Leaders committed to Service
John Portela, President
Brunswick
Retired 47-year shipbuilder and member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local S6
John served in many capacities in the union. He spent 18 years as the financial officer and served on numerous committees including the negotiating committee. He was a founding member Maine State Council of Machinists and is the Recording Secretary of the Council. He has been an active community member throughout his life. He served 13 years on the Maine Commission for Community Service. For six years he held officer positions including Commission Chair. In the community, John has served on the Board of Directors for Mid Coast Economic Development District, United Way International Board of Trustees, United Way of Mid Coast Maine (Board chair, Campaign chair), United Way of America National Board of Governors, Habitat for Humanity, Tedford Homeless Shelter (President), Maine Health Data Organization, Workmen’s Compensation Advisory Board, and Chair for Walk America. A memorable experience was moderating a panel at the World Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa for United Way International. John is founder of the Eugene Portela Memorial Fund for New Americans in Long Island, New York. In retirement, John travels extensively each week as one of the All in One Wedding officiants.
Nicki Pellenz, Treasurer
Scarborough
Cash Management Solutions Manager, Bangor Savings Bank
Nicole Pellenz joined Bangor Savings Bank in April 2025 as Cash Management Solutions Manager, bringing over 25 years of banking experience. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Maine Water Utilities Association and held senior leadership roles at Machias Savings Bank, including Chief Data Officer and Senior Vice President of Deposit Relationships. Earlier in her career, she led Government Banking for the Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont markets at TD Bank.
A U.S. Army and Maine Army National Guard veteran, Nicole attained the rank of Sergeant. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and is a member of TriBeta, the National Biological Honor Society.
Nicole serves as Treasurer and Board Member for the Maine Volunteer Foundation and Scarborough Project Graduation. In 2026, Nicole was chosen to serve on the board of JMG. She has held numerous leadership and advisory positions, including Commissioner for the Maine Commission for Community Service and member of the New Hampshire Public Deposit Investment Pool Advisory Committee. She is affiliated with the Maine Water Utilities Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. A native of northern Maine, she resides in Scarborough with her husband and two children.
Nicki is on the Board of Directors of Maine Volunteer Foundation, holding the position as Treasurer. Previously she was on the Board and Executive Committee of JMG, she was a gubernatorial appointee to Volunteer Maine and for six years was an appointee to the Advisory Committee for the New Hampshire Public Deposit Investment Pool. She is a native of northern Maine and currently resides in Scarborough with her husband and two children.
Vicki Rusbult – Secretary
Bangor
Founder, Economic Solutions ME LLC
Dr. Vicki Rusbult recently launched Economic Solutions ME, an economic development LLC consulting business located in Bangor Maine. She previously worked with Eastern Maine Development Corporation for 15 years, retiring from full-time employment in June 2025. Dr. Rusbult has more than 44 years’ experience in project and grants development and management in the fields of economic development, community planning, transportation, cancer research, primary care research, and healthcare. She contributes to administrative and compliance functions, community and regional economic activities and provides technical assistance for infrastructure planning and development. She has led the EMDC annual Grants Development seminar series and provides one-on-one support to communities and non-profits seeking grant funds and business services. Her current work through Economic Solutions ME focuses on the redevelopment of the former paper mill in Lincoln Maine, shifting from the production of paper to renewable energy and the base for the new Innovation Center which will provide training and small business entrepreneur supportive services.
Dr. Rusbult has a Doctorate of Education/Educational and Transformative Leadership from the University of New England and a Masters’ in Public Administration and Bachelors’ from the University of Maine, She serves on the boards of the Maine Multicultural Center, Four Directions, and the Bangor Historical Society as well as the Maine Discovery Museum Science Advisory Board.
Jack A. Frost
Ellsworth
V.P., Director of Community Giving, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust
Jack has been a resident of Ellsworth since 1993. He serves as V.P., Director of Community Giving for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Previously, he was Director of Philanthropy for Maine Coast Memorial Hospital Foundation, where he was responsible for the organization’s fundraising initiatives, including planned giving, grant writing, annual fund, major gifts, and charity events. Prior to joining Maine Coast Hospital in 2006, he served 14 years with Training & Development Corporation as Project Manager of Department of Labor job training programs, primarily in Maine’s northeast region.
