ChIME’s Board of Trustees held its annual meeting in late December, electing four new members to two or three-year terms and approving a slate of officers for 2021.
Joining the 9-member board is Laurel Ladd of Yarmouth, Maine, a 2019 ChIME graduate with 25 years of experience as a bookkeeper. Most recently, Laurel has served small and start-up businesses and non-profits through her company LL Bookkeeping. Laurel has also worked with MedTech Media Co., Eider, Inc. and volunteered with various arts organizations, including Portland’s Sea Change Chorale and the Yarmouth Arts Alliance, and with New Mainers. A graduate of Kenyon College and avid language learner, Laurel serves as ChIME’s board treasurer.
Albert “Al” Boyce, PhD, is a chaplain to Volunteers of America Northern New England and the Androscoggin Health Care and Hospice program. A resident of Vassalboro, Maine, and the board’s new vice chair, Al has mentored ChIME student interns and is enthusiastic about ChIME’s contributions to community pastoral care. Ordained as a Unitarian Universalist minister, he also has an extensive resume as an educator, motivational speaker, mental health program coordinator and parish minister establishing new and serving mid-size congregations, promoting interfaith life and advocating for disenfranchised populations. Al holds degrees from Capella University, Goddard College, Harvard Divinity School and the Faith School of Theology.
Since joining the board Sharoo Wengland of Saco, Maine has quickly become the board’s technology tutor and serves as secretary. Sharoo is a human resources program specialist at Martin’s Point Health Care. She previously worked in various administrative roles at the University of Southern Maine, serving as an associate of the Office of the President and Secretary to the Board of Visitors. A graduate of USM, Sharoo holds a Masters in Education degree and is a certified Reiki II practitioner who has volunteered with the Maine Dempsey Challenge, USM nursing and Upward Bound students.
A seasoned sales / account manager with more than 30 years of business experience, Niki Norman brings marketing, publicity and project management with her signature positive attitude to her board work. She has volunteered with the American Diabetes Association, Equality Maine, and The American Red Cross, and chaired the UU Church of Saco and Biddeford’s Board of Trustees. Niki also is active with Renaissance Voices both with singing and coordinating the group’s public events. She attended Mt Hood College, is a 2020 graduate of ChIME and will chair the board’s Marketing and Development Committee.
Other members of ChIME’s Board of Trustees include Sue Clark, Jon Gale, Judy Graham, Tom Kircher and Colleen Myers, all recent ChIME alumni. Sue will continue to serve as board chair through the hiring process of our new executive leadership.
Recognized at the annual meeting were the Rev. Lyn Kellis, the Rev. Portia Hirschman and Janice Cohen for their service to ChIME’s board in recent years. Lyn plans to remain on the board’s Programs and Community Engagement Committee and to help host a chaplaincy career fair later this year.
