Providing scholarships, inspiration, mentoring and careers
Who was Sandra Blake?
Sandra Blake was a wife, mother and all-around woman who lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in 2005. During her final days of life, her children promised her that her life and legacy will be memorialized in the form of a scholarship foundation. The foundation carries on her joy and passion which is ensuring the underprivileged and under-served are empowered through education.
Administration
Kelvin King, President
Caryn DiBrico, VP of Administration
Caryn DiBrico, VP of Administration
Kelvin King is the youngest son of the late Sandra Blake, who lost her battle to cancer in 2005. Kelvin King is the founding president of the Sandra Blake Memorial Scholarship Foundation. A Dowling College graduate with a BBA in Marketing, a licensed minister in the Christian faith, and an active airline pilot, Kelvin is using his educa
Kelvin King is the youngest son of the late Sandra Blake, who lost her battle to cancer in 2005. Kelvin King is the founding president of the Sandra Blake Memorial Scholarship Foundation. A Dowling College graduate with a BBA in Marketing, a licensed minister in the Christian faith, and an active airline pilot, Kelvin is using his education and experiences to help provide scholarships to students demonstrating financial need. Kelvin is also a proud husband and father of two. Under Kelvin's leadership, the SandraFoundation will meet its long term goals of providing unlimited scholarship funds to students demonstrating financial need.
Email Kelvin directly at kelvin@sandrafoundation.org
Caryn DiBrico, VP of Administration
Caryn DiBrico, VP of Administration
Caryn DiBrico, VP of Administration
Caryn DiBrico has been working with the SandraFoundation for a number of years now in various roles behind the scenes. She and Kelvin, our president, attended college together and worked side by side in student government and ministry. Caryn is a proud mother, and wife. She is very excited to be joining our team full-time, and can't wait
Caryn DiBrico has been working with the SandraFoundation for a number of years now in various roles behind the scenes. She and Kelvin, our president, attended college together and worked side by side in student government and ministry. Caryn is a proud mother, and wife. She is very excited to be joining our team full-time, and can't wait to see what the future has in store for the SandraFoundation!
Email Caryn directly at info@sandrafoundation.org
Scholarship coordinators
Nicholas Brennan
Alexandra DeMarie
Alexandra DeMarie
Nicholas Brennan was born and raised in New Jersey and has always had a passion for sharing his own passions with the world. After doing a very short flight out of the small Linden airport as a birthday present for his parents he instantly fell in love with aviation and decided that is what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. After a drastic decision for a career change, Nick completed all of his training out of Morristown Airport through ATP Flight School including private, instrument, commercial single engine and multi engine as well as CFI and CFII. Nick is a participant of the United Aviate Program and has a goal of eventually flying the biggest airplane he can get his hands on out of Newark airport. In his free time Nick is currently training for a few Triathlons and enjoys swimming the most out of the included disciplines. On top of this Nick is a musician who plays both trombone and baritone horn and is a part of the Saints Brigade Drum and Bugle Corps who recently had the opportunity to march in the 2024 New Year's Day Parade in Rome, Italy. Nick is a very easy going individual and enjoys sharing his passion for aviation with anyone else who wants to be involved in aviation and he looks forward to working with the deserving individuals who are in need of financial support from the Sandra Foundation. He hopes to help break down the financial barrier that exists in the aviation training industry and help people take their first steps towards their training.
Alexandra DeMarie
Alexandra DeMarie
Alexandra DeMarie
Alexandra (Ally) DeMarie grew up in a small town in New Jersey and was always fascinated by Space and the Sky spending countless nights gazing at the stars. She has worked many odd jobs, from a teacher to a hardware store to Pizza dilevery, when in 2021, that she started doing research on a career in NASA were she got intrigued on becoming a pilot. Upon talking to her father, who was in the US Navy, who worked on an aircraft carrier and Naval Air Station, he told her to go work at an airport. Her love for Aviation grew even more where the sky became her home. She's currently working on becoming a pilot. In her spare time, she's a gym junkie and helps people by achieving goals through astrology with her Health Coach License.
