Meet Our Staff!
Administration
Beth Cradock, Finance & Marketing Assistantbeth@kitetails.org
BA Art History/Museum Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA)
Beth moved to Maine via Chicago, where, after a short stint at the Art Institute of Chicago, she spent five years at an international stock photography agency as their Assistant Financial Manager and Network Administrator. Prior to joining the Children's Museum of Maine in 2005, she worked in the finance department of a large property management company in Portland. Beth is happy to be contributing her varied experience to such a vital organization.
Sara Merrill, Director of Finance
sara@kitetails.org
BS Sports Management, Seton Hall University (S. Orange NJ)
MBA Finance, Seton Hall University (S. Orange NJ)
Sara grew up in Southern Maine and spent 7 years in New Jersey for her education. Sara worked for her alma mater in the athletic department during the basketball team's Sweet Sixteen run in 2000. While working, she was able to attend classes at night to earn her MBA. After 7 years in the Garden State, Sara longed to come home to Maine. She began working at the Children's Museum of Maine in 2002 as the Finance Manager. She loves that she can continue to work in the non-profit field, but instead of supporting talented athletes, she gets to support tomorrows leaders.
Suzanne Olson, Executive Director
suzanne@kitetails.org
BA English, Wheaton College (Norton, MA)
Graduate work Liberal Studies and Educational Administration, University of Maine
In 2000 after twenty-eight years as a teacher and school administrator working with students from kindergarten through graduate school, Suzanne Olson joined the Children's Museum of Maine staff as the Museum's Executive Director. During her public school career, Suzanne worked primarily with special needs and gifted students in Massachusetts and Maine. She was instrumental in her school district's instituting Japanese, French, and Spanish language and culture classes for students in grades K-12 and in the establishment of an extensive arts program. Suzanne has held leadership positions with a variety of state level commissions, including the Maine Arts Commission, Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, and the Governor's Advisory Council on the Maine/Aomori, Japan, Sister State Relationship. In 1997 she received the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.
Development And Marketing
Lucy Bangor, Marketing & PR Managerlucy@kitetails.org
BS Social Policy, Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
Raised in Falmouth, Lucy left Maine in 1999 to attend Northwestern University as a Harry Giltnane Scholar. In Evanston, she interned at the Rice Child and Family Center and led after school enrichment programs at Washington Elementary School. Upon moving to New York after graduation, she worked for Lord, Abbett & Co as a proxy analyst and corporate actions specialist. She returned to Maine in 2007 to pursue work in the non-profit sector and joined the Children's Museum of Maine staff in January of 2008.
Cathy Prichard, Director of Development
cathy@kitetails.org
BA Economics, Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Cathy is a Cincinnati native who moved to Portland in 1982 after graduation from college. After spending one year at a CPA firm as a staff accountant, Cathy worked for ten years in advertising and marketing, first as an Account Executive for Business Digest Magazine and then as the Marketing Director for Direct Mail of Maine. While raising two children, from 1992-2007 she held part time positions at Smith Barney, EF Education and LL Bean. Cathy took the Development Director position in spring of 2007 after serving as a Museum Friends Committee member for 7 years, Museum Auction Chair for two years and Museum board member for three years. She is excited to be back in a fast paced environment that is also caring, creative and full of new challenges.
Alicia Stokes, Development Assistant
alicia@kitetails.org
BA Communications, Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)
Originally from Augusta, Alicia returned to Maine upon her graduation from Boston College in May 2008. While at school, she interned at the Crittenton Women's Union in Boston where she realized the rewards of working for a non-profit. Alicia also studied French and spent some time abroad in Paris. Alicia is thrilled to be back in Maine and a part of such a wonderful organization!
Education
Jamie Andrew, Visitor Guide and Volunteer Coordinatorjamie@kitetails.org
BFA Painting, Maryland Institute, College of Art (Baltimore, MD)
A Pennsylvania native, Jamie has recently moved to Maine from Baltimore. While attending the Maryland Institute, she worked at Maryland Arts Place, a non-profit alternative arts space. She has also spent summers working as a teaching assistant at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and has conducted private individual and group art classes with children. Jamie moved to Portland to work at the Children's Museum of Maine and couldn't be more excited about working with children in such a nurturing environment.
