Officers
Eric McHenry
President
president at rfo.org
(City of Santa Rosa – Retired)
Eric is a retired professional CIO. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from MIT. Eric formerly served on several local non-profit Board of Directors, including KRCB Northbay Public Media, United Way, Redwood Empire Food Bank, and as President of Airstream Club International. Eric currently also serves on the Board of Directors of Exchange Bank. Eric is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying kayaking, hiking, fishing and Airstreaming with his wife LaVerne, his adult daughter and friends. And to his wife’s sometime chagrin, Eric is an avid Amateur Radio (Ham) operator (AA6EM).
George Loyer
Vice President
vice-president at rfo.org
(Founding RFO President, Former President California League of Park Associations)
George is a founder of the VMOA/RFO. He helped create the original organization as a committee of the Sonoma County Astronomical Society (SCAS), then as a subsidiary of the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association (VMNHA), and finally as RFO. Loyer served as President of the Board for 12 years from its inception through 2006. He retired as Director, Technical Operations for StubHub and has acted as President of the California League of Park Associations. He provided CAD drawings, constructed a Bath interferometer to test the mirror surface, and designed the drive system for the Project 40 telescope.
Paul Stagnoli
Treasurer
treasurer at rfo.org
(Stagnoli Consulting)
Paul and his family became docents after his son won a Striking Sparks telescope. Paul holds a degree in Computer Science from USF. He enjoys playing chess and is a former chess tournament director. Paul has a soft spot for running the eight inch telescope, but can be found filling in where ever needed during a star party.
Brian Kellogg
Secretary
Kellogg at rfo.org
Brian moved to Sonoma County in 2019 and joined RFO the following year. He has a BA in History from The American University in Washington DC and a MS in Software Engineering from Pace University in New York City. Brian is a co-owner of the DC Improv Comedy Club where he started as a server after undergrad and gradually worked his way up the ladder. He is also a soccer enthusiast who has worked at top level youth academies and scouts for professional clubs across North America. Brian is the current chair of the newly created Astrophotography Committee and is training fellow docents how to use the RC20 telescope and how to process their images. He also enjoys greeting and speaking with our guests as they arrive at RFO for various events.
Directors
Colleen Ferguson
cferguson at rfo.org
(City of Sonoma – Retired)
Colleen is a life-long astronomy enthusiast: the Robert Ferguson Observatory is named after her father. She strongly supports inspiring math and science education through hands-on experience with the natural world. Colleen holds BS and MS degrees in civil engineering. Colleen has enjoyed hiking in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park since she began her engineering education at Santa Rosa Junior College. Colleen represents the VMOA Board on Team Sugarloaf, the group that operates Sugarloaf Park under an agreement with the State.
Dave Kensiski
dkensiski at rfo.org
(RFO IT Director, formerly with NASA, Google, Cisco)
Dave has been in love with astronomy since his father woke his 7-year old son at 3am to view Comet Bennett through his hand-ground 6-inch reflector (of which Dave is the proud beneficiary). Decades later he found the RFO and in 2014 joined the board as the head of the RFO IT team. He holds a BS in Computer Science and brings his experience from working at NASA, Google, Cisco, MCI, and a host of other companies. In addition to astronomy and computer geekery, Dave enjoys travel, skiing, backpacking, rock climbing, scuba diving and ham radio. He holds ham radio license W6DLK and is the trustee for the RFO Amateur Radio Club, W6RFO. He can typically be found running one of the telescopes at any of RFO’s Star Parties, classes or private events.
Dr. Gordon Spear
gspear at rfo.org
(Professor Emeritus, Sonoma State University)
Gordon project manages telescope development for scientific applications and related curriculum projects for the VMOA/RFO. He is the head of the Research Committee which enables docents and students to use RFO telescopes for doing astronomical research. He is a founding member of the VMOA/RFO as well as the Director Emeritus of the Sonoma State University Observatory.
Rachel Freed
rfreed at rfo.org
(Institute for Student Astronomical Research)
Rachel Freed is a co-founder and the President of the Institute for Student Astronomical Research with a goal of incorporating scientific research into high school and undergraduate education. She holds a PhD in astronomy education from Edith Cowan University, Australia. She is also a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, working in Astronomy Education and Evaluation. Rachel has a B.S. degree in Biology and an M.S. in Neuroscience. She taught high school chemistry and astronomy for 10 years, and has conducted research in chemistry and astronomy education. She has been an amateur astronomer for over 20 years and is involved in public outreach, including as a volunteer docent at the Robert Ferguson Observatory in Sonoma County for the past 14 years. Rachel is also the editor of the Journal of Double Star Observations, and on the board of the Advanced Imaging Conference. Her work focuses on promoting changes in education that build on students’ intrinsic motivations and interests.
