About
Proficient Team of Go Beyond Greatness
Ashley Knox, MPS
A native of Ulster County, NY, Ms. Knox is a Public Speaker and Educator with over fifteen years of experience developing educational leadership programs for high schools and colleges across the globe. Her mission is to empower young people to become great leaders of tomorrow. Ms. Knox holds a Master's degree from SUNY New Paltz in Humanistic and Multicultural Education; a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Latin American and Africana Studies from SUNY New Paltz. Ashley is also an alumna of SUNY Ulster and Kingston High School. Ms.Knox presented as guest speaker for the 2020 NY Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP), Youth Practitioner’s Conference with an inspired TED Talk entitled “BELIEVE: Empowering Youth in Times of COVID 19. ” NYS Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan recognized Ms. Knox and her work at the 2020 State of the County Address “building Ulster County for the next generation.” She serves as a Board of Trustee of the Community Foundation of the Hudson Valley, Chairwoman of the Ulster Advisory Committee for the Community Foundation of the Hudson Valley, Member of Rotary Club of Kingston, SRO Committee Member for the Kingston City School District's Board of Education. Ashley has received numerous awards including the 2018 YWCA of Ulster County Tribute to Women, 2022 SUNY New Paltz 40 under Forty Award, and the 2023 YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County Hometown Hero Award for Youth Development.
Kimberly Potocki
Kimberly Potocki (She/Her) is the Program Manager at Go Beyond Greatness. She has a background in nonprofit public relations, college admissions, sales, and early childhood education spanning more than twenty years. Kimberly has a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations, and a Masters Degree in Public Relations with an advanced certificate in NonProfit Public Relations from Iona University. As a native of the Hudson Valley and mother of four children, she is passionate about helping local communities, especially its youth members, and feels the unique college and/or career readiness programs and skill-building workshops that GBG creates will prepare individuals towards building a better, more successful, and more impactful future.
Sophie Rhind
Sophie Rhind (She/Her/Hers) is one of the Program Coordinators at Go Beyond Greatness. She has a background in program conception/directing as well as 8 years in the k-12 childcare industry. She was also a Go Beyond Greatness Intern in her undergraduate studies. Sophie’s education path includes a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Human Services.Sophie holds a Master's Degree in Social Justice Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz. She is excited to return to Go Beyond Greatness and help students build a foundation on which they can grow and explore the world's infinite possibilities.
Abbey-Gayle Kelly
Abbey-Gayle Kelly is an upcoming college junior where she will be attending the State University of New York at New Paltz, studying Early Childhood & Childhood Education with a concentration in History. Although she spends her time mainly with the K-5 population as a Teaching Assistant in special education, Abbey-Gayle has a desire for all youth to be who they were created to be. She pursues this desire through accepting chances to be in front of youths and share what she has learned through experience as well as through her monthly youth night zooms, where she shares principles she lives by to lead others. Working with GBG (Go Beyond Greatness) allows for me to learn the wisdom and leadership skills needed to motivate students so they can push past the barriers and go beyond into a future of greatness.
Alexis Ford
Alexis Ford (she/her) is an Intern at Go Beyond Greatness. She attends Suny Ulster studying Secondary Education and plans to pursue her Bachelor at Suny New Paltz in Adolescent Education with a minor in History. She has been connected with GBG since her senior year at Kingston High School and is excited to join them through an internship. She hopes to bring the knowledge she will obtain working with GBG to her future classroom.
Great leadership usually starts with a willing heart, a positive attitude, and a desire to make a difference.
– Mac Anderson
Great leadership usually starts with a willing heart, a positive attitude, and a desire to make a difference.
– Mac Anderson
Go Beyond Greatness Inc. Advisory Board
Azriel Alleyne
Azriel Alleyne is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Go Beyond Greatness, Inc. He is a creative leader in business development and innovation. He comes with great knowledge and experience with start-up businesses that support the well-being of people and community. He has a passion for youth success specializing in research, apprenticeship, and organizational development. Azriel is the CEO and Founder of Freedom Solar Alliances, LLC. As an Army National Guard, 9-11 first responder, he believes we must inspire youth of tomorrow to find a life of purpose today. He is also a Campus to Congress Fellow at Bard College, and formerly served as one of the Commissioners to the City of Kingston Climate Smart Committee and adviser to the Ulster County Climate Smart Committee. Azriel’s determination has led to his commitment in sustainability with a focus on positive social and environmental change.
