Club Leadership

President

Stu Brackney

Stu Brackney is a Vietnam veteran who spent twenty-five years with the State of Arizona coordinating programs for deaf and hard of hearing people before becoming a sports announcer and touring motivational speaker. He has been a PAS member for nearly five years and President for two, and owns a Celestron SE 8" telescope. He especially enjoys PAS's Star Tours program, which shares the club's mission of educating the public about the stars, planets, and our expanding universe.

Vice President

Mark Johnston

Mark Johnston is a NASA Solar System Ambassador and VP of the Phoenix Astronomical Society, as well as a Telescope.live Tutor and Ambassador and a 2024 recipient of the Astronomer in Chile Education Ambassador Program. He holds a Master of Outreach from the Astronomical League and an Exceptional Outreach award from the Night Sky Network, and serves as the astronomer for the Four Seasons resort. He was named Volunteer of the Year by the City of Scottsdale for his astronomy programs at Pinnacle Peak Park, and supports visual, night vision, EAA, and hydrogen alpha solar observing programs.

Treasurer

Richard Sauerbrun

Richard Sauerbrun has been a PAS member since 2019 and serves on the Board of Directors as treasurer. He practices Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA), using telescopes and astronomy cameras—including his Askar 103mm APO refractor—to present views of the night sky at Star Tours events. He also enjoys delivering multi-media astronomy presentations and is always working to expand his observing skills and knowledge of the cosmos.

Secretary

Chris Ford

Chris Ford is Chief Executive Officer, and previously President (2017–2019), of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and serves on the advisory board of Lowell Observatory. He is also a leading authority in CGI and visualization technology, having held leadership roles at Pixar, Roblox, Autodesk, and Alias|Wavefront, with work recognized by three Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. He brings a wide range of telescopes—from a 24" Newtonian to refractors—for public astronomy outreach.

Newsletter Editor

Richard Meyers

Richard Meyers is a board member and newsletter editor for PAS, keeping members connected through regular publications. He shares his passion for astronomy through public outreach, using his Celestron C11 telescope at star parties to show guests the Moon's craters, Saturn's rings, and distant galaxies. Through both writing and hands-on outreach, he aims to inspire curiosity and a greater appreciation for the night sky.

Membership Manager

Damon Finell

Member-at-Large

Ruza Sabelja

Member-at-Large

Andrew Stone

Andrew Stone is a NASA Solar System Ambassador who manages PAS's outreach program. His love of astronomy began at age 12 watching Comet Hale-Bopp with his father, and he has owned as many as 10 premium refractors at once. His favorite telescopes are his 140mm refractor, 12.5" StarMaster, and 9.25" Edge.

Event Manager

Ruza Sabelja

Star Tours Manager

Andrew Stone

Andrew Stone is a NASA Solar System Ambassador who manages PAS's outreach program. His love of astronomy began at age 12 watching Comet Hale-Bopp with his father, and he has owned as many as 10 premium refractors at once. His favorite telescopes are his 140mm refractor, 12.5" StarMaster, and 9.25" Edge.

Webmaster

Ed Skinner