Experience:
Zoë is excited to be joining the LearningWorks team as the South Portland Afterschool Site Director. Zoë started out as an elementary public school teacher in New York and later transitioned to working internationally, serving as the Director of Education for organizations in Ghana—where she founded a new junior high school—and in Sierra Leone, where she was tasked with restarting the schools and education programming in the Bongema village in the wake of the Ebola epidemic. Since then, she’s had the opportunity to partner with a variety of schools, districts, and organizations, with the goal of strengthening multicultural communities and expanding high quality learning opportunities for all students. Zoë received a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, majoring in sociology and education, and received her master’s degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College, where she became a Literacy Specialist through the school’s Curriculum and Teaching program. Zoë loves playing games and solving jigsaw puzzles. She’s also an avid fantasy baseball player and continues to participate in a league with colleagues she met at her first teaching job in Harlem.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Cookie Dough
Favorite Song:
Wavin’ Flag by K’NAAN
Favorite Learning Moment:
When Zoë took a college course, Young Children, Families, and Social Policy, her professor, Dr. Fennimore, taught her that once you develop a core conviction, your decisions should always align with that belief. Ever since, Zoë has kept a post-it taped on her office wall with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #4 written on it, as a daily reminder of her personal mission
Experience:
Heather (she/her/hers) joined the LearningWorks team in September 2016. Prior to LearningWorks, she was the executive director of The Telling Room, a community writing center in Portland, for five years. Heather earned a BA from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, NM, where she studied philosophy, literature, and the history of math and science. She earned an MA from Goddard College, where she designed an individualized program that combined coursework on youth development, arts education, and creative writing with a practicum as a writing teacher at TRUCE, the Harlem Children’s Zone’s afterschool arts and education program. Heather relocated to Portland in 2008 from Austin, TX, where she co-founded a youth writing center called Austin Bat Cave and served as the senior grant writer for Creative Action, a nonprofit arts education organization. She is a member of the Institute for Civic Leadership’s Upsilon class, where alongside peers from the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, she studied a facilitative leadership model designed to foster deep collaboration in the workplace. Her professional accomplishments have been recognized by a St. John’s College Award of Merit, which is given to outstanding alumni in recognition of their achievements within their chosen field; the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, which presented a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program award to Young Writers & Leaders, a literary arts program for refugee and immigrant youth that she designed and launched at The Telling Room; and the 2018 Metamorphosis Visionary Leader Award. She is a 2019-2020 Maine Network Partners Fellow and currently serves on the Maine Department of Education's Truancy, Dropout, and Alternative Education Committee. Heather lives in Portland with her husband Matt and two children, Nora and Arlo.
Experience:
English Language and Literacy Director Amos Libby joined the LearningWorks team in January 2021. In his role at LearningWorks, Amos coordinates and oversees EL+LP’s mission to bring quality, no-cost English language education to new Mainers in the refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeker communities. A polyglot fluent in multiple languages who has a passion for language acquisition and education, Amos has worked as an educator and social worker both in Maine and internationally for over 15 years. Amos earned his B.A. in International Studies from Long Island University’s international programs in India and Central America and graduated from Middlebury College Arabic Language School as a recipient of the Kathryn Davis Fellowship for Peace. Amos has a long history of serving and building relationships with marginalized communities in Portland in his previous capacity as a case manager and human services counselor at the Preble Street Resource Center and the City of Portland Oxford St. Shelter, respectively. Amos has also worked as a music educator for almost a decade and half as an adjunct faculty member at Bates and Bowdoin Colleges (with a yearlong stint at Colby College, as well) where his work focused on the traditional music of South Asia and the Middle East. When he’s not working, Amos is dreaming of his next visit to Sicily to spend time with his relatives and playing the oud (an 11-stringed fretless Middle Eastern lute). You might also find him in the kitchen cooking new dishes from around the world and talking about much he loves dogs.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Millefoglie
