Board of Visitors Biographies
Tom Boutureira
Tom is Executive Director of the Downeast Coastal Conservancy. Prior to the Downeast Coastal Conservancy, Tom was the Executive Director of Great Auk Land Trust. From 2003-2005 he served as a rural natural resource volunteer with the United States Peace Corps in Vallegrande, Bolivia. As a result of his successful service, he was invited to work as a technical specialist for the Peace Corps Natural Resource Management Program in Cochabamba, Bolivia until 2007 when he returned to Machias. Tom’s previous experiences include working as a conservation organizer with the Sierra Club in Maine, trail steward and operations assistant at Little Lyford Pond Camps in the 100 Mile Wilderness of the Appalachian Trial, watershed field assistant with the Maine Department of Conservation, and as a native pollinator researcher for Downeast blueberry growers. He graduated in 1999 from the University of Maine at Machias with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Tom lives on a small farm with his wife Chloe and two children, Arlo and Darwin.
tom@downeastcoastalconservancy.org
Ruth Cash-Smith
Ruth Cash-Smith is a business counselor for the Women's Business Center at Coastal Enterprises, Inc. In 2010 she was named the SBA Women in Business Champion of the Year for both Maine and New England. Ruth has taught business communications for colleges in the United States as well as in Southeast Asia. A former mediator for the Maine court system, she has also served as a college administrator, career counselor, and federal grants evaluator. She has published more than seventy articles and essays and has written several award winning handbooks for a variety of non-profit organizations. Her book, The Graphic Designer's Guide to Better Business Writing, was published in 2007 and won an Apex Award for Excellence.
Susan Corbett
Ms. Corbett is the owner and CEO of Axiom Technologies, a telecommunications company headquartered in Machias, Maine that has been creating and developing solutions for rural broadband deployment since 2005. The recipient of four State of Maine ConnectME grant awards totaling $825,000.00, Axiom has brought high-speed Internet service to Washington County with over 90 Access Points, creating an umbrella over 2,500 square miles. The company is the only Information Technology Company in Washington County, employing fourteen, much sought technical positions. Additionally, Ms. Corbett owns a medical billing and practice management company, Morning Glory Enterprises, which provides services throughout New England and employs a staff of ten. She has managed many businesses throughout her 35-year career, mostly in healthcare and has a 25 year background in office nursing and medical practice administration and has consulted in over 250 medical practices and businesses. She has been a public speaker throughout Washington County and Maine advocating for rural broadband and is dedicated to the mission of bringing broadband to every resident and business. Ms. Corbett is a 2010 MaineBiz Women to Watch awardee recognized for her dedication in rural broadband development in the State of Maine.
Harold Clossey
Harold Clossey serves as the Executive Director of the Sunrise County Economic Council, cultivating and strengthening relationships with Washington County key partners in business and economic development communities as well as federal, state and local government. From Eastport, he received a degree in Small Business Management from Washington County Community College and has spent several years working in rural economic development in Washington County. Harold currently serves on the Governor’s Nature Based Tourism Task Force and is a core governing member of Washington County: One Community!
Sharon Dean
Sharon Dean serves as Executive Director of Sunrise Opportunities, a rehabilitation agency serving 120+ adults with intellectual disabilities and mental illness in Washington and Hancock Counties. From Middlebury, Connecticut, Sharon received her B.A. in Psychology in 1969 from Boston University and her M.S. in Education in 1983 from the University of Maine. After graduation she worked as a welfare worker for the state of Connecticut, and a teacher in a private special education school in Virginia. In 1973, Sharon accepted a position as a social worker at the Elizabeth Levinson Center for severely retarded children in Bangor. Her tenure as Executive Director of Sunrise Opportunities began in 1980. Since then, she has overseen the growth of this program from a small, one-site rehabilitation program to an umbrella agency that encompasses six residential programs, two day programs, and several outreach and home-based programs. She is an avid gardener and fitness swimmer.
Elizabeth “Betsy” Fitzgerald
A graduate of Washington Academy and the University of Maine at Machias, Fitzgerald spent 35 years teaching history, government and law at Erskine Academy in South China, ME. During her tenure, she received an Educator of the Year Award from the Maine Council for the Social Studies and was a semi-finalist for Teacher of the Year. In addition to her work in education, she served for many years as the code enforcement officer for the towns of Vassalboro and Benton. Returning home to Washington County, Fitzgerald served as the town manager of Machias for three and a half years and is now Washington County Manager.
manager@washingtoncountymaine.com
Jack A. Frost
Jack Frost has served as Director of Maine Coast Healthcare Foundation for the past four years. He works closely with the Foundation’s Board of Trustees to develop a planned giving program. Gifts to the Foundation, such as bequests, charitable gift annuities and real estate, advance the endowment fund for Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. Jack previously served for 14 years as Project Manager for Training and Development Corporation where his work included oversight of a statewide job training program for youth and adults. Jack graduated from of the University of Maine at Machias in 1989, obtained a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Maine in 1992, and completed training with the John Brown Limited course on Major Gifts & Planned Giving at Harvard University in 2007. His memberships include New England Association of Healthcare Philanthropy and the Maine Planned Giving Council, and he has held leadership roles on the boards of numerous non-profit and charitable organizations. Jack and his wife Brenda have one daughter, Abigail who attends the Bay School in Blue Hill.
