Leadership
Leaders Driving Maine’s Future
Meet the people guiding our work across education, workforce, and community.
Our leadership team and board of directors bring together expertise from education, business, and policy to advance opportunity across Maine. United by a shared commitment to equity and collaboration, they help shape the vision, strategy, and partnerships that power our work and strengthen pathways for all Mainers.
Kate Howell
Interim Executive Director
As Deputy Director, Kate supports Educate Maine’s portfolio of programs across the education continuum and leads the organization’s talent development efforts. She works closely with our team of directors and partners to build connections between classrooms and careers, helping shape the policies and practices that support educators and lifelong, student-centered learning. Kate’s background spans the nonprofit, education, and private sectors, including human resources leadership in Maine’s biotech industry and earlier roles in New York City and Washington, D.C. These experiences continue to inform her commitment to equity, access, and opportunity for all learners. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Syracuse University and is a Senior Certified Professional (SCP) through the Society for Human Resource Management. Kate lives in Kennebunkport with her family and is actively engaged in her local community.
James Murphy
Director of Advancement
James has worked in and around education in many capacities across the country. Before returning to Maine, he worked with AchieveMpls, raising funds to support the strategic priorities of Minneapolis Public Schools. He also spent nearly a decade in Washington, D.C., managing programs at the Points of Light Institute and later working in community relations at Booz Allen Hamilton, an international consulting firm. Earlier in his career, James taught high school social studies as a Teach for America corps member in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He holds bachelor’s degrees from Boston University and a Master’s in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota. James and his family live in Portland, where his children attend Portland Public Schools.
Kate Carlisle
Strategic Communications Manager
Kate is an experienced communications strategist with a background in higher education and healthcare. She spent 25 years as an editor at The Washington Post and has since led communications and community affairs for Penobscot Community Health Care, Central Maine Healthcare, and Colby College.
When she’s not communicating professionally, Kate enjoys gardening, baking, reading nonfiction, and fiber arts. She is the mother of three adult children and lives in Waterville.
Amanda Petersen
Director of Operations
Amanda manages the organization’s financial, human resources, and operational functions, and provides programmatic and event planning support. She earned her undergraduate degree from Wheaton College and a Master’s in Public Administration, with a focus on nonprofit management, from the University of Southern California. Amanda enjoys the Maine outdoors with her husband and family.
Hannah Greene
Manager of Workforce Partnerships
As Manager of Workforce Partnerships, Hannah leads Educate Maine’s workforce development and experiential learning initiatives, including the organization’s registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, the flagship summer internship program, and related projects. She also leads the Education Leaders Experience program, connecting education leaders statewide with organizations and industries that offer promising opportunities for Maine students. Hannah brings extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on education and community development. Prior to joining Educate Maine, she was a Fellow at the Island Institute and worked in the education program at the Downeast Institute. Hannah also serves on the Maine State Apprenticeship Council. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Wheaton College and brings deep familiarity with communities along the Maine coast. She enjoys reading, nature walks, and exploring.
Jonathan Delorme
Program Manager, Educator Engagement
Jon has worked as an educator, program coordinator, and community developer in Maine and internationally in Morocco. He previously served as a workforce development specialist for Maine Career Catalyst and, before joining Educate Maine, taught American Studies at Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, where he also served as Community Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator. Between two stints teaching history at Edward Little High School in Auburn, he served in Peace Corps Morocco from 2016 to 2018 as a Youth Asset Builder. Jonathan holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and social sciences from the University of Maine at Farmington and a Master of Science in Education: Teacher Leadership from the University of Southern Maine. In his free time, he loves to read, play soccer, follow the Premier League, and travel.
Meg Krieger
Workforce Development Specialist
As a Workforce Development Specialist, Meg works with the Maine Career Catalyst team, partnering with businesses across industries to design and support registered apprenticeship programs and strengthen internship experiences statewide. In her first year, she coordinated the launch of the Maine Mobile BIOLAB and now brings that experience to her growing focus on workforce development and policy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Educational Studies from Bates College. Meg has hands-on experience in education ranging from community-based work in Lewiston, Maine, to teaching English in Dresden, Germany, and outdoor education in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She is based in Portland, where she loves spending time outside on a bike or in the ocean.
Angela Oechslie
Director, STEM Pathways & Innovation
Angela brings extensive workforce experience and relationships to her role directing the Project Login and Maine Mobile BIOLAB programs. She leads statewide computer science education expansion efforts and computer science teacher professional development, and has spent the past nine years deepening her expertise in project management and strategic leadership at Educate Maine. With a background in economic and workforce development and hands-on experience with federal jobs-related grants, Angela brings a unique perspective to her work. She is passionate about connecting students and adults with STEM pathways, including educational programs and quality job opportunities, across Maine. Angela holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Maine at Augusta and a Master’s in Organizational Communication and Leadership from Murray State University. She is a member of Maine Technology Institute’s IT Tech Board and a Microsoft TechSpark Fellow, and enjoys hiking, camping, and kayaking across Maine.