Favorite Song:
“Ferma Zitella” by Ludovico Einaudi and Giancarlo Paglilunga
Experience:
LearningWorks YouthBuild Director Nate Snow (he/him/his) joined the LearningWorks team in March 2020. In his role at LW, Nate oversees all aspects of the LWYB program. Nate grew up mostly in New Hampshire, but has always spent time in Maine and is excited to be back in Vacationland full-time. Nate has spent more than 25 years working in various educational settings as a teacher, counselor, coach and administrator. He has also served as the director of a teen center, worked in court diversion programs and therapeutic recreation and volunteered as a guardian ad litem. Most recently, Nate spent 13 years as the Dean of Students and Associate Head of School at the White Mountain School in Bethlehem, NH. Nate graduated from Bowdoin College with degrees in Philosophy and French and earned his M.Ed in Counseling from the University of New Hampshire. Nate stumbled accidentally into teaching when, as a college student, he tagged along on a friend’s interview for a summer job. He credits much of his philosophy as an educator to his 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Bron, who cared deeply about her students while never missing an opportunity to have fun and laugh (especially at ourselves). Nate lives in Arundel with his family (wife Amy, sons Owen and Tyler, and golden retriever Moxie). When not working, Nate enjoys trying to find, grow and eat yummy healthy food and partaking in various forms of human-powered travel and recreation, preferably in the woods or on the water.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Anything from Sticky Sweet (Portland’s own plant-based ice cream!)
Favorite Song:
“High High, Low Lows” by Stephen Kellogg and “Moneytalks” by AC/DC
Experience:
Jessica (she/her/hers) joined the LearningWorks team in 2014. As the Director of Programs, she supervises all program directors and oversees the agency’s general operations. Jessica graduated from the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine School of Law, where she concentrated her studies in juvenile law and family law. She has been working in the private nonprofit service sector for over 20 years, both as a direct service provider and as a member of management teams. Jessica is also a licensed attorney with a professional background in administrative law, regulatory compliance, employment law, and family law. She lives in Westbrook where she likes to spend her spare time gardening and working on DIY projects on her historic home. She loves to get out of town on the weekends either to visit family or enjoy Maine’s natural beauty.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Anything with peanut butter and chocolate.
Experience:
Aimee (she/her/hers) joined the LearningWorks team in July of 2015 as the Director for LearningWorks AfterSchool in Waterboro. Previously, Aimee worked as the Community Builder for the Westbrook School Department’s 21st Century Community Learning Center program. She graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington with a BS in Community Health Education. In her free time, Aimee loves to explore the great state of Maine with her husband, whether paddling different parts of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway or driving through the coastal towns along Route 1. As a child, Aimee was painfully shy and a complete introvert. This changed in high school when she joined an outdoor leadership group. Now she is determined to help youth find their own spark.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Chocolate Ice Cream with Rainbow Sprinkles
Favorite Song:
Anything by Zac Brown Band
Victoria Morrill
LearningWorks YouthBuild Academic & Program Coordinator
Experience:
Victoria (she/her/hers) has been with LearningWorks since 2014. She started in the Aim High program as an AmeriCorps member and continued on with the program as a site coordinator. She then switched roles with LearningWorks and became the Lead Teacher for LearningWorks YouthBuild. This lead to her current role as Academic & Program Coordinator. She earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from UMaine at Farmington. Other than a brief stint in Florida, she’s what you would consider a lifelong Mainah. The fact that, as a child, Victoria lined up her stuffed animals and gave them tests indicates that she was destined for a career in education. She credits her high school choir teacher for making her dreams of being a teacher a reality.
