Senior Director of Public Relations and Operations

Margaret Nagle
Senior Director of Public Relations and Operations
Acting News Manager
581.3745

Role: Margaret Nagle is Senior Director of Public Relations and Operations in the Division of Marketing and Communications. She is responsible for managing UMaine’s public relations efforts, with a focus on news and media relations, and production of UMaine Today, a quarterly magazine distributed nationwide that highlights UMaine creativity and achievement.

Bio: Nagle has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in education from the University of Maine. A former newspaper reporter, she has been a member of the staff since 1985.

Carrie Ward
Administrative Associate
581.3743

Role: Carrie Ward is the Administrative Associate for the Division of Marketing and Communications. She oversees matters pertaining to department activities, including budgeting, scheduling, responding to incoming departmental calls and requests, and serving as an intermediary to the Director on matters affecting the department.

Bio: Ward has worked at UMaine since 1979, and in the Division of Marketing and Communications since 1988.

News

Beth Staples
News Writer
581.3777

Role: Beth Staples is a News Writer in the Division of Marketing and Communications. She promotes teaching, research and public service achievements of University of Maine professors and accomplishments of students. Staples writes news releases and advisories as well as stories for UMaine Today, other university publications and the website.

Bio: Staples earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Colby College and a bachelor’s degree in journalism at UMaine. The former newspaper editor has won New England Press Association and Maine Press Association writing awards. Staples played and coached high school and college basketball and softball and is a color analyst for games broadcast on 92.9 The Ticket. She also serves on the Maine Sports Hall of Fame board of directors.

Elyse Kahl
News Writer
581.3747

Role: Elyse Kahl is a News Writer in the Division of Marketing and Communications. Kahl is responsible for developing stories that demonstrate the quality and value of teaching, research and achievements in the UMaine community. Kahl writes news releases and articles for UMaine Today, the UMaine website and other university publications.

Bio: Kahl has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maine. Before joining the staff, Kahl was a weekend, copy and Web editor for the Bangor Daily News.

Amanda Paradis
Web/Print Content Coordinator
581.3755

Role: Amanda Paradis is the Web/Print Content Coordinator for the Division of Marketing and Communications. She is responsible for proofreading and editing print and online content.

Bio: Paradis is a fourth-generation University of Maine employee and has worked at the university since 2009, when she began working at Printing and Mailing Services as a typesetter. She joined the Division of Marketing and Communications in July 2012. An Old Town native, she graduated from UMaine in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in new media.

Web Development and Social Media

Christopher Smith
Senior Manager of Web Development and Social Media
581.3744

Role: Christopher Smith is the Senior Manager of Web Development and Social Media, and is responsible for UMaine’s overall Web presence. He assists departments with branding UMaine’s websites through its WordPress content management system. He also is the go-to person for best practices when it comes to employing social media.

Bio: Smith graduated from UMaine with degrees in English and business. A former film critic, he now writes best-selling thrillers.

Reese Inman
Web Developer
581.3721

Role: In her role as Web Developer in the Division of Marketing and Communications, Reese Inman administrates and maintains the university’s WordPress content management system (CMS). On a daily basis, her work ranges from providing technical consulting and support to designing and developing the next generation of themes and plug-ins for umaine.edu.

Bio: A native of central Maine, Inman’s educational background includes degrees from Harvard University, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the University of Maine. Prior to joining the Division of Marketing and Communications in Spring 2012, Inman’s work experience includes designing and developing websites and other digital media applications, and teaching art and new media.

Brandi Doane
Web Specialist
581.4790

Role: As a Web Specialist, Brandi Doane is responsible for creating, designing and maintaining university-related Web pages and ensuring consistency throughout the university’s Web pages. A large role in her position is to make certain that all websites meet 508-accessibility guidelines. She also provides training to various departments throughout the university and continued website and technical support.

Bio: Doane has worked at UMaine as a student employee since 2010, and in a professional capacity at the Division of Marketing and Communications since February 2012. A native of Maine, she graduated from UMaine in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in new media.

Jonathan McCann
Web Specialist
581.3746

Role: As a Web Specialist, Jon McCann is responsible for creating and building websites on the WordPress platform. He is primarily responsible for moving pre-existing sites to UMaine’s templates so they meet branding and 508-accessibility compliance. McCann also is available for one-on-one training sessions on how to use WordPress and maintains website technical support on request.

Bio: McCann has worked at UMaine as a student employee since 2010, and in a professional capacity at the Division of Marketing and Communications since May 2012. A native of Maine, he graduated from UMaine in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in new media.

Director of Marketing Communications

Jubin Kwon
Director of Marketing Communications
581.3571

Role: As the Director of Marketing Communications, Jubin Kwon works to create a consistent, ubiquitous and highly recognizable brand for the UMaine community and its external audiences. He is committed to addressing the enrollment challenges the university faces via marketing and promotion of the univeristy’s quality schools, programs and people. Kwon’s expertise includes production of digital and traditional (print) marketing pieces, creation and implementation of marketing and communication plans, enrollment marketing, website strategy and content management, purchasing and media buying, social media strategy, and market research design and reporting.

Bio: Kwon grew up in New England (Lexington, Mass.) before pursuing his B.A. in upstate New York. He joins UMaine from a marketing leadership role at the City University of New York, with prior stints at Harvard University and a major NYC-based market research consultancy.