Jack is a graduate of the University of Maine at Machias (’89) and obtained a Master of Public Administration from the University of Maine (’92). Jack is past president of the Rotary Club of Ellsworth. In the past two decades, he has served on numerous boards including: Child & Family Opportunities, Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce; Ellsworth Business Development Corporation; Ellsworth Knowlton Park Campaign Committee; Ellsworth Sestercentennial Committee; Frenchman Bay Conservancy; Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Food For Good Campaign Advisory Committee; Healthy Acadia; Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Maine Volunteer Foundation; University of Maine at Machias Board of Visitors; University of Maine Black Bear Athletics; and The Bay School.
Jack Moore
Yarmouth
President and Chief Investment Officer, Harpswell Capital Advisors
Jack is the President and Chief Investment Officer for Harpswell Capital Advisors, a firm dedicated to serving nonprofit institutions from Maine to Seattle. The firm specializes in managing smaller and moderate sized endowments and is based in Yarmouth, Maine. Prio to Harpswell, Jack was a Principal at Vanguard and served as a portfolio manager at two successful hedge funds.
Before his career in investment management, Jack served in the public sector as an Expert Witness in Financial Markets at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and also worked on Capitol Hill where he served as the Press Assistant to the U.S. Senate Majority Leader.
Jack holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart College and earned his Masters of Science degree from the London School of Economics. At LSE, Jack studied Labour Economics with a focus on Gender Discrimination in Corporate America: The Glass Ceiling.
A dedicated civic participant, Jack’s current and past Board roles include: Maine Humanities Counsel (current), the Good Will-Hinckley School (Chair), Portland Museum of Art, JDRF, and the United States Biathlon Foundation. Jack also has a history of working with several investment committees including the University of Maine System ($500MM+), Maine Medical Center ($2.5B+), and Chair of the Portland Museum of Art ($40 MM). Jack was also appointed by Maine’s Governor to serve on the Maine NextGen 529 Advisory Committee. Jack currently serves as a GAL for CASA.Jack resides in Yarmouth and has three sons and two Labrador retrievers. In his spare time, Jack is an avid wildlife and nature photographer and enjoys biking, running, and hiking.
Josh Steirman
Portland
Executive Director of the Maine Municipal Bond Bank
Josh Steirman serves as Executive Director of the Maine Municipal Bond Bank, with concurrent appointments as Executive Director of the Maine Health and Higher Educational Facilities Authority, and as Executive Director of the Maine Governmental Facilities Authority. He has worked in banking for over fifteen years including leadership positions at the Maine Bankers Association, Gorham Savings Bank, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Josh serves on several non-profit boards and is currently chair of The Opportunity Alliance, Cumberland County’s community action agency. He is a military veteran of the Afghanistan conflict and continues reserve service in uniform as an officer in the Maine Army National Guard. Josh is a graduate of the University of Richmond, and completed MBA and JD degrees at the University of Miami.
Brittany Gleixner-Hayat – Ex-Officio
Augusta
Executive Director, Volunteer Maine
Britt Gleixner-Hayat is a public service leader with more than 15 years of experience designing and managing federally funded programs that promote civic engagement, volunteerism, and community resilience. Britt has led large-scale initiatives in complex environments, including a $50 million USAID program in Ethiopia that provided over 400 sub-grants to community organizations working to increase civic dialogue and volunteer-led change. In Yemen, she managed an $80 million program that supported local partners advancing youth engagement, volunteer leadership, and inclusive governance during a period of political transition. Her work has also taken her to Myanmar, India, Lebanon, Jordan, and Washington D.C., where she has trained staff and volunteers, facilitated cross-sector partnerships, and developed adaptive strategies for community-based service delivery.
Britt has coordinated volunteer teams and civic action campaigns, including voter protection and public engagement efforts. Her work consistently focuses on connecting people to purpose, whether through formal service programs or grassroots civic action. In addition to her professional experience, Britt has served as a mentor and trainer, supporting new leaders in the service sector and advancing a culture of responsive, community-centered engagement. She holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College. Now based in Maine, she brings a strong sense of public mission and collaborative leadership to her role, helping communities thrive through service.
