The Team
Kendra L. Baker
Kendra joined United Way in 2015 as the Finance and Operations Coordinator. She assumed the Executive Director position in July of 2022. She is excited to continue to grow and impact the local community.
Past employment with Franklin-Somerset FCU, Camden National Bank, Work First Inc. and LEAP provides Kendra’s with a strong financial background, the ability to manage all operations associated with an office setting, and experience working with a diverse community. She has completed coursework at Coastal Carolina Community College and is a graduate of Mt. Blue High School. Certifications include State Board Licensed Insurance Producer and Medical Terminology.
She has a passion for our community, especially youth programming and led the way to the development of the Hope Fund. She has also started many of United Way's main events, including Dodgeball, the COLOR ME UNITED 5k Walk/Run and Halls of Horror. She and her family are avid volunteers in the community. Kendra holds a variety of awards/ recognitions, and certifications ranging from financials of banking, medical terminology to ethics in the workplace.
Kendra, an avid sports mom, lives in Jay, with her husband Kenneth. Their adult children, Hunter, Calley, Ashley, and Emily are grown and no longer at home, but several of them still travel back to participate in United Way's fun events.
Kendra joined United Way in 2015 as the Finance and Operations Coordinator. She assumed the Executive Director position in July of 2022. She is excited to continue to grow and impact the local community.
Past employment with Franklin-Somerset FCU, Camden National Bank, Work First Inc. and LEAP provides Kendra’s with a strong financial background, the ability to manage all operations associated with an office setting, and experience working with a diverse community. She has completed coursework at Coastal Carolina Community College and is a graduate of Mt. Blue High School. Certifications include State Board Licensed Insurance Producer and Medical Terminology.
She has a passion for our community, especially youth programming and led the way to the development of the Hope Fund. She has also started many of United Way's main events, including Dodgeball, the COLOR ME UNITED 5k Walk/Run and Halls of Horror. She and her family are avid volunteers in the community. Kendra holds a variety of awards/ recognitions, and certifications ranging from financials of banking, medical terminology to ethics in the workplace.
Kendra, an avid sports mom, lives in Jay, with her husband Kenneth. Their adult children, Hunter, Calley, Ashley, and Emily are grown and no longer at home, but several of them still travel back to participate in United Way's fun events.
Nichole Ernest
Nichole Ernest serves as the Director of Marketing & Communications and has been with United Way since April of 2016.
Nichole has BA in International Business from Eckerd College and an MBA from Plymouth State College. She grew up in the Farmington area and moved back after 10 years in New Hampshire to raise her children close to her family, and in the community that she knows and appreciates. Past employment includes working with MAS Community Health, Work First Inc and LEAP. These positions have provided Nichole with a diverse background and a full awareness of both the needs of the local community, as well as the many resources available within our community. Nichole has coordinated and participated in many local events and always finds time to volunteer regularly. As the current President of the Mallett School PTA, the treasurer of the JWL Riding Club, and co-advisor of UMF's Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, Nichole demonstrates valuable volunteer leadership in our community.
Nichole and Andrew live in Farmington with their family, Jaimi, Madeleine and McKenna. Nichole is an active mom, juggling work, farm animals, riding lessons, dance lessons, gymnastics and skiing.
Nichole Ernest serves as the Director of Marketing & Communications and has been with United Way since April of 2016.
Nichole has BA in International Business from Eckerd College and an MBA from Plymouth State College. She grew up in the Farmington area and moved back after 10 years in New Hampshire to raise her children close to her family, and in the community that she knows and appreciates. Past employment includes working with MAS Community Health, Work First Inc and LEAP. These positions have provided Nichole with a diverse background and a full awareness of both the needs of the local community, as well as the many resources available within our community. Nichole has coordinated and participated in many local events and always finds time to volunteer regularly. As the current President of the Mallett School PTA, the treasurer of the JWL Riding Club, and co-advisor of UMF's Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, Nichole demonstrates valuable volunteer leadership in our community.
Nichole and Andrew live in Farmington with their family, Jaimi, Madeleine and McKenna. Nichole is an active mom, juggling work, farm animals, riding lessons, dance lessons, gymnastics and skiing.
Chelsie Whittier
Chelsie serves as the Director of Community Engagement and has been with United Way since August of 2022.
For the last decade Chelsie has focused her career on customer service, with the last 5 years as an insurance agent for Kyes Insurance. She holds a degree in Administration from University of Phoenix and is a graduate of Mt. Blue High School. She is excited to now have a direct role within the community that where she grew up. She was born and raised in Farmington, and now lives in Wilton with my husband Greg and their four kids. Outside of work she is very involved in youth sports, from volunteering, to fundraising, to being on the board for different leagues. Outside of work the family spends a lot of time outdoors on the boat, at camp, on the ATVs, hiking or at one of their kids' many sporting events.
Chelsie serves as the Director of Community Engagement and has been with United Way since August of 2022.
