Class of 2021

Class of ’21

Leif Becker is owner and principal attorney at Becker Legal PLLC which he started in September 0f 2020. Leif previously worked at another Portsmouth civil litigation since graduating from the University of New Hampshire School of Law with his Juris Doctor in 2018. Prior to Law School Becker received Degrees in Political Science, and Education from Plymouth State University and White Mountains Community College Respectively. Becker is passionate about public service and was named 2021 Pro Bono Rising Star to the NH Bar Association and a “Life Changer” by HAVEN NH in 2020 for his work representing victims of Domestic Violence. Becker currently serves on the Board of Directors for Portsmouth Public Television as well as Rockingham County Governor for the New Hampshire Association for Justice.

Class of ’21

Bryan is the co-founder and president of The Freedom Café, a non-profit based in Durham, NH. The Freedom Cafe works to end human trafficking through community engagement, education and a simple way to fund work necessary for a traffic-free world. Bryan has led the organization into collaborations with Stop the Traffik, the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking and the NH Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force (NHHTCTF). He has supervised large scale human trafficking awareness events around New England and is a regular presenter and trainer bringing critical understanding to the intersection of global supply chains, human trafficking and conscious consuming.

As a person with strong learner and includer strengths, Bryan has a passion to bring diverse people together to learn from one another and translate ideas and beliefs into beneficial action. Bryan appreciates having a range of roles, managing, mentoring, and developing – around delicious consciously sourced coffee and tea.

Getting into expansive natural spaces, gardening and cooking with family and friends, or all alone, keeps Bryan grounded. Bryan, his spouse Hannah and their musical family, live in Durham, NH.

Class of ’21

I was born in New Mexico and spent the first 37 years of my life there.  Having grown up in a real estate family, I joined Keller Williams in 2001 when my father opened up a franchise there.  In 2016, I married Elizabeth, a girl from New Hampshire.  Not long after, we moved to New Hampshire with our infant son, Henry.  Now living in North Hampton on a small hobby farm, we now also have a daughter, Everley, as well as 3 dogs, 15 chickens, 4 ducks, and a goose, Cosette.

Having run a real estate team as large as 15 agents in New Mexico, I love to lead, coach, and mentor others professionally.  Knowing that New Hampshire is where we want to put down roots, we want to get involved more in and give back to the community.  After 3 years with Keller Williams Coastal Realty, I recently moved to eXp Realty and will continue to grow my business in the Seacoast and develop my team through their platform.

In my free time (what’s that again?), I enjoy golfing and spending time with friends, traveling back to New Mexico to see family & friends there, and playing with my kids at home.  Elizabeth and I love having weekly date nights and enjoy supporting local restaurants, playing tennis, and workin’ on the farm.

New Hampshire is a special place, and I look forward to continuing to invest time, money, and energy keeping it that way.

Class of ’21

An experienced financial services professional with a passion for financial markets, Corey Boucher is employed by Piscataqua Savings Bank in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He is a portfolio manager within the trust and investment services department. In this role, Corey co-manages the department’s nearly 350 million of assets, building prudent investment portfolios for trusts, managed accounts, and individual retirement accounts. Corey enjoys the process of developing and executing financial planning strategies.

In addition to his role at Piscataqua Savings Bank, Corey is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society. He has also been a guest speaker on multiple occasions at Dover High School to discuss introductory investing. Corey was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2013 and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation in 2020.

Corey’s fervor for economics and finance also extends to his authored works. He is the author of Utility Value – Getting More Bang for Your Buck in Portsmouth Living magazine. He has also written Earn More Save More Invest More: How to Conquer Personal Finance, a personal finance self-help book published December 2019. Corey has a BS in Business Administration – Finance from the University of Maine.

There are, however surprising, parts of Corey’s life unrelated to financial services. Corey has designed and published two Android mobile card game apps, Charlemagne and Beggar My Neighbour. He is currently working on a third to be released in 2021.

