Christopher O’Connor

Executive director
PRONOUNS: HE/HIM

EMAIL

Chris joined us as manager of the ECC in February of 2022, and as of April 2023, has become our first-ever Executive Director. He is no stranger to LGBTQ+ organizing in Maine as he worked for EqualityMaine as their Development Director for seven and a half years prior to joining the ECC family. He is one of the co-founders and chairs of Pride Portland, and also served as a co-chair for Governor Mills’ Inaugural Ball in 2019.

Prior to his professional work in the LGBTQ+ movement, Chris worked in student affairs at the University of Southern Maine for 16 years, Originally from NJ, he moved to Maine several years after receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Chris’ passion has always been in social justice / community organizing work, and he enjoys bringing his knowledge and skills in organizational leadership, fundraising, large scale event planning, organizing and relationship building to the ECC.

In his personal life, Chris is the proud papa of a beautiful rescue puppy named Bella, and an even prouder uncle to his niece and nephew in NJ. He enjoys music of all kinds, attending concerts, musical theater, and marching band/drum corps shows, watching tv and movies, eating out and traveling. Provincetown is his happy place!

Brooke Bolduc

Coordinator of Programming & Community Engagement
PRONOUNS: She/he/they

EMAIL

Born and raised in Portland, Brooke has dedicated the past 15 years to working as a community activist, local artist, and youth educator, passionately serving and engaging diverse populations.

As a local artist, Brooke creates works that reflect intersectional identities and experiences, bringing a unique and inclusive perspective to their art. In a previous role as a youth director, Brooke empowered immigrant youth, helping them become active and engaged members of their communities. 

As Coordinator of Programming and Community Engagement, Brooke coordinates programs, builds community partnerships, and promotes the center’s mission through various initiatives. Her dedication to art and creative play as tools for connection and empowerment continues to drive her efforts in creating a more inclusive and vibrant community.

Molly Wood

Office Manager & Bookkeeper
PRONOUNS: She/HER

Email

Prior to joining the ECC, Molly owned and operated a small business in downtown Portland for many years. She also has extensive business administration, event planning, accounting and compliance experience.

Molly has always been passionate about educating others about important social justice causes, and has volunteered for SARSSM and EqualityMaine throughout the years. 

Originally from northern Maine, Molly has called the Portland/Westbrook area her home for the last twenty years. She loves pop culture, hosting weekly trivia, and spending time with her husband and three dogs.

Betsy Smith

PRESIDENT
CHAIR. CapitAL CAMPAIGN
Pronouns: She/Her
One of the founders of the ECC in 2014

Betsy has been an organizational leader for over 20 years, and served as Executive Director of EqualityMaine during the multi-year effort to win the freedom to marry. During Betsy’s tenure at EqualityMaine, our community also won statewide non-discrimination protections, numerous rights and benefits for domestic partners, and anti-bullying protections for LGBTQ youth. Betsy later founded Vision and Strategy, LLC, a consulting business that specializes in organizational development, fundraising, capacity building, and other non-profit needs and focuses.

Betsy has a master’s degree from Colorado State University and an undergraduate degree from Jacksonville University in Florida. She lives in Portland with her wife and two children. In 2017, Betsy and her family lived in London for a year and traveled extensively throughout Europe.     

Theo Greene

VICE PRESIDENT
Pronouns: He/Him
Joined the board in 2021

Theo Greene is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Bowdoin College.  His research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of sexuality, urbanism, and culture.  His research broadly uses sexual communities to understand how urban redevelopment shape and reconfigure how individuals conceptualize, identify to, and participate in local communities.

His current book project, entitled Not in MY Gayborhood: Gay Neighborhoods and the Rise of the Vicarious Citizen (under contract with Columbia University Press) explores the persistence of iconic gay neighborhoods in Washington, DC through ephemeral acts of placemaking by nonresidential community actors (vicarious citizens).  Theo is excited about incorporating Portland and Maine in his upcoming research. 

In addition to a project on queer placemaking in Portland (culminating in a digital archive historically tracing Portland’s queer geographies), he also hopes to incorporate Portland and Maine in future research on placemaking and the production of queer communities in resort towns.

Carolyn Thomas

TREASUREr
Pronouns: She/Her
Joined the Board in 2017

Carolyn is the SVP, Chief Risk Officer at Norway Savings Bank. Carolyn joined Norway Savings in 1999 and has over 30 years of banking industry experience. In her current role, Carolyn oversees the Bank’s risk, compliance, commercial credit, commercial loan administration and special assets departments.  

Carolyn has a Bachelor’s degree in Math and Economics from the University of Rhode Island and has studied Financial Planning.  

Carolyn has formerly volunteered with PFLAG and EqualityMaine.  She also volunteers with the Friends of the Shakers

Carolyn lives in Falmouth with her wife Jennifer and their 14 year old teenager.  

She looks forward to retiring someday (once her child is through college) and becoming an activist. It will be quite a change from being a banker! 