Louisa Donelson, Educator
louisa@kitetails.org
BFA Rhode Island School of Design, 2006 (Providence, RI)
When she's not dissecting owl pellets, presenting star shows or creating messterpieces in the Explore Some More Room, Louisa can be found curating community art shows and events, skiing, or painting in her studio. A nationally showing artist, Louisa has worked with homeless and at-risk teen populations from Rome to San Francisco. She is thrilled to be working at the Museum & Theatre where her multifarious interests are encouraged and explored with visitors.
Reba Short, Theatre Artistic Director
reba@kitetails.org
BA Theatre Arts, Mount Holyoke College, (South Hadley, MA)
Reba is an actress and theatre educator who joined the Children's Theatre of Maine in August 2007. At Mount Holyoke, she explored the use of theatre as a community forum. She has received traditional Shakespearian training as well as physical theatre and clowning techniques. Reba was stationed in Morocco with the Peace Corps (2004-2006) where she started a touring troupe of young actors and taught theatre for development to volunteers and aid workers. She continues to act locally for all audiences, including productions with Mad Horse Theatre Company and The Theater Project in Brunswick, Maine.
Hannah Wilhelm, Visitor Guide
BA, Chemistry Bryn Mawr College (Bryn Mawr, PA)
After graduating, Hannah helped pilot an inquiry-based laboratory curriculum for college physics students. Since then, she's taught at environmental education programs including Ferry Beach Ecology School in Saco, ME and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, PA. Hannah has done ecology research, including studying salt marsh plants at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. She also completed a early childhood teaching apprenticeship at Shelburne Farms in Vermont. Hannah believes that everyone is a scientist and that there is always something new to discover.
Exhibits And Operations
Chris Fitze, Exhibits & Operation Associatechrisf@kitetails.org
BS Elementary Education, Manchester College (North Manchester, IN)
Chris Fitze arrived in Maine in 2002 from Lafayette, Indiana. That October, he started volunteering at the Children's Museum of Maine in the education department. Since then, Chris has worn many hats around the Museum. He has facilitated educational outreach, onsite programming, front desk work, and exhibit design and construction. Chris has an extensive theater background and occasionally designs sound for Portland Stage. Chris is a member of The Escapists sketch comedy and improve troupe. Chris believes, and has always believed, that play is an important part of any child's learning process.
Shana Jaques, Floor Coordinator
shana@kitetails.org
BFA Sculpture, Maine College of Art (Portland, ME)
Shana's previous experience includes L.L. Bean, DeLorme, and Thomas Mosier Cabinet Makers in Freeport, as well as five years experience at Maine Audubon's Society's Nature Stores. While at Audubon, she managed the store for the seasonal Scarborough Marsh Nature Center and was the first store manager for the new store at the Maine Wildlife Park in Grey. She came to the Children's Museum of Maine in 1998 and has enjoyed using her skills to support the mission of the Museum. She hopes that all who visit the Museum & Theatre find something that helps to inspire discovery and imagination through exploration and play.
Lucia Stancioff, Floor Coordinator
lucia@kitetails.org
BA Psychology, Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)
Lucia has been working with children for many years. During her time at Dickinson College, she volunteered with America Reads, promoting literacy in early childhood settings. Her post-graduate experience includes teaching pre-kindergarten in both Maine and Vermont. Lucia has spent many summers at Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center, where she coordinated staff and worked with Maine youth. Lucia joined Children's Museum of Maine staff in September of 2008; she enjoys the creative, fun, and safe environment in which children can explore!
Chris Sullivan, Director of Exhibits and Operations
chris@kitetails.org
BFA Painting, University of Maine (Presque Isle, ME)
MFA Studio Arts, Maine College of Art (Portland, ME)
Chris attended the University of Maine at Presque Isle on the Irving O. Bragg Trustee Tuition Waiver and Collins Art Scholarship. He received his BFA in painting, graduating summa cum laude in 2005. Immediately after, he enrolled in Maine College of Art's MFA studio arts program, where he graduated with distinction in 2007. In 2005, Chris started at the Museum while still in grad school working as the operations assistant. In December of 2006 he was promoted to operations manager, overseeing several of the buildings recent capital projects. Recently he has stepped up and accepted his current role overseeing both exhibits and operations.
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