Class of 2023

Class of ’23

Jenna Anand got to New Hampshire as soon as she could. Originally from Western New York, Jenna settled in the Granite State shortly after completing her undergrad. She relocated, during the Great Recession, hundreds of miles away from everyone she knew, for her first professional role in higher education. Almost fifteen years later, she’s alone no more having met her husband at Portsmouth Brewery. The couple raises their three children in an international, intercultural, inter-religious, and maybe the biggest– inter-political home in Rochester, NH.

Jenna strives to bring education and upward mobility to our community. She has spent the past ten years at Great Bay Community College where she is currently the Director of the Center for Academic Planning and Support. Jenna also serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Dover Adult Learning Center of Strafford County. These education roles have allowed her a unique glimpse into the lives of adult learners on the New Hampshire Seacoast. On top of the regular college stresses of writing papers and mastering precalculus, New Hampshire adult learners battle glaring issues such as the housing shortage, public transportation limitations, childcare scarcity, and a staggering cost of living increase. Through her engagement in Leadership Seacoast Jenna hopes to make connections and learn about resources to help not only her students, but the entire region—because we can only be great if all of us have a chance at greatness.

Class of ’23

Danielle Barry works as part of the digital team in the Education and Outreach department at FedPoint, which administers employee benefits for the federal government. In her role as Virtual Content Administrator, Danielle is responsible for facilitating the educational webinars hosted and presented by both BENEFEDS, the secure online enrollment portal for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), and the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). Danielle has lived and worked on the Seacoast since 2004. While previously working in tourism, she supported the efforts of the Portsmouth, Hampton, and York Chambers. Danielle is a graduate of the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!) and is inspired by those around her, especially the Leadership Seacoast alumni that have come before her. Danielle looks forward to putting her newfound awareness towards making a positive impact in her community.

Danielle is a passionate dog-mom, and supporter of animal rescues. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors and active. Alongside her husband, their wish-list of life adventures includes seeing a game in each of the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums in the U.S.; at the time of this writing they’ve already visited 21 parks and look forward to seeing the remaining nine.

Class of ’23

Tom Bebbington is a public relations professional who has been in the communications field for more than 20 years. More importantly: I am a husband, and father to two great kids. I live in Durham, where I am an appointed member of the town’s Trustees of the Trust Funds; I also serve my professional community as Treasurer of the Yankee Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. I am a proud graduate of Saint Anselm College in Manchester, and the University of Chicago. In my spare time, I enjoy running, skiing, hiking, and playing music.

Class of ’23

Liz Belsito currently serves as the Director, Early Childhood Initiatives for Granite United Way. She has over 10 years of public policy experience within state government and non-profits, with 5 of those years dedicated to serving children and families in the Greater Seacoast.

Prior to coming to New Hampshire, Liz worked for the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Before her entry into public policy, Liz worked directly with individuals and families, operating afters school and workforce programs in underserved neighborhoods, providing harm reduction services to chronically homeless adults, and supporting mothers as they transition from homelessness and recovered from substance misuse.

While in graduate school, Liz found her love for public policy through her participation in the Fellowship on Women and Public Policy at the University of Albany. Liz has applied her passion to increase equitable access to early learning and support services for the youngest members of the Seacoast community.

At home, Liz loves spending time with her two little ones, her husband, and their pooch Duke. She and her family feel lucky to have so many community resources and events throughout the Seacoast to enjoy as a family.

Class of ’23

Dr. Robin Buckley has her degree in Clinical Psychology from Hofstra University. The owner of Insights Group Psychological & Coaching Services, Dr. Robin served as a doctoral professor and dissertation chair for students in business, leadership, education, and healthcare. Currently, Robin functions as a professional speaker, Executive Coach and Couples Coach, and author. Her proprietary coaching model uses a business framework and cognitive-behavioral strategies to support executives and high-performance couples in creating and executing concrete, strategic plans for their futures. She has published three books, including Voices From the Village: Advice for girls on the verge of adulthood. Dr. Buckley is a columnist for Entrepreneur.com and has been featured as an expert on multiple media platforms, including Thrive Global, Authority Magazine, Nike, various podcasts and news radio, and was a speaker at the 2022 TEDx Portsmouth event.

Class of ’23

Allison Bussiere currently serves as the Director of the Seacoast Food Providers Network, a program of Gather, an organization committed to ending local hunger through collaboration and leadership.