Anthony Gross
Alexandra DeMarie
Jenelle Speller
Anthony Gross was born and raised in New York with a short stint as a Floridian in Tampa, FL. His love for aviation started at the age of six on a flight to Disney World. The captain allowed him to program the flight computer, and his fascination was solidified. Anthony has worked for Delta Air Lines as a baggage handler and then was promoted into aircraft maintenance. Now ready to take his talents to the flight deck, Anthony works as a flight instructor, assisting others to accomplish their dream of flight. In addition to his professional aspirations, he enjoys sports, exploring other countries, and is a fanatic for music. Anthony hopes to provide a spark for aviation in others as the captain did for him many years ago.
Jenelle Speller
Emmanuel Santiago
Jenelle Speller
Jenelle Speller is originally from Chicago, IL. Every summer her family visited the Museum of Science and Industry, where her love for aviation began. When visiting the museum she had the opportunity to see United Airlines, Boeing 727 exhibit, which thrilled her as she sat in the cockpit, fascinated with all the controls, eager to learn how to fly. Fast-forward to the summer of 2015 she decided to join United Airlines as a flight attendant. It wasn’t until United began their initiative to diversify the cockpit that allowed Jenelle to revisit her childhood dream. Jenelle works as a CFI with Alpha Aviation. She is excited to work with other inspiring aviators through the Sandra Blake Memorial Scholarship Foundation.
Brenaé Reeves
Emmanuel Santiago
Emmanuel Santiago
Brenaé Reeves was raised in Alaska and South Carolina as the daughter of an Air Force pilot which was her introduction to the world of aviation. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 2021 with her Bachelors in Biomedical Science, concentrating on Neuroscience and Psychology. After graduating she decided to make aviation more than a hobby, and decided to change course from medical school to flight school. She began her training in Morristown, New Jersey in 2022 and completed her private, instrument, commercial single and multi-engine, as well as her CFI training in 2023. Brenaé is also a United Airlines Aviate participant providing her with a direct path to the flight deck. Her ultimate goal is to follow in her father's footsteps and fly international trips out of Newark for United Airlines and to serve as a role model for other prospective female pilots and diversify the flight deck. In her free time she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, fishing, and being outside as much as she can. She loves pursuing her passion for art and crocheting for her own small business. As someone with a passion for learning and teaching, Brenaé looks forward to aiding the Sandra Foundation to help people reach their aviation dreams and break down the financial barriers that can keep so many from doing what they love.
Emmanuel Santiago
Emmanuel Santiago
Emmanuel Santiago
Hey everyone, I hope you're all doing well. Just wanted to share a little bit about my journey so far. I didn't grow up in an aviation family like you might think. In fact, my background was in law enforcement. I studied criminal justice at John Jay and got my degree in criminology. My initial goal was to become a US Marshal, but I faced a long waiting process.
During that time, I held various jobs, from supervising at Toys "R" Us to managing retail stores like Staples and Best Buy. I even worked as a teller supervisor at Bank of America. But nothing truly captured my interest until an email about flight attendant opportunities at United Airlines caught my eye in 2015.
I took a leap of faith and joined United Airlines, a career I never imagined for myself. Over the years, I transitioned from a flight attendant to an international purser, then to a Cobus role, and finally to an instructor for flight attendant training.
Despite my career growth, I still felt something was missing. In 2021, while networking with pilots, I realized my dream was to become a pilot myself. I started putting in 150 hours of work a month, more than the standard 70 to 100, to save every penny possible. I'm the sole provider for my family – my wife Michelle, my son Jacob 3years, and now our newest addition, Emma 2months.
Embarking on this new journey as a pilot is a challenge, but I believe it will lead to a brighter future for me and my loved ones. The sacrifices and hard work now will all be worth it in the end. Thanks for listening, and remember, never stop pursuing your dreams. All sacrifices are well rewarded.
Kay Allen
Benjamin Loudermilk
Benjamin Loudermilk
As a 29-year-old newcomer, Kay Allen brings a fresh perspective and vibrant energy to the role of Scholarship Coordinator. With a passion for education and a commitment to empowering others,Kay is dedicated to helping students achieve their academic dreams. With a background in Customer service,Patient Relations and Digital Marketing , her path combines her knowledge and skills to facilitate opportunities for aspiring scholars. Through her innovative approach and unwavering dedication, Kay strives to make a positive impact in the lives of students and communities alike.
Benjamin Loudermilk
Benjamin Loudermilk
Benjamin Loudermilk
Benjamin is looking forward to making connections with eager future aviators and opening doors for people all over the country