REACH Team

Kelly McKenna
Senior Program Manager

Kelly McKenna is the Senior REACH Program Manager for the IEEE History Center and is responsible for the program’s development, implementation, and distribution. Kelly has a M.F.A. in Documentary Film from Wake Forest University and a B.A. in Broadcasting from the University of Dayton. She has extensive professional experience in sales and marketing as well as in film and in communications. Kelly’s goal is to share stories that matter through all forms of multimedia as a way to inform, educate, and inspire. She is thrilled to have an opportunity to work with both teachers and IEEE historians on this innovative multimedia journey that provides a different lens for students to think about the consequences of change, particularly in relation to the role technology and innovation have played in global events and in addressing social problems. Self-described as passionately curious, Kelly aims to bring the same type of elevated inquiry and interest to students through the resources provided by the IEEE REACH program.

Michael N. Geselowitz
Senior Director

Michael N. Geselowitz is Senior Director of the IEEE History Center. He holds S.B. degrees in electrical engineering and in anthropology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in anthropology from Harvard University.  He has over 30 years experience in teaching and research positions relating to the social and historical study of technology. Through the arrangement between Stevens Institute of Technology and IEEE that sponsors the IEEE History Center, he is currently Industry Associate Professor of History of Technology at Stevens.

Mary Ann Hellrigel
Historian

Mary Ann Hellrigel, the IEEE History Center’s institutional historian and archivist, has a bachelor’s degree in History from Rutgers University, a master’s degree in Public History from UC-Santa Barbara, and a Ph.D. in History of Technology and Science from Case Western Reserve University. She has served as a Research Associate at the Thomas A. Edison Papers Project and has taught history of technology at a number of universities around the country, including at IEEE’s current strategic partner, Stevens Institute of Technology. Mary Ann has widely published and presented papers on Edison and early electric power and has consulted on related exhibits and documentaries. She is also active in the Society for the History of Technology, having served on several prize committees. She is working on a manuscript about Thomas Edison’s efforts to commercialize his incandescent lamp and direct current central stations and components in the late nineteenth century.

Alex Magoun
Outreach Historian

Alex Magoun, the History Center’s outreach historian, has taught high school world and U.S. history, and mass media and history of technology at universities. He lectures internationally on everything from selling Stalin television to creative spaces for inventors. Alex has written numerous articles and two books, Television: The Life Story of a Technology, and David Sarnoff Research Center: RCA Labs to Sarnoff Corporation, and is working on a third. He also edits historical articles for IEEE’s flagship journal, Proceedings of the IEEE. When he’s not in the office, Alex can be found making dinner for his family in Plainsboro, NJ, or jogging on the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath.

Laurie A. Bisconti
Teacher

A 17 year veteran Social Studies Teacher, Ms. Bisconti is an 8^th grade World History teacher at Heritage Middle School in Livingston, NJ. With a broad command of humanities scholarship and wide-ranging pedagogical skills, Ms. Bisconti has created and implemented numerous world history programs, actively participates in curriculum writing workshops, and has received numerous accolades including recognition by the NJ Board of Education as Teacher of the Year. A master at using technology, film, books, and periodicals in the classroom, her students are able to uncover a picture of human life in another time and place. Dedicated to interdisciplinary studies she has built a career based on innovation and collaboration and is currently assisting the IEEE History Center to bring the history of technology to life in the classroom. Fascinated by how ideas impact history, she recognizes that technology begins as an idea, and when nurtured, turns into an innovation that ultimately affects society and shapes history in ways no one anticipates. Ms. Bisconti has a BA and MA in European and East Asian History from Pennsylvania State University.

James Somma
Teacher

James Somma is a social studies teacher at Manalapan High School. James has just completed his third year in teaching, where he has mostly taught Honors United States History and World History. Manalapan High School is home to a small learning center in the field of Science and Engineering. As an honors teacher, James has had the unique opportunity to work with STEM minded students in his history classes. This experience has helped James understand the importance of cross curricular studies. James graduated from The College of New Jersey, with a bachelors in History and Secondary Education and is currently working towards a masters in Educational Leadership at Montclair State University.

Dr. Adam Angelozzi
Principal

Dr. Angelozzi has served in the capacity of Principal of Manalapan High School beginning in the 2012-2013 school year. As principal, Dr. Angelozzi leads and supports school-wide safety and security measures, operational plans, innovative and challenging curricular and extra-curricular educational programs, and dynamic classroom instruction designed to enhance learning and student achievement.

Dr. Angelozzi has had the unique of experience of teaching at two new high schools early in his career as an educator. As a teacher at both New Egypt High School and Barnegat High School, he designed and implemented new curricular programs for physics, chemistry, and physical science. As an educational administrator, Dr. Angelozzi has served in the capacities of K-12 District Science and Technology Supervisor for Barnegat Township Schools, and as Assistant Principal at Freehold Township High School.

Dr. Angelozzi earned a B.S. in Physics (Secondary Education) from The College of New Jersey, an M.A. in Educational Administration from Rider University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Rowan University.

Dr. Angelozzi and his wife, Dayna, a high school biology teacher, have three girls, Kai, Brynn, and Saige.

Michelle Lilley
Social Studies Supervisor

Michelle Lilley earned her undergraduate degree in secondary education, history and sociology from Rider College; her first Master’s Degree is in Curriculum, Instruction and Supervision from Rider University, and her second Master’s Degree is in Educational Leadership from Georgian Court University. She is in her 25th year of education; starting as a teacher of United States History and Sociology at Hunterdon Central Regional High School. She has been a supervisor of Social Studies, World Languages, Art, Music and the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Career Academy with the Freehold Regional High School District, Manalapan High School for 15 years. To be able to positively influence young people is a gift that Ms. Lilley takes seriously and appreciates every day.

Tony Maccarella
Educational Consultant

Tony Maccarella is an Educational Consultant with 35 years of experience in curriculum development, instructional practices, and assessment design. Tony has a BA in History and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction, and he is the author of the Mastering Series published by Sherpa Learning, a series of instructional texts aimed at improving historical thinking, writing, and document analysis skills at the pre-college level. As part of the REACH team, Tony is responsible for developing high school instructional units from the content created by historians at the IEEE History Center. This role allows him an opportunity to combine his history experience with his longtime interest in science and technology.