Over the past twelve years, Allison has held leadership positions with the Seacoast Women’s Giving Circle, a 150+ member organization committed to improving the quality of life on the Seacoast through grassroots action and collective giving. She has served on the Board of the Birchtree Center for Autism and is currently on the Board of the Port City Makerspace, an inclusive community workshop that provides tools, knowledge, and a collaborative culture to encourage the artist and maker in everyone.

Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Allison attended Queen’s University and graduated with a degree in Occupational Therapy. A job at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital led her to the Boston area, where she worked for several years in clinical and educational settings, including the Boston Public Schools.

A Portsmouth resident since 2000, Allison enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, walking her dogs, knitting, making pottery, dreaming up new ideas for projects, and gathering people together.

Class of ’23

James Butler is a Senior Analyst in Energy Efficiency for Eversource and supports regulatory and planning efforts for the NH Saves portfolio of energy efficient programs and services. Prior to joining Eversource, James worked for the Rhode Island Department of Human Services and as a Policy Advisor in the NH Governor’s Office where he advised on issues related to the state budget, agriculture, fish and game, and municipal government.

James grew up in Ohio and has a B.A. from Baldwin-Wallace College and Master of Public Administration from The Ohio State University. James lives in Portsmouth and loves everything that the Seacoast and New Hampshire have to offer, including hiking, biking, going to shows, and trying to keep his garden alive.

Class of ’23

Diana Carr grew up on the seacoast and currently lives in New Durham. She works full time as an Inflight Refueling Operator in the New Hampshire Air National Guard at Pease. In her free time, she enjoys going to see live music and generally just being outdoors. She has a budding interest in learning about local wildlife and identifying the plants, animals, and fungi in the forests in the area.

Class of ’23

Caileigh Chaffin grew up on the New Hampshire Seacoast, attended the University of New Hampshire, and now lives and works in Portsmouth. She is dedicated to a career in marketing, currently as Marketing Strategy and Tactics Coordinator at the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) located in Portsmouth, NH. The IAPP is the world’s largest global information privacy community. Caileigh is fortunate to collaborate with and learn from a diverse group of talented individuals every day in a company that recognizes diversity and inclusion as core principles.

Caileigh is a curious person who strives to better herself personally and professionally every day. She is passionate about community service and has a long history as a volunteer for multiple hunger relief organizations throughout the Seacoast. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, moped rides, and spending time with her dog.

Class of ’23

Melissa (Mel) Clark is a Branch Services Supervisor for Meredith Village Savings Bank in Rochester, NH. With over 13 years in the banking industry, she brings exceptional customer service and expertise while empowering her team to flourish personally and collectively. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Franklin Pierce University and serves on the Share Fund Board of Directors on the Corporate Outreach Committee. Mel has lived on the Seacoast most of her life and is looking forward to finding ways to further support the communities that have molded her.

In her free time, Mel loves to volunteer, travel, and spend time with her son, family, and friends. She is passionate about music and comedy and dabbles in both performing throughout Maine and New Hampshire.

Class of ’23

Martha Clyde is currently the Office Manager of the Cambridge Trust North Hampton location. She has been with the company (formerly known as Optima Bank & Trust) for a little over 8 years and before that worked for a financial institution in the U.K., where she is from. After studying abroad at the University of Maine, Martha fell in love with the New England region and now resides on the seacoast with her husband Tom and rescue dog Sebastian. A proud Rotarian, she loves to help others and better her community. When not working or volunteering, you will find her traveling, enjoying long walks with her dog or sampling one of the seacoast’s many restaurants. Martha is ecstatic to be taking part in Leadership Seacoast and looks forward to learning more about the different topics that will be covered.

Class of ’23

Ryan Cronan is a benefits consultant with The Richards Group. In his role, he works with local and national employers managing and designing their employee benefits packages. He is a Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC®) through the National Association of Health Underwriters. Ryan also is a SHRM-CP Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Additionally, he holds his Advanced Self-Funding Certification and Voluntary Worksite Certification through the National Association of Health Underwriters.

Ryan is an active member of the local Seacoast HR Association (SHRA) and Human Resource Association of Greater Concord (HRAGC) where he is on both the program development and membership committees. In 2022, Ryan was selected and completed the Hoffman-Haas Fellowship program that prepares individuals for non-profit board roles.

Ryan grew up on the seacoast of NH. He loves the NH Seacoast and the strong local community. He is excited to join Leadership Seacoast to continue to help build the existing strong local community.

Ryan lives in Hampton with his wife, Heather, and son.