Class of ’21

Wes is leading the launch of Four Rivers Project, a startup non-profit bridging the gap between people of faith & the community to solve real problems. Four Rivers is based in Durham, NH.

After 10+ years in the nonprofit world, Wes spent the last 15 years in technology, working with leading companies in High-Speed Computing, Enterprise Web & Mobile Site Development, Big Data and Cyber Security.

Bringing a passion for innovation to his leadership, the effective use of technology in the middle of a global pandemic has been key to the success of Four River’s launch.

Wes and his wife, Kasey, have three kids, and they feel very fortunate to be raising them in the seacoast region of New Hampshire.

Dave and I have two children (Alec 21, Alicia 18). We have enjoyed living in Madbury, NH for 23 years.

Class of ’21

Hello! My name is Shannon Douglas and I am an Implementations Project Manager at Bottomline Technologies, located in Portsmouth, NH, providing nearly six years of diversified experience within the Financial Technology Industry. I currently reside in Rochester, NH, however previously had the pleasure of calling Portsmouth “Home” and often find myself visiting! (less now given the pandemic). I am a Saint Anselm College Alumni, graduating in 2015 with a BA in Business and Minor in Communication. During my time on the Hilltop, I competed at the Varsity level in Volleyball, meeting some of my closest, life-long friends.

Born and raised in NH, I have always been a homebody as this is where my entire family resides. I love spending time with my nieces and nephew, along with my dog, Duncan. I also enjoy the many activities NH has to offer, including hiking and relaxing on the beach or at the lake. I do not always stay close to home, though, as I love to travel – Iceland, Scotland, Austria, and Ireland, just to name a few adventures!

I am so excited to be a Member of Leadership Seacoast’s Class of 2021 and look forward to meeting all of you, both current members and alumni. After the program, I hope to share my own experiences, become more involved in our community and help support/build the Leadership Seacoast Program.

Class of ’21

Siso Gomez Is a highly motivated individual who is always looking to make a difference in society, he is passionate about people, and is always willing to jump in and help anyone in need. He loves music, basketball and food from all over the world!

Siso was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, he migrated to Portland Maine, US. at age 16, he learned English while going to High school, in Portland. He considers himself very fortunate for the remarkable, countless opportunities afforded to him by living in the US, which otherwise would not have been available to him growing up in the DR.

Wanting to give back to a country that has given so much to him and his family, combined with a deep desire to serve others, he decided to join the Military, he has now been serving NH and the US for 10 years in the New Hampshire Air National Guard at the 157th Air Refueling Wing, in the 157 Logistic Readiness Squadron, Pease ANGB.

Siso is on a journey to make this world a better place through positive human interactions, he believes that One person can make a difference, and if we take the time to get to know the people around us, showing genuine interest on their personal growth and advancement in life, we can create positive experiences that will spread. He believes in taking care of people and harvesting in long-lasting relationships that will foster trust and respect.

One of his core believes is that small acts of kindness and good deeds that might seem insignificant to us, can have lifelong impacts on someone’s future and outlook in life. As a husband, father and friend Siso is always looking at ways to strengthen relationships and unity while promoting hope and faith.

He is thrilled about the opportunity of being accepted into the Leadership Seacoast 2021 class, and is very excited to learn and share his experience with family, coworkers and the world!

Class of ’21

David grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, graduated from Central High School, and subsequently attended the University of New Hampshire (Durham). During college, he had an opportunity to study abroad at Macquarie University located in Sydney, Australia.

After college, David returned to Manchester and taught social studies in the Manchester School District for five years. Although he enjoyed teaching, he left the profession to attend law school at UNH.  During law school he studied abroad at the University College Cork, located in Cork, Ireland.

Since graduating from law school, David has been practicing law as a general litigator. He currently resides in Kittery, and works at the law firm of Devine, Millimet & Branch out of the firm’s Manchester and Portsmouth offices. 