Kim Russell
Director of Special Projects
Kim joined Educate Maine in August 2024, bringing more than 25 years of experience in state and federal policy, with a focus on early childhood care and education. She also brings three advocacy organizations to the work: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, which engages law enforcement leaders; ReadyNation, which engages business leaders; and Mission: Readiness, which engages retired military leaders.
Kim currently co-leads Maine’s Right from the Start Coalition and serves on the Maine Children’s Trust Board of Directors. She is a former trustee of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and a founding board member of the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute. Her career includes work for a Maine governor, both branches of the Maine legislature, and Sen. Olympia Snowe’s 1994 and 2000 campaigns. She has also worked in development for one of Maine’s largest mental health agencies and for the University of Southern Maine. Kim is a graduate of Indiana University with degrees in journalism and political science
Susan Friedburg
Finance & HR Manager
Susan joined Educate Maine in 2023 with broad nonprofit financial management experience across healthcare, education, physician practice, and social work organizations. In addition to her work with Educate Maine, she consults with the New Hampshire Writers’ Project, applying her finance and event organization skills in support of their mission. She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Boston University. Susan lives in Bedford, New Hampshire, with her husband and son.
Heather Carlisle
Educator, Maine Mobile BioLab
Heather is an experienced scientist and educator with deep expertise in the life sciences, including work at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory and the Jackson Laboratory, and hands-on teaching experience in grades K-12. She most recently taught at George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill and the Sumner Learning Campus in Sullivan, Maine.
“I am passionate about creating student-focused, hands-on experiences that connect science to real-world settings,” Heather said. A molecular biologist by training, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is pursuing a Master’s in Instructional Technology from the University of Maine.
Anna Stehlik
Educator, Maine Mobile BioLab
Anna has a background in experience-focused environmental and outdoor education. She spent multiple seasons in the Conservation Department at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, working with both youth and adult participants. There she served as Environmental Education Coordinator, developed and facilitated backcountry programming, led science education treks for youth, and worked in conservation forestry. Anna earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Biology from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, in 2020. While at DePauw, she was a member of the Environmental Fellows Program and interned at the campus farm, where she established honeybee hives and led pollinator awareness efforts.
Board of Directors
Amy Boles
Amy is the Superintendent of Ellsworth Schools. She came to that role in 2009 after serving as assistant principal of Ellsworth High School for five years. A former social studies teacher at Massabesic High School, Amy has worked in Maine schools for more than 20 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Colby College and a master’s degree and Certificate of Advanced Study from the University of Maine. Amy serves on the board of the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce and is passionate about career and technical education in Maine. She serves on the CTE Committee of the Maine State Board of Education and is active within the Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education (MACTE). She also volunteers as a youth travel soccer and basketball coach and serves on her local YMCA Youth Sports Soccer Board. Amy lives in Hancock with her husband, Michael, and their two children, Hunter and Elizabeth.
Michael Cato
Michael Cato is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Bowdoin College, where he leads IT strategy and operations at one of the nation’s foremost liberal arts institutions. He joined Bowdoin in 2018 with 17 years of higher education IT experience, having previously served at Vassar College, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At Vassar, he led the Computing and Information Services division in adopting new approaches to better serve the college community, including developing project management methodologies, initiating IT service management principles, and implementing an intentional organizational culture program. In 2014, he led the division to successfully receive two Campus Cyberinfrastructure grants from the National Science Foundation.
Michael is an active participant in the higher education IT community and considers himself a student of leadership, with increasing engagement in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. He loves to learn, read, travel, and eat, and is raising a son with his wife, Heather.
Mark Brooks
Mark Brooks serves as Director of the Cianbro Institute at Cianbro Corporation, headquartered in Pittsfield, Maine, where he also coordinates leadership development across the Cianbro Companies.
A retired Colonel with the United States Army Reserves, Mark served for more than 34 years before retiring in 2020. He led soldiers at every level from team to brigade and is a decorated combat veteran with service in Iraq, having commanded U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in Tal Afar. He has been awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Bronze Star, and the Defense Meritorious Service Award. A graduate of the United States Army War College, Mark holds a Master of Science in Strategic Studies and has served as a Leadership Instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Mark also served 25 years with the Maine State Police in roles including rural patrol trooper, homicide detective, child abuse detective, training sergeant, patrol sergeant, and troop commander in both Aroostook County and Central Maine. He served as Commander of the Maine State Police Crisis Negotiation Unit and the Incident Management Assistance Team, retiring in fall 2019.
Colleen Clark
Colleen Clark serves as Senior Director of the Global Operations Program Management Office at IDEXX, where she oversees a team of program and project managers and data analysts focused on executing IDEXX’s strategic initiatives within Global Operations. These initiatives include expanding manufacturing and global distribution capacity, strengthening supply chain resilience, developing the frontline workforce, and advancing IDEXX’s digital transformation.
Before joining IDEXX, Colleen held substantial experience in program and product management, including more than four years at Comcast as Executive Director of Program Delivery, responsible for critical HR, growth, sales, and marketing programs. She has also held an executive leadership role at Nuix, an Australian-based technology company.