Experience:
Tim joined LearningWorks in May of 2012 and is the director of the Service Works program. A jack-of-all trades, Tim has worked as a farm hand, dj, photographer, delivery driver, cemetery attendant, dishwasher, landscaper, organic fertilizer manufacturer, waiter, flooring guy, promoter, saxophonist, grocery clerk, kayak guide, chicken slayer, apple picker, property manager, and construction laborer. In addition to his work adventures, Tim has completed epic cross-country road trips and spent time working in Ireland and Alaska. He has an innate curiosity for the world at large and directly around him, and loves hands-on, experiential learning. Tim holds a degree in Digital Media from The New England Institute of Art. He also studied at Southern Maine Community College and The University of Maine. When not engaged with wicked rad projects at LearningWorks, Tim can be found doing tinkering, gardening, cooking, or relaxing at the beach with his wife and daughters.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Anything with Chocolate
Favorite Song:
“Once in a Lifetime” by The Talking Heads
Experience:
Jasmine (she/her/hers) joined the LWYB team as case manager in September of 2019. Previously, she spent three years as an elementary school counselor, and before that, ten years as a homeless youth case worker at Preble Street Teen Center (four of those years with Day One). She received her bachelor's degree in childhood development and family relations at the University of Maine in Orono, and then a Master's in school counseling at the University of Southern Maine.
She loves music and could not live without it. She will listen to pretty much anything, but is currently really into the Lumineers.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Coffee Heath Bar
Favorite Song:
Depends on my mood, but generally anything I can sing to
Experience:
Richard Naylor joined our administrative team in February 2022 as our finance director. Richard came to LearningWorks after 12 years as the Controller at Becker College in Worcester, MA. As Controller, he ensured seamless audits, collaborated with the finance team on the annual budget process, restructured and improved their Accounts Receivable, and more. Richard brings a wealth of experience and professionalism along with a kind, warm, and reassuring demeanor.
Experience:
A lifelong Mainer, Lisa (she/her/hers) has spent much of her life in business support roles. With experience in the military, finance, and human resources, she strives to find a balance in supporting both LearningWorks as an employer and all of our employees so their jobs are satisfying, rewarding, and successful. She believes the willingness to have honest conversations is the root of all honest resolutions. Lisa is passionate about her family and the guidance of her two children, whose experiences make life more fulfilling. In her opinion, football is the best time of year. “GO PATS!”
Experience:
Katy Sargent (she/her/hers) received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Maine where she studied English and Creative Writing. She earned her MFA from Stonecoast in 2013, concentrating in creative non-fiction. While in her graduate program, she designed and taught an after-school workshop for new Mainers, sharing poetry with her students and falling in love with the stories of young writers. Katy has been working with educational non-profits in Portland since 2009 - including the Telling Room, Woodford's Family Services and the Portland Housing Authority's study centers. She is passionate about education, building community and loves nothing more than watching a child discover their own creative strengths. She lives in Portland with her two wild and wonderful daughters.
Experience:
Katie was born and raised in Maine and has worked in the non-profit sector for over a decade. Her prowess is in all manner of administrative duties and forward thinking problem solving. She believes in jumping in whenever it’s needed to help, both in and outside of the workplace. She strives to be considerate, empathetic, and open minded. Katie lives in Westbrook with her husband and son. When not working, Katie enjoys planning dinner parties, the ukulele, and both great and trashy reading material.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Friendly's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae
Experience:
Colby Senior (she/her/hers) joined LearningWorks August 2019 in the Aim High AmeriCorps program before transitioning to the LearningWorks AfterSchool Program. She grew up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and studied theatre management and education at Ithaca College in New York, as well as in Alicante, Spain. After moving to Portland in 2013, Colby worked as an education coordinator for other local non-profits, including Portland Ovations and Junior Achievement of Maine. She also helped launch OurShelves, a diverse children’s book subscription startup. Colby currently lives with her wife in South Portland.