Maureen Bowers
Is a long time advocate in education serving on a variety of not-for-profit boards for over 25 years including Center for Creative Education, TMI Project, and a previous trustee of the Kingston City School District Board of Education. She is known for her collaboration between arts and education with a commitment to supporting new initiatives in public school education for higher achievement and student success.
Manna Jo Greene
Clearwater’s Environmental Action Director since 2000, was formerly the Recycling Coordinator/Educator for the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency for more than 10 years and a registered Critical Care Nurse for 22 years. She holds an AAS in Nursing, a BA in biology (pre-med) from SUNY/New Paltz, and completed course work toward a Masters in Environmental Sciences at Bard College. A lifelong environmental professional and community activist, Manna got her start as an organizer as a teenager in the 1960s in the Civil Rights movement. She avidly supports collaborative land use planning and problem solving. Working to promote sustainability practices and climate solutions, she teaches communities how to integrate environmental preservation, economic prosperity (based on quality of life indicators), and social equity using effective communication. Manna also serves as Ulster County Legislator from District 19, Towns of Rosendale and Marbletown.
Frank Mulhearn
Nancy Plumer, MS
Is a former public school teacher and principal. She is a long time transformation trainer/teacher/author/healer who has spent more than 30 years in various holistic healing modalities. Nancy maintains a private practice of energy healing and spiritual counseling. She is a consultant and trainer for organizations, schools, and government agencies throughout the United States.
Helen Edelstein
Is a former teacher, educational administrator and Vice President of a community-based organization in Ulster County. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor with over 30 years experience in developing and implementing vocational rehabilitation and psychiatric rehabilitation treatment services. Helen has served on County and Statewide advisory councils with a focus on mental health and workforce development and on not for profit boards including the YWCA and Raising Hope. Currently she is a Consultant specializing in workforce training, grant writing and policy development and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of NY StateWide Senior Action Council.
Eva Jackson
is a certified human resources professional with 35 years of experience in the manufacturing, human services, and higher education fields. For the past 20 years she has served as the director for employee and labor relations at Marist College. Eva possesses a bachelor’s degree in organizational development, a master’s degree in communication and is an American Bar Association certified paralegal. She is passionate about mentoring and is a founding committee member of the Marist Professional Women’s Mentor Program helping to prepare female administrators for advancement within and outside of the College. Eva is a lifelong resident of Ulster County and has served on the board of directors for other non-profit organizations in the past.
Dr. Latoya O'Gere
Dr. Latoya O’Gere DNP, MSN/Ed, RN, NE-BC is currently employed at UnitedHealth Group as Director, Advisory Services at Optum in the Advisory Services Provider division. In this role, she provides subject matter expertise to deliver positive quality and financial outcomes for healthcare systems. Prior to this, Dr. O’Gere served as the Associate Executive Director for Chronic Disease and Performance Improvement at NYC Health and Hospitals | Community Care from 2019-2022 and also provided strategic directions to improve quality as the Chief Quality Officer. Prior to her appointment at NYC Health and Hospitals, she worked as an Associate Nurse Manager and was promoted as the Director of Patient Care Services at Nuance Health | Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie NY where she was accountable for the 24/7 administrative and care delivery for patients on a Post-Cardiac Care Unit. She served as Vice President of Operations at O’Gere Professional Nursing LLC working with the United States military to provide vaccines, phlebotomy, and electrocardiography (EKG) to military service members throughout New York State.
Dr. O’Gere has been in the nursing profession for over 17 years. She pursued a formal education in nursing as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) from Ulster BOCES in 2006, earned an Associate Degree in Nursing from SUNY Ulster Stone Ridge NY, and became a Registered Professional Nurse (RN) in 2008. She later continued her studies at St. Joseph’s University in Brooklyn NY where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2011 and a Master of Science in Nursing Education in 2018. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with a focus in Healthcare Systems Leadership from Chamberlain University and Board-Certified Nurse Executive (NE-BC) credentials from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in 2021
Joe Phelan
is a retired 46-year public school career educator, with a variety of instructional, supervisory, and managerial experiences. He has served in New York State public schools from 1974-2020, as a middle school/high school English teacher, as a junior-senior high school principal, and as Superintendent of Schools, including as Superintendent of the Rhinebeck Central School District from 1998-2020. Joe is a successful and respected school leader, consensus-builder, and innovator. He also serves as a SHV Senior Fellow, addressing sustainability, climate change, and other current environmental concerns in collaboration with students, educators, community members, and business leaders, and also chairs the Village of Rhinebeck Autism Supportive Community Committee.