Teen & Young Parent Program - Governing Board of Directors

Meet the Teen and Young Parent Governing Board of Directors

Beverly Bayer, M.Ed. is the Coordinator of Student Services at the University College at Rockland (also known as U-Rock). Bev joined the Board in 1998 following her experience as a volunteer mentor.  Bev is a mother and grandmother, and lives in Rockport with her husband.

Rilla Bray is the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project Coordinator for Family Planning Association of Maine.  She joined the Board is 2009.  Rilla is also a mother and volunteer.

Lisa Breheny joined the Board in 2011 and is currently a U.S. Distributor, Coordinator and a community volunteer.  Lisa lives in Rockport.

Rebecca Dinces is currently serving as the President of the Board.  She is the Division Manager with Penquis Head Start of Knox County.  Rebecca joined the Board in 2005 and served as Vice-President in 2010-2011.  She lives in Camden with her husband and has three adult children.

Catherine Gelsinger, RN is a Family Planning Counselor, as well as a Domestic Violence Advocate.  She joined the Board in 2010.  Catherine has experience in working for nonprofit organizations and is a community volunteer.  She has one daughter.

Donna Gray-Hanc, BS.Ed, LMT has been a Board member since 2001.  Donna served as Board Secretary from 2003-2005 and is currently serving as Treasurer for the Board.  Prior to her role as a Board member, Donna was a volunteer doula.  Donna is a Licensed Massage Therapist after spending twenty-two years in the field of special education as a teacher and information specialist. Donna lives with her husband and has two adult children.

Sheilagh Guyer joined the Board in 2005 and currently serves as the Vice-President of the Board. Sheilagh served as the Secretary of the Board from 2006-2010.  She is currently a Case Manager for children with special needs ages 3-5 at the MidCoast Regional CDS in Rockland where she has worn many hats for the past 30 years.  Sheilagh lives in Thomaston with her husband and has two adult children.

Whitney Kilton works as a Legal Assistant for a local law firm.  She has done community outreach, mentoring and volunteering.  Whitney lives in Warren with her husband and is the mother of three children.

Tammy Smith joined the Board in 2010 and is currently Secretary of the Board.  She is employed at Xerox as the Operations Manager of the Lewiston, Maine Center.  She has served on various other Boards, including the Maine Women’s Network.  Tammy has three adult children, two grandchildren and lives in Cushing.

Elizabeth Wells is presently retired.  She was involved in Special Education as a Teacher and a Director.  Liz has had experience as a Program Administrator and Coordinator, as well as writing several grants.  She is a community volunteer and joined the Board in 2011.

Judith Zizza has been active on many Boards and volunteering in the community.  She joined the Board in 2010.  Judith has experience in fundraising and lives with her two daughters in Cushing.

Becoming a Governing Board Member

Rebecca Dinces, President of the Governing Board, wishes to extend an invitation to members of the community to join the Governing Board of the Teen and Young Parent Program.  Teen and Young Parent Program is a small non-profit 501©3 organization serving young parents and their families in Knox, Lincoln and Sagadahoc Counties since 1990.  The Board has six regular meetings per year, as well as a couple of additional fundraising-related meetings as needed.

The program offers caring volunteers, mentors and parenting education, group activities and other support for young families.  Teen and Young Parent Program operates together with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Families/Parents as Teachers™ Parent Education Program.  Goals of the program include

• helping young parents to complete their educational goals;
• learn about child development in order to become their child’s first and most important teacher; and
• find the community resources and support they need in order to build a strong, healthy families.

This program is funded in large part by Funds for Healthy Maine, being one of 16 Maine Families program sites in the State of Maine.

Friends of the Fund for a Healthy Maine