Sara Knowles

Director

Sara.Knowles@maine.gov

Hailing from Illinois, Sara graduated with degrees that ran the gamut of social sciences, a passion for working with people, and in search of a clear direction.  In 2006, she overloaded her car and drove twenty-two hours straight to Maine to be a Field Team Member for a summer.  While volunteering with the MCC, she found her path, capabilities, and fell in love with everything Maine offers, especially its sense of service and environment.  In reflecting on that summer, Sara now realizes on the surface she was learning timber work, trail construction, and tidbits on mechanical advantage; yet, the true lessons were those of community, confidence, leadership, perseverance, compassion and positivity.  Sara believes the corps can shape your worldview and open doors.  After holding multiple positions with MCC, Sara is honored to be a leader of the corps and create the same opportunities for those who accept.  

Dena Doyon

Office Associate

Corps.Conservation@maine.gov

Dena started with MCC in the Fall of 2017, just in time to attend the Member Recognition end of season event, where she observed a lot of hugging, laughing, and crying that day. Her first thought was, “If they cry like this often, I’m out of here." Since then, she has learned how they get there. Part of Dena’s job is to assist with recruitment where she is the first to communicate with potential members. Then the season begins and she gets to meet the voices she’s been communicating with, become more familiar with them during trainings that keep them in, or close to the office, help with any problems they may have in the coming months, then watch them go at season’s end. The upside is, Dena gets to meet a lot of new people throughout the year, and is looking forward to the many new faces and personalities she will encounter. Who wouldn’t love this job?!

Being the only office staff who didn’t start with MCC as a member, Dena may not be able to help you troubleshoot a trail, but she’ll do her best to help you with anything at all that doesn’t involve felling a tree, or assembling rigging.

Since MCC is a “judgment free zone," Dena feels safe sharing one fun fact: She loves Nickelback!

Kat Kelley Heaberlin

Conservation Planner

Katherine.Kelley@maine.gov

In 2008 looking to reconnect with the outdoors Kat applied to be a Field Team Member and once on board, fell in love with all the Maine Conservation Corps has to offer. Having a background in sculpture and being inspired by nature it was a great way to use hard skills to connect people to what inspired her, nature and Maine’s beautiful woods. Connecting people with Maine’s natural resources, exploring the state, and the community that makes up the MCC became a passion. Currently serving as a Conservation Planner, Kat helps support the Field Team, Environmental Stewards, and outside partners with logistics, planning, tool repairs and helping them accomplish their goals. In her off time, Kat enjoys spending time in her garden growing a variety of veggies and spending ample time outdoors in the winter and summer exploring and having fun. She loves how MCC helps people grow together and expands opportunities for individuals and communities to gain access to some of Maine’s hidden gems and beautiful locations. Kat works here because she enjoys being part of a driven team and enjoys seeing the accomplishments of a dedicated staff to help people, and the natural environment.

Chantelle Hay

Community Outreach Coordinator

Corps.Outreach@maine.gov

Chantelle began her path with MCC in 2014, when with a desperate need for change, and a longing to give back, she quit her job to live and serve in the Maine woods for 6 months as a Field Team Member. That season gave her gave her the clarity and sense of purpose she had been seeking. She has since gone on to serve with MCC as a Field Team Leader, Environmental Steward, and Field Coordinator. In her current role as Community Outreach Coordinator, Chantelle works to spread the good word of the MCC, by cultivating local partnerships, facilitating volunteer experiences for community volunteers, and providing training and support to AmeriCorps members. As a native Mainer, Chantelle feels a deep connection to the land and communities that MCC serves, and loves sharing that passion with members. She is dedicated to helping others have the transformative experiences she did while serving with MCC, and is grateful to be a part of a community that helps people to realize their dreams. Chantelle is a Maine Master Naturalist, Certified Interpretive Guide, and never misses an opportunity to hold any toads she sees on trail.