Class of ’21

Jessie Dill Jakobs has over twenty years of public sector/nonprofit fundraising and program development experience with community-based organizations, institutions for higher education, government agencies, and hospitals.  Most recently, she served as a development officer at the University of New Hampshire, following development roles held at Big Brothers Big Sisters in New Hampshire and Boston, Hebrew SeniorLife, the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, and the Samaritans of Boston.  Early on in her career, Jessie worked as a bilingual case worker for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and later at Entre Familia working with Latina women in recovery for substance abuse.  Combined, these experiences have helped her understand and develop the impact of community engagement to make the world a better place.

Jessie is a graduate of Wheaton College in Hispanic Studies and Anthropology, and completed her Masters in Social Anthropology at Brandeis University.  She currently volunteers as the Director of Corporate Sponsorships at TEDxPortsmouth – so let her know if you have an idea worth spreading!

She is a work in progress on work-family balance alongside her husband, four teenage children, and two dogs, all of whom enjoy the outdoors preferably in the mountains, lakes and ocean.

Class of ’21

Lisa Leach is the Executive Director at the Lovering Health Center in Greenland, NH.  Born and raised just a few miles outside of Boston, MA and has been a proud New Hampshire citizen for over 20 years.

Lisa earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from Salem State University.  She completed a rigorous one-year internship program with North Shore Medical Center and subsequently passed the national board examination becoming a Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist.  She also holds a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from New England College and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

Lisa has over 25 years’ experience in Healthcare.  Leading change initiatives by partnering with teams to identify workflow efficiency improvements and developing new programs and services that fill community needs are areas where Lisa finds professional satisfaction.

She joined the Lovering Health Center in May 2019.  During her first year she increased patient facing hours at the Center by adding a full time Nurse Practitioner, has improved medication abortion access, has created a successful telehealth program and has implemented electronic medical records (EMR) and patient portal communication systems.

Her passions include family planning and reproductive healthcare, ensuring the right to personal choice, and advocacy for inclusivity and diversity in health care settings.

Lisa lives on the Seacoast with her fiercely feminist teenage daughter and her two cats.  Her motto is “Pro-cats, Pro-choice, Pro Feminism.”

Class of ’21

Success is reached when a person finds balance in the 7 main areas of their life: Health, Family/Relationships, Career, Finances, Personal Growth, Recreation, and Community.  Many people go through life only scratching the surface in some of these areas, while sacrificing too much in others.

After working decades for a Fortune 100 company, leading international teams of analysts and engineers, Lorry is taking some time off to devote to family, personal growth, and community.

Lorry graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Business Studies, and holds a master’s in Project Management from George Washington University. In addition to her education and years of project management experience, she has recently earned the title of Certified Health & Nutrition Coach. She’s using this latest training to help others find the value of making their health a priority again and living the life of their dreams.  Health is the pillar holding everything else up, and when it is off balance, everything else can be impacted.

As a community volunteer, Lorry has devoted countless hours to helping local non-profits. Whether it be serving on the Board of Directors for the Seacoast Mother’s Association helping new and young mothers find connection, leading beach cleans ups with the Blue Ocean Society, or serving the needs of at-risk children at The Chase Home – Lorry is dedicated to supporting local, community values.

When she’s not coaching clients, shuffling her kids to and from activities, or volunteering in the community, you can find Lorry out and about exploring many of the great outdoor treasures in our tiny, beautiful state.  Or perhaps you could find her enjoying a show, a speaking event, or supporting a local, small business in our community.  Whatever she’s involved in at the moment, you can be assured she’s facing it with fortitude and passion.

Class of ’21

My name is Darcie LeTendre and I am a Team Leader and Reporting Analyst in the Education and Outreach department at FedPoint which administers employee benefits for the federal government. It’s been about twelve years since I’ve started working in a call center environment. I started on the phones, which transitioned into training, and then managing customer service and sales call centers in various fields. After receiving my Associate’s Degree many years ago, I returned to school in 2018, and last year I received my BS in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University.

