The University of Maine at Presque Isle has welcomed 31 new faculty and staff members between last spring and the Fall 2025 semester.
Alec Brooks is a new Admissions Processing and Recruitment Specialist. He recently graduated from UMPI with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, with a concentration in health and wellness.
Timothy Burns is UMPI’s new Head Baseball Coach and Athletics Facilities Manager. He previously served as Interim Head Baseball Coach at UMPI and Head Pony Baseball Coach for Presque Isle Recreation & Parks. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in organizational leadership from UMPI in 2023 and 2025, respectively. During his undergraduate years at UMPI, he played baseball and golf.
Jessica Burrill is a new YourPace Admissions Specialist. She previously worked as Director of Arts Recruitment and Retention and Assistant Director of the Arts at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. She has extensive experience as a substitute teacher, program director, teacher, and arts director at various schools and organizations.
Maddie Buzza is a new YourPace Admissions Specialist. She graduated from UMPI in May with a bachelor’s degree in social work and is currently attending the University of Maine to pursue her master’s in social work, with hopes of working with children and families.
Patrick Callaway is a new Assistant Professor of History and Political Science. He earned his doctorate degree in history from the University of Maine and recently served as a Lecturer in UMaine’s History program. He previously worked as the Collections Manager for the Mount Desert Island Historical Society.
Matthew Campbell is UMPI’s new Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs. An UMPI alum, Dr. Campbell returns to campus after extensive experience in higher education. He holds a doctorate degree in physical education from Springfield College with a focus on teaching and administration. He most recently served as Program Director and Assistant Professor in the Master of Athletic Training Program at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio.
Dean Casbay is a new YourPace New Student Enrollment Specialist. Most recently he worked as an Administrative Specialist with the University of Maine System, where he processed student data and ensured compliance with university policies.
Ronald Dinsmore is a new Facilities Maintenance Supervisor. He most recently worked as a Fabricator at Stainless Food Service Equipment in Fort Fairfield, where he fabricated machine materials, cut and fitted pipes, and installed and worked on various shop equipment.
Belen Dougherty is a new YourPace Admissions Specialist. She graduated from UMPI in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in English, with a minor in psychology. During her time at UMPI, she served as Editor of the University Times student newspaper, a Writing Center tutor, and the 2022-2023 Maine Policy Scholar.
Meaghan Ellis is a new Administrative Specialist for Admissions. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business and international studies from UMPI in 1999. She most recently worked as an Administrative Assistant at Easton Elementary School and in SAD 1’s Special Education program.
Anne Fensie is the new Director of UMPI’s Center for Teaching and Learning. She most recently was a Lecturer at the University of Maine at Augusta and received her doctorate degree in philosophy, with a focus on higher education, at the University of Maine in 2024.
Gareth Fuller is a new Instructional Designer. He earned his doctorate degree in philosophy from the University of Kansas in 2022 and will complete a master’s degree in Adult Learning and Higher Education from the University of Southern Maine in fall 2026. He most recently worked as a College Success Skills Program Coordinator at the University of Maine at Farmington.
Caitlin Funt is a new YourPace Admissions Specialist. She most recently served as an Assistant Transfer Officer at the University of Maine and previously was Manager of Accounts Payable for Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She holds a master’s degree in public health from Thomas Jefferson University.
Shawn Graham is UMPI’s new Associate Professor of Psychology. He earned his doctorate degree in Counselor Education from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY. For the past 18 years, he served as an Associate Professor of Counseling at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. He currently maintains a small private practice as a clinical mental health counselor and is president of the Maine Mental Health Counseling Association.
Ashley Hall is a new YourPace Admissions Specialist. She most recently worked as a Student Navigator at Northern Maine Community College and a Home Visitor for the Aroostook Council for Healthy Families. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from UMPI in 2012 and a master’s degree in human services from Kaplan University.
Melissa Ivey is a new Student Success and Access Coach. She most recently worked for the Maine Educational Opportunity Center and as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine at Augusta. She received her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College.
Payton Jones is a new Administrative Specialist for the YourPace program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management and master’s degree in organizational leadership from UMPI. He played baseball and golf as an UMPI student. Most recently, he served as Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of Maine at Farmington and a Substitute Educational Technician at RSU 9.
