BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ BIOS
NATE CURTIS
Nate grew up on Togus Pond and has been on Cobbossee since 2016. He lives in West Gardiner with his wife Shanna and three school age daughters. Nate is the manager at Gagnon Dental, Shanna’s Farmingdale dental practice, and has a background in mechanical engineering. He previously worked in the sailing industry designing rigging fittings and hydraulics, then in power generation designing intake and exhaust flow control equipment.
Nate’s family enjoys being on and around the water in all seasons, and especially swimming and boating. He was involved with installing solar power for the lighthouse and is currently serving as a board member of United Way of Kennebec Valley.
STEVE DELISLE
Steve Delisle is a Senior Agency Consultant with an Insurance and Financial Services company where he has been employed for the last 30 years. Originally from Manchester, Steve and his wife Sally followed career opportunities to Brunswick, ME and Quakertown, PA before returning to the area in 2020. They have two sons, Cameron and Hudson.
Outside of the office, Steve has volunteered for numerous food pantries, coached basketball and baseball, participated in Track and Baseball booster Clubs and been an active Board member of the Quakertown Youth Baseball Association.
DIANE HASTINGS
Diane and her husband David have lived on Cobbossee Lake in Winthrop since 2004. They were both active participants in youth and community organizations, and raised their two children Ryan and Amy, in Augusta. Diane’s background is in business and was the Treasurer of D.F Hastings Distributors, Inc. for 28 years until the business was sold in 2006. Over the years, Diane has served on several community boards and organizations, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Kennebec Savings Bank.
CHUCK HAYS
A graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Chuck began his career with General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut where he was Supervisor of Nuclear Testing for the 688 class fast attack submarines. Looking for a place to raise their children, Chuck and his wife Maria moved to Maine and in 1995, Chuck joined what is now the state’s third largest health care system, MaineGeneral Health.
Chuck headed the team responsible for the construction and operation of the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care that opened in July, 2007 and later that year he was named President and CEO of MaineGeneral Medical Center. In 2012, he became President and CEO of the parent company, MaineGeneral Health. Under his leadership MGMC has been recognized with many distinguished national quality awards including one of the best hospitals in the world for 2022 and 2023 by Newsweek Magazine.
Chuck received his Master’s in Business Administration at Thomas College in 2002 and has served on many national and local boards. He’s currently on the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce Board, Kennebec Savings Bank Board (Vice Chair), Alfond Youth and Community Center Board, Maine Health and Higher Education Funding Authority and the Maine Dartmouth Residency Board. Chuck and Maria live in Manchester, Maine and have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Dawn Meulendyk
Dawn and husband Peter built their home in Manchester in 2007. They are fortunate to spend their summers at their nearby cottage on Cobbossee where thier 3 children and 5 grandchildren love to visit often.
Dawn had a career as a dental hygienist specializing in periodontal therapy. As a volunteer for the Arts program at Hall Dale, she helped organize quality programs across the arts for K -12. She is a former board member and chair of the UU church in Augusta. Dawn served for over 10 years as the Farmingdale representative on the Kennebec River Rail Trail Board of Supervisors tasked with the design and development of the Kennebec River Rail Trail. She is active with Beta Sigma Phi, an International Women’s network and service group.
Dawn has served on the Cobbossee Lake Association board for 7 years. Currently, she co-leads CLA fundraising efforts, serves on the Lake Health team as well as helping where she can as CLA grows and changes. She is now happily filling her retirement with family, friends, travel, skiing and yes, the lake!!
peter Meulendyk
Peter and Dawn relocated from Farmingdale to Manchester in 2007 and acquired seasonal property on Lake Cobbosseecontee in 2011. They savor the time at their cottage with their 3 children and 4 grandchildren, who visit regularly.
Peter’s professional life includes a 30-year career with MaineGeneral Health serving in a number of administrative roles at MaineGeneral Hospital, including Vice President of Ancillary Services and VP of Human Resources prior to retiring in 2001. After leaving the health system, Peter enjoyed a number of years as a Regional Support Pharmacist with Hannaford Bros.Co.
Peter has enjoyed taking part in community service over the years, including being past Board Chairman of SAD #16 School Board (member 9 yrs.), past Board President of Hallowell Public Library (member 6 yrs.), past Board President of Sunday River Resort Jordan Hotel HOA (member 9 yrs.), former Board member of the Unitarian-Universalist Church, former Board member of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, and as an Honorary Corporator at the Kennebec Savings Bank. Peter has been a CLA team leader with the Voice of the Lake Task Force and looks forward to participating on the Cobbosseecontee Lake Association Board, serving as its Vice President.
elizabeth (bamby) neale
Bamby grew up on the shores of Lake Cobbosseecontee, swimming before she walked, and sailing across the frigid, frozen lake in iceboats built by her dad, frozen with fear herself! When retirement came, she and her husband, Dennis, decided to return to the lake they both loved so much. Both their grown daughters, and now their two grandchildren, love the lake and come from California as much as possible to share all that the lake offers.
Bamby holds a doctorate in Educational Administration and spent most of her career either leading schools or working nationally to support the work of school leaders in high poverty, large city schools. She is currently the president of Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed board and the Coordinator of the Loon Project for Cobbossee.
jo-anne nyer
Jo-Anne and her husband Barry have been in Winthrop since 2016. They split their time year-round between the lake and Acton, MA where they have raised their four kids: Ben, Josh, Tom and Allie. And now they like nothing more than sharing their “lake life” with their kids.
Jo-Anne’s background is in marketing and advertising. Throughout her career she worked at advertising agencies and on the client side. In her most recent position prior to retiring, she served as Vice President, Marketing Director for TJ Maxx. Jo-Anne is a current board member of Acton Boxborough United Way and former board member of Congregation Beth Elohim in Acton, The Advertising Club of Greater Boston, and the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. Jo-Anne also raises funds each year for Parkinson’s Disease research by leading a team of riders in the New England Parkinson’s Ride in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. This is Jo-Anne’s second year heading up the Communications team for CLA.
mary beth and john stanek
Mary Beth and John Stanek have been spending weekends on Cobbosseecontee since 1986 when they purchased land on Horseshoe Island. Their children John and Katherine helped them build their log cabin on the island over the course of many years, and their 3 grandchildren have all spent summers on the lake. John and Mary Beth started and operated a home building and remodeling business In Peterborough, NH for 40 years until retirement in 2018. Mary Beth took care of the financial end of the business and John the creative and construction aspects. In addition, Mary Beth served as financial manager for the Sharon Arts Center in NH for 5 years.
Mary Beth served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment in their hometown in New Hampshire for 10 years, and John served on the School Board there, also for 10 years. In addition to their log cabin on Horseshoe Island, they own a home across the lake in West Gardiner and became full time Maine residents in 2020. Mary Beth has served on the CLA board for 10 years, as a town representative and as Treasurer for 4 years. John has served on the board as Vice President for 4 years.
john weaver
John, his wife Nedra and their two children moved to Winthrop, Maine in 1991. John managed the Digital plant in Augusta. Some years later John’s work took them away, but they quickly returned to a vacation home on Cobbossee Lake they and the grandkids still enjoy.
John’s career included many senior roles in technology companies and a lobster company in Maine. His focus was often on growth management, strategic planning, and integration of acquired companies. John joined the CLA board in 2020 and was later asked to co-lead fund-raising. That work led to our campaign and engaged John in many of the changes CLA implemented in the last year. John’s previous non-profit board experience included Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and Maine State Chamber of Commerce. John and Nedra live in Savannah, GA when not on the lake. His personal interests include woodworking and racquet sports.