The positions I’ve held over the years as well as my current position have helped me to utilize my problem-solving, time management and mentoring/coaching skills to help a large number of employees, giving them opportunities to maximize their abilities and provide excellent customer service. I feel very fortunate to be on a career path I really enjoy and am able to share my experiences with my employees.

I grew up in Enfield, CT and spent summers and weekends in Ogunquit, ME, and decided to make it my permanent home in 2015. In my free time, I love to travel to warm destinations with family and friends, read and practice yoga. I am excited to be a part of the 2021 Leadership Seacoast class!

Class of ’21

Jay has been a Regional Vice President with Ivy Distributors, a portfolio management firm for 10 years. His main role is to communicate the company’s investment strategies to financial advisors and their retail clients.

Jay relocated to the Seacoast in 2015 with his family. He was born in Kansas City and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1998. Jay has been in financial services for 13 years. Prior to that, he was in the advertising industry for nearly 10 years.

He is a news and political junkie that subscribes to 4 newspapers. (Yes, he recycles!) One of his favorite pastimes is submitting Letters to the Editor. Jay read over 60 non-fiction books in 2020. Recently, he has been in a sociology/true crime phase.

His daughter is in USA Gymnastics, and his son is a black belt in Kungfu. Both are students in local public schools. Jay and his wife, who is a fitness instructor, have been married for 19 years. They reside in the “WAHOAO” area of Portsmouth. (Wibird-Area Homeowners and Others)

His dream retirement would be to travel the world in an RV and be a professional stand-up paddle boarding expert. His favorite food pairing is BBQ (KC style is best) and a very cold Diet Coke. (from the bottle, not a can!)

Jay’s favorite podcasts are How I Built This, and Dave Ramsey. He mainly listens to music via YouTube since he cannot remember his Spotify password. Jay is excited about increasing his civic awareness in the Seacoast.

Class of ’21

A resident of Durham for the past six years, Abby is thrilled at the opportunity to become more connected and involved with the Seacoast through Leadership Seacoast. She started her commercial real estate career at Colliers International in 2019 as a sales associate. Her focus is on buyer/tenant representation and seller/landlord representation in the industrial, office, and retail sectors as well as investment sales. Her area of expertise is in the Seacoast of New Hampshire with a concentration in the Rockingham and Strafford County markets.

Prior to joining Colliers, she was a student at the University of New Hampshire where she earned a dual undergraduate degree in Finance and Management and was the first Sales minor in the Fall of 2018.

She sits on the Development Committee for HAVEN, the Seacoast’s largest violence prevention and support services agency in New Hampshire. In addition, she has also aided in the planning of HAVEN’s annual Ending Violence, Changing Lives fundraising event for the past two years.

Abby was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania prior to attending the University of New Hampshire. She has three other siblings who all live in the Seacoast area and her parents reside in Durham, NH. Her choice in college provided the perfect excuse for her whole family to make the twelve hour trek to this beautiful part of the world. In her free time Abby enjoys going to the gym, creating delicious meals, designing dresses, spending time with her adorable bunny Pancake, and hiking with her boyfriend Ryan and their dog Reshi.

Class of ’21

Andrew Morrison is resident and active community member in the town of Auburn NH where he lives and raises his two sons.  As a community member, he is heavily involved in youth sports; coaching soccer, basketball, and baseball at different levels, as well as both town and club teams.  He serves as the Vice President on the Auburn Soccer Club board and as the Treasurer for the Auburn Baseball and Softball League.

Professionally, Andrew is a Technical Sergeant (TSgt) and Aircraft Structural Maintainer for the New Hampshire Air National Guard.  In this role, he brings 14 years of experience maintaining the structural integrity of United States Air Force aircraft while utilizing corrosion control techniques and structural repairs spanning metallic and composite materials.   TSgt Morrison manages a multitude of shop-level duties including Training Manager, Hazardous Communication Program Manager, Respirator Protection Program Manager, and serving as one of two technical subject matter experts entrusted with the ability to clear previously grounding aircraft structural repairs for flight.

