2023 - 2024 Officers
President
Gabriel “Gabe” Keller
Gabriel (Gabe) Keller is the MU AMS 2023-2024 President. Gabe is from Harrisburg, PA, and is entering his third year at Millersville. Prior to attending Millersville, Gabe attended Penn State University from 2018-2019 and Harrisburg Area Community College from 2020-2021. Gabe is majoring in meteorology with a minor in emergency management. His interest in meteorology started at a young age after severe thunderstorms and a tornado hit close to his home in Harrisburg, PA. Gabe’s interests currently are in forecasting and research, and his favorite hobby is storm chasing. At Millersville, Gabe is a lead forecaster for the Campus Weather Service, a co-lead of Millersville’s Storm Tracking Team (MiST), a member for the Weather Balloon Launch Team, and a committee member for the student-led research project known as “Thermodynamic Investigation of LCL Thresholds during Tornado-genesis and its Influence in the Northeast and Great Plains'' (TILTTING for short). Outside of meteorology, Gabe is the head coach of Millersville University’s Club Softball team. In his free time, he enjoys playing almost any sport, listening to music, playing video games, and hanging out with friends. Gabe is very excited for this school year and the future of MU AMS!
GLkeller@millersville.edu
Vice President
Peyton Simmers
Peyton Simmers is the 2023-2024 MU AMS Vice President. He is from Elizabethville, PA and is in his third year at Millersville. Peyton has a major in Meteorology and a minor in Emergency Management. For as long as he can remember, Peyton has always wanted to be a meteorologist. Peyton’s favorite weather is severe weather, although he finds all the weather fascinating! Peyton is involved in Campus Weather Service (lead forecaster), balloon team, Project TILTTING, MUTV, MiST, WxChallange, and is a mentor in the met-mentee program. In his free time, he likes to hang out with friends, play some video games, and root for the Green Bay Packers. Peyton is excited to serve as the vice president!
pvsimmer@millersville.edu
Treasurer
Joshua “Josh” Kinsky
Josh Kinsky is the 2023-2024 MU-AMS Treasurer. He is from High Bridge, NJ, and is a senior Meteorology major with minors in Mathematics and Emergency Management. Josh’s passion for meteorology started when he was five years old. His main interest is in forecasting and research, with an emphasis on winter weather. Josh is very active within the Meteorology department. He is a lead forecaster for the University’s Campus Weather Service and a member of the Weather Balloon Launch Team. He also was a contributor to NASA’s Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast-Threatening Snowstorms (IMPACTS) project. He is also involed in other miscellaneous activities within the department such as visists to grade schools. Josh is also a member of the University Honors College. Outside of Meterology, Josh is an avid runner, he enjoys going on hikes, and is a big sports fan. Josh is very excited to serve as treasurer!
jtkinsky@millersville.edu
Secretary
Liam Pastelak
Liam Pastelak is a fourth-year meteorology major and is the 2023-2024 MU AMS secretary. He is from Manasquan, New Jersey and also had a minor in emergency management. Liam has always been fascinated with the weather since he dealt with the direct effects from Hurricane Sandy when he was younger. For the meteorology department he is very involved with participating in WxChallege and Campus Weather Service. He is also involved with the Met-Mentor program and MiST. His main interest with weather are forecasting, severe weather, and marine weather. Liam’s interests outside meteorology involves hiking/exploring, working out, and playing video games. For his future his plan is to either go to graduate school or get a job in forecasting. Liam is looking forward to being the club secretary for this year and he hopes he can make an important impact on this club.
lvpastel@millersville.edu
Dei officer
Keelie Steiner
Keelie N. Steiner is the 2023-2024 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer for MU AMS. She is originally from Sharpsville, PA and is a third year (of senior status) student, majoring in meteorology with minors in emergency management and mathematics. Keelie’s passion for meteorology began at a young age and was fueled by her grandpa’s love of watching The Weather Channel. Always having a strong interest in math and science, Keelie decided to pursue her love for meteorology and has found great interest in atmospheric chemistry, specifically the study of particulate matter and air quality and their effects on public health. As a member of Millersville University’s Honors College, she is currently conducting her undergraduate thesis, titled “An Analysis of Particulate Matter of the Size 2.5 Microns and Public Health in Mae Hong Son, Thailand and a Review of Air Quality Legislation”. Within the department, Keelie is a member of the Weather Balloon Team, the organizer and a mentor for the Met-Mentor Program, and was a member of the 2022-2023 IMPACTS team. On campus, Keelie is a tour guide for the Department of Undergraduate Admissions, a tutor for several math and science courses, and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honors Fraternity. In her free time, Keelie enjoys playing pickleball, tennis, and golf. She is also seen spending time with friends, reading, and traveling. After graduation, Keelie plans to attend graduate school and enter into a Ph.D. program for atmospheric chemistry with the long-term goal of becoming an undergraduate professor. As the MU AMS DEI Officer, Keelie is greatly looking forward to meeting the incoming students and having a successful year for MU AMS.
knsteine@millersville.edu
Webmaster
Ethan Kerr
Ethan Kerr is the MU AMS 2023-2024 Webmaster. He is a junior from Bayville, NJ. He’s wanted to become a meteorologist since a thunderstorm he saw in fourth grade fascinated him with the weather. His favorite weather is snow, though he’s also interested in severe and tropical weather. Ethan is a lead forecaster at the Campus Weather Service. He’s also a co-leader of Millersville’s Storm Tracking Team (MiST). Besides weather, Ethan enjoys watching sports. He’s a fan of the Miami Dolphins in football and the New York Knicks in basketball, though he laments the lack of success of his teams. Ethan is excited for a successful year for MU AMS serving as your Webmaster!
ejkerr@millersville.edu
historian
Brandon Skalniak
Brandon Skalniak is a junior year Millersville University student, majoring in emergency management with a minor in geospatial applications. His main meteorological passion is learning, cataloging, and sharing weather history. Brandon enjoys all things severe weather-related, having held a fascination with tornadoes since he was 7 years old. During the 2023-2024 school year, he will continue to participate in the Campus Weather Service and the Meteorology Mentorship program. Beyond the weather world, Brandon is interested in web design, social media management, zoology, and motorsports. He hopes to eventually pursue a masters in emergency management in hopes of working at FEMA.
bwskalni@millersville.edu
Faculty Advisor
Kyle Elliott
BACKGROUND:
M.S. at Penn State, B.S. at Millersville (2016, 2014)
COURSES TAUGHT:
ESCI 109 - The Atmosphere with Laboratory
WEATHER CENTER DIRECTOR:
Weather analysis, media meteorology, long range/seasonal forecasting, and development of internet weather resources.
KYLE.ELLIOTT@MILLERSVILLE.EDU
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Greg Blumberg
BACKGROUND:
Ph.D., M.S., B.S. at the University of Oklahoma (2018, 2013, 2011)
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow (2019-2022)
COURSES TAUGHT:
ESCI 107: The Atmosphere
ESCI 341: Atmospheric Thermodynamics
ESCI 345: Atmospheric Radiative Transfer
ESCI 446: Stats and Decision Making in Earth Science
ESCI 447: Meteorological Instrumentation
ESCI 446: Boundary Layers and Turbulence
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Atmospheric retrievals, severe weather prediction and analysis, diurnal boundary layer transitions, mesoscale heterogeneity, launch range safety.