Shaina Fraser is the FFCC’s Executive Director. She has a diverse professional background in both social work and administration of nonprofits. She earned a B.A in Psychology and Community Studies from UMM and worked in Children’s Services for DHHS when she graduated. She then went on to work as a Jobs for Maine’s Graduates Specialist at Narraguagus Jr.Sr High School, working with high schoolers to overcome barriers to education, helping them gain skills for life and the workforce. She then went on to work as the administrator of the Ark Animal Shelter, having a strong knowledge of animal welfare and state law. During her tenure with the Ark she became certified to manage non-profits. She is looking forward to dedicating her daily work to the FFCC’s mission and utilizing all of her skills and experience in building relationships, providing leadership within daily operations, program development, and fundraising.
Mary Thibodeau, Property & Office Manager, volunteered with FFCC during 2022 and was happy to join as House/Office Manager in October. She has a long background of volunteerism and has always wanted to work in a non-profit to be a more permanent part of a solution. Originally from Bangor and now residing in Ellsworth, Mary was a former executive assistant to the bank’s senior staff at two financial institutions, including the former Union Trust (now Camden National Bank). She brings her office skills and willingness to help to FFCC, as well as a can-do attitude and firm desire to support the resident families. Mary is a mom to 3 (almost) grown children and developed an online copywriting service to support them while homeschooling one son who has dyslexia. She enjoys writing about financial technologies, as well as herbalism and natural wellness, and has two adorable cats, TeeTee and Niko.
Terri Ouellette, BSN (President), has owned several businesses, including Drywall By Design and Serenity Space Solutions.
Steve Dotson, MBA (Treasurer), Harvard Alumni & Air Force veteran who has retired from a long career in finance working in Washington DC.
Cameron Ouellette, was born and raised in Ellsworth, Maine. He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Orono in 2018 and received his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law in 2022.Cameron is an associate attorney at the law firm, Gross, Minsky & Mogul, in Bangor, Maine, and practices primarily in medical malpractice and personal injury law.He is a member of the Penobscot County and Maine State Bar Associations and serves as the Vice President of the Theta Chi Building Association, Inc. for Theta Chi Fraternity’s Gamma Chapter at the University of Maine at Orono.
Nichole Gulowsen, Secretary, entered the field of social services in 1996 when she began working as an Assistant in the Child & Families Program at the Washington Hancock Community Agency. From there she would go on to hold positions as a Case Manager with Community Care of Bangor; Assistant Director of the Emmaus Shelter and then Director; Substance Use and Mental Health Counselor with Wellspring; Program Director of Wellspring’s Infinity House, and now, she is in private practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker doing substance use and mental health counseling, affording her the time to serve on the Board of Directors for Families First Community Center, an organization she has been interested in since 2015 when it’s original founder began developing its concept while working at the Emmaus Homeless Shelter. Creig Crippen once wrote, “I love the weirdos. The rule breakers. The strange, whimsical, outlandish, peculiar, and uncanny. The misfits. The curious, unusual, eccentric, and unpredictable. The freaks. The radical, star-gazing vagabonds. The loners. The rejects. The outsiders. The silly romanticists who ridiculously dream of changing the world someday – because they do.” These are not only the people I work with but they are the people who will change the world and I am proud to consider myself one of them!
Kate McLoud, Retired Lieutenant Col. Airforce, has expertise in finance
Cherie Longo, retired after many years working at a hospital in central Maine. She worked in various areas of accounting and finance.
Mary Allen, Ph.D. is retired from a career as a research scientist for the FDA in Maryland and has experience in management.
familiesfirstellsworth.org 