Outside of the section, he serves as the Maintenance Group’s Self-Assessment Program Manager, assisting the commander with his inspection program, ensuring compliance for more than 1200 requirements, and communicating accepted risks.  More recently, TSgt Morrison was selected to augment the Wing Inspector General as the Self-Assessment Program Manager for the 157^th Air Refueling Wing, monitoring over 5500 compliance driven directives applied across nearly 1200 members.

Andrew Morrison is a graduate of the former New Hampshire Community Technical College at Manchester with an AS in Building Construction.

Class of ’21

Paul Neve is an HR Business Partner at Novocure, an innovative oncology treatment company dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients. Prior to Novocure, Paul had a 20 year career in global corporate relocation.

Paul was born and raised in Lincolnshire, England. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from the University of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. It was during a summer break from Uni that Paul was encouraged by a friend to expand his horizons, and try working abroad. Two summers working on a camp on Cape Cod and Paul was hooked! A year later he returned to the US as an au-pair on an exchange program, and soon after that was hired by a corporate relocation company based in Newburyport, MA. The rest, as they say, is history!

During his career in corporate relocation, Paul lived and worked in several countries (US, UK, Hong Kong) and several US states (MA, NH, CA, AZ, NJ). Paul has traveled to Japan, China, Macau, France, Sweden to name a few, as well as visited half of the states in the US.

Paul has been a volunteer Board member of the Seacoast HR Association for the last 3 years, serving as the SHRM Foundation Director.

In his free time, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 rescued greyhounds. Paul is an avid Liverpool Football Club supporter, having followed them from a very young age. A keen soccer player until recently, Paul now enjoys biking, golfing, swimming, and woodworking projects.

Class of ’21

Janet has been living in Durham and working at Garrison Women’s Health in Dover, where she is part owner and partner, since finishing her medical training in Chicago over 20 years ago. As an OB/GYN, she is passionate about shared decision-making and true informed consent. Her future aspirations include doing reproductive justice work, especially as it relates to equity in maternal health care. She is grateful to have served in the Peace Corps in Northeast Thailand, as well as a volunteer for Grounds for Health in Tanzania and Global Brigades in Zambia, She sits on the Board of the Haitian Health Foundation and has made over 20 trips to Haiti as a medical consultant. She has a BA in Religion from Dartmouth College and Master’s Degree in Applied Physiology in addition to her MD. She runs one or two marathons a year, usually including Boston, where her husband has to tear himself away from their mutually beloved Fenway Park on Patriot’s Day in order to cheer her on. Each of her three awesome children have asserted that she loves her dogs as much (or more) than she does them, and she has no comment about this.

Class of ’21

Rachel Peter is the Community Relations Administrator at Kennebunk Savings, a mutual bank serving southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire. She helps to facilitate the Kennebunk Savings Community Promise program, through which the Bank contributes 10% of its after-tax earnings to nonprofits within the communities it serves each year. She also helps to manage the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation and the Huntington Common Charitable Fund for Seniors, which is a fund designed to improve the lives of older adults in York County, Maine. Her role at KS focuses on fostering and strengthening relationships with nonprofit partners, cultivating and sharing volunteer opportunities with Bank employees, and assisting her team in advancing the Bank’s overall corporate social responsibility initiatives. She especially loves having the chance to help her coworkers engage with nonprofits in their own communities by connecting them with volunteer opportunities that they find interesting.

Rachel graduated from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland with a degree in Environmental Studies. Though she is not originally from the New England area, she fell in love with Maine while spending a summer as a research intern at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm.

She currently resides in Kittery with her husband Ben and their rescue dog Dexter. In her free time, you can find Rachel and her family outdoors exploring all the beauty that southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire has to offer.