Experience:
Jordan (he/him) joined the Service Works team in August 2020. After obtaining a BA in Education & Public Policy from the University of Redlands, Jordan completed an AmeriCorps term with the non-profit Boys to Men Mentoring in Prescott, Arizona. This wasn't an R&B group, but a group of dedicated men engaging teenage boys into their community through outdoor education and community service using restorative justice practices. He then served with Peace Corps in Kabwinja Village, Malawi, where he gained proficiency in Chichewa and worked as a high school teacher providing world-class ESL curriculum to Malawian secondary school students. He also worked with community partners to implement a Grassroots Soccer Camp in Kabwinja, empowering adolescents with knowledge to prevent gender based violence and transmission of HIV in a culturally informed way. Off the clock, you can find him backpacking, rock climbing, reading 19th century philosophy, or cooking plant based food.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Ben & Jerry’s Non Dairy Netflix & Chilll’d
Experience:
Kayla (she/her) joined Service Works in October of 2021, taking on the role of Sanford Youth Coordinator. Kayla has a strong passion for helping others and comes from a background in medical esthetics and children’s mental and behavioral healthcare. Aside from her degree and work with children, Kayla has taken on a piercing apprenticeship and made donuts in the past. Outside of work, you can always find Kayla with her family (and their zoo of animals) expanding their antiques and crystal collections.
Experience:
Shanine Arnold is the Director of LearningWorks Afterschool in Biddeford. She has worked in the Biddeford School District for nearly 13 years. For the past three years, she has been the Computer Teacher at Biddeford Intermediate School and John F. Kennedy Kindergarten Center for grades K, 4 & 5. She is passionate about connecting families to their community and has volunteered for five years as a Family Fun Night Coordinator in the Biddeford School District. These events bring families together with their school for fun, hands-on academic, literacy and enrichment activities.
She started working as a teacher in the LW Afterschool program three years ago and then transitioned to the On-Site Coordinator for the past two years. She attended The University of Maine in Orono to obtain a BA in Communications. She lives in Biddeford with her husband Gary. They have two inquisitive, beautiful children in college, Spencer, and Madison.
Being a native of Maine, Shanine loves all things coastal - hiking and adventuring along Maine's rocky coast and enjoying its beautiful beaches. She loves to read, enjoys live music, and hanging out with her adorable dogs Lilah and Ginger. She is a Notary Public and has performed several weddings and is looking forward to performing her third wedding ceremony this October.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Fly Fishing Fudge... I mean with m&m's, cookie dough AND fudge, what's not to love?!
Favorite Song:
RESPECT, Aretha Frankin (Insert dancing in the kitchen here)
Experience:
Roland Thibault joined the LW team in July 2020 as the Academics Teacher for the LearningWorks YouthBuild Program. Prior to joining LW, he worked as a Math Teacher for MSAD 6, working specifically with students from Day One, a substance abuse rehab program. Roland is also a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) and prior to working for MSAD 6, he worked for several years at local rehabilitation programs in Southern Maine (Day One, Milestone, and Catholic Charities). He attended school at USM and graduated with a degree in Secondary Math Education, with a minor in Computer Science. He has also completed several Masters Level courses in Special Education and is planning to return to school to finish his Masters Degree in this area. Teaching seems to be a part of his blood. When he was growing up, he spent a lot of time “playing” teacher with his younger brother. He would actually give him math and science homework to do and teach him how to do them. Years later, he is teaching Math and Science, and he is also teaching math at SMCC. He lives in Westbrook with his wife Carolyn and their daughter Daniella. They have a cat named Abednego who does his best to make sure they do not miss their morning alarm. When he is not at work, you will find Roland reading, watching webinars and taking online courses, running, or working on his favorite craft of sewing stuffed animals.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Coffee with copious amounts of butterscotch syrup
Favorite Song:
Jackson Browne, “Your Bright Baby Blues”
Experience:
Lauren Belanger joined the LearningWorks team as an Ed Tech in the fall of 2019, but quickly rose to the Teaching position and is now the Site Coordinator for the Afterschool program based at East End Community School. Lauren has been working in education for 10 years, starting with an internship as an afterschool site supervisor for the elementary school while in College. Lauren graduated from the State University of New York at Potsdam with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and minors in Philosophy and Social Work with a concentration in Youth and Adolescents. Since then she has worked in all of the elementary schools throughout Portland and afterschool and summer programs across the city. Lauren is originally from a small town in central Maine. She is determined to make a difference in the lives of students in the public school system by approaching education with an entertaining curriculum.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Cookies and Cream
Favorite Song:
Woods, Bon Iver
Roy Goodale
LearningWorks YouthBuild Construction Teacher
207-775-0105 x172
Experience:
Roy Goodale joined the LearningWorks YouthBuild team as the Construction Teacher in the spring of 2021. He brings to LearningWorks many years of experience both in construction and in youth development. Roy grew up in Maine, learning finish work early on as the son of a cabinet maker and attending the University of Southern Maine. He has worked as a woodworking and music instructor for a number of organizations both in Maine and out west, while also continuing to work in construction and maintenance roles. For the last 4 years, Roy has worked at the Ironwood School in Morrill, Maine. During his time at Ironwood, Roy worked directly with young people in various capacities and also helped to develop and manage a new transitional program for older students. In his spare time, Roy built his own house solo from the ground up, hiring out only for the septic work! After selling that home, Roy now lives in Auburn where, among other things, he is working on converting his barn into a music studio.
