Experience:
Executive Director Tom McLaughlin (he/him) joined LearningWorks in June 2023. Tom grew up in Texas, but has spent time in Maine for decades with his family - he is thrilled to now call it home. Tom has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher and school leader. He has served in several K-12 schools. He has extensive experience as a strategic consultant, presenter, and facilitator with a variety of non-profits, faith communities, and schools. He will draw heavily on his expertise in curricular development, programs design, fundraising, community relations, and financial and human resource management in his role. Tom is eager to collaborate with all LearningWorks’ staff, supporters, and community partners to empower every learner with the tools, resources, and confidence they need to realize their full potential. Tom earned his B.A. at Benedictine College and his M.A. at Boston College. When not at work, Tom engages in a variety of sports, explores the Maine outdoors, practices yoga, and treasures time with his family.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Peppermint from Kettle Cove
Gus Lyons
Senior Accountant
Experience:
Gregory “Gus” Lyons joined LearningWorks at the end of March 2023 as Senior Accountant. Gus previously worked for Volunteers of America Northern New England, supporting senior housing, homeless veteran, community justice, and behavioral health programs. Gus enjoys a good spreadsheet and does bank reconciliations for fun. He also believes that a good sense of humor is vital for success. Gus comes from a family of education professionals, so the mission of LearningWorks is in his blood. Gus grew up on the coast of Maine and now lives in Portland with his partner, Ashley, and their two dogs, Flynn and Fay.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Nero d’Avola from Gelateria del Teatro in Rome, Italy
Favorite Song:
Gus previously worked as Bookkeeper for the Bull Moose stores and as such knows it is pointless to limit oneself to a single favorite song.
Jedidiah Young
Human Resources Generalist
Experience:
Jed joined the LearningWorks team in September of 2024 and is the team's Human Resource professional. Jed is a New Hampshire native who's been living in Maine for the better part of the last 10 years. He brings to the team years of experience in developing community and culture both professionally and personally. The through line in Jed's entire career has always been to help people and to leave places better than when he found them.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Chocolate Chip
Favorite Song:
Take Me Home - Brother Ali
Zoë Lewin Costa
Site Director - Portland
Experience:
Zoë is excited to be joining the LearningWorks team as the South Portland AfterSchool Site Director. Zoë started out as an elementary public school teacher in New York and later transitioned to working internationally, serving as the Director of Education for organizations in Ghana—where she founded a new junior high school—and in Sierra Leone, where she was tasked with restarting the schools and education programming in the Bongema village in the wake of the Ebola epidemic. Since then, she’s had the opportunity to partner with a variety of schools, districts, and organizations, with the goal of strengthening multicultural communities and expanding high quality learning opportunities for all students. Zoë received a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, majoring in sociology and education, and received her master’s degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College, where she became a Literacy Specialist through the school’s Curriculum and Teaching program. Zoë loves playing games and solving jigsaw puzzles. She’s also an avid fantasy baseball player and continues to participate in a league with colleagues she met at her first teaching job in Harlem.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Cookie Dough
Favorite Song:
Wavin’ Flag by K’NAAN
Favorite Learning Moment:
When Zoë took a college course, Young Children, Families, and Social Policy, her professor, Dr. Fennimore, taught her that once you develop a core conviction, your decisions should always align with that belief. Ever since, Zoë has kept a post-it taped on her office wall with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #4 written on it, as a daily reminder of her personal mission
Emma Weaver
Advancement Associate
Experience:
Emma joined LearningWorks as the Advancement Associate in fall 2024. Originally from Northern Virginia, she is happy to call Maine home. Emma graduated from Dickinson College in 2019 with a major in environmental studies and a minor in sociology. While at Dickinson she interned for the school’s Center for Sustainability Education and spent the year after graduation working as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the college’s organic farm. Before coming to LearningWorks, Emma was an organic farm manager and worked in development and communications at two Maine nonprofits. Emma lives in Portland with her family.
Experience:
LearningWorks YouthBuild Director Nate Snow (he/him/his) joined the LearningWorks team in March 2020. In his role at LW, Nate oversees all aspects of the LWYB program. Nate grew up mostly in New Hampshire, but has always spent time in Maine and is excited to be back in Vacationland full-time. Nate has spent more than 25 years working in various educational settings as a teacher, counselor, coach and administrator. He has also served as the director of a teen center, worked in court diversion programs and therapeutic recreation and volunteered as a guardian ad litem. Most recently, Nate spent 13 years as the Dean of Students and Associate Head of School at the White Mountain School in Bethlehem, NH. Nate graduated from Bowdoin College with degrees in Philosophy and French and earned his M.Ed in Counseling from the University of New Hampshire. Nate stumbled accidentally into teaching when, as a college student, he tagged along on a friend’s interview for a summer job. He credits much of his philosophy as an educator to his 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Bron, who cared deeply about her students while never missing an opportunity to have fun and laugh (especially at ourselves). Nate lives in Arundel with his family (wife Amy, sons Owen and Tyler, and overly enthusiastic golden retriever Lincoln). When not working, Nate enjoys all forms of human-powered recreation in the woods, on the water, at the beach, or in the mountains.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Ben and Jerry's Non-Dairy Chocolate Fudge Brownie
Victoria Morrill
Academic & Program Coordinator
Experience:
Victoria (she/her/hers) has been with LearningWorks since 2014. She started in the Aim High program as an AmeriCorps member and continued on with the program as a site coordinator. She then switched roles with LearningWorks and became the Lead Teacher for LearningWorks YouthBuild. This lead to her current role as Academic & Program Coordinator. She earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from UMaine at Farmington. Other than a brief stint in Florida, she’s what you would consider a lifelong Mainah. The fact that, as a child, Victoria lined up her stuffed animals and gave them tests indicates that she was destined for a career in education. She credits her high school choir teacher for making her dreams of being a teacher a reality.