Anton Lund

SECRETARY
CHAIR, Communications Committee
Pronouns: They/SHE
Joined the Board in 2023

Anton is a librarian and harm reductionist living in Portland, Maine. They focus on the information needs of people in crisis, and have volunteered and worked with anti-violence organizations and shelters since 2013.

Anton has her Master’s in Library and Information Science from Simmons University in Boston and received a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and Women & Gender Studies as well as the LGBTQ certificate from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Matt Dubois

PAST President
Pronouns: He/Him
One of the founders of the ECC in 2014

Matt is an attorney and partner at the law firm of Vogel & Dubois in Portland where he focuses his practice in the areas of family law, planning for aging and retirement, planning for LGBT persons and their families, elder law, estate planning, end-of-life planning and probate. 

He is the past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Maine State Bar Association (MSBA) and has served as Board President of the advocacy group EqualityMaine, as a Director on the board of AIDS Lodging House (ALH) and as a Director on the board of SAGE Maine. Matt completed his undergraduate B.A. at Northeastern University in Boston and his J.D. at the University of Maine School of Law in Portland. 

Matt also co-owns Frenchies’ Natural Products, a manufacturer and distributer of Frenchies’ Maine Woods Bug Dope (insect repellent), as well as other balsam fir, pine, spruce and cedar soaps, hand lotion and room sprays.  Matt is an avid hiker and gardener and lives in North Yarmouth, Maine with his husband Lou Demers and their three Samoyed dogs.

Jenevieve Arrigan

Pronouns: SHE/HER
Joined the board in 2022

Jenevieve is a technologist who specializes in implementing cloud technology for enterprise organizations. She is the founder and CEO of Escapist Reality, a consulting company based in Westbrook, Maine. Jenevieve’s passion is to leverage technology to promote equality and equity for marginalized communities.

With her values of justice and innovation, and experience in positions of leadership, she aspires to be of service to the Equality Community Center in its mission to give queer and trans people in the Greater Portland Area a safe space to gather and connect.

Christine Caulfield

Pronouns: SHE/HER
Joined the board in 2024

Christine retired from teaching public high school after twenty-four years, having taught American Studies, World History, AP European History, and an elective titled Power and Privilege, a course examining the roots of the same in American society. She is a veteran, having served five years active duty in the United States’ Marine Corps, and seven in the reserves.

She’s a proud parent of two daughters, and grandparent of four wonderful grandkids, a world traveler, and ardent reader and researcher of a variety of topics related to current issues and politics.

Her most recent volunteer experience was as a volunteer at Maine Transgender Network for over seven years, facilitating support groups for transgender individuals over 35, running workshops and training in a variety of public and professional settings, and acting as board treasurer. In 2022, her testimony was key in the passage of a name change bill into law, protecting the identities of Maine citizens from discrimination and harassment when seeking to change their name.

Additionally, she is the board secretary for Greater Portland Health, a major Portland area health provider dedicated to providing care for marginalized communities of the unhoused/homeless, immigrants and asylum seekers, and the queer community.

Christine believes in the transformative power of education and critical analysis, and welcomes every opportunity for these presentations and discussions.

Benjamin Coolidge Gagnon

CO-CHAIR, EVENTS COMMITTEE
Pronouns: HE/Him
Joined the board in 2024

Ben has worked at Serra Public Affairs in Augusta since 2020 and is currently the Senior Account Manager. He works with various corporate and nonprofit clients managing projects that range from video productions to State House lobbying to advising on corporate charitable giving to crisis communications. He has worked on 7 different projects that have received the Maine Public Relations Council Golden Arrow Award, which recognizes the best work of communications, public relations, and marketing professionals in Maine.

Prior to joining SPA, Ben worked on various statewide and local political campaigns across Maine. He served as the Finance Director for Governor Janet Mills’ 2018 campaign, and he has also worked for former Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling and the Maine Democratic Party. 

A 7th-generation, lifelong Mainer, Ben grew up in Durham and attended Brunswick High School. He is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  

Ben also serves on the Board of Directors of the Kennebec Valley Humane Society in Augusta. He lives in Hallowell with his partner, Seth, and together they have a pug, Silas.

April Fournier

CO-CHAIR, EVENTS COMMITTEE
Pronouns: She/her
joined the board in 2023

April is a member of the Navajo Nation, an At-Large City Councilor in Portland, and is the National Program Manager for Advance Native Political Leadership. She supports the development and delivery of the Native Leadership Institute’s Leadership Training Program, Alumni Network and Program Development.

April has extensive experience in community organizing, community leadership and development, coalition building, and training. April is the co-founder of the first all-Indigenous roller derby team and worked to leverage technology and community building to engage team members globally. 

April resides with her husband, four children and two dogs in the East Deering Neighborhood. She enjoys Maine’s different seasons, and will swim in the ocean year-round. She also enjoys live music indoors or outdoors, sometimes traveling south to Boston for shows, visiting the many eateries and micro-brews around Portland, family game night, beading, and reading science fiction and fantasy novels.

