NH educator chosen for national STEM program
Jo Slavitz of Hampton Falls, a teacher at Dover Middle School, is among 10 middle-school teachers from 10 states who have been selected to participate in the National STEM Scholar Program, a professional development program providing advanced STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) training, national network-building and project support for middle-school science teachers nationwide.
Created in partnership between the National Stem Cell Foundation and The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University (WKU), the program selects teachers each year based on the description of a “big idea” challenge project the applicant would implement in their classroom if funds were available. Selected projects are chosen for maximum impact in middle school classrooms where research shows lifelong STEM career decisions are being made. STEM Scholars are responsible for sharing lessons learned with colleagues in their home schools, districts or states, magnifying impact over multiple classrooms and years.
NONPROFITS
Great American Downtown (GAD), a nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing downtown Nashua, has appointed Alyssa O’Mara as its new executive director. She previously served as the programs manager at the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce.
Revo Casinos recently presented a check for $100,279.97 to Swim With A Mission (SWAM), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans, as part of Revo’s Military Appreciation Month campaign to contribute over $500,000 to veteran-focused organizations across the state through charitable gaming. In addition to SWAM, other veteran organizations receiving support include the VFW, American Legion posts, Building Dreams for Marines, and the NH Veterans Cemetery Association.
NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire has announced that Karen Metz and Jay Hodkinson were recently elected to its board of directors, each elected to serve a three-year term. Metz is a sales executive with Northeast Delta Dental and has been a member of the organization’s Resource Development Committee for the past several years. Hodkinson is a registered professional engineer with GZA GeoEnvironmental and an involved member of the Project Committee for the organization. Their expanded role includes overall fiduciary and strategic governance of the organization in its mission to create homeownership opportunities and affordable rental housing in the state.
Cheshire County Sheriff Eli Rivera has stepped down as chair of the Monadnock Area Peer Support board of directors in order to assume the role as the nonprofit’s interim executive director, after executive director Steve Tavella’s departure. Granite VNA raised more than $74,000 during its largest annual fundraising event, Passion for Caring, on May 7, with all proceeds directly benefitting Granite VNA’s Hospice House. The event was also held to celebrate the Kay Sidway Award and Donor Recognition Award recipients: Granite VNA pediatric and maternal child health supervisor Jamye Cutter, BSN, RN, and Barbara Lobdell of Wolfeboro, respectively. The M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank, announced that it has awarded $35,000 to CATCH Neighborhood Housing, as part of the third round of giving through the Amplify Fund, providing more than $4.9 million to 51 nonprofit organizations throughout New England, Long Island, and Rockland County, NY. The Amplify Fund is a one-time, supplemental charitable program designed to help address inequities, with a focus on low- and moderate-income communities and underserved populations. The Manchester Fire Department recently gifted an SUV that had finished its life cycle with the department to HOPE for NH Recovery. The “HOPE Car” will start a new life aiding in the transport of those individuals in the city living with substance use disorder and seeking recovery services.
HOSPITALITY
The Lucky Lantern Noodle House has opened at The Nash Casino, a 47-seat restaurant featuring authentic Asian cuisine, open for late-night dining from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. One of the restaurant’s highlights is an open kitchen where chefs will prepare dishes ranging from noodle bowls, pho, Korean short ribs, Kung Pao chicken and more. The Nash Casino’s other restaurants and bars include Woodlands Café, a 101-seat full-service three meal café; Proper Chophouse & Cocktails, a 137-seat fine dining restaurant; Stadium Social Sports Bar & Grill; and the Electric Pheasant bar and entertainment lounge.
The One Hundred Club, a Portsmouth-based private club, has launched its first-ever Member Appreciation Month in honor of its 22nd anniversary in June. The month-long celebration aims to recognize and thank the many members who have impacted the club’s community. As part of the celebration, the club will announce its premier Corporate and Individual Member Ambassadors of the Year in recognition of their Club engagement, active community involvement and at least five years of continuous membership.
MEDIA
NH Public Radio (NHPR) has been honored with four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, which are presented annually by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). NHPR won in the following categories: feature reporting, “Getting back in tune: The story of Justin and his missing flute” by reporter Todd Bookman; investigative reporting, “Documents detail U.S. soldiers shot by their own Sig Sauer guns; military says no reason for concern” by reporter Todd Bookman; news documentary, “Emelia’s Thing” by reporters Lauren Chooljian and Jason Moon; and sports reporting, “For years, soccer has been her lifeline, but she’s worried politicians could take it away” by reporter Paul Cuno-Booth.
LAW
Vrountas, Ayer, & Chandler, P.C. has expanded their mediation practice to include cases in Massachusetts as well as in New Hampshire. Chris Vrountas, a founding member and president of the firm, has spearheaded the mediation practice group since its inception, experienced in mediating commercial and employment litigation for over three decades.