Favorite Song:
“The Voice Within” by Christina Aguilera
Tim Delahanty
Program Director
Experience:
Tim joined LearningWorks in May of 2012 and is the director of the Service Works program. A jack-of-all trades, Tim has worked as a farm hand, dj, photographer, delivery driver, cemetery attendant, dishwasher, landscaper, organic fertilizer manufacturer, waiter, flooring guy, promoter, saxophonist, grocery clerk, kayak guide, chicken slayer, apple picker, property manager, and construction laborer. In addition to his work adventures, Tim has completed epic cross-country road trips and spent time working in Ireland and Alaska. He has an innate curiosity for the world at large and directly around him, and loves hands-on, experiential learning. Tim holds a degree in Digital Media from The New England Institute of Art. He also studied at Southern Maine Community College and The University of Maine. When not engaged with wicked rad projects at LearningWorks, Tim can be found doing tinkering, gardening, cooking, or relaxing at the beach with his wife and daughters.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Anything with Chocolate
Favorite Song:
“Once in a Lifetime” by The Talking Heads
Jasmine Curtis
Youth Services Coordinator
Experience:
Jasmine (she/her/hers) joined the LWYB team as case manager in September of 2019. Previously, she spent three years as an elementary school counselor, and before that, ten years as a homeless youth case worker at Preble Street Teen Center (four of those years with Day One). She received her bachelor's degree in childhood development and family relations at the University of Maine in Orono, and then a Master's in school counseling at the University of Southern Maine.
She loves music and could not live without it. She will listen to pretty much anything, but is currently really into the Lumineers.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Coffee Heath Bar
Favorite Song:
Depends on my mood, but generally anything I can sing to
Lauren Chisholm
Associate Site Director - Portland
Experience:
Lauren Chisholm (she/her/hers) is the AfterSchool Associate Site Director for the Portland program. She joined the LearningWorks team in April 2023. In her role at LW, Lauren collaborates with the Site Director to provide oversight and manage day-to-day functions of the LWAS program in Portland schools. Lauren came to Maine from New York, and she has lived in the Portland, Maine area for most of her life! Lauren has spent more than 10 years in education, working as a substitute teacher, a camp counselor, an Ed. Tech 3, and a high school and middle school teacher. Most recently, Lauren spent several years as an English teacher at Wiscasset Middle High School in Wiscasset, ME. Lauren has earned both her undergraduate and her Masters of Science in Education from the University of Southern Maine. She is currently working on a Certificate of Advanced Studies from USM with a focus on Curriculum and Educational Policy. Lauren has known she wanted to work in education since she read the book Matilda by Roald Dahl in school. It showed her what impact a caring and thoughtful teacher can have on a student’s life. Lauren lives in Portland with her husband Chris. When she’s not working, you can find Lauren either enjoying live music in downtown Portland, hiking or canoeing out on the water, or in her kitchen trying to create the perfect chocolate cake recipe.
Favorite Ice Cream:
A chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich from Lib’s Dairy Treats.