Favorite Song:
Ray Charles,
Favorite Learning Moment:
Coconut at John’s Ice Cream in Liberty, Maine
Experience:
Julia Asami Smith (she/her/hers) started teaching at LearningWorks as an ed tech with the After School program in Fall 2021. She supports her awesome supervising teacher at Amanda C. Rowe Elementary School. Julia was born and raised in Southern California. She earned her combined Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 2020 and 2021, respectively. She has five years of experience in the realm of community service and volunteer coordination, but she has always fostered a particularly deep love for education. She is inspired by her father's career as a wonderful, patient, and passionate music educator. When Julia "grows up," she would love to teach English at the high school level. When she is not teaching or tending to her responsibilities as an AmeriCorps VISTA, she can most likely be found searching for craft projects on Pinterest, listening to hours of the weirdest history podcasts, cooking a new recipe, or training her beautiful rescue pup, Faye.
Experience:
Rose Heithoff (she/her/hers) joined the LearningWorks team in the fall of 2019 as the Office + Facilities Manager and transitioned to a substitute teacher role in LWAS in the spring of 2022. She received her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College, with a degree in English Literature and a minor in creative writing. Rose grew up in rural New Jersey, and briefly lived abroad in London and Edinburgh, Scotland, and left when she caught herself calling trash ‘rubbish.’ She moved to Portland, Maine, in January of 2014 on a whim and cannot think of one good reason to ever leave. Rose has interned at literary agencies and literary magazines such as OneStory in Brooklyn and Granta in London, and with The Telling Room in Portland. She also worked for Apple for three years with a focus on corporate community engagement and at Print: A Bookstore as a bookseller and Events Coordinator. Rose lives in Portland where she enjoys running, taking naps on days off, and being in complete denial about the overflowing stacks of books in every room. She has an exceptional love of dogs.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Chocolate & vanilla soft serve twist in a baby waffle cone
Experience:
Katie Bash (she/her/hers) joined the LearningWorks YouthBuild team as the Culinary & Hospitality Teacher during the summer of 2021. She brings to LearningWorks a background in Social Work, and years of experience working in commercial kitchens, and food and customer service. Katie grew up in the Philadelphia area, where she returned to complete her Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. Katie's love for Maine was planted during her time as an undergraduate student at Bates College and continued to grow while living and working in Portland over the past decade. She has worked for several years in a variety of settings including : a partial hospitalization program, school-based counseling, mental health, and more recently as a family-systems therapist. Before this, Katie worked in restaurants in many roles, and as a Chef Apprentice to the owner of a Spanish restaurant in Boston. Katie is excited to bring together years of diverse experience in her role at YouthBuild. Katie is especially interested in empowering and collaborating with young people to develop and pursue their goals. Katie is passionate about social justice, mental health, the outdoors, running, cooking, baking and local food-systems.
