THe BOARD & TRUSTEE
Ben Eckerson
CO-FOUNDER
Ben is the rocket ship that could have saved NASA.
(Does NASA still exist? Does NASA even know about Ben?)
He graduated MHS in 2001 and blazed through NC State supersonic style. He has set world records and made creative history and now has realized his dream of owning his own agency. Oh, and he married the girl of his dreams. Ben is all about dreams. Big dreams. Small dreams. Creamsicle dreams. Green dreams. And those dreams where you fly. (Because those dreams are the coolest. Hello? NASA?) Dreams. That is what Ben is all about (echo). Because if you don’t have dreams you have nightmares. And Ben hates nightmares (which isn’t to say that he is scared of the dark…necessarily). Oh and if you get an email from us, you’re probably reading something he wrote (look we’re all fine with it, we’re busy).
JOHN MICHAEL BUSCEMI
FRONT MAN OF THE BOARD
John Michael Buscemi. John Buscemi. Johnny Buscemi. JOM. These four people are unique in their own right, yet they are all the same person. John Michael Buscemi was a part of MHS's epic Class of 2001. After a 5 year stint in Raleighwood, there was an N.C. State Aeronautical Engineering degree with someone else's name on it — for like a locust shedding his crusty shell, Michael was no longer a part of him. John Buscemi is now a successful Developer after being bored with designing jet engines and the title of Rocket Scientist. But rather than being caught in the rat race of office life, John Buscemi (at least twice a year) adds two letters to create Johnny Buscemi the indie rocker. You can call him Mr. Buscemi though, because you are a high school kid.
JOHN DUKE
NICEST BOARD MEMBER
Johnathan Duke or John Duke. Go ahead, Google him. You won't find his greatness on the grid. You won't see youtube videos of the rigorous scientific tests that he orchestrates on a daily basis in the name of chemistry. You won't find his endless catalog of highly sought after organic recipes. You might actually find adorable videos and photos of his children, but can you just stop right there?! Have some restraint! Anyway, some people say Mother Nature is a fickle woman. The people who actually know what they are talking about say she was going steady with John Duke until he settled down with his soulmate Angela.
TYLER NILSON
CO-FOUNDER
Tyler Nilson is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. He does things differently. He was expelled from MHS in 1998 and sent to Manteo's alternative school (which he was also promptly expelled from). This is why it took him 5 years to graduate high school. He has traveled extensively on little or no money and has high fived a bevy of amazing people — just look at his resume. Whatever amazing thing you can imagine, Tyler is doing it right now. He once ate a 1lb chocolate truffle all by himself because someone said "you can't." Tyler spends his days getting paid to think up realities (technically referred to as "screenwriting") and tell people to “try it again from the top” ("directing"). Tyler is a known as a really nice guy and although this bio was written by anonymous everyone knows he wrote it himself. Whatever.
STEFANIE DAIDONE
QUEEN OF THE BOARD
A proud 2001 graduate of Manteo High School, she firmly believes that travel is the ultimate form of education. She’s been fortunate to call various vibrant cities home throughout her journey - from the bustling streets of NYC to the windy avenues of Chicago, each place and people along the way have left an indelible mark on her perspective and shaped her approach to life. Currently, she lives in London, working in advertising, and exploring and eating her way through Europe in her spare time. She loves getting back to the Outer Banks whenever she can and knows growing up there instils a unique spirit and resilience, making us OBX kids truly special.
Carson davis
REGIONAL TRUSTEE
Carson Davis. The Chosen One. Not of a galaxy far, far away, but of Dare County's very own expanse of reality. When the stars aligned in 2012, a scholarship found its first hero, and it was Carson, the first ever World’s Greatest Scholarship in the Universe Scholarship Grand Scholar. She wasn't just chosen; she was destined. Dvandva Designs, her brainchild, is not just jewelry; it's a nebula of creativity, each piece a world within itself. The Oscars 2020? Just a space station on her journey through the cosmos, her creations adorning the celestial beings of Hollywood. But Carson, the local luminary, isn't just about the glitz and glamour. No, she's the bedrock of Dare County, the trusted trustee, the one who holds it down when the board looks to get the word on the streets.