Class of ’23

In addition to working as a Portfolio Manager for Bank Of New Hampshire, Shelley-Ann Cullen sits on the Board for BAPOC (Business Alliance for People of Color) and is an ambassador for SDIG (Systemic Diversity & Inclusion Group). Shelley was inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda in 2022, a national honor society for non-traditional students who achieve and maintain outstanding scholastic standards and leadership characteristics while handling additional responsibilities of work and family.

Shelley, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, is a force of inspiration, mentorship, and poise concealed behind a smile. Shelley is dedicated to assisting others through mentoring and assistance since she is aware of what it is like to be excluded and undervalued.

Today, she strives to develop further in her role as a portfolio manager and has a particular passion for helping BIPOC owned small businesses. In service of that mission, Shelley collaborates with domestic and international diversity organizations. This promotes awareness and appreciation of multicultural and multicultural-friendly aspects of society, which Shelley believes everyone can benefit from.

When Shelley isn’t prioritizing her family, community, and career, she writes poetry or is working on an article about “How To Find Happiness In The Workplace.”  When you have an idea in your head, writing is a means to communicate ideas and thoughts.

Who am I? – Serial Social Servant.

Class of ’23

Timothy Cullity was born in Peterborough, NH and raised in Keene, NH. With no great plans after high school, I joined AmeriCorps NCCC in North Charleston, SC. The first line of the AmeriCorps pledge is, “I will get things done for America – to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier.” That sense of selflessness was much needed at that age, and this was one of the most eye-opening and influential experiences of my life as I came together with a diverse group of peers, from all walks of life, to provide services to those in need in the Southeast region. I met some pretty amazing people along the way. This further fueled my curiosity of the world, and my thirst for knowledge that led me to come back home to attend Keene State College. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences in 2009.

After college, I moved to the seacoast area and found a job with FedPoint in Portsmouth. I held various roles over the years, and I am currently the Marketing Communications Manager. I have made connections with many amazing people at FedPoint, and the culture of giving and the sense of community is unmatched.

My wife, Lisa, and I live in Lee, NH. I have a deep passion for cooking and how food brings people together. Other activities that keep me on my toes include golf, soccer, kayaking, hiking, foraging, and gardening.

Class of ’23

Cheri DeLorge has carved a career path in the mortgage industry as both a real estate loan officer and a mortgage underwriter, for the past 25 years. Her extended history in the mortgage industry has taught her how to help educate her borrowers on the difference between balancing what the borrower wants verse what the borrower needs and helping them achieve their life goals.

Cheri was a later-life, graduate of the University of Southern Maine, graduating with the class of 2021. Cheri graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Business Leadership. Her career goal was not to manage people but to inspire people to be lead. Inspire people to become their very best.

In her down time Cheri enjoys paddle boarding and exploring the Maine and New Hampshire Lakes, walking her dog Lilly and exploring the world through the eyes of authors by reading.

Class of ’23

Greg Doolittle has over 20 years of banking experience. He began his career while in high school where he started as a part-time teller working the evening shifts and Saturdays at a regional commercial bank.  Greg has held various positions on the retail side of the bank including Teller, Senior Teller, Teller Supervisor and eventually Branch Manager.  He has also worked on the operations side and conducted branch evaluations, wrote policies and procedures, and supported the retail branches by answering policy and procedure questions. Currently, Greg is the Vice President/Audit & Compliance Officer and serves as the Bank Secrecy Act Officer for Piscataqua Savings Bank in Portsmouth, NH. His primary role is ensuring the Bank follows rules and regulations (federal and state) that have been put in place to protect consumers. He is also responsible for providing training to the various departments of the Bank and manages the Bank’s audit program. Lastly, Greg monitors transactions for suspicious activity to ensure there is no money laundering or other illicit activities.

Greg obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration through Charter Oak State College in CT and earned this while working full time at the bank. When not working or studying, Greg can be found traveling to different destinations with his husband and sometimes, their newest family member, Teddy the Cavapoo.

Class of ’23

Susan Fraser is a Customer Experience Product Manager at Lincoln Financial Group where she and her team continue to find opportunities to improve the online experience for individuals managing their group benefits.

Susan found her passion of working with IT teams to build digital experiences sixteen years ago at Timberland. With her initial focus on eCommerce then expanding to include the building of global brand sites, Susan ensured the online experience accurately reflected the brand and was a positive experience for the consumers. Her affection towards improving the online experience continues to the work she does today.

The Seacoast has been home to Susan for most of her life, growing up in Maine and eventually settling in Dover, NH. In her free time, Susan loves to travel and explore new areas, especially near (or on) the water with her husband and two children. Additionally, Susan loves to play pickleball and is always looking for new partners.