Deidrah Stanchfield

Environmental Steward Program Manager

Deidrah.Stanchfield@maine.gov

Deidrah Stanchfield is the chainsaw wielding mom of 2 young children. Coming from an 8-year career in healthcare, Deidrah found a different way to help people through her MCC AmeriCorps terms of service.  As the former Director of the Augusta Community Warming Center for 4 seasons, and current Program Manager, she’s seen the impact volunteerism and service can have on communities and individuals. 

Starting as a Field Team member, continuing into Trail Training and becoming a Team Leader, becoming the Training Coordinator and Program Coordinator took a few years, but Deidrah loves every aspect of Maine Conservation Corps. From the trails, structures and tools to the people, weather and individual impact. MCC connects two passions. Helping and empowering people has been a keystone in Deidrah’s life. Adding hard physical labor, wilderness and great co-workers created a synergy that keeps her excited to go to work every day. 

Taylor Deely

Training Coordinator

Taylor.Deely@maine.gov

Taylor found her passion for conservation during a prairie restoration project with AmeriCorps NCCC in 2010. After moving back to Maine and finishing a BA Liberal Studies-Humanities at USM and an AAS Behavioral Health and Human Services at SMCC, Taylor joined Maine Conservation Corps as a Field Team Member in 2014. During that summer, Taylor found her home in the Mountains of Maine. Since then, Taylor has served with MCC in four different positions; Field Team Member, Trail Training Member, Team Leader (5 seasons), and in 2017 started her role as Training Coordinator.  Taylor’s primary responsibility is to create, coordinate, and teach a wide range of curriculum to AmeriCorps members, including Environmental Stewards, Team Leaders, and Field Team Members. Taylor strives to lead by example, and encourage individuals to push past their limits, realize their goals, and be the best version of themselves. MCC gave Taylor the opportunity of a lifetime, and she hopes to give back to MCC by helping others have a similar experience.

Lindsey May

Field Team Program Manager

Lindsey.May@maine.gov

With Midwest roots and a background in art, Lindsey did not expect to discover a new home in Maine and passion for the outdoors when she served her first season with the Maine Conservation Corps in 2006.  Among many of the lessons learned after a summer of building stone steps on the AT, she learned that the more tired, hungry and dirty she was- the happier.  After graduating college in Wisconsin, she headed back east to hike the AT and a few years later, the PCT.  Her developing interest in trails and the outdoors, and desire to share it with others, brought her back to the MCC in 2011.  She served as a leader, then Field Coordinator for over 5 years, leading crews, and training and supporting leaders.  After a year and a half managing mentoring programs with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Lindsey accepted a position with MCC as the Program Manager for the Field Team.  She is proud to work with an organization that promotes personal growth and environmental stewardship, and looks forward to helping others discover all that MCC has to offer.

Theresa Parker

Field Coordinator

Theresa.parker@maine.gov

Originally from Maine, Theresa first joined the Maine Conservation Corps in 2014 as a Field Team Member, and quickly realized that this wasn’t just a one time experience for her. MCC ignited an exciting passion for maintaining the trails in Maine’s Wilderness.  After such a fun summer with MCC, Theresa returned to the University of Maine, and graduated in 2015 with a B.S. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. She then wandered to Baxter State Park, where she was a Wilderness Educator Intern. Theresa was then hired as the Trail Specialist at Baxter, where she dove back into the trail world, helped coordinate all trail related projects and volunteers, and got to work closely with the Maine Conservation Corps teams serving there. Theresa is extremely passionate about the Maine outdoors and preserving them for the future generations to enjoy for years to come. She loves that MCC is such a welcoming and fun place to be, and enjoys meeting like-minded people who come from all over the place to serve with the Maine Conservation Corps.

Jacob Rawdin

Field Coordinator

Jacob.Rawdin@maine.gov

Having graduated college with no idea what to do next, Jake began travelling around the country by car and boat. Seeing many different landscapes, he noticed that the one thing all the beauty in the country had in common was that it was on public land. Wanting to help protect that land, he got involved with the Corps in 2015. From there he found the only thing more rewarding than conservation work was the strength, confidence, and direction the Corps gave to its members. Having served around the country, Jake has found a home with MCC as a Field Coordinator in 2019, and looks forward to sharing his passion for trails and conservation with everyone who serves here.