Michael O’Shea
moshea at rfo.org
(Amaturo Sonoma Media Group)
Michael retired in 2024 after serving 14 years as President of Amaturo Sonoma Media Group in Santa Rosa, owners and operators of nine local radio stations including KZST, KSRO, Froggy 92.9, Hot 101.7, The River, 97.7 and others. Out of his immense interest in astronomy and recollections of seeing Saturn through a telescope for the first time as a ten year old, he became a volunteer docent at RFO eight years ago. Michael is also a 4,000 hour private pilot, flying his single-engine Mooney out of our local Charles Schulz Sonoma County airport, doing volunteer rescue and re-homing for a Dog and Kitten non-profit group called “Pilots ‘n Paws.”
Kurt Kruger
kkruger at rfo.org
(Piner High School)
Kurt Kruger teaches Space Science, GIS 1 & 2, and Earth Science at Piner High School. He is also the STEM Coordinator and SPARQ Center Director which includes the SPARQ Planetarium and Observatory. Kruger has been involved with RFO since 1998. At that time, RFO inspired his quest for building the SPARQ center. He thrives on exciting students to do the process of Science in projects and experiential activities so that they understand that science is a process by which we ask and answer questions in a reliable, testable, verifiable way to discover truth. He believes that it is vitally important for students to be scientifically literate citizens. He is married to his lovely wife Keelie and has two amazing kids whom are both nurses. In his spare time he enjoys motorcycling, music, outdoor adventures and of course, astronomy!
Baylee Hurley
bhurley at rfo.org
Baylee Hurley is a dedicated student at Credo High School with a profound passion for astronomy. Since beginning her volunteer work at the Robert Ferguson Observatory (RFO) in 2024, she has become a familiar face, engaging young and adult visitors with her knowledge and enthusiasm at the 8” refractor telescope. In 2025, Baylee furthered her commitment by joining the RFO Board of Directors.
Beyond her astronomical interests, Baylee is actively involved in theatre and robotics, showcasing her diverse talents and interests. She also expresses her musical creativity as a guitarist in the band BRN GRL. A weather enthusiast at heart, Baylee plans to pursue a major in meteorology, aiming to turn her passion into a professional career. Baylee’s multifaceted interests and dedication to her pursuits make her a remarkable and inspiring individual.
John Roney
john at sonomaecologycenter.org
(Sonoma Ecology Center)
John Roney is the Park Manager at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, where he oversees park operations and ensures a welcoming environment for visitors. Employed by the Sonoma Ecology Center, John has been instrumental in enhancing the park’s facilities, including the introduction of high-speed internet to support remote work and education. His commitment to the park and community was recognized when he received a California State Senate resolution for his heroic actions during the October 2017 wildfires. John’s leadership and passion for nature make him a valued member of Team Sugarloaf, the partnership between Sonoma Ecology Center and the Robert Ferguson Observatory which collectively manages Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
Staff
Stephanie Derammelaere
Executive Director
sd at rfo.org
Stephanie Derammelaere comes to RFO with a background in marketing, PR, and journalism. She previously founded and operated Career Leap that assisted individuals in job searching, creating business plans, and developing small business feasibility studies. She frequently writes for local business publications and community newspapers. Stephanie holds a degree in Business Economics and an MBA. At RFO Stephanie is responsible for strategic leadership, fund development, daily operations, partnerships and relationship management, communications, and marketing. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband, two teenage children and two dogs.
Joe Caruselle
Volunteer Coordinator
jcaruselle at rfo.org
(AmeriCorps)
New York expat and AmeriCorps member, Joe Caruselle has been with the RFO for only a year and a half but he is making Sonoma county his home. Born and raised in Staten Island, New York with a background in political science and philosophy, Joe worked with the NY Assembly for a short time before deciding to leave for more meaningful opportunities with AmeriCorps. He started as the volunteer coordinator for Sugarloaf Ridge State Park and the Robert Ferguson Observatory, but is now with RFO full time. He still aims to cross promote both organizations and give the people of Sonoma the best of both worlds and those beyond. He enjoys stargazing, rocket building simulation games and helping others when he can.