NYLC Welcomes New Board Members

NYLC is thrilled to announce three new members to the NYLC Board of Directors: Melissa Lasarsky, Director of Development at Lincoln Charter School in Denver, North Carolina, Riley Quinlan, student at the University of Illinois, Springfield and formerly a youth board member, and Tess Scannell, Expert for Partnerships at the U.S. Peace Corps.

Melissa Lasarsky has dedicated her career to expanding access to quality service-learning programs, and has mentored many students who have attended NYLC’s National Youth Leadership Training and served on the NYLC Youth Advisory Council. “I am drawn to service-learning because of the energy and excitement that it creates in the learning process,” stated Lasarsky.  “I credit NYLC for my knowledge of service-learning. They have inspired the majority of the projects that I have been involved with. I look forward to serving such a forward-thinking organization that has the goal of improved education at the top of their priority list.” Lasarsky works directly with students and communities as an advisor and teacher, and still manages to volunteer in her free time.

Riley Quinlan has rejoined the NYLC Board of Directors after serving a three-year term as a youth board member. An alumni of the National Youth Leadership Training, Project Ignition, and the NYLC Youth Advisory Council, Quinlan is a firm believer in service-learning. “This is education in action. It goes beyond community service hours through the implementation of a mission; it is the way to change our world.” Quinlan is excited to continue the work that has been passionately produced from past and current NYLC board members and is eager to engage himself further as a board member.

 Tess Scannell has dedicated her career to the national and human services sectors. After serving for 15 years at the Corporation for National and Community Service, she currently serves as Expert for Partnerships for the U.S. Peace Corps. “It’s a well-worn truth that providing service benefits the person serving as much as or more than the beneficiary, but it’s the intentional learning associated with service-learning that is so compelling. Being aware of the underlying factors and variables that create a need and developing or honing the skills needed to address the issue creates an excitement and hunger for more of both the service and the learning and becomes a winning strategy on so many levels.” While Scannell is a strong proponent of service-learning overall, it’s the intergenerational element that has her most excited about her new role on the board. “Teaming up and exchanging skills and expertise while serving the community is powerful, and NYLC is ideally positioned to spur more intergenerational service-learning activities.”

To learn more about the NYLC Board of Directors, read their full bios here.