Your RSA Staff

Your RSA has top-notch staff with immense experience and who excel at specifically addressing rural school challenges. You won’t find anyone more capable, more focused, or more honed in to the issues you face each day.

From hurdles like past due state aid, shared services, or helping with State Education Department interactions, your RSA is your partner and your champion. Our job is to help make yours easier, and with decades of proven results behind us, we encourage you to see how we can help your district.

David Little, ESQ.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dave Little began serving as the Executive Director of the Rural Schools Association of New York State in November of 2014. Prior to that, Dave served as Director of Governmental Relations of the New York State School Boards Association for 15 years. Dave began his career in public service by serving as legal counsel first in the State Assembly and then in the Senate, where he was Home Rule Counsel and Local Government Counsel to the Majority Leader.

Dave has been a county legislator and regional planning commissioner, and served as president of the Brittonkill Board of Education for a decade. Dave is also the former national chair of the Conference of State Association Legislative Staff. Dave received his undergraduate degree from Wittenberg University and his Juris Doctor from the Capital University Law School. He and his wife Lynne (who works with autistic students at Questar III BOCES) live in Brunswick and have two sons, Patrick and Daniel.

Scott Bischoping

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & MEMBER SERVICES

Scott started with RSA in May of 2022. He retired from the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES in July of 2019 where he had served as the District Superintendent since February 2013.

He previously served in the Livonia CSD for 25 years in many different capacities, including Superintendent, Business Education Teacher, High School Principal, and Director of Instruction. Most recently Scott served as an Interim Superintendent with several of our rural districts.

Scott has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Nazareth College and earned his master’s degree and certificate of advanced study in Education Administration from The College at Brockport.

Scott lives in Canandaigua with his wife Tina; they have two grown children: Kevin and Kelly.

Heather Zellers

DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION & ADVOCACY

Prior to accepting her RSA position, Heather served on the RSA Board of Directors for five years, and is currently in her 11th year as a board member with the Seneca Falls Central School District’s Board of Ed.

With more than a decade of experience in education and student advocacy, she has received multiple accolades in recognition of her continued efforts, including the NYSBBA Champion for Change Award and the Anne Z. Paulin Award for Outstanding Leadership on the Behalf of Rural Schools.

In 2019, Heather was elected to the National Rural Education Association (NREA)’s Executive Committee, and also serves as the President of the NREA Foundation. She serves as the Chair of the National Rural Education Advocacy Consortium, a coalition of States, Universities and Research Organizations committed to advancing rural education and supporting rural communities.

When not championing for rural schools, you can find her on mountain trails, in a kayak, or on soccer field sidelines across the country with her husband as they watch their daughter compete.

Andrea Durmiaki

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & PLANNING

Andrea’s career has touched on many lifelong learning opportunities, including Pre-K teaching, undergraduate global internship coordination, teaching, and facilitation, study abroad, culinary education, and adult learning program coordination.

Her career with RSA began in 2020 during one of the most precedent times for K-12 educators across our country and the world. When she is not working or studying, Andrea enjoys gardening and traveling throughout the finger lakes region, where she resides with her partner and her furry friend, Neil.

Beyond her travels in NYS, Andrea enjoys traveling the world and believes in the community-based global learning statement of “thinking globally, acting locally”. Andrea is a proud alum of a rural school in Northeast Pennsylvania.

She was also a first-generation undergraduate student, where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management and International Business. She is currently pursuing a Master of Professional Studies Degree in Global Development at Cornell University.