Experience:
Savanna Pettengill is a Teaching Site Coordinator for Kaler Elementary school in South Portland and is new to the LWAS team as of the fall of 2021. Savanna is a native of Portland, a 2014 BFA recipient from Maine College of Art and a New York City teaching fellow recipient with a master's degree from CUNY Brooklyn College in special education, class of 2021. Savanna has a range of experience in visual arts, event programming, storytelling, and teaching. Amongst her various educational experiences Savanna has worked as an educator and visiting artist in Engine’s summer and after-school arts programming in Biddeford for the last 5 years and began her public-school career as a para-educator in Dover Public Schools in New Hampshire. Savanna spent the last three years teaching high school Earth Science and Photography as a fine art and storytelling platform in Elmhurst, Queens, NY. She believes in the importance of creating safe spaces that empower kids to become confident learners and celebrate their own diverse stories in order to build sustainable communities. She is a champion for equity and inclusion and has a long track record for advocating for practices that reduce barriers for students and families. Savanna is excited to have returned home and to be part of the LWAS team in South Portland and the Kaler Elementary community. Feel free to ask her about her favorite local nature adventures, caring for bunnies as house pets, or her favorite artists as of late.
Experience:
April Benak is an AmeriCorps alumni who volunteered with LWAS during the 2020-2021 school year. She became the South Portland Teaching Site Coordinator at Kaler Elementary school in January 2022. April was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska but quickly established roots in Maine upon enrolling at Saint
Joseph’s College of Maine (SJC) in the fall of 2016. April graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in Elementary Education and is certified to teach grades K-8. She is currently continuing her education at SJC and will be graduating with a Masters in School Leadership in May 2022. In the meantime, April has gained
experience working with students virtually and in person at several public schools and organizations in
Southern Maine (Falmouth Elementary, Manchester school, Jordan Small Middle School, Windham
Middle school, Gerald E. Talbot Community school, Ocean Ave. Community school, and Riverton Boys
and Girls Club). She believes that all students deserve the right to meaningful educational experiences
that include and support the communities they live in. April loves everything to do with nature,
creativity, and equity which she aspires to bring into every learning environment.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Chocolate with fresh banana slices
Experience:
Rebecca Cote joined LearningWorks Afterschool as the Site Coordinator at BPS from 2018-2020 and then re-joined in fall 2021. Rebecca moved back to Maine after a 25 year trip to California where she operated a whitewater rafting and backcountry guide business. On her way home from California, she stopped off in Cambridge MA at Lesley University to obtain a Masters of Education in Community Art Education. When not volunteering in the Biddeford community, she is working in her art studio creating landscape paintings and making little art books.
Experience:
Jeannine Bartlett has been a teacher in the LearningWorks BLAST Program in Biddeford for 8 years. She had a degree in Child Development from the Univ. of Maine at Orono and was certified to teach K-8. For 38 years, she taught at Loranger Middle school in Old Orchard. Over the years, Jeannine taught 8th grade language arts, 6th grade language arts and science, and ended the last 15 years teaching 6th grade math. She was the Team Leader for the awesome sixth grade team. Her team was the first team in the school to pilot a restorative justice program, which gave them new insights and strategies and helped build a successful 6th grade community. She retired in 2016, but continued teaching with the BLAST program. Jeannine says, “Working with the younger children brought me full circle, and I was reminded how much I love working with this age level.”
Favorite Ice Cream:
Pistachio
Favorite Song:
Knowing you - Kenny Chesney
Mary Lu Medina
LWAS Ed Tech, Biddeford
Experience:
Mary Lu Medina has been Ed Tech in the LearningWorks BLAST Program in Biddeford for 9 years. She worked as a Special Education teacher for 33 years, where she created and implemented adaptive individualized testing, goals, and lesson plans for students with developmental delays. With an additional background in therapeutic recreation, Mary Lu enjoyed coaching/instructing in swimming and track and field Special Olympic events.
