Staff

Carissa grew up on MDI and is happy to have settled back home after some time living away. After receiving a bachelor's degree in Burlington, VT, she decided to stay in the Green Mountain State to study for a master's degree in Intercultural, Service, Leadership, and Management. Carissa returned to Maine to work as a grassroots organizer and then traveled overseas in order to gain more experience working internationally. She worked as a divemaster in Malaysia, sold solar panels Perth, and painted murals in Mexico. As exciting as those adventures were, she is enjoying staying put. She loves to spend time with her cats, practice graphic design, and watch her garden grow.

Stephanie is a relative newcomer to Mount Desert Island, having relocated here from Denver Colorado in 2020. Yearning to trade the hectic demands of city life for the quiet charms of small town living, Stephanie was drawn to the area by its warm sense of community, unique culture and history, and stunning yet accessible natural beauty. With a deep background in sales, marketing and logistics Stephanie is pleased to apply skills honed in commerce in new ways with Island Connections, making a direct difference in the lives of others. Stephanie lives in Bar Harbor with her husband and daughter. In her free time she enjoys cooking, long distance walking, amateur photography and exploring the wilds of Acadia. An avid gardener with a true green thumb, on sunny summer days Stephanie can be found in her garden, tending the flowers and helping things grow.

Sydnie grew up in Downeast Maine and attended the University of Maine at Orono, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. Upon graduation, she moved to New York and spent some time working in the fashion world as well as the school administrative world. Then after spending some time in Burlington, VT chose to return to Maine in 2018. Sydnie comes to us with a vast understanding of administrative and logistical processes and is very excited to work with an organization that is dedicated to helping community members thrive. Growing up in Downeast Maine, this sense of community stewardship was always very important to her. Sydnie lives in Sulivan with her husband, 2 kiddos (Margaux and Liam), dog (Suki), and two cats (Wiggles and Marilyn). Sydnie enjoys spending as much time with her family and getting outside to enjoy the beauty of Maine as much as possible!