Blaine Jones
Blaine Jones received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maine in 1992 and a Masters in Business Administration for Thomas College in 2002. He was employed by the Pine State Trading Company from 1993 to 2006 in many positions from Marketing Assistant to the Director of Category Management and Purchasing. In 2006 Jones became the Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager of Bangor Savings Bank, the largest independent bank in Maine. He is a member of the Machias Rotary Club, the Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education, Sunrise County Economic Council
Doug Jones
Doug is the new CEO of Down East Community Hospital in Machias, following ten years of exemplary service as President and CEO of Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth, Maine. At Maine Coast, Doug successfully led a $5.5 million capital campaign to expand that facility and its surgical services. Doug holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence University, and a Master of Public Health degree from Tulane University. He previously served as President/CEO at Genesee Memorial Hospital and United Memorial Medical Center, in Batavia, NY, during the 1990s, during which time he oversaw the merger of Genesee Memorial Hospital with St. Jerome Hospital. Doug has extensive experience in strategic planning and budget management, and he is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Maine Hospital Association (Public Policy Council), and chaired the United Way of Eastern Maine campaign in 2006.
Doug Kell, Sr.
Dugald, 81, is a graduate of MCTI, Marine Engineering and Technical College and has had a varied career. He was in the United States Air Force from 1951-1953; he has worked as a captain of sport fising vessels for may years on the U.S. East Coast and the Bahamas. At present, he is the founder and president of Kelco Industries, as small, successful manufacturing and sales corporation engaged in supplying the needs of the natural Christmas tree and wreath industries. Just recently Mr. Kell has taken on the task of renovating an old 1800 era building and transforming it into an art gallery. This new exstension of Kelco Industries activities will open in June 2011. Auto racing, driving, sailing and flying airplanes are all sports in which he has or now enjoys.
Gini King (Vice Chair)
The Reverend Gini King is the Coordinator of the Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance working to bring food security and warm and safe housing to all families in the County. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Maine Sea Coast Mission - Downeast Campus and the Board of Directors of Washington County: One Community. Recently retired as the minister of Centre Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Machias she continues her ministry in the area of community justice and equality. Living in Jonesport for the past fifteen years has been the best choice for our family - we love it here!
Anne C. Perry, MSN, FNP
Anne Perry is a Family Nurse Practitioner working at Calais Regional Medical Services in Calais, ME. She is a former State Representative for House District #31 (2003-10) in the Maine State Legislature and has served as co-chair of the Joint Standing Committees of Insurance & Financial Services and Health & Human Services. Ms. Perry is an adjunct professor at Husson University. She is a member of the District Coordinating Council for the Public Health System, board member of Washington County: One Community, member and president-elect of Calais Rotary Club and board member of the Maine Nurse Practitioner Association. Ms. Perry is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a BSN and Husson College with a MSN.
Ernestine “Ernie” Reisman
Ernie serves as VP of Human Resources at the Down East Community Hospital in Machias. From southern Maine, she graduated from Marshwood High School in 1975 and in 1979 from Colby College, where she earned her B.A. in Human Development and Sociology. She and her husband Jon moved to Washington County in 1984. Since coming to the area, Ernie has managed programs providing services for young children and their families, and for children and adults with disabilities. She has been active on statewide boards and committees that advocate for the needs of these individuals.
Kathleen Shannon
Kathleen has been Executive Director for the Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce since moving to Washington County in 2007. Prior to that she worked for nearly 20 years in Early Childhood Special Education and Early Intervention in various positions on the local and state level. Kathleen has served on various boards of directors, committees, and groups for two decades, currently including Machias Downtown Revitalization, Child Development Services, the Rotary Club and Sunrise Trail Coalition. Kathleen is Treasurer of Downeast and Acadia Regional Tourism and is actively involved in promoting collaboration between UMM, the Town of Machias, and the Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Joyce Hedlund
Dr. Joyce Baker Hedlund was born and raised in Fort Kent, Maine and has worked in higher education for 35 years. She has been employed by the Univsersity of Maine at Fort Kent, the University of Maine, Husson University, Eastern Maine Community College and now serves as President of Washington County Community College in Calais. Her higher education background includes work experiences in almost every area of a college environment, from admissions to counseling to continuing education to academic affairs and fund raising. She is a graduate of the University of Maine at Fort Kent and the University of Maine. She is an honorary member of Phi Theta Kappa, the academic honor society for two year colleges and a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the academic honor society for four year and graduate institutions. President Hedlund currently serves on a number of local, regional, and state boards and organizations including the Calais Rotary Club, Maine Women's Forum, Maine Higher Education Council, Penobscot Bay Sail and Power Squadron, and the College Board's New England Community College Advisory Committee. She also serves on the Board for Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems. She is a graduate of the Delta Class of Leadership Maine and is the recipient of the 1998 Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award, given by the Alumni of Leadership Maine.
James Thompson (Chair)
Jim earned a B.A. in Social Sciences and History from California State University, a Certificate in Newspaper Management from the National Press Institute in Reston, Virginia, and a Certificate in Human Factors Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Throughout his career he has worked at communications in a number of venues including American Airlines, executive director of the Maine Publicity Bureau, and director of public information for the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development as well as the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. Jim was owner and editor of the weekly Piscataquis Observer, and senior editorial officer for daily newspapers in Brunswick, Maine, and Barre-Montpelier, Vermont. Most recently Jim was executive director of the Downeast Heritage Museum. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine and Washington County Community College and is project coordinator for the Cross-Border Higher Education Partnership.
twojaysthompson@roadrunner.com
