Governor Mills Appoints 7 New Members Of Maine’s State Service Commission

AUGUSTA – Volunteer Maine, the Maine Commission for Community Service, welcomed seven new members appointed by Governor Janet Mills. Four currently serving Commissioners were reappointed. All 23 board members of the  Volunteer Maine Commission are appointed by the governor to three-year terms and each represents a specific segment of Maine's volunteer sector. 

New Commission Appointees
scott adams

Scott Adams of Saco, President, APWU of Maine Local 458
In seat 4: Representative of a local labor organization 
  

  

 jennifer burke

Jennifer Burke of Biddeford, Assistant Vice President for Communications and Outreach, Maine Credit Union League
In seat 1: A representative of business
  

 ninette irabaruta

Ninette Irabaruta of Yarmouth, Senior Director, Community Engagement, United Way of Southern Maine
In Seat 17: An expert in the delivery of human services in communities
kelsey preecs

Kelsey Preecs of Augusta, Individual Assistance Officer, Maine Emergency Management Agency
In seat 9: Expert in the delivery of environmental services to communities and persons

 Ruben Torres

Ruben Torres of Portland, Communications and Policy Manager, Maine Immigrants Rights Center
In seat 10: An individual with expertise in the education, training and development needs of disadvantaged youth

 betsy sawyer-manter

Betsy Sawyer-Manter of Portland, President and CEO, SeniorsPlus
In seat 13: A representative of a community-based agency or organization
  
  
  
Not pictured: Tade Sullivan of Blue Hill, CEO/Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine
In seat 12: An individual with expertise in the education, training and development needs of disadvantaged youth 

Reappointed to the Commission
Thomas Meuser

Thomas Meuser of Portland, Clinical Psychologist, Applied Gerontologist
GeroPsych Maine LLC
Seat 3: An individual with experience in promoting the involvement of adults aged 55 and older in volunteerism

 Luke Shorty

Luke Shorty of Winthrop,
Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives, Thomas College
In seat 23: An educator; a representative of a local education agency
julia van steenberghe

Julia Van Steenberghe of Old Town,
Director of Student Success and Recruitment, Maine Business School, UMaine
In seat 5: An individual age 16 to 25 who is a participant in a service program

 Michael williams

Michael Williams of Greenbush,
County Manager, Piscataquis County
In seat 19: A representative of local government
   

Volunteer Maine, the state service commission, builds capacity and sustainability in Maine's volunteer sector by funding service programs, developing volunteer managers and service-learning practitioners, raising awareness of the scope and the impact of the volunteer sector, and encouraging an ethic of service. In 2019, the Maine Commission for Community Service adopted the public identity Volunteer Maine. 

Information about the Commission activities and services can be found at VolunteerMaine.gov

Media contact:
Tilan Copson, Public Information Officer
Tilan.copson@maine.gov
207-624-7792