Staff

OUR TEAM

Peter Farragher

Peter D. Farragher

Chief Executive Officer

Peter, a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono with a BS in Education, started his Y career in 1986 as Senior ...

Jeanne Wood

Jeanne Wood

Associate Executive

Jeanne was born and raised in Ellsworth. She had an early introduction to the Down East Family YMCA. Her mother, ...

Michelle Tuttle

Chief Financial Officer

A longtime resident of Maine, Michelle has Master’s Degrees in Information Technology & Security, Accounting with a concentration ...

Matt Johns

Matt Johns

Director of Development

Matt Johns joined our staff in December 2021 as the new Director of Development for the Down East Family YMCA. In ...

Jodie Burckhard

Director of Camping Services

Jodie is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelors’s degree in Elementary Education. She ...

Heidi Tupper

Heidi Tupper

Director of Membership and Program Management

Heidi was born and raised in Ellsworth. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 2003 and received her pharmacy ...

Brian Townsend

Regional Aquatics Director

Brian grew up swimming and working at the Bath Area Family YMCA *(LRSC) where he first started teaching swim lessons, mentoring ...

Bob Dyer

Director of Maintenance

Bob came to the YMCA after many years in the restaurant business. Bob leads our maintenance department, including ...

Courtney Wood

Courtney Wood

Director of Child Care Corporate Services

Courtney began her career at the Y in the Early Preschool program which was located behind the Wiggins center. As the child care program ...

Shanna McNeil

Shanna grew up in the Wiscasset area and moved to Bar Harbor during High School. During her last 2 years of high ...

Ashlee Morse

Toddler and Transitional Preschool Program Coordinator

Ashlee grew up in Newport Maine. As a teen she helped her teacher mother with summer school and realized a passion ...

Matt Montgomery

Matt Montgomery

Branch Executive & DEFY Head Coach

Matt moved to Maine from the Virgin Islands with his wife, Jessica, in 1998. He started in the Aquatics Department as an Assistant Swim Coach ...

Kellie Allen

Kellie Allen

Front Desk

Kellie grew up in Ellsworth and started working at the DEFY front desk shortly after graduating Ellsworth High School. Soon after, Kellie starting ...

Joy Bragdon

Health & Wellness Director – Lawrence Center

As Joy reached middle age she found her passion for fitness. After a complete body and mind transformation, she quickly moved from the back ...

Matt McInnis

Operations Director

Matt, a 2017 graduate of Husson University with a BS in Sport Management and minor in Coaching, grew up in Portland and was involved in ...

Caitlin Hawes

Caitlin Hawes

Administrative Assistant

Caitlin is a Bucksport Native who loves working with children because of their energy and creative minds. She ...

Brody Gaslin

Fitness Attendant & Personal Trainer

    Brody, an alumni of Bucksport High School and a Bucksport Resident, played football for the Golden Bucks and was a 1st team ...

    Shauna Esposito

    Director of Operations - Moore Community Center

    Shauna was born in Ellsworth and after graduating from Ellsworth High School, traveled to Westerville, Ohio where she received her Bachelor's ...

    Crystal Follette

    Director of Food Services & Director of Childcare Services

    Crystal has been part of the Y for 15 years. She began in the Early Preschool classroom that was located behind the Wiggins center. She ...

    Kassie Audette

    Lead Teacher - Stingray Room

    Kassie Audette’s adventure with the YMCA began 10 years ago as an assistant teacher. Since then, Kassie has worked in ...

    Alicia Graves-Jewell

    Toddler Coordinator

    Alicia grew up in Lamoine.  After graduating from MDI high school in 2004, she ...

    Alicia Grindle

    School Age Coordinator

    After graduating from Bucksport High School, Alicia earned an Associate’s Degree in ...

    Alisha Wilcher

    Infant Program Coordinator

    Alisha graduated from an Arizona high school in 2008 and immediately began working in the childcare field. Working ...

    Elizabeth Stanley

    Elizabeth Stanley

    Director of Sports and Recreation

      Elizabeth was born in Ellsworth, raised in Gardiner and came back to the area in 2007. She lives in Lamoine with her three girls and puggles Ruthie & Agnes. ...

      Robin Clark

      Robin Clarke

      Fitness Director

      Robin has worked for Y Fitness since 2005. She is a personal trainer and loves to motivate people and help them to reach their goals and get ...