LIZ CHAMPEON is a geologist by trade, but has had a long time interest in history.  She is a graduate of the University of  Maine and her father’s family has lived in New England since the 1600’s.

JAMES SCHNEID is Board Certified in Family Medicine as well as Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is the previous Program Director and Chair of the Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency and is an Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. Jim has a lifelong interest in End of Life issues and in 2017 helped develop the first Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship for physicians at the Togus V.A. Hospital and Maine Medical Center. As the VA Hospice Medical Director he enjoyed teaching nurses, chaplains, social workers, medical students, Resident physicians, fellows and attendings the art of Palliative Medicine.

Jim is still a faculty member preceptor at the Family Medicine Institute in Augusta and on the active staff of Androscoggin Home Healthcare and Hospice.

Jane Paxton has a partiality for literature and words. With a degree in American Literature and a master’s in education, she taught English for 40 years in the Augusta School System including a stint as head of the English Department for grades 6-12. In addition, she has taught adults in New England for ACE and Greek Mythology and Maine Literature for Senior College. Jane loves to read, and she enjoys bridge, gardening, Broadway musicals and anything to do with words.

MIKE BELL loves American history! With a master’s degree in both history and teaching and an undergrad degree in political science, he has enjoyed a varied career in teaching and historical interpretation. Mike appeared on a History Channel special about PT 109, and for over 20 years portrayed many historical figures, including Butch Cassidy and Sam Houston.

HAL HANNAFORD
After 31 years leading a traditional boys’ schools as a progressive educator, Hal left the profession in 2020. Over all those years, he came to understand the conditions required in order to ensure the last fifth of life is one of true fulfillment and happiness. This workshop focuses on the five foundations required to reach that lofty goal. It is a challenge, we need to start young, but it is never too late”. More at halhannaford.com

KORY WHITTUM – Originally from Rochester, New York. I spent much of my free time fishing in the Adirondack Park where we have a camp in Tupper Lake, NY. I studied environmental biology at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. When applying for graduate school, I found an opportunity at UMaine focusing on freshwater fisheries ecology. I moved to Maine in the spring of 2019 a week after graduation and have been here since! I have been working for the state in various positions since 2022.

BS from SUNY ESF, MS UMaine. Previously a marine scientist for Maine department of Marine Resources. Currently the Planner and Research Coordinator at Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Elizabeth Reinsborough was born in Northern Ireland. She was educated at Queens University, Belfast and University College, London. She has worked in a plant breeding program in Tanzania and taught biology in Maine for 20 years. Elizabeth has traveled widely in the United States, often with a focus on our National Parks. She enjoys hiking and for 20 years was a maintainer on the Appalachian Trail in the 100 mile wilderness.

CHRIS WILLIAMSON is a retired educator, including 23 years as a Head of School in two independent schools. He has been a docent at the Farnsworth Art Museum since 2015, returning to his early interest in the arts. He graduated from Williams College with honors in history in 1970, earned a Master’s Degree in English from The University of New Hampshire in 1975, and took graduate courses at Boston University in education and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in drama. After teaching, directing plays, coaching, and serving as Arts Chair, he took on various administrative roles prior to becoming a Head of School. Chris has presented at regional and national conferences, has served on several Boards, and has had articles published in professional journals. In addition to his on-going docent volunteering and training at the Farnsworth, Chris has taken the National Gallery of Art’s Teaching Critical Thinking Through Art course and in 2023 authored The Tapestries of Morris David Dorenfeld: Paintings in Fiber. The book was nominated in the ‘excellence in publishing’ category for a 2024 Maine Literary Award. 

CARTER JONES MEYER is Professor Emerita of History at Ramapo College of New Jersey. She received a B.A. in American Studies from Skidmore College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and earned both the M.A. and Ph.D. in American Studies at Brown University. Carter specializes in and has published widely in the fields of late nineteenth and early twentieth century American cultural history, the history of the American West, and Native American history. At Ramapo, she served as chair of both the History and American Studies programs, and received awards for excellence in teaching and for significant contributions to the development of the College. In retirement she continues to pursue her interests in history, art, and culture, not only as a docent at the Farnsworth Art Museum, but also as a student and collector of Native art, including serving as a judge at Santa Fe Indian Market, the largest juried Native art show in the world. Most recently she has taught Native American history at the University of Southern Maine.

FARNSWORTH ART MUSEUM

DR. LORIEN LAKE-CORRAL is a Professor of Sociology. She earned a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Arizona (all in Sociology).  Dr. Lake-Corral’s primary interests are in teaching and learning in sociology and her research interests include culture, deviance, and symbolic interaction. Her current research explores the content of introductory textbooks in sociology and the implications for scholarly research.

DR. LORIEN LAKE-CORRAL is a Professor of Sociology. She earned a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Arizona (all in Sociology).  Dr. Lake-Corral’s primary interests are in teaching and learning in sociology and her research interests include culture, deviance, and symbolic interaction. Her current research explores the content of introductory textbooks in sociology and the implications for scholarly research.