Board of Directors

John Portela, President

Brunswick
Retired 47-year shipbuilder and member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local S6

John served in many capacities in the union. He spent 18 years as the financial officer and served on numerous committees including the negotiating committee. He was a founding member Maine State Council of Machinists and is the Recording Secretary of the Council. He has been an active community member throughout his life. He served 13 years on the Maine Commission for Community Service. For six years he held officer positions including Commission Chair. In the community, John has served on the Board of Directors for Mid Coast Economic Development District, United Way International Board of Trustees, United Way of Mid Coast Maine (Board chair, Campaign chair), United Way of America National Board of Governors, Habitat for Humanity, Tedford Homeless Shelter (President), Maine Health Data Organization, Workmen’s Compensation Advisory Board, and Chair for Walk America. A memorable experience was moderating a panel at the World Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa for United Way International. John is founder of the Eugene Portela Memorial Fund for New Americans in Long Island, New York. In retirement, John travels extensively each week as one of the All in One Wedding officiants.

Nicki Pellenz, Treasurer

Scarborough
Executive Director, Maine Water Utilities Association

Nicki joined Maine Water Utilities Association, as Executive Director, in February 2024, after spending 25 years in banking.  She spent the majority of her career in Government Banking, working with state, municipal and quasi-municipal entities; however, Nicki gravitated towards data and rose to the Chief Data Officer position at Machias Savings Bank. During her tenure she earned her black belt in Lean Six Sigma. She is a veteran of the United States Army and the Maine Army National Guard, having attained the rank of Sergeant.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education, general science, with a minor in geology, from the University of Maine at Farmington and is a member of TriBeta, a National Biological Honor Society. 

Nicki is on the Board of Directors of Maine Volunteer Foundation, holding the position as Treasurer.  Previously she was on the Board and Executive Committee of JMG, she was a gubernatorial appointee to Volunteer Maine and for six years was an appointee to the Advisory Committee for the New Hampshire Public Deposit Investment Pool. She is a native of northern Maine and currently resides in Scarborough with her husband and two children.

Lance Boire, Secretary

Westbrook
Regional Practice Leader – US North Industrial Water, Stantec

Lance Boire is an engineering consultant who has been delivering projects in the Water, Energy & Utilities, Petroleum, and Pulp & Paper industries for more than 22 years. Lance started at Stantec in 2005 and has fulfilled various roles from Senior Engineer, Senior Project Manager, Operations Leader, and is now the Regional Practice leader for Stantec’s US North Industrial Water business sector.

A New Hampshire native, he moved to Maine immediately after completing his BS in engineering and shortly thereafter obtained his MBA from the University of Southern Maine. Lance became active in the community and regularly volunteers with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine and is a Big Brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine chapter. Lance is an avid mountain biker, skier, and golfer who enjoys traveling and exploring new places with his wife Melissa.

Orion Breen

Pownal
Director of Communications and Public Relations, MaineQuality

Orion Breen is passionate about improving Maine’s quality of life, be it through his MaineQuality podcast/radio show or as a South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Community Chamber of Commerce board member and Waterfront Alliance member. For two years he was an AmeriCorps VISTA at Hour Exchange Portland, a nonprofit community service exchange of neighbors helping neighbors. As a 2017 loaned executive to United Way of Greater Portland, he worked with a team to successfully surpass their $8.05 million campaign goal. He is also a founder of the Buy Local Bangor campaign.

Breen works with Global Partners to help Mainers meet their energy, heating and transportation needs. In MEMIC’s communications department he helped the company fulfill its mission of providing employers with the best safety training and workers’ compensation products through the compassionate treatment of all workers. At LincolnHealth in Damariscotta, he coordinated the creation and promotion of the Sidekicks program where teens learn active listening and motivational interviewing skills to talk to their peers about tobacco use.

Brittany Gleixner-Hayat

Augusta
Executive Director, Volunteer Maine

Britt Gleixner-Hayat is a public service leader with more than 15 years of experience designing and managing federally funded programs that promote civic engagement, volunteerism, and community resilience. Britt has led large-scale initiatives in complex environments, including a $50 million USAID program in Ethiopia that provided over 400 sub-grants to community organizations working to increase civic dialogue and volunteer-led change. In Yemen, she managed an $80 million program that supported local partners advancing youth engagement, volunteer leadership, and inclusive governance during a period of political transition. Her work has also taken her to Myanmar, India, Lebanon, Jordan, and Washington D.C., where she has trained staff and volunteers, facilitated cross-sector partnerships, and developed adaptive strategies for community-based service delivery.

Britt has coordinated volunteer teams and civic action campaigns, including voter protection and public engagement efforts. Her work consistently focuses on connecting people to purpose, whether through formal service programs or grassroots civic action. In addition to her professional experience, Britt has served as a mentor and trainer, supporting new leaders in the service sector and advancing a culture of responsive, community-centered engagement. She holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College. Now based in Maine, she brings a strong sense of public mission and collaborative leadership to her role, helping communities thrive through service. 

Shawn Lewin

Southport
Volunteer, AARP Maine

Bio forthcoming.

Jack A. Frost

Ellsworth
V.P., Director of Community Giving, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust

Jack has been a resident of Ellsworth since 1993. He serves as V.P., Director of Community Giving for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Previously, he was Director of Philanthropy for Maine Coast Memorial Hospital Foundation, where he was responsible for the organization’s fundraising initiatives, including planned giving, grant writing, annual fund, major gifts, and charity events. Prior to joining Maine Coast Hospital in 2006, he served 14 years with Training & Development Corporation as Project Manager of Department of Labor job training programs, primarily in Maine’s northeast region.

Jack is a graduate of the University of Maine at Machias (’89) and obtained a Master of Public Administration from the University of Maine (’92). Jack is past president of the Rotary Club of Ellsworth. In the past two decades, he has served on numerous boards including: Child & Family Opportunities, Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce; Ellsworth Business Development Corporation; Ellsworth Knowlton Park Campaign Committee; Ellsworth Sestercentennial Committee; Frenchman Bay Conservancy; Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Food For Good Campaign Advisory Committee; Healthy Acadia; Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Maine Volunteer Foundation; University of Maine at Machias Board of Visitors; University of Maine Black Bear Athletics; and The Bay School.