Board of Directors

Homeless Services of Aroostook is guided by a board of local leaders who believe deeply in the mission: to provide safety, dignity, and a path forward for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Aroostook County.


Each board member brings professional experience, lived perspective, and a personal commitment to strengthening our community. Together, they steward the organization’s vision, accountability, and long-term impact — ensuring that the only emergency homeless shelter in Aroostook County remains strong for generations to come.

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Devon Cote

Board President

Devon joined the Board of Directors driven by a simple belief: every person deserves stability, dignity, and a path forward.


Passionate about supporting underserved members of the community, Devon is committed to helping create meaningful and lasting impact. He believes that when we lift up our most vulnerable neighbors, we strengthen Aroostook County as a whole. His service reflects a desire to ensure the shelter remains a place of hope and opportunity.

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Dorice “Dee” Clark

Board Treasurer

After a 23-year career in the non-clinical side of healthcare, Dee retired in 2021 but has never stepped away from service. Married for forty years, a proud mother and grandmother, Dee first joined the board when a coworker invited her to consider serving. Nearly twelve years later, she remains deeply committed.


Dee has served as both Secretary and Treasurer and is passionate about educating the community. She often reminds others that there is only one homeless shelter serving all of Aroostook County and north of Bangor. She challenges the misconception that the shelter simply provides “three meals and a bed,” explaining that case management, housing support, and job assistance are central to the mission.

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Deirdre

Board Member

With more than twenty years on the board, Deirdre has demonstrated unwavering commitment to Homeless Services of Aroostook. With a background in the medical field and longstanding involvement with Kiwanis of Presque Isle, she has dedicated her life to improving the future of children, seniors, and families throughout the region.



For two decades, she has helped prepare meals, support fundraisers, and ensure the shelter’s continued stability. Her longevity reflects a deep belief that consistent community support is essential to ending homelessness locally.

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Dixie Shaw

Board Member

Dixie brings decades of nonprofit leadership and operational experience to the board. A lifelong Aroostook County resident, she built and oversaw two food bank warehouses serving 29 food pantries and 15 partner agencies across the county. She launched thrift stores, led large-scale textile recycling initiatives, and supported agricultural operations providing fresh produce to families in need.


Having worked closely with Homeless Services of Aroostook throughout her career, Dixie chose to serve because she believes in its leadership and mission. She challenges the myth that homelessness is primarily an issue of “outsiders.” In truth, she emphasizes, the vast majority of residents come from within Aroostook County — from the St. John Valley to southern Aroostook.


Her perspective is grounded in decades of direct community service and collaboration.

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Harold Hull

Board Member

Harold joined the board in 2025 after previously serving on staff at the shelter from 2013 to 2023. Currently a Patient Experience Program Manager at Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital and a former Presque Isle City Councilor, Harold brings both municipal and frontline shelter experience to governance.


He believes strongly that shelters are often the last safeguard before someone ends up on the street. More than beds, shelters provide meals, transportation, case management, and connection to housing and employment.


As a former staff member, Harold advocates for a positive workplace culture and support for employees who perform challenging but deeply meaningful work. He is proud of the shelter’s history since 1984 and committed to ensuring it remains a source of strength for the county.

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Karen Gonya

Board Secretary

Karen is a Communications Strategist at Northern Light Health and a longtime nonprofit leader. With over three decades of experience in communications, development, and community relations, she has served organizations across Aroostook County, including Rotary, United Way, and the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce.


Karen serves because she understands how quickly life can change. As a single parent earlier in life, she recognizes how close many families are to financial instability. She speaks openly about the myths surrounding homelessness and emphasizes that most shelter residents are local neighbors — not individuals drawn from outside the region.


Her work on the board reflects her belief in thoughtful stewardship, strong partnerships, and community-centered solutions.

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Kendra Coates

Board Member

Kendra joined the board in 2024 and serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of MMG Insurance Company. With more than 25 years of financial, regulatory, and operational experience — including service with the Maine Bureau of Insurance — she brings strong fiscal leadership to the organization.


Kendra believes homelessness is not a choice. Life’s unexpected challenges can place anyone in need of help. She serves because she believes every person deserves food, support, and a safe place to live — and because helping someone rebuild their life is meaningful work.


Her financial expertise supports strong accountability and responsible stewardship of community resources.

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Kimberly Dyer

Board Member

An Independent Insurance Agent with Aflac, Kimberly has served on the board for five years. She values collaboration and teamwork in addressing the needs of homeless families in the region.


Kimberly believes individuals experiencing homelessness have encountered difficult turns in life and deserve a place to begin again. She is proud of the measurable impact the shelter has had in helping individuals and families start fresh and regain stability.

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Ryan Madore

Board Member

Ryan resides in Caribou with his wife and son and serves on the board because he is passionate about helping those facing hardship. He challenges the assumption that people choose homelessness, emphasizing that most situations arise from circumstances beyond one’s control.


Ryan supports the mission of serving individuals and families with dignity and respect, and believes strongly in the shelter’s work to help lift people toward a better future.

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Sherry Locke

Board Member

Sherry is Chief Workforce & Strategy Officer at TEMPO Employment Services and brings extensive experience in workforce development, nonprofit leadership, and strategic growth. A graduate of the University of Maine at Presque Isle with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management, she has built her career around strengthening local systems and partnerships.


As a board member, Sherry’s focus aligns closely with employment pathways and long-term stability. She believes strong workforce connections are essential to helping individuals transition from crisis to independence. Deeply rooted in Aroostook County, she views board service as a natural extension of her commitment to community impact.

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Susan Watson

Board Vice President

Susan (Sue) Watson brings decades of civic leadership and nonprofit service to the board. Having worked with United Way of Aroostook, Care & Comfort, and Child Development Services, she has extensive experience in fundraising, behavioral health support, and community engagement.



Sue is actively involved in numerous civic organizations, including Kiwanis leadership at both local and district levels, and has received recognition for her public relations and volunteer service. She resides in Presque Isle and remains deeply committed to strengthening community partnerships that benefit families in need.


Her service reflects a lifelong dedication to helping others and supporting the well-being of Aroostook County residents.

 A Shared Commitment

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While each board member brings unique expertise — healthcare, finance, workforce development, insurance, nonprofit management, civic leadership — they are united by one conviction: homelessness in Aroostook County is a community responsibility.

They understand that residents are our neighbors. They are families with children.


They are individuals working to rebuild after unexpected hardship. They are members of our towns from the St. John Valley to southern Aroostook.


The Board of Directors is committed to stewardship, transparency, and ensuring that Homeless Services of Aroostook remains a place of safety, accountability, and hope.

A Fresh Chapter for Homeless Services of Aroostook

Our administrative office is located at 160 Airport Drive in Presque Isle, and our shelter remains open 24/7 for those in need.

We remain grounded in our mission to provide hope and encouragement to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Aroostook County.


In a region known for resilience — where even winter winds are simply part of life — we continue to stand steady.

If you need help, reach out.

 If you want to help, step forward.

Together, we ensure that no one in Aroostook County faces homelessness alone.