Class of ’21

Experienced professional engineer with 20+ years supporting the Navy submarine maintenance community.  After graduating from the Naval Academy, I started my career as a submariner assigned to a ship undergoing overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  After 5 years of active duty service, I began my civilian career as a mechanical engineer at Submarine Maintenance Engineering, Planning and Procurement (SUBMEPP) Activity, a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command.  Prior positions at SUBMEPP include serving as an IT/Business Process Manager and Lean (Process Improvement) Champion.  Over the past 4 years, I have supervised 8-10 engineers and technicians.  My first team was responsible for developing and maintaining the maintenance plans for select equipment on all US Navy submarines. I currently supervise 11 employees that manage a library of 7,000+ technical documents. To improve the efficiency of maintaining the library, my team is implementing a Project Lifecycle Management software application. Throughout my career, I have always enjoyed mentoring new employees.

Outside of work, I have previously enjoyed volunteering in the community with groups such as Rotary, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard STEM Outreach Team and the York Middle School First Lego League.  Any remaining free time is frequently spent biking, skiing, hiking with my lab or playing tennis with my son.

Class of ’21

My name is Maki Pombo and I am the owner of Peak Business Consultants, LLC, located in Rye, NH. Peak offers accounting services at all levels from bookkeeping to CFO level financial reporting and analysis. We work with small to medium sized business owners, providing them support in growing their businesses with from a place of financial clarity. We like to think of ourselves as “Financial Sherpas” for our clients.

I came to my career in accounting in a somewhat unconventional way.  With undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Outdoor Education from UNH most of my early jobs were spent in the outdoor field and in jobs utilizing therapeutic applications of experiential learning.  These jobs were also interspersed with time spent traveling, backpacking and general adventuring, and quite a few years of teaching yoga.  But as life unfolded different opportunities presented themselves and in 2007, I graduated from the Peter T. Paul College with an MBA, and purchased the business that would become Peak. Over the course of the last 14 years, it has been a privilege to develop the amazing team that is Peak and be part of the growth of so many wonderful businesses.

While my background may seem somewhat disparate, the at the root of all my varied work endeavors has been supporting others in their journey. I look forward to joining Seacoast Leadership to learn more about what is happening in our community and how I can continue to be of support.

When I am not working, I still enjoy getting out there adventuring with my husband Garth, my 17-year-old daughter Maya (when she is willing), and our dog Leroy.

Class of ’21

Sarah is a Senior Business Development Associate, is responsible for supporting the investment and trust relationship efforts for senior officers of the firm. Before joining Fiduciary Trust, Sarah served as legal counsel for a fintech company in Singapore. Prior to that, she held positions with Puckhaber Law Offices and with Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit Court in Jacksonville, FL. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in government, from St. Lawrence University and her Juris Doctor degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. She is a member of the Florida State Bar Association.

Class of ’21

I am the Marketing Director at Aland Realty, a fast-growing, locally owned brokerage where I get to collaborate with incredibly talented and kind people every day. I have always valued respect, communication and compassion, and feel fortunate to work with a team that shares those values.

I am a Seacoast native and currently live in Portsmouth, NH. I studied at Bryant University in Rhode Island, where I obtained my BA in Communication with a double minor in Marketing and Business Administration. I happily followed my roots back home and have grown even more connected to the community since.

Throughout my career I have been introduced to many of the different organizations that serve our area. I have volunteered for various local events and initiatives but am eager to dive deeper into serving and advocating for others.

I enjoy cooking, home improvement projects (most of the time), traveling, photography, spending time at the lake, and hanging out with my pup and wonderful husband, who inspires me every day.