Attorney Aastha Sharma has joined the law firm of McLane Middleton. She is a corporate transactional attorney with experience in representing small to mid-size private businesses in complex, multi-million-dollar M&A transactions, including both asset and stock purchases. Aastha serves as outside general counsel to private companies, advising on entity selection and formation, corporate governance and the drafting, review and negotiation of contracts. She began her legal career in India at a boutique financial law firm serving sophisticated banking institutions.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Ten Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees were recognized with The Chairman’s Award and Emerging Leaders Awards for their consistency in demonstrating strategic thinking, perseverance and the ability to motivate. The recipients of the 2025 Chairman’s Award are: Dawn Anderson, vice president director of internal audit; Peter Brockelman, senior vice president CRE/hospitality relationship manager; Mark Giordano, senior vice president enterprise architect; and Maureen Kimball, senior vice president senior wealth manager at Bar Harbor Wealth Management. The recipients of the 2025 Emerging Leader Award are: Olivia Erickson, vice president SEC manager; Kevin Gendreau, vice president director of real estate management; Jessica Hooper, vice president human resources business partner; Nikos Kalampalikis, assistant vice president branch relationship manager for the Bank’s Manchester branch; Lauren Mersereau, vice president senior wealth manager at Bar Harbor Wealth Management; and Andrew Switzer, vice president credit administration officer.
Bangor Savings Bank recently welcomed Karine Jacques-Batu as vice president, New Hampshire regional market manager, charged with overseeing the Bank’s eight branches across the state. She has more than 15 years of experience in financial services and has managed teams of various sizes in previous roles with JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citizens Bank and Bank of America. Jacques-Batu serves on the Amoskeag Health board of directors and volunteers with the NH Food Bank and Families in Transition.
NBT Bank has promoted Adam Johnston to regional commercial banking manager based in Manchester. He joined the Bank in 2024 with more than 20 years of banking experience, now responsible for leading a team of commercial bankers, managing the regional commercial lending portfolio and supporting the development and implementation of NBT’s commercial lending strategies.
HEALTH CARE
Kim Gaskell, vice president of operations for RiverWoods Group, has been awarded the 2025 LeadingAge Leadership Award. Presented annually by LeadingAge, the award celebrates individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, commitment to person-centered care and a dedication to improving the lives of older adults. Gaskell joined RiverWoods in 2018, spearheading the launch of RiverWoods Durham, and later helped guide the community through the pandemic. In her current role, Gaskell oversees all three RiverWoods communities, elevating operations, supporting teams and fostering a culture centered on excellence and empathy.
Home Health & Hospice Care (HHHC) has announced the promotion of Paula Telage to director of philanthropy. She has been with HHHC for over 14 years working in philanthropy and most recently, as the director of corporate giving. In addition, HHHC’s board of welcomed two new members: John Sarro and Steve Lynn, VP branch leader for Fidelity Investments.
FedPoint, a benefits marketplace operator and third-party administrator, has announced the recipients of the 2025 FedPoint Nursing Scholarship. The four recipients, chosen from a field of nearly 120 applicants and awarded $5,000 each, are all graduating highschool students who will enter an accredited nursing program this fall. The 2025 FedPoint Nursing Scholarship recipients are: Annabelle Holmes, Winnacunnet High School; Breanne Robertson, Newport Middle High School; Eliza Doyon, Biddeford High School; and Taylor Coulombe, Fort Kent Community High School. The recipients stood out to the selection committee for their work ethic, academic rigor, desire to help others and commitment to the field of nursing. The selection committee was comprised of nurses in FedPoint’s care coordination team and staff members from partner organization Cornerstone VNA.
GOVERNMENT
Mayor Jay Ruais announced that the City of Manchester’s Director of Human Resources, Lisa Drabik, has resigned, and will be leading the HR department for the Town of Londonderry’s School District. During her tenure, Drabik spearheaded the recent compensation study that brought city employee wages to market rates and successfully negotiated 11 new contracts with city unions. The search for Drabik’s replacement will begin immediately, with city solicitor Emily Rice serving as her replacement in the interim.
AGRICULTURE
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center announced a new grant of $1,750,000, made possible through the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation, that will make it easier for youth-based centers to serve regionally produced, USDA-certified organic dairy products to students across the Northeast. Applications are being accepted for the Organic Dairy Product Promotion Grant from June 10 through July 31. Eligible applicants include licensed dairy processors, distributors who primarily serve wholesale and/or institutional buyers, and youth institutions including K-12 schools, colleges, afterschool programs, and summer feeding programs that are currently eligible to participate in federal child nutrition programs.
RETAIL
Sunapee Shade and Blind, a custom window treatment solutions provider, has appointed Shawn Nichols as its president. He brings more than 20 years of retail industry experience to the position, most recently as CEO and president of Bull Moose, the Portland, Maine-based entertainment company. Before that, Nichols served as director of retail operations for Goodwill Northern New England and spent more than 25 years in management positions at large retailers including Starbucks, Staples, Walmart, and Sears.
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
Erin Sniderman, outreach librarian for the Hampton Falls Free Library, has been named the 2025 winner of American Library Association’s Ernest A. DiMattia Award for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession, which recognizes a librarian who demonstrates leadership in anticipating emerging trends in services, products and technologies that will enhance the library’s position in its community.
The New Hampshire Lottery (NHL) is celebrating $3 billion in contributions to public education in the Granite State. Since its inception in 1964, NHL profits have been earmarked for state education funding, with every dollar spent on lottery tickets, 29 cents goes back to the state to support public education. NHL has recorded more than $10 billion in lottery sales and other earnings, paying out $7 billion in prizes. Since launching sports betting on December 30, 2019, Granite Staters have wagered more than $3.5 billion, which has generated more than $140 million for education.
ENGINEERING
Hoyle Tanner has welcomed Bill Ashford, PE, to its team as a senior transportation engineer. With more than 35 years of experience, he previously served as lead support on major transportation and infrastructure initiatives, including the $750 million I-93 improvements in New Hampshire and other high-profile assignments for NHDOT, MassDOT and CTDOT.
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