Max grew up digging clams in Brunswick, Maine. In 2018, he co-founded Bombazine Oyster Company to diversify his income from wild harvesting. He received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maine in 2022 and since then, has been investing in growing his oyster farm. Max believes protecting and supporting working waterfronts will ensure the viability of the shellfish industry amid changing economic and environmental conditions.

Photo Credits: Justin Smulski

Ashley can often be found in or near the cold waters of Casco Bay. An avid swimmer and cold water enthusiast, she has recently embarked on the new adventure of oyster farming. Her day job is conducting research for a non-profit organization aimed at explaining the country’s health care system. In both her day job and her water adventures, she is committed to amplifying and highlighting the voices of people who have been historically absent from these communities. 

We’re excited to welcome Gerry Hamann as our new General Manager at the working waterfront, overseeing daily operations and facility maintenance as we continue to grow. Gerry comes from the corporate manufacturing world and has owned several businesses, primarily in the building industry bringing strong expertise in construction and leadership.

Caitlin Hopkins is a conservation and aquaculture professional dedicated to strengthening Maine's coastal communities and working waterfront. She previously served as Project Manager for Maine Farmland Trust, where she managed complex land conservation transactions and built collaborative relationships with farmers, landowners, conservation partners, and public agencies. 

Caitlin currently serves as Farm Manager at Little Busters Oyster Farm, overseeing daily aquaculture operations, and is Co-Founder of Two Maine Mermaids, a business focused on connecting women to the water. She also works part-time with Friends of Casco Bay and Cedar Grove Sauna, reflecting her commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement. 

With experience spanning conservation, nonprofit project management and strategic planning, and aquaculture, Caitlin brings a collaborative leadership style, operational expertise, and a passion for building partnerships that support resilient communities and sustainable natural resource management.

Nick grew up in New Gloucester, Maine, and worked in leadership capacities at renewable energy startups and utilities across the country, and in international IT sales to humanitarian organizations. He has volunteered with Empower Generation, Amigos de las Americas, Engineers without Borders, The Manna Energy Foundation, and several gun safety and anti-racism groups.

Photo Credit: Jack Sullivan, Island Institute

Rebecca has taken on the role of Program Manager for Sea Meadow.  As a co-founder she is excited to implement opportunities for communities to connect to our mission and is dedicated to catalyzing inspiration, solutions, hope, and connection down by the water.

Taja is a doctoral student in the marine biology Ph.D. program at University of New Hampshire (UNH). Originally from Oakland California, Taja earned her bachelor’s degree in marine biology with a minor in fisheries science from the University of Maine. At UNH her research focuses on microplastics in shellfish and other living and non-living resources in specific bays and estuaries of the northeast, in the lab of Dr. Bonnie Brown, professor of ecological genetics and the chair of the department of biological sciences. After graduating, given her interest in multitrophic systems, Taja would love to be an oyster and kelp farmer. Eventually, she would like to tie in her love for farming and marine biology to bridge a gap between educating underrepresented groups, by creating a program to expose young minds that may not otherwise have the opportunity, to gain an interest in this field- putting a real emphasis on opening doors and creating pathways for young women of color to expand their horizons in the field of marine science and aquaculture.

Chad has been working on the waterfront for 20 years in many capacities. His experience as a small business owner ranges from building docks, piers, and seawalls, to planting trees, laying walkways, and designing patios. Building his business and working hard has led him to work with a diverse array of people. Chad moved to the Midcoast in 1999 from Greenville, Maine and lived in various harbors within the small communities at the ends of Maine’s many peninsulas over the years.

Photo Credit: Molly Haley

Bruce Ward is a civil and structural engineer with over 41 years of experience in public works, pulp and paper, and power generation projects. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Maine (1975) and an M.S. in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University (1981), where he also conducted research on fatigue and fracture of welded metal bridge structures. His expertise spans airport and municipal master planning, stormwater management, sanitary sewer design, and the structural design of buildings from 2 to 40 stories in Maine and Texas. Bruce has led engineering and design for air quality control systems in major utility power plants across the U.S., developed and managed a 32-person industrial structural engineering group, and served on the board of a 750-person consulting firm, guiding its organizational integration. He is a licensed professional engineer in five states.

Suzanne brings more than forty years of experience in energy policy, economic development, and nonprofit leadership to the Sea Meadow board. She currently serves as Executive Director of Meetinghouse Arts in downtown Freeport, Maine, a nonprofit dedicated to making the Greater Freeport area a vibrant hub for arts and culture through creative collaboration and expanded access to cultural resources. A graduate of Bowdoin College, she holds a JD and an LL.M. from the University of New Hampshire School of Law. Over her career she has held senior policy and legal roles at the state, regional, and national levels, including with the State of Maine's Department of Environmental Protection, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), the Northeast-Midwest Institute, and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), where she served as Director of Policy.

Emily Whitmore is a social scientist and Associate Director of the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center. Her research focuses on public perceptions of aquaculture, social license to operate, and, more recently, aquaculture farmer experiences with climate change and ocean acidification. Although her research focuses on aquatic food systems, Whitmore is a land-based farmer in Hollis, Maine. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire.