Board of Directors & Staff
STAFF
John Viehman
Executive Director
John has had an extensive publishing and broadcasting career while also engaging in many community activities. He joined the UMC board in 2014 after serving for six years on its communications committee, and was UMC’s board chair and president from 2015 through 2019. He lives in Rockport Village, where he also serves on the Town Planning Board.
KC Christensen
Development Manager
A former CEO and Development & Communications Director, KC has managed numerous nonprofit agencies and volunteered on charitable boards across Maine, New Hampshire and California. A professionally trained Success Coach and Business Trainer, she founded a company specializing in management consulting, personal success coaching, humor, laughter and stress reduction programs along with business training.
Rebecca Leonard
Administrative Assistant
Rebecca is a lifelong resident of the Midcoast and joins UMC after having worked as the Retail Manager at the Samoset Resort/Ocean Properties for more than 26 years. She oversees all our administrative functions, including grant applications, and most likely is the friendly voice you hear should you call (207-236-2299) or inquire via email (Admin@UnitedMidcoastCharities.org).
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lori Alexander
President
Lori is a real estate broker with Legacy Properties Sotheby’s Int’l Realty in Camden. Her background is in magazine publishing and marketing. She has been a Chamber of Commerce board member and a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor. She is a 25-year resident of Rockport where she lives with her husband and pets.
Jim Hengerer
Vice President & Grants Committee Chair
Jim grew up in Albany, NY. After medical school, he served in U.S. Navy for nine years while training in Ear, Nose and Throat. He practiced in Lynchburg, VA for 35 years and retired to Rockland four years ago with his wife, Judy. They have spent summers in Maine on Echo Lake for many years.
Frank Hackett
Treasurer
Frank and his wife, Mary Ann, relocated to Rockport in 2018 from the Hudson Valley. Frank has experience from his past roles as partner at a CPA firm, COO of a leather design firm, CFO of a lamp manufacturer and a consultant to many for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Frank has enjoyed vacationing in Maine for 40 years and continues to enjoy traveling, hiking, camping and skiing now that he is a resident.
Mary Sargent
Secretary
Mary is Executive Director of Penobscot Shores Retirement Community in Belfast. From 2010-2018 she was Administrator at Quarry Hill in Camden. Mary is a lifelong member of the Midcoast community and is active in giving back. She has been a West Bay Rotarian since 2012 and is the immediate past president of the club. She lives in Lincolnville with her husband and family.
Chris Beebe
Chris is former owner of Steel Pro in Rockland, where he now serves as chairman of the board. He has been treasurer of the Farnsworth Art Museum and a board member at Pen Bay Healthcare.
Alexandra “Sani” Fogel
Sani moved to Rockport full time in 1995, though she and her family have always had a house here and been supportive of the town of Rockport. Since becoming a full time resident, she has served six years on the Rockport Select Board and on numerous town committees. She is past Chair of the Rockport Opera House Committee. Sani is also a long-time board member and recent President of the Board of Bay Chamber Concerts.
Jay Foster
Jay graduated from Camden High School and, after graduating aviation technical school and time spent with the U.S.Army, completed a 35 year career in commercial aviation with Trans World Airlines. Since returning home, he has volunteered locally and worked on various boards and committees for the Town of Lincolnville.
Elinor Goldberg
Ellie has lived in Hope since 1971 and has spent most of her professional career advocating for children, youth and families. She retired as the founding executive director of the Maine Children’s Alliance. Ellie is trained as a social worker and has served on many advisor councils, including the Maine Children’s Cabinet and Maine Child Care Advisory Council and on the boards of Equity Maine, Dirigo Alliance, Belfast Area Childcare Center and Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. She is now retired and enjoying her gardens.
Kristin Sidwell
Communications Committee Chair
Prior to her current position overseeing the marketing and communications at CedarWorks, Kristin worked in nonprofits for almost 20 years, including as Director of the Women’s Resource Center in Durango Colorado and more recently at the Children’s House Montessori School in Camden.
Locally, she has served on the Camden Budget Committee, The Maine Montessori Association Board of Directors, the Independent Schools Association of Midcoast Maine, and the Watershed School.
Denise Breed
Denise enjoyed a 20-year diplomatic career across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. She also worked for two years as the executive aide to the commander, U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Breed relocated to Rockport with her husband Jeff in the summer of 2019.
Janice Gates
Janice has over 18 years of experience as an executive in retail operations in the Northwest, Intermountain West and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. She is the director of operations for the Farnsworth Art Museum. Gates and her husband Chris live in Camden.
Mark Haley
Mark is the founder of Burntcoat Capital, a private investment fund focused on socially and environmentally responsible opportunities. His passions are surfing, sailing, fishing and aquaculture. He has family roots in Maine, having spent summers on Swan’s Island. He now lives in Rockport.
Karyn Rizzo
Karyn spent many years at Sun Life’s U.S. headquarters in Wellesley, Massachusetts, leading the conference services department. Rizzo and her team managed meetings and incentive conferences for the company in the U.S., Canada and other countries. She and her husband Tom retired to Maine after her retirement in 2012. They reside in Owls Head.