Class of ’21

Lynn Robbins is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Portsmouth Regional Hospital (PRH), a 220-bed acute care hospital located in Portsmouth, serving the Seacoast region’s residents in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts with tertiary care. PRH is a private, tax-paying hospital and is one of the area’s largest employers. Prior to joining PRH, Lynn was the Director of Marketing at Parkland Medical Center in Derry. Both Portsmouth and Parkland are members of HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services. When Lynn and her family returned to New England from Florida in 2009, Lynn served as the Regional Director of Care Coordination for five years at Homecare, Hospice and Community Services (HCS) based in Keene, NH.

Lynn and her family lived in Jacksonville, Florida from 1997-2009 where she served in several capacities – as the Director of Corporate Communications for Community Hospice of Northeast Florida and as Director of Communications for WJCT Public Broadcasting. Lynn and her husband, Jim, have two children – Olivia and Nate – and have lived in Dover since 2016. Lynn used to sing professionally and still loves music and singing along with long walks, hiking, reading and occasional Netflix binging!

Class of ’21

Lyin has a wealth of business acumen including operations, development and marketing in the higher education, business and healthcare sectors. Currently, her role is Operations Manager for The Co8 Group, an alignment and agile consulting firm. Prior, she built an Analytics and Data Science unit for a University and has managed many programs and marketing initiatives over the years.

Lyin has earned  a reputation for creating optimal cultures where team members and clients were drawn to collaborate and prosper.  Her projects succeed because she uses awareness and agility, all while remaining focused on the big picture to ensure stakeholders have the resources necessary for success. Lyin believes awareness and trust are at the center of successful teams. Inspiring trust can create a safe environment where team members feel free to explore, fail, and ultimately learn and grow together.

Lyin’s credentials include a Scrum Master Certification, an M.B.A., and a M.S. in Leadership degree. Her civic involvement includes building a town’s first library, a recreational program and serving as president of the PTO. As a mentor to aspiring professionals, a Women in STEM organization and a Data Science meetup, Lyin encourages diversity, collaboration and growth in all of her work. In her spare time, she can be found staying active: cycling, kayaking, hiking and SUPing in the beautiful NH seacoast.

Class of ’21

Loren Selig (pronouns she/her) brings over a decade of exceptional experience in New Hampshire residential real estate sales. Focused on clients’ needs, Loren specializes in helping clients buy, sell and invest in quality residential properties throughout the New Hampshire Seacoast area, turning her clients’ real estate dreams into realities. A dedicated and caring real estate professional, Loren thrives on advocating for others.

Loren is a member of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, the Seacoast Board of Realtors, a former Chair of the Seacoast Board’s “Learn at Lunch” committee, and a business sponsor of Oyster River Womenade — an organization providing financial assistance to community members in times of hardship.

Prior to her career in real estate, Loren spent 15 years as a professional educator at the high school and graduate school levels, and also enjoyed working in the non-profit sector.

Loren is a graduate of Clark University and holds a Master of Arts in Secondary Education from The Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, she is certified in Instructional System Design through the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

Originally from New Jersey, Loren has worked and lived in New Hampshire for nearly two decades, Loren resides in Durham with her husband, their teenaged social-entrepreneur daughters, and two dogs. She loves New Hampshire’s amazing breadth of resources from the beach to the mountains, and from the city to the country. In her spare time, Loren enjoys spending time with her family and friends, practicing yoga and reading.

Class of ’21

Angel Simone is originally from Liverpool, England and has her Master’s in Engineering from Imperial College, University of London. Angel moved to New England over 20 years ago and has worked in both corporate and nonprofit environments for many years. She has had many titles, including Programmer, Project Manager, Administrative Director, Personal Trainer, Pastor, Speaker, Life Coach and most recently Instructional Designer & Curriculum Developer at FedPoint in Portsmouth, NH.

Angel has a passion for empowering others to discover their unique potential and seeing the next best version of themselves. She is excited to be part of Leadership Seacoast and looks forward to the opportunity to learn, grow and become part of something bigger. She has had the privilege of being a guest speaker on  two podcasts – Creative Mornings PKX and Wellness lately, both times sharing on the cost of vulnerability and authenticity, owning who we are and what it takes to overcome limiting beliefs and the opinions we have developed about ourselves due to societal and cultural influences.

