In October 1994, twenty-five citizens were appointed by Governor McKernan to serve as the inaugural Commission members. Since then, each Governor has appointed an average of nine people each year to fill naturally occurring vacancies on the board.
Commissioner terms of service are three years with an option for re-appointment. The Commissioners are a diverse, bipartisan group of citizens, actively engaged in community service, and represent every region of the state. They elect officers from their membership and the officers serve two-year terms.
The seats on the board are designated in statute such that each person represents at least one facet of the community volunteer service sector.
Commissioners Serving Now
Luke Shorty, Chair
Winthrop
Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives, Thomas College
Seat 23: An educator; a representative of a local education agency
Pamela Proulx-Curry, Chair-elect
Old Town
Executive Director, Maine MultiCultural Center
Seat 11: A representative of the State's volunteer community
William Guindon, Jr., Vice-chair
Auburn
Mass Care Coordinator, Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)
Seat 18: A representative of public safety
Jenifer Tilton-Flood, Immediate Past Chair
Clinton
Dairy Farmer/Cabot Creamery Co-op Spokesperson
Seat 15: A representative of business
Scott Adams
Saco
APWU Local 458
Seat 4: Representative of a local labor organization
F. Celeste Branham
Brunswick
V.P. for Student and Community Services, University of Maine Farmington (retired)
Seat 20: Educators, including representatives from institutions of higher education and local education agencies
Jennifer Burke
Biddeford
Assistant Vice President - Communications and Outreach
Maine Credit Union League
Seat 1: A representative of business
Susan Cheesman
Concord, NH
Senior Portfolio Manager, AmeriCorps Northeast Region Office
Seat 24: Ex officio -- a nonvoting liaison designated by the federal AmeriCorps office
Kelly Day
Westbrook
Director of Volunteer Services, Catholic Charities Maine
Seat 7: Representative of a National Service program
Kelsey Preecs
Augusta
Individual Assistance Officer, Maine Emergency Management Agency
Seat 9: Expert in the delivery of environmental services to communities and persons
Chelsey Fortin-Trimble
Augusta
Associate Commissioner of Policy & Programs, Maine Department of Education
Seat 2: The Commissioner of Education or his/her designee
Jacinda Goodwin
Winslow
Program Specialist, SERVE Center, North Carolina
Seat 16: An expert in services to out-of-school or youth at-risk
Necole Janczura
Cushing
Business Development Officer, First National Bank
Seat 8: A representative of the State's volunteer community
Ninette Irabaruta
Yarmouth
Senior Director, Community Engagement, United Way of Southern Maine
Seat 17: An expert in the delivery of human services in communities
Diane Lebson
Camden
CEO and Co-Founder, Evergreen Philanthropic Solutions
Seat 22: A representative of the State's volunteer community
Janet May
Bangor
Coordinator of Transition and Adults, Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, UMaine
Seat 25: A representative of a community-based agency or organization
Thomas Meuser, Ph.D.
Portland
Clinical Psychologist, Applied Gerontologist, & Social Scientist, GeroPsych Maine LLC
Seat 3: An individual with experience in promoting the involvement of adults aged 55 and older in National Service and volunteerism
Betsy Sawyer-Manter
Portland
President and CEO, SeniorsPlus
Seat 13: A representative of a community-based agency or organization
Julia Van Steenberghe
Old Town
Recruitment & Engagement Specialist, Graduate School of Business, UMaine
Seat 5: An individual age 16 to 25 who is a participant in a service program for youth
Tade Sullivan
Blue Hill
CEO/Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine
Seat 12: An individual with expertise in the education, training and development needs of disadvantaged youth
Ruben Torres
Portland
Communications and Policy Manager, Maine Immigrants Rights Center
Seat 10: An individual with expertise in the education, training and development needs of disadvantaged youth
Matthew Williams
Ellsworth
City Planner, City of Ellsworth
Seat 21: A representative of local government
Michael Williams
Greenbush
County Manager, Piscataquis County
Seat 19: A representative of local government
Current vacancies:
Seat 6:An individual who is at least 16 years of age but no more than 25 years of age and who is a participant in or a supervisor of a service program for youth or a campus-based or national service program;
Seat 14: A representative of a community-based agency or organization;