Address: 301 Adams Pond Road

Occupation: Destination Experience Coordinator - Boothbay Craft Brewery, Tavern, & RV Resort; Owner - First Light RV Solutions

Education: Southport Central School - K-5. I was the sole student in my grade for the majority of my years there; Boothbay Region Elementary School - 6 through 8; Boothbay Region High School - 9th grade. I was very involved in the high school football program under Coach Rice. However, I struggled academically and socially due to being used to the one-one learning that I had at Southport; Hyde School - Bath, Maine - Class of 2012 - High honors, received the Integrity award; Attended Thomas Collage - Waterville, Maine; National RV Training Academy - Recreational Vehicle Technician Association - Certified Technician

Political History (Board, Committees): Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce - Board of Directors; Bangor Savings Bank - Corporator; All Saints Parish - Pastoral Council; Exploring our Schools Future Committee

Clubs/Organizations:

Considering the position you are running for, what do you feel are the three most pressing issues? (350 words or less): The three major challenges facing the Boothbay–Boothbay Harbor Community School District are escalating costs, declining student enrollment, and aging infrastructure. These issues are not only impacting the quality of education and the availability of student activities, but are also placing a significant financial burden on the community.

Spending is the most significant concern I hear from taxpayers. Despite these high costs, the district has cut student programs such as shop, home economics, and, most recently, band. To maintain athletics, some sports have been combined with other schools. This highlights the need to reevaluate spending priorities to ensure resources are allocated to support student learning and to keep our schools attractive to students in surrounding communities who have school choice.

Enrollment: Nearly one in four students in our schools lives outside Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor, meaning those families retain the discretion to go elsewhere. Boothbay has about 243 enrolled resident students, while Boothbay Harbor has about 125, PK–12. The community should be aware of this and begin discussing what it means long-term for our schools. This issue is not unique to our towns—it is happening across Maine and the entire country.

The aging infrastructure of our schools is another critical issue. I have heard many people refer to the school project as “the new school,” but that is misleading. This now $30-plus million project will not give us a new school—it is a major renovation of a building constructed roughly 50 years ago. The building was not designed for today’s educational needs or regulations, lacks proper insulation—resulting in a $100,000-plus annual heating cost—and has experienced major flooding, raising concerns about potential mold and student health.

Any other thoughts on why you are running or what you can bring to the office? 150 words or less:  I want to bring community trust back into our schools, where everyone can be proud of our small community and where our region’s students can thrive. I also want our schools to be run efficiently, with transparency and accountability to parents and taxpayers. My goal is to listen to what Boothbay residents want while providing all the facts and data needed to make informed decisions by our community about our schools.