Class of ’23

Renee Giffroy: No longer required by our jobs to live in a certain area, my husband and I did an extensive search of places to settle and chose the Seacoast area.  Born in New Orleans, I have lived in many parts of the country, both as a child and an adult, before settling here in 2014 and I am thrilled to be part of this vibrant community!

After graduating from Penn State I spent most of my career in a variety of sales and marketing positions at IBM, where I had the opportunity to meet and work with people across the US and internationally. Believing it is time to give back, I currently volunteer in several arts and cultural organizations. I serve as a Board Director of the New Hampshire Art Association after 7 years as Board President.  I also sit on the Mayor’s Portsmouth Arts and Non-profit Committee where I co-chair the committee to execute the Americans for the Arts study, which will quantify the contributions of Arts and Cultural organizations to the local economy.

Beyond my family and friends, my passion is photography, and I’m a member of many arts organizations in the area. I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to study with a number of renowned photographers and have experience in a number of genres. I enjoy photographing a wide variety of subjects and currently exhibit and sell my work in venues across New England. My desire is to continue to grow as an individual by meeting new people, learning new things, and making a positive difference!

Class of ’23

Steve Gonyaw, a native Vermonter, moved to New Hampshire in 2016 after graduating from Saint Anselm College with a double major in Finance and Economics. Starting with Rise Private Wealth Management as an intern, he quickly turned his opportunity into a full-time roll as a client service specialist after graduating. A year later he transitioned into the role of a financial advisor, meeting with individuals and families helping them prioritize and plan for their future goals. He helped to create the necessary roadmap that led them navigate the difficult journey towards achieving those goals. He achieved his Certified Financial Planner, CFP, designation in March of 2018.

When he is not at work, you can find him at the local F45 South Portsmouth early morning gym classes, out on the golf courses, or at the beach with his dog Gunnar.

A fun fact is that his family has been making maple syrup in Vermont for over 4 generations.

Class of ’23

Jessica Hamilton has been in the nonprofit industry for 10 years and is currently the Resource Development Director at Southeast NH Habitat for Humanity in Portsmouth. I’m fortunate to have a job that I truly love. She enjoys connecting with donors, supporters, volunteers, and learning about the history of SENH Habitat’s Partner Families. The strength and resilience shown by all of these hard-working families continues to inspire her.

Jessica received her B.S. in Business Administration from the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. Jessica has been serving on the Portsmouth Rotary Board of Directors since 2021 and reports monthly on behalf of the Communications and Program Committees for the club.

After falling in love with the Seacoast Area during her time at the University of New Hampshire, she moved to Dover where she lived for eight years. Jessica currently resides with her boyfriend, Dennis Pratt in Portsmouth. Jessica enjoys running, hiking, kayaking and spending time at the beach with my family.

Class of ’23

Amy Hammershoy is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones in Newmarket, NH. Amy graduated magna cum laude from the American Public University System with a bachelor’s degree in Logistics Management. Passionate about education and self-development, Amy considers herself a life-long student.

Born on the Seacoast, Amy has a deep affection for the State of New Hampshire and her community. An avid volunteer, Amy currently serves as the Administrative Director on the board of the Newmarket Business Association, is an ambassador with the Exeter Chamber of Commerce, and is an active member with several other local organizations including the NH/MA chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Kiwanis, and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.

When Amy isn’t engaging with clients she is spending time with her husband, Eric, most likely traveling or planning the next adventure. Amy enjoys time with family and friends, home projects, local eateries and events, and getting outdoors.

Class of ’23

Kerry Houlihan is an attorney at Keane & Macdonald, P.C. in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Her practice includes a variety of areas, with a focus on real estate, commercial lending, business law and contract drafting and negotiation.

Kerry earned her Juris Doctor from the University of New Hampshire School of Law in 2018 and her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and History from Suffolk University in 2012. She is admitted to practice law in, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.

Kerry was born and raised in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and she now lives in Stratham, New Hampshire with her boyfriend and their dog. In her free time Kerry can be found cooking, hiking, traveling to new places, hanging out with friends and family or boating on Lake Winnipesauke.

Class of ’23

Alexandra Kirade (she/her) is passionate about providing equitable access to opportunity to under-resourced groups. Using a social justice lens and feminist approach, Alexandra engages in organizational strategy and capacity-building with on-the-ground practitioners across the U.S. as an Associate Director at Civitas Strategies and Luminary Evaluation Group.

Alexandra’s work at Civitas Strategies involves providing coaching and technical assistance to mission-driven organizations and nonprofits, with a focus on the early childhood education sector. At Luminary Evaluation Group, Alexandra specializes in program evaluation co-design, data collection, analysis, and recommendations.

Alexandra called southeastern Massachusetts home until her husband, a New Hampshire native, convinced her of how much better life could be with less traffic. Alexandra has resided in NH since 2016 and – now having lived in four towns in NH! – is thrilled to settle into her “forever home” in the seacoast region.

Alexandra is a magna cum laude graduate of Stonehill College and holds a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Arts in Community Development from the University of New Hampshire.

Class of ’23

Sarah Kuhl oversees the Service Credit Union Impact Foundation in Portsmouth. Since joining the foundation in January 2022, she has helped raise $550,000+ to support a variety of initiatives across New Hampshire, including veteran care and housing services.

Born and raised in Southern NH, Sarah moved across the country before coming home to New Hampshire to raise her family. After graduating from Emmanuel College in Boston with a degree in Communications, Sarah started her professional career in advertising and broadcast news in Boston. After getting married, Sarah and her husband headed west to San Diego, where she started her career in fundraising. Sarah was an event manager at the National MS Society, an organization close to her heart. Her mom lived with MS for 18 years and Sarah was honored to work for an organization whose goal was to help others affected by MS.

Eventually, Sarah moved to her husband’s hometown of Chicago, working in development at the Art Institute of Chicago before taking a few years off from her career to raise her daughter. In 2018, Sarah’s family decided to move back to New Hampshire. Upon settling in Dover, Sarah worked as the Corporate Philanthropy Officer at the Wentworth-Douglass Foundation. Sarah loved supporting the hospital that cared for her community, while building relationships with community leaders, which she continues to do in her current role at the Service CU Impact Foundation.

Sarah lives with her husband and two children in Dover. Together, they love exploring all that the Seacoast has to offer!

Class of ’23

Josh Leonard is the Sales Director at Calling All Cargo Moving and Storage. Starting nearly 13 years ago, he has assisted with the growth and direction of this fast growing company. He is most proud of winning the Volunteer of the Year with the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, the Torch Award with the BBB, Business of the Year with Business NH Magazine, and the 2020 Business of the Year for the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce. He appreciates the physical and mental challenges managing a moving company provides and is proud of the great relationships he has made over the years with wonderful team at Calling All Cargo.

When not moving heavy items, Josh is a published Freelance Photojournalist, feature writer, photographer and sports blogger. In his free time he enjoys mountain biking, skiing and mushroom foraging. For fun, he has a goal of photographing every mushroom species in New Hampshire.

Class of ’23

A 25-year resident of the seacoast community, Tom Maher is excited to expand his understanding of important issues across the region and to establish relationships with other people who are passionate about improving the quality of life for all residents in the seacoast community. Before becoming a member of the Leadership Seacoast class of 2023, Tom was deeply involved in youth sports. He served as a Head Coach, Director of Player Development and President of Seacoast Women’s Hockey Association, the first and largest girls and women’s hockey association in New Hampshire. Additionally, Tom was the Assistant Coach for Exeter High School Varsity Girls team. Outside of sport, Tom is a highly engaged advocate for those struggling with alcohol and substance abuse, helping align people with recovery programs as well as housing and employment. Professionally, Tom is a Senior Business Development leader. His career includes global sales organization leadership roles for Nike Inc., Bauer Hockey and Easton Bell Sports as well as consulting services for startups, small and midsize companies in the US and Canada. Currently Tom is building a startup, Granite Growth Strategies LLC, a Business Coaching company focused on helping small businesses across New Hampshire grow profitably.

Class of ’23

Christana Wille McKnight is the Island Minister and Beloved Community Project Manager for Star Island Corporation.  She is a leader in the Unitarian Universalist denomination, working for the past ten years at an inner city church in Massachusetts and serving on a national level in denominational governance and policy.  She also has background in fundraising and community organizing.   One of her primary areas of focus is on inclusion and representation within the wider Star Island organization in the past, present and future.

Christana is new to this role and the Seacoast region and is looking forward for the opportunity to make connections. While being originally from Minnesota, she has lived and worked on the East Coast for twenty years, and has enjoyed both Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  She and her husband have recently relocated to Portsmouth with their two teenage children and have already found much to enjoy about the seacoast area, from skiing in the mountains to walking on the beach with their beloved dog, Roscoe.

Class of ’23

Matt Miller was raised in Windham, New Hampshire and has a deep and abiding love for his home state. After college and graduate school in New England and a stint working on Capitol Hill, Matt found his way home to the Granite State as a staffer for Congresswoman Annie Kuster. Matt attended law school at UNH in Concord, where he was a Daniel Webster Scholar and served on the Law Review. After law school, he spent two years clerking at the U.S. District Court in Concord.  Matt is now a civil litigator at Bernstein Shur in Manchester.

Matt and his wife Annie moved to Portsmouth in 2020, where they are now raising their sons Monty, Fitz, and Tenny. Matt and his family love spending time at the beach, in the mountains, and in every small town and city in between. Matt also enjoys skiing in the winter, golfing in the summer, and reading in all four seasons.

Matt is a proprietor at the Portsmouth Athenaeum, a nonprofit membership library, gallery, and museum. He is looking forward to further engaging with the Seacoast community.

Class of ’23

Professionally, Alex Morris is a military officer in the New Hampshire Air National Guard at Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington, New Hampshire. He served for nine years on Active Duty in the Air Force following his graduation from Norwich University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He also holds a master’s in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University. Alex served as an electrical engineer in the acquisitions workforce purchasing military systems, as an aircraft maintenance officer leading Airmen to repair C-17A cargo aircraft, and also as a flight test engineer on the KC-46A refueler aircraft. In the Guard, he now serves as a 157th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander leading Airmen toward accomplishing the mission of generating the KC-46A aircraft in service of the United States’ military objectives.

At home, Alex is a proud husband to Jeremy and father to their son Carter. They live in Kingston, New Hampshire nearby to family and lifelong friends. Alex is passionate about enjoying the outdoors and is often hiking in the White Mountains with his dog, Clementine. Alex also spends most weekends year-round in Barnet, Vermont on Harvey’s Lake enjoying all the beauty and fun of lake life.

In the community, Alex strives to increase is involvement. In the near future, he looks forward to becoming involved in local politics, and potentially running for elected local office.

Class of ’23

Gabriella Olhava is a Social Work Professional from Chicago IL. Drawn to the Seacoast for a volleyball scholarship at UNH, Gabriella graduated with a bachelor’s in social work in 2019. Shortly after graduation, Gabriella began working at HHH where she was initially hired as a case manager but quickly transitioned to the Abi’s Place case manager and eventually Residential Clinician. Throughout her three years working there, she obtained Licensure as a Drug and Alcohol counselor (LADC) and is now serving as the Residential Programs Manager. In this role Gabriella oversees the day-to-day operations at both Abi’s Place and Hope on Haven Hill treatment Facility. Gabriella is also pursuing her master’s in public administration with a specialization in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Walden University.

In her free time Gabriella is a volleyball coach at CHIC training Academy, Oyster River Highschool and a local volleyball Club. She enjoys being outside, reading and spending time with her loved ones.

Class of ’23

Hannah Schmidt: I was born and raised on the New Hampshire Seacoast and still reside there today. I attained my BA in Sociology from Keene State College where I also minored in Women’s and Gender studies. Throughout college I worked at Market Basket as a cashier where I discovered my reasonability and people skills. I began my professional career working in direct care at residential treatment facilities for at risk youth. The first of these roles was at Wediko Children’s Services, and the second was Becket Family of Services. I then transitioned to hospitality. I worked under Sodexo at Portsmouth Regional Hospital as a supervisor where my primary role was to prepare and deliver food to the patients. This seamlessly led to me starting my career at Novocure where I currently work as a Care Coordinator, speaking with our patients on the phone. Novocure provides FDA approved cancer treating equipment. It is an honor to support our patients through their difficult journey. I have grown exponentially while at Novocure, personally and professionally. I hope to continue this growth through the Leadership Seacoast Program and be a more active participant in the community to which I have always been connected.

Class of ’23

Nathania Sitiwatjana is a commercial lending Relationship Manager at TD Bank for Eastern New Hampshire. She has over ten years of experience in the banking industry, particularly in commercial banking. She has worked for major financial institutions such as Wells Fargo, Chase, Citibank, Bank of America, and Citizens Bank. Nathania received her B.S. in Business Administration with concentration in Finance.

Born and raised in Manila Philippines, she moved to California during her early adolescent years. She has also lived in New York City and more recently Las Vegas. She is passionate about traveling and have been to at least sixteen countries.

Nathania resides in the Seacoast with her husband and their two young sons. Her husband is a former and now retired professional boxer and Muay Thai fighter. She is a board member of the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire and an active member of the Dover Rotary Club. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at local non-profits, reading books, cooking plant based food for her family, going on nature walks, spending time with her family, working out/boxing, and hanging out at the beach.

Class of ’23

Doug Smith is the Community Relations Coordinator at Kennebunk Savings, a mutual bank serving southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire. He helps facilitate the Kennebunk Savings Community Promise program, through which the Bank contributes 10% of its after-tax earnings to nonprofits within the communities it serves each year. He also helps manage the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation. His role at Kennebunk Savings focuses on fostering and strengthening relationships with nonprofit partners, documenting and reporting out key performance metrics to internal and external stakeholders, and assisting his team in advancing the Bank’s overall corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Doug was born and raised in Dover and graduated from UNH with a degree in Business Administration. After living in Washington, DC for 14 years working in a variety of sectors and roles ranging from consumer packaged goods to higher education to a local nonprofit advocating for bicyclists and other vulnerable road users, his family moved to São Paulo, Brazil. While in Brazil he took the opportunity to travel, meet as many people as he could and learn their stories, and continually embarrass himself while trying to master the Portuguese language.

He now resides in Saco with his wife, 12 year old son and two rescue dogs: Rio & Felix. When not spending time with his family, you can find him hiking the trails, paddling on the ocean, biking in the woods or downhill skiing – his son’s favorite new activity. He really loves remembering how special this area is and sharing it with his family.

Class of ’23

Brenda Spinney Reyna lived in the woods of Maine for 29 years, before moving to Dover, New Hampshire a decade ago. She enjoys living on the Seacoast with her 3 teenagers, husband, 4 cats and a guinea pig. She has been inspired by her teenager’s varied experiences, growing up on the Seacoast; watching them develop as individuals with unique passions and pain points among them. It’s Mom’s turn to grow now!

Brenda is a Compliance Administrator at FedPoint, having made the leap during the pandemic, from being a federal agent for 15 years in the Department of State. Brenda has been enjoying the ability to use her empathy and connectedness skills in the Compliance Department. She loves working with her small team to look at the big picture and making a difference in people’s lives. She is looking forward to growing, learning, and becoming part of something bigger through Leadership Seacoast!

Brenda is a Lupus Warrior, fighting the invisible disease of Lupus daily. She works hard to make the best of living with Lupus, and she uses her ADHD superpowers to hyperfocus and think outside of “the box.” Brenda hopes to be encouragement for anyone who is facing a challenge that feels impossible.

Brenda’s ideal day is spent searching for sea glass, coffee in hand, or writing in her gardens, taking breaks to talk to the birds. Her evening would then be spent cuddling with her cats and family by the fire, reading historical non-fiction, mostly about the Queen!

Class of ’23

Jamie Swan is Director of Strategic Initiatives at Community Action Partnership of Strafford County (CAPSC), a non-profit that serves families and individuals in Strafford County.  CAPSC offers a wide range of programs and services including rental assistance, fuel and electric assistance, housing and homeless prevention services, senior transportation, early childhood education, food and nutrition services, and more. Jamie provides support for growth initiatives in the areas of organization design and change management/communication while ensuring CAPSC’s long- and short-term goals are in line with the agencies mission.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Jamie has lived and worked in New Hampshire for sixteen years. She resides in Dover with her husband, their son and daughter, and their dog, Bailey. Jamie is excited to be a member of Leadership Seacoast’s Class of 2023.

Class of ’23

Beth Tener is a facilitator and strategy coach who helps social change leaders work together to find the best solutions as they address complex challenges. She is the founder of New Directions Collaborative, based in Portsmouth, NH, and has worked with over 200 organizations and collaborative networks. Her passion is to bring people together in ways that unlock and ignite personal, group, and community potential. She helped curate and facilitate the NH Workplace Racial Equity Learning Challenge, sponsored by NH Business for Social Responsibility.

Her new initiative is called Kinship: a hub for connection and learning to explore how we can activate the untapped potential of healthy community. The intent is to grow trusting supportive communities that fortify us in these intense times and where everyone has a place.

Beth has developed a deep love for the forests, waterways and wildlife of New Hampshire, since moving to the region in 2005. She’s happiest outside – hiking, biking, kayaking, cross-country skiing – and in conversations with friends. She’s a gardener and is trained in permaculture and is continually inspired by the beauty and wisdom of how nature works.

Class of ’23

Beth grew up in a small town on the south shore of Massachusetts.

She joined BCBS in Boston directly out of high school from entry level eventually into marketing management. Moving to Maine in 1990, Beth worked as a Sales Rep for a Third-Party Administrator in employee benefits administration throughout New England.

In 1995 she became a self-employed small business owner in southern Maine. She worked in hospitality and event planning sales until she found her calling as the Community Relations & Sales Director for Sentry Hill at York Harbor, York Maine. “Assisting seniors and families move into a retirement community and or assisted living is both challenging and extremely rewarding. It is simply great to assist these individuals and families in making huge, life changing decisions that directly impact the final chapters of their lives. Connecting residents, family and community unites people in ways that have a profound and lasting effect, which is a genuinely great outcome.” During her tenure at Sentry Hill Beth has been committed to fund-raising efforts to “Find a Cure” for the Alzheimer’s Association. She was a key founder in the “Almost Labor Day Art Auction” for the Ogunquit Museum of American Art.

Now living in Exeter NH, Beth is looking for her passion project and looks forward to opportunities to become more involved in her community through the Seacoast Leadership program.

Beth enjoys time spent with family, friends, travel, cooking and painting.

Class of ’23

Jen Wentworth is the Business Administrator for the City of Portsmouth, most recently, in the Public Works Department where she fills her days assisting her multi-talented staff with implementing recycling and solid waste advancements, funding and budget preparations, website and social media outreach and developing employee health and wellness programs. She enjoys working in this fast paced, always evolving, environment where she can be passionate about supporting employees and residents every day.

Jen has held many roles in municipal administration over the last 20 years, from entry level to management, which has given her a unique perspective on the daily institution of local government. She uses her finance and accounting background to excel in these roles, and always works to cultivate quality relationships within the community.

She lives in Kittery with her three busy teenagers and is grateful to call such a diverse seacoast community home. Growing up as a military brat, Jen lived all over the northeast but Kittery and Portsmouth always felt like home. She spends her free time exploring local beaches, farmers markets and restaurants, usually with her trusty sidekick Moxie the Catahoula Leopard Hound.

Class of ’23

Brittany Wason (she/her) is a Seacoast native, having attended Portsmouth High School before heading off to college in Ohio. After graduating with a Bachelors in English, she moved even further away to California to get her Master’s in Creative Writing, specializing in Poetry. In her brief (three year) stint on the West Coast, Brittany worked many jobs (often 2-3 at a time to pay Bay Area rent) including lecturer, bookseller, and babysitter while also scheduling classes for adults and events for children.

Moving home to be closer to family in 2015, Brittany worked in book publishing at a press in Maine. Her weird love of homework has continued since graduate school, having completed an extensive certificate in editing from UC Berkeley and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace certificate from the University of South Florida.

Since 2018, Brittany has worked at The Music Hall in Portsmouth in both the Marketing and Programming Departments. Now in charge of the same events she saw on stage as a high school senior, Brittany curates the award-winning Writers on a New England Stage series in addition to booking authors and thought-leaders for two other literary series across both of The Music Hall’s venues. In the spring of 2022, she was thrilled to join the Chamber Collaborative of Portsmouth’s team of ambassadors.

In her spare time, Brittany can be found working on her literary magazine, playing board games with friends, reading and writing near water or snow.

Class of ’23

As Director of Client Services and Outreach at HAVEN, NH’s largest service provider for Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking and Stalking, Julie Wiggin oversees a team of 20 with AVAP’s and Interns’ who rotate through to learn about our services in Stafford and Rockingham County.  She also oversees the Client Service and Outreach volunteers who are vital to HAVEN’s infrastructure to support survivors. The 24 hour hotline, hospital and court accompaniments, Shelter, Housing, Family Violence Prevention Specialists, Family and Child Services, as well as Outreach programs fall under Julie’s oversight. Recently the launching of Camp Hope has been a shared HAVEN program between Education and Client Service.

Originally from Massachusetts, Julie has been a Seacoast resident since 1992.  She raised two daughters in the Seacoast area and recently hosted her daughter’s wedding in her backyard.

Julie comes from a diverse background of counselling and coaching having received a Master’s degree, from UNH. She graduated from Providence College with a BS in business. In 2010 she co-founded an IT Asset and recycling company and was responsible for training, hiring and fiscal operations. Her passion for supporting healing systems in a community brought her to a chaplaincy internship at Dartmouth in 2018 and to this Director position at HAVEN in 2019.

Julie loves the water in all its forms. You can find her swimming in the ocean in Spring and summer and skiing in the mountains during the winter months.  Music, quiet, nature and family are how Julie enjoys her down time.