Ed Gardner

CHAIR, HOUSING Committee
Pronouns: He/Him
One of the founders of the ECC in 2014

Ed Gardner is the owner/Broker of Gardner Real Estate Group, one of Portland's favorite boutique real estate companies. With over 35 years of real estate experience, from sales to development and management to investment properties, Ed has the tools and trusted knowledge to professionally market and sell your current property or skillfully navigate you to your next purchase. You will appreciate his vast knowledge of the Greater Portland real estate housing market and commitment to excellent service!

Ed has the pleasure of volunteering in the community as being the president of the Greater Portland Board of REALTORS in 2014, State REALTOR of the Year in 2014, and the president of the Maine Association of REALTORS in 2016. His hard work representing the REALTOR organization has built a respected name in the world of real estate for Maine. Many other local organizations that he volunteers for and give back to, have awarded the keen knowledge needed to best guide his clients to their greatest investment, through community. They include past president of Greater Portland Landmarks, a historic preservation organization. He has served on the BOD and many committees of the Friends of Eastern Promenade and is on the Board of Directors at Norway Savings Bank.

Dale McCormick

Pronouns: She/Her
Joined the board in 2016

Dale grew up in Iowa where she raised sheep with Old Testament names and showed them at the County Fair in Boys 4-H. She received a BA from the University of Iowa in 1971in nearby Iowa City while protesting the War in Vietnam, Co-founding the Women’s Liberation Front, The Gay Liberation Front, and Ain’t I A Woman.  After becoming the first woman to complete a carpentry apprenticeship with the carpenter’s union in 1975 Dale started her own construction Company; wrote 2 books about carpentry and founded Women Unlimited, a program that successfully trains women on welfare to compete for high-paying jobs in trade and technical occupations.

Dale co-founded the Maine Lesbian Gay Political Alliance (MLGPA) in 1984; was elected to the State Senate in 1990, serving 3 terms; was the first open lesbian State Senator elected in the US; became Maine’s first female Constitutional Officer when she was elected State Treasurer in 1996; directed the Maine Housing Authority for 7 years; was a city Councilor-at-Large for the City of Augusta.

Dale is a mother of three daughters, and a farmer. She plays the cello and lives on a tiny urban farm in Augusta Maine where she raises peaches, pears, blueberries, and grapes and makes wine.

Rich Waitzkin

Pronouns: He/Him
One of the founders of the ECC in 2014

Rich grew up in Ohio where he went to school and then, became a VISTA volunteer and teacher’s aide in California before moving east. In Massachusetts, Rich received a masters degree in education and one in social work. He’s been working in those capacities for forty-five years.

On the front lines in the early days of HIV-AIDS work in Maine, he sat on the Governor’s commission on AIDS, attended the first regional training to provide HIV counseling and testing, volunteered as an AIDS buddy and contributed to Maine’s first AIDS hospice facility.

Rich lives in Portland, loves to work on his old house and yard and, dances in both public and private.

Barb Wood

CO-CHAiR, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Pronouns: She/Her
Joined the board in 2016

Barb came out as a political activist in 1984 by hosting MLGPA’s first mailing party. EqualityMaine created the “Great Pioneer Award” for Barb when she was recognized for being the first openly gay or lesbian elected official in Maine. Barb served on the Portland City Council from 1988 through 1991 and was a key spokesperson for Portland’s anti-discrimination referendum.

Currently, Barb serves on the cPort Credit Union Board of Director and the EQME Foundation Board VP. She also volunteers as a driver with the Independent Transportation Network (ITN), providing rides for seniors and people with disabilities.

Professionally, Barb enjoyed a 30-year career with LL Bean. She started as a seasonal employee and retired as Senior Operations Manager of Distribution/Returns, and was named one of Bean’s Best for her outstanding leadership skills. During these years, she bought and restored a condemned Victorian house in the West End, where she has lived happily for 25 years, the past 15 with her partner, Carol Capomaccio.

In 2020 Barb was elected to the Maine State House of Representatives serving Portland’s West End.

Andrew Zarro

Pronouns: He/Him
Joined the board in 2024

As a former Portland City Councilor and candidate for Mayor, Andrew has demonstrated a keen ability to craft and execute effective policy strategies in the non-profit, private, and governmental sectors. His work has been instrumental in advancing equitable initiatives and increasing community engagement, reflecting his commitment to enhancing representation and participation across all levels.

In his current role as the Director of Community Partnerships at the Greater Portland Council of Governments, Andrew leads efforts to expand housing and transportation choices in the region, focusing on member services, community engagement, and communication initiatives. In addition to his public service, Andrew was the founder and owner of Little Woodfords, a beloved coffee shop in Portland known as a cherished queer space, providing a safe and inclusive environment for Portland's LGBTQ+ community.

Andrew's commitment to creating spaces where everyone feels valued and represented is a testament to his broader vision of inclusivity and community building. Andrew's experience as a program manager, city councilor, and successful small business owner further underscores his ability to drive impactful agendas forward rooted in strategic vision and community care.

Andrew lives in Portland with his husband and 3 dogs. When he’s not engaged in some type of community or policy work, he is usually out enjoying all Portland has to offer.