Colleen began her career as a teacher and holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of Jurisprudence in Corporate and Business Law from Widener Law School. She moved permanently to Portland, Maine, in 2021 and enjoys exploring the local food scene, hiking with her wife, Merry, and their two rescue dogs, Tom Brady and Emme.
Steve Decastro
Steve DeCastro joined Gorham Savings Bank in July, 2016 as executive vice president of the Commercial Banking division. Promoted to President and CEO in April 2018, Steve oversees the bank’s Commercial, Business Banking and Cash Management, Retail Banking, and Marketing divisions.
Prior to joining Gorham Savings, Steve was in charge of Key Bank’s Wealth Management group for New England, with $1.3 billion under management. He has over 22 years of banking experience in the greater Portland market.
Active in the greater Portland community, deCastro is a board member for both Junior Achievement of Maine and the USM Foundation. He also serves on the scholarship committee for Dead River, the United Way Campaign Cabinet, and the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital Golf Tournament Committee.
Steve attended Colby College and received his Master of Business Administration from Boston University.
GRIER TUMAS DIENSTAG
Grier is a Partner at McKinsey & Company, where she serves financial services clients. She began her career in education and philanthropy and most recently worked as a consultant at The Bridgespan Group. She serves on the New England Local Advisory Board of Jumpstart, a national nonprofit focused on advancing equitable learning outcomes for young children. Grier holds an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School and an AB Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College. She lives outside of Portland with her husband and two children.
Carolyn Dorsey
Carolyn Dorsey is Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff to the Chancellor of the University of Maine System, with direct oversight of multiple areas. She also serves as co-principal investigator for UMS TRANSFORMS, a $320 million initiative funded by the Harold Alfond Foundation aimed at driving transformational change in education, research, innovation, and workforce development across Maine. Previously, Carolyn was Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and held several leadership roles at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. She is completing a PhD at the University of Maine and holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Husson University. With a long career in education policy and community and workforce development, Carolyn serves on multiple boards and committees across Maine.
Anthony Dimarco
Tony is a retired IDEXX executive who held senior leadership positions in global manufacturing, research and development, and regulatory affairs. Throughout his career, he was deeply engaged in workforce development, including advancing the HEART Program, which pairs hourly employees from diverse backgrounds with internal mentors to provide apprenticeships and career development opportunities.
In retirement, Tony founded a firewood bank in Freeport, Maine, a volunteer organization that processes and distributes firewood as emergency heating assistance. He also co-founded the Maine Wood Banks Network, a nonprofit helping individuals start new wood banks in their communities. Tony serves on several boards and committees focused on innovation, workforce development, and educational programs.
Barry Driscoll
Barry serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at WEX, having joined the company as Vice President of Enterprise IT Services. Prior to WEX, he spent 10 years at Fairchild in a number of roles, including Vice President of Global IT. Barry holds degrees in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Maine.
Becky Hallowell
Becky Hallowell, 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year.
Brian J. King
Brian is President of Bank of America Maine. Prior to his current role, he served as a product management executive in the Consumer and Small Business division, responsible for the Advantage Banking Checking Account product and portfolio. He has been with Bank of America for 25 years and brings 28 years of banking experience overall. Brian has held leadership positions across credit underwriting, client satisfaction, retention, and marketing, and previously served as site executive for Bank of America’s Belfast, Maine operations, overseeing approximately 600 employees. He also serves as executive sponsor for the Military Support and Assistance and Disability Advocacy employee networks for the Bank of America Maine market.
David Pease
David Pease is Senior Vice President and Director of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion at Bangor Savings Bank. His human resources career spans more than 35 years across business, nonprofit, healthcare, academic, and corporate settings. He holds a Master’s in Human Resources Management from Lesley University and a bachelor’s degree in political science and communication from the University of Southern Maine. David has earned both the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Senior Certified Professional (SCP-SHRM) designations. He has served on the faculty of the Maine HR Convention, as an adjunct faculty member in Thomas College’s graduate school, and as State Director of Maine SHRM, and has received the distinguished Maine HR Leader of the Year award.
Lisa Sawin
Lisa Sawin is an architect, principal, and partner at Harriman Architects and Engineers, a 150-year-old firm based in Auburn, Maine. She serves as an educational planner and practice leader in Harriman’s PK-12 Education Studio, leading research-based design and advancing the design of educational facilities that support future-ready learners. Her experience as a teacher, builder, and architect, combined with her passion for inspiring learning environments, allows her to facilitate a collaborative design process that brings all stakeholders together. Her design philosophy is rooted in the belief that the most successful schools are designed in partnership with their communities and that sustainable design is simply good design. Lisa has been involved in numerous LEED Silver, Gold, and Platinum educational buildings, as well as net-zero facilities.
Umberto Speranza
Umberto Speranza is a government affairs leader with Fortune 250 experience in state and federal legislative and regulatory affairs, paid family and medical leave policy, disability income protection, employee benefits, ESG and financial services, and trade association representation. He currently serves as Assistant Vice President of Government Affairs for Unum Group in Portland. Before joining Unum, Umberto was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Italy and worked in the Ohio State Senate. He holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Dayton and the University of Miami.