Melanie Junkins is a new Assistant Professor of Education. She recently earned her master’s degree in education, with a focus on Teaching English as a Second Language, from the University of Southern Maine, and was a Multilingual and Bilingual Education Specialist for the Maine Department of Education. She is also an UMPI alum.
Tanya Mastro is a new Finance Associate. She most recently worked as a Financial Management Analyst for Defense Finance Accounting Systems in Limestone. She earned her associate’s degree in applied science from Northern Maine Community College.
Emma McNally joins UMPI as the new Administrative Specialist in the President’s Office. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from UMPI in May 2025. During her time at UMPI, she was a softball athlete and was recently nominated as Woman of the Year in the North Atlantic Conference.
Joshua Miller is a new Structural Specialist/Locksmith. He most recently worked as CEO/Owner for Miller’s Home Renovations LLC. He received his certificates in Plumbing and Diesel Hydraulics and an associate’s degree in paramedicine from Northern Maine Community College.
Travis Nadeau joins UMPI as a new Human Resources Project Assistant. He previously worked in management roles with Rite-Aid and Walgreens for nearly a decade, followed by four years at Blue Sky Counseling as an Intake Coordinator and HR team member. He graduated from the University of Maine at Fort Kent with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science.
Kiren Ovady is a new YourPace Admissions Specialist. He previously worked as a Degree Progress & Auditing Coordinator and a Degree Awarding Administrative Specialist for the University of Southern Maine. He earned his bachelor’s degree in media studies from the University of Southern Maine and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in instructional technology from the University of Maine.
Benjamin Power is UMPI’s new Head Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coach and Assistant Cross Country Coach. He previously was an Assistant Track and Field Coach at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. He earned his master’s degree in management and organizational leadership from Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Emily Redmun is a YourPace New Student Enrollment Specialist. She previously worked as an Access Specialist for Ensemble, where she assisted with verifying patient information, managing scheduling and registrations, and customer service.
Christopher Rolon joins UMPI as the new Program Director and Assistant Professor for the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. He is a former PTA Program Director and Exercise Science faculty member at UMPI. He earned his master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Karim Seifeldin is UMPI’s new Assistant Director of Data and Student Billing. He earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maine and most recently worked as a UMaine Financial Aid Graduate Assistant and cabin rental manager at Exeter Nature Cabins.
Geri Ann Sokell is the new Interim Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor for the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. She earned her doctorate degree in physical therapy from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, and most recently was a Physical Therapist for Cirque de Soleil and an Assistant Professor for Tarleton State University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Stephenville, Texas.
Anna Vinton is UMPI’s new Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Sustainability. She earned her doctorate degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Yale University and most recently served as Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California and as a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford.
Ryan Wheaton is a new Associate Professor of Business. An UMPI alum, he earned his doctorate degree in organizational management from Carolina University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He most recently was an Associate Professor of Business at Thomas College in Waterville, Maine.
Chad White is a new Assistant Professor of Social Work. He earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of New England and is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in social work from the University of Kentucky. He most recently served as Executive Director for the Maine Behavioral Health Organization and an adjunct faculty member for the University of Maine at Farmington.
The following part-time faculty also have joined campus since Spring 2025: Igonor Ayegbeni, Richard Barrett, Jeffrey Davenport, Joanna Rae Dumond, Betsy Sawhill Espe, Griffin Goins, Mohammed Hassan, Matthew Holmes, Marie-Pier Savoie Kilpatrick, Kurry Klingel, Zahid Malik, Mais Nijim, Yousef Nijim, Kristen Nunez, Femi Ojo, Hunter Sekara, James Sokell, and Jonna Michelle Duvall-Williams.
In addition to these new faculty and staff, several familiar faces have taken on new titles or accepted new positions: Elizabeth Butterfield, Assistant Director of Transfer Credits; Jasmine Cote, Assistant Director of Aid Eligibility and Special Programs; Megan Desjardins, Chief Business Officer; Jonathan Guimond, Assistant Director of Enrollment Issues and Waivers; Benjamin Novotny, Director of YourPace Admissions; and Denise Trombley, Academic Administrative Coordinator.