In her down time, Angel enjoys strength training, playing and listening to all types of music, and summer! She lives in Portsmouth, NH and escapes to the beach as often as possible!

Class of ’21

When Erica isn’t in local schools teaching kids about personal body safety, healthy relationships and consent for HAVEN, she can be found either at a thrift store, on stage probably with a puppet on her arm, or twirling in a 50’s dress. She lives in Durham with her husband, two daughters, and a Muppet for a dog.

Class of ’21

As Operations Director for UNHInnovation, Paige Smith leads business operations that include financial reporting, human resources, procurement, facilities and vendor management, grants compliance, strategic planning, and special projects for the unit. She draws from over two decades of experience in government, corporate, and nonprofit settings to help plan, resource, and monitor activities and initiatives. Her professional roles have developed her strengths and interests in the areas of project management, organizational behavior, and human resources.

Originally from North Carolina, Paige has also resided in Illinois, Texas, and Nebraska. It was while stationed on active duty with the Air Force near Omaha that she met her husband. Following their service commitments, they returned to the East Coast and have called New Hampshire home since 2001.

Using her GI Bill, Paige pursued a BA in political science from the University of New Hampshire and, after several years of practical work experience, returned to her alma mater to complete a Master’s in public administration.

A supporter of several local area nonprofit organizations, Paige is an advocate for workplace equity, access to quality healthcare, and animal welfare. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, live music, supporting local restaurants, and spoiling her two rescue pups.

Class of ’21

My name is Cece Tarr; I am a graduate student in the Master of Social Work program at the University of New Hampshire. I live in Portsmouth on a 37-foot houseboat with my husband, Joe, and our dog, Summit!

I graduated from Smith College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in Exercise and Sports Science. When I moved to the seacoast from my native Vermont, I began work as a Functional Support Specialist at Community Partners in Dover. I worked with children struggling with mental illness or behavioral health problems. I found I enjoyed working directly with the children, but I was also able to work with parents, teachers, and other support teams to make the biggest difference for the child. That community-based experience led me to social work, which has a focus on individual needs within a social-environmental context. I have loved learning about how the community has a collective responsibility for the well-being of all in my classes; I am excited to combine that with the Leadership Seacoast program. In the future I hope to work in a community mental health center or at a children’s hospital.

In addition to going to graduate school, I am the head diving coach at the University of New Hampshire. During the 2019-20 season the Wildcat Swim and Dive team was America East Champions, for the eighth time in program history. We are hopeful for a late spring championship win this year as well! I love being active myself; I’m a dedicated member at the gym, F45 South Portsmouth. My husband and I ski as often as we can, mostly at Gunstock Mountain. If you arrive early enough you might catch us taking the skis uphill for an alpine touring run before the lifts start. I enjoy listening to podcasts, eating ice cream, reading (A Man Called Ove is my all-time favorite book), and enjoying living on the water! You can follow the houseboat adventures @tinyhouseafloat!

Class of ’21

Kristin Vartanian has more than ten years of experience as a prosecutor in New Hampshire and is currently a Lead Assistant County Attorney at the Rockingham County Attorney’s Office.  Kristin has a passion for working with children and survivors of physical and sexual abuse. To that end, she serves as the Rockingham County Attorney’s Office liaison to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and as a member of the Rockingham County Sexual Assault Resource Team.  Kristin has been honored by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Merrimack County Child Advocacy Center and the Child Advocacy Center of Rockingham County for her work as a prosecutor.  Kristin is also proud to serve as a board member of the Granite State Children’s Alliance.

Kristin lives in Portsmouth with her young daughter, is an avid reader and enjoys the beach and yoga.  Kristin believes in fostering strong relationships through multi-disciplinary collaboration and is looking forward to the opportunity to become more involved with the community she loves through Leadership Seacoast.