Joshua Renzi
Marketing Specialist
581.3742

Role: Joshua Renzi is the Marketing Specialist in the Division of Marketing and Communications. He primarily serves to accentuate the textual image of UMaine to more effectively target current and prospective markets. He is also responsible for the composition and content management of marketing materials, and works closely with UMaine partners to understand and amplify their promotional goals for external audiences.

Bio: A native of Rhode Island, Renzi received his B.A. in both literature and creative writing from Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. and is now finishing an M.A. in Professional Writing. Renzi has lived in Maine since 2010. He teaches college composition at EMCC.

Jeannine Hashey
Administrative Assistant I
581.3758

Role: Jeannine Hashey is an Administrative Assistant for the Division of Marketing and Communications. She plays a significant role in photo database management and photo scheduling. Hashey works with the Manager of Creative Services on day-to-day licensing approvals for UMaine’s licensing program and handles online submissions by UMaine licensees. Other duties include billing and ordering. University of Maine magnetic name tags can be ordered through her.

Bio: Hashey came to the division in July 2000, after working in the Athletics Department from 1993–2000. Before that, she was a stay-at-home mom, raising eight children.

Creative Services

Val Ireland
Manager of Creative Services
581.3754

Role: As manager of Creative Services within the division of Marketing and Communications, Val Ireland is responsible for the management of Creative Services workflow. She plays an active role in ensuring that brand standards and UMaine marketing objectives are met. As a Senior Designer, Ireland designs institutional projects ranging from print publications and displays to Web banners, PowerPoint presentations and other projects as needed. Ireland also manages UMaine’s licensing program working with one support staff person and the institution’s licensing partner to ensure that external constituencies maintain brand standards and licensing parameters.

Bio: A Montana native, Ireland moved to Maine at the age of five and grew up in Deer Isle. After college, she and her family settled in Hampden. She has a bachelor’s degree in art from UMaine, and has worked for her alma mater since 1981.

Mike Mardosa
Senior Designer
581.3752

Role: As a Senior Designer, Mike Mardosa devotes more than half of this time to graphic design projects and a wide variety of print publications. He is also one of three senior designers responsible for designing the nationally distributed UMaine Today magazine, a publication showcasing UMaine’s creativity and achievement. Mardosa also handles photographic assignments with a special emphasis on feature photos for magazine stories. Along with photo shooting, Mardosa has a hand in photo database organization, cataloging and storage of UMaine images.

Bio: Mardosa is a Maine native — raised and educated — and he considers himself a Maine chauvinist. Prior work experience includes freelance advertising and design and set design for a PBS television station.

Carol Nichols
Senior Designer
581.3753

Role: As a Senior Designer, Carol Nichols works with communicators in UMaine colleges, schools, institutes and departments to create visual design concepts using elements of style, color, format and consistency to enforce the University of Maine Brand Standards and institutional marketing objectives. Projects include a wide variety of print publications, displays and other graphic elements needed to meet the university’s design needs. Within the Division of Marketing and Communications, Nichols is one of three senior designers responsible for designing UMaine Today magazine, a publication showcasing creativity and achievement at the University of Maine.

Bio: Nichols grew up in Old Town and graduated from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. She worked as an art teacher in Aroostook County, and a publication/broadcast designer for Maine Public Broadcasting and WLBZ in Bangor before coming to UMaine in 1979.

Visual Media

Ron Lisnet
Manager of Visual Media/Athletics Engagement Liaison
581.3779

Role: Ron Lisnet, Manager of Visual Media/Athletics Engagement Liaison, is responsible for overseeing all aspects of visual media for UMaine, including photography, videography and video production. He coordinates staff photographers as well as the use of freelancers for both video and photo needs. In addition, Lisnet oversees the management of UMaine’s photo and video database and photo/video archives. Lisnet works to ensure that all images depicting UMaine conform to the institution’s brand standards. As chair of the athletics engagement initiative, Lisnet works with a committee to promote interest and visibility for UMaine athletics on campus and across the state. He also serves as the public information officer for UMaine’s emergency communications as well as university spokesperson when called upon.

Bio: Lisnet has worked at UMaine since 1993 and is entering his 20th season as the radio play-by-play announcer for UMaine men’s basketball. Before that he served as sports director at WVII-TV in Bangor for 9 years. He has a forestry degree from UMaine. He also is active in the local theatre scene, acting in several productions with Ten Bucks Theatre and Penobscot Theatre among others.

Adam Küykendall
Photographer/Videographer
581.3766

Role: As Photographer/Videographer, Adam Küykendall is in charge of taking still images in addition to video footage of university events and activities ranging from studio to candid situations. His photos are used for promotional and informational media outlets, in addition to the video segments he shoots and edits together are presented online and for broadcast purposes. Scheduling for all shoots is either handled via his own outreach and enterprise or by assignment through outside contacts collaborating with other members of the Division of Marketing and Communications.

Bio: Küykendall comes from a photojournalism and multimedia entertainment background in the theatrical and cinematic arts having worked in New York for Off-Broadway productions in addition to film and television for Disney, HBO, NBC and other studios and independents. Originally from Missouri, he has lived on both coasts and points in between before settling in Maine.