For the last decade Chelsie has focused her career on customer service, with the last 5 years as an insurance agent for Kyes Insurance. She holds a degree in Administration from University of Phoenix and is a graduate of Mt. Blue High School. She is excited to now have a direct role within the community that where she grew up. She was born and raised in Farmington, and now lives in Wilton with my husband Greg and their four kids. Outside of work she is very involved in youth sports, from volunteering, to fundraising, to being on the board for different leagues. Outside of work the family spends a lot of time outdoors on the boat, at camp, on the ATVs, hiking or at one of their kids' many sporting events.
Lisa Rowe
Lisa serves as the Director of Finance and Operations and joined United Way of the Tri-Valley Area on January 3rd, 2023.
Lisa has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Husson College and has worked in finance for 30+ years, 10 years with GH Bass and 20+ years at LEAP Community. Through the years, Lisa has always been a big supporter of United Way, both in volunteering and in weekly contributions through payroll deduction. She is excited to take on a different type of non-profit challenge here at United Way.
Outside of work she spends much of her time with her husband, Marcus; they love travelling. She also loves spending time with her granddaughters. Her greatest joys have been the many adventures enjoyed with her daughter Brooke, including trips to Disney World, Niagara Falls and Bermuda.
Lisa serves as the Director of Finance and Operations and joined United Way of the Tri-Valley Area on January 3rd, 2023.
Lisa has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Husson College and has worked in finance for 30+ years, 10 years with GH Bass and 20+ years at LEAP Community. Through the years, Lisa has always been a big supporter of United Way, both in volunteering and in weekly contributions through payroll deduction. She is excited to take on a different type of non-profit challenge here at United Way.
Outside of work she spends much of her time with her husband, Marcus; they love travelling. She also loves spending time with her granddaughters. Her greatest joys have been the many adventures enjoyed with her daughter Brooke, including trips to Disney World, Niagara Falls and Bermuda.
Laura Hoeft
One of United Way’s goals is to improve health. One objective to accomplish this is to increase consumers’ access to and consumption of healthy foods. With support of the Doree Taylor Charitable Foundation, United Way has engaged Laura Hoeft. Among many activities related to improving food access, she will design programs and work collaboratively with organizations to provide community education. Laura will be working with Justus Hillebrand who is working on a three-year food insecurity project funded by the Betterment Fund.
Laura was hired by the Greater Franklin County Food Council in August, 2020 to fill the new role of school garden coach for four area schools in Franklin County. During her first year in this position, she collaborated with staff in two of the schools who already had established garden programs to increase capacity. In the remaining schools, she established new garden programs all together, creatively seeking out ways to build support and enthusiasm with staff and students alike. In year two of her position, she added three additional schools to her programming, for a total of seven schools in Franklin County.
In January 2021 and 2022, Laura also managed Sugarloaf’s biggest annual fundraiser, the Sugarloaf Charity Summit. In spite of needing to completely reinvent the event due to the restrictions that COVID mandated both years, she led the team to raise over 240k in 2021 and 320k in 2022 to fight cancer in Maine. Laura has worked previously as a Group Sales Manager at Sugarloaf, coordinating large groups to visit the resort during both the ski and golf season. She has served as a Board member for a number of organizations, including the Maine Mountain Children’s house (a Montessori preschool in Kingfield), the Kingfield POPS committee, and the Town of Belgrade Parks and Recreation department. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Human Development. She lives in New Vineyard with her husband and three children and is eager to begin her position as a Food Hub Educator for UWTVA!
One of United Way’s goals is to improve health. One objective to accomplish this is to increase consumers’ access to and consumption of healthy foods. With support of the Doree Taylor Charitable Foundation, United Way has engaged Laura Hoeft. Among many activities related to improving food access, she will design programs and work collaboratively with organizations to provide community education. Laura will be working with Justus Hillebrand who is working on a three-year food insecurity project funded by the Betterment Fund.
Laura was hired by the Greater Franklin County Food Council in August, 2020 to fill the new role of school garden coach for four area schools in Franklin County. During her first year in this position, she collaborated with staff in two of the schools who already had established garden programs to increase capacity. In the remaining schools, she established new garden programs all together, creatively seeking out ways to build support and enthusiasm with staff and students alike. In year two of her position, she added three additional schools to her programming, for a total of seven schools in Franklin County.
In January 2021 and 2022, Laura also managed Sugarloaf’s biggest annual fundraiser, the Sugarloaf Charity Summit. In spite of needing to completely reinvent the event due to the restrictions that COVID mandated both years, she led the team to raise over 240k in 2021 and 320k in 2022 to fight cancer in Maine. Laura has worked previously as a Group Sales Manager at Sugarloaf, coordinating large groups to visit the resort during both the ski and golf season. She has served as a Board member for a number of organizations, including the Maine Mountain Children’s house (a Montessori preschool in Kingfield), the Kingfield POPS committee, and the Town of Belgrade Parks and Recreation department. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Human Development. She lives in New Vineyard with her husband and three children and is eager to begin her position as a Food Hub Educator for UWTVA!
