudly calls the Town of Dover home. She and her husband, Alton, raised their son here and she works locally as the Plant Administrator for Cricket Valley Energy Center. Samantha is excited to be involved with DEEP. She feels the extra experiences DEEP provides for our children increases their likelihood to find and develop enthusiasm for their passions.
Caroline Williams Caroline Williams, a past president and current DEEP Co-Chairperson, is a Dover Plains resident and former business owner who has lived in the Dover Union Free School District for over 35years. She earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Dutchess Community College, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Education from SUNY Albany, and a Master’s Degree in Education majoring in Community Mental Health from C.W. Post College of Long Island University. Caroline is a member of the Town of Dover Lions Club and serves on the Sight Society of Northeastern New York’s Board of Directors in Albany. She is also a trustee of the Dover Plains Library and a member of the Holmes United Methodist Church. Caroline and her husband, Randolph, are the proud parents of three daughters, LeeAnn, Elizabeth and Abigail, all successful graduates of Dover High School. The time-honored quote of Benjamin Franklin, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” characterizes Caroline’s worldview of DEEP’s benefits for students and the overall quality of education in our community. Caroline believes DEEP grants allow the Dover School Community to involve students in learning through innovative and enriching ways and inspires collaboration and partnerships between educators and students that help foster and cultivate students’ interest in lifelong learning.
Dina Marie Yeno is a graduate of Dover High School (Class of 1982) and graduated from Marist College in 1986 with a B.A. in Communications/Marketing. A Dover Plains resident for the past 45 years, she is an insurance broker at Emery & Webb, Inc. in Dover Plains and also serves as the Town of Dover Tax Collector. Dina and her husband, Rich are proud parents of two daughters who attend Dover High School, Danielle (Class of 2018) and Chelsea (Class of 2019), and are members of the National Senior Honor Society. Danielle is also a student athlete and musician. A longtime and active parent volunteer, Dina is the Vice President of the Dover Middle School/ High School Music Boosters and is a member of the Athletic Boosters. Dina's husband, Rich, is a dispatcher with the Dutchess County Highway Department, a Town of Dover councilman and is a member of the J. H. Ketcham Hose Company. Dina feels DEEP enriches the quality of education in our community by "providing students with the opportunity for a hands-on approach to learning and creating while encouraging them to think outside of the box.