Favorite Song:
“Trouble” by Hen Ogledd
Rebecca Cote
Site Director - Biddeford
Experience:
Rebecca Cote became the LearningWorks AfterSchool Site Director in Biddeford after serving as site coordinator at Biddeford Primary School from 2018-2020 and then again in 2021. Rebecca moved back to Maine after a 25 year trip to California where she operated a whitewater rafting and backcountry guide business. On her way home from California, she stopped off in Cambridge MA at Lesley University to obtain a Masters of Education in Community Art Education. When not volunteering in the Biddeford community, she is working in her art studio creating landscape paintings and making little art books.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Coffee
Favorite Song:
FKJ & Masego
Roland Thibault
Academic Teacher
Experience:
Roland Thibault joined the LW team in July 2020 as the Academics Teacher for the LearningWorks YouthBuild Program. Prior to joining LW, he worked as a Math Teacher for MSAD 6, working specifically with students from Day One, a substance abuse rehab program. Roland is also a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) and prior to working for MSAD 6, he worked for several years at local rehabilitation programs in Southern Maine (Day One, Milestone, and Catholic Charities). He attended school at USM and graduated with a degree in Secondary Math Education, with a minor in Computer Science. He has also completed several Masters Level courses in Special Education and is planning to return to school to finish his Masters Degree in this area. Teaching seems to be a part of his blood. When he was growing up, he spent a lot of time “playing” teacher with his younger brother. He would actually give him math and science homework to do and teach him how to do them. Years later, he is teaching Math and Science, and he is also teaching math at SMCC. He lives in Westbrook with his wife Carolyn and their daughter Daniella. They have a cat named Abednego who does his best to make sure they do not miss their morning alarm. When he is not at work, you will find Roland reading, watching webinars and taking online courses, running, or working on his favorite craft of sewing stuffed animals.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Coffee with copious amounts of butterscotch syrup
Favorite Song:
Jackson Browne, “Your Bright Baby Blues”
Lily Comeau-Waite
Career Advisor
Experience:
Lily has been with YouthBuild since July of 2023. The first in her role, she works out of LWYB as a fully embedded career advisor from Goodwill Workforce Solutions. A proud member of the LGBT+ community, Lily uses she/they pronouns. Lily grew up in central Maine, spending a majority of her time playing in the backyard and trying as hard as she could to annoy her older sister. Her first job was working as a camp counselor at the YMCA day camp based out of Auburn, ME, where she found a fierce passion for working with youth. Three summers later, she found herself in charge of 20 kindergarteners and 4 staff members at Camp Beech Cliff on the gorgeous Mount Desert Island. Her most recent position was teaching the ELA portion of the Chapter 104 program in Old Town’s Middle School. Currently, Lily lives in Biddeford. When she’s not at work, you can probably find her writing poetry or playing board games at home with her partner.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Peanut Butter
Favorite Song:
Evermore by Taylor Swift
Ted Freeman
Construction Teacher
Experience:
Ted is originally from Michigan and has always been a hands on person when it comes to work. From construction of residential homes to building trails or fighting wild fire, Ted firmly believes in the transformative power of creating. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a BS in Applied Technical Education and has spent the past eleven years working in the Saco school system. Ted lives in Saco with his wife Sharon, daughter Nora, son Cole, two cats, and a mutt. In his free time, you can find Ted on a bike, surfboard, or hiking somewhere in the woods.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Chocolate peanut butter in a milk shake, please
Favorite Song:
Run Like an Antelope, Phish
Figgy DiBenedetto
Culinary Instructor
Experience:
Figgy is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has been a chef for over 25 years. She has owned and operated three restaurants in New York and Maine, most recently Figgy's Takeout in Portland, which closed in 2021. Also a Chopped! champion, you might recognize her as the winner of Food Networks Chopped! Season 39, Episode 8.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Maple Walnut
Favorite Song:
Anything by Sinead O'Connor
Favorite Learning Moment:
Bringing a botanical/fungi book to the forest to forage for wild edibles.
Amanda Brown
SW Youth Coordinator - Sanford
Experience:
Amanda (she/her) joined LearningWorks in November of 2023 as a Service Works Youth Coordinator. She has an extensive background in volunteer work. She has volunteered with her local Council on Aging, pet shelters, a tutoring program for at-risk youth, food pantries, a youth summer program, Project Linus, an ESL writing program, and the Boston PanMass Challenge. She became passionate about restorative justice and juvenile diversion while a student at New York University's Gallatin School, where she studied Criminology and Trauma Studies. While at NYU, she worked as an orientation leader with youth aged 16-20. When she is not at work, Amanda enjoys relaxing with friends and family, playing video games, solving sudoku puzzles, drinking tea, and volunteering for the Doe Network.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Cotton Candy Soft Serve
Favorite Song:
Rainbow by Kesha
Leinani Farnsworth
Youth Coordinator - Biddeford
Experience:
Leinani (she/her) joined LearningWorks in June of 2024 as a Service Works Youth Coordinator. After being a Girl Scout for over 12 years, she found a passion for volunteering and giving back to the community. She has experience volunteering with organizations all around the world, from rebuilding hurricane damaged homes in North Carolina to cultivating native ecosystems in Botswana. She has also volunteered locally at Preble Street Soup Kitchen, RippleEffect on Cow Island, Portland Trails, Ronald McDonald House, Brighton Senior Home and more. She skied competitively for the University of Maine at Presque Isle while studying Sustainable Agriculture before working as YouthFull Maine’s Food Distribution Coordinator from 2020-2024. She gained hands-on experience managing a nonprofit while working with other local organizations, food banks, schools and students while building the school programs. When not at work she can be found tinkering with a car, cooking, gardening, white-water canoeing or chilling with her two cats.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Fly Fishing Fudge
Keaghan Duffy
Service Works Assistant Coordinator
Experience:
Keaghan joined Service Works as assistant coordinator in June of 2024. The eldest daughter of a big, blended family, Keaghan feels at home as a mentor, mediator, and miscellaneous helping hand. She holds a bachelor's degree in Education and Visual Arts from Bowdoin College, where she collaborated across disciplines to deepen her knowledge of the many intersecting systems that govern life as we know it. With a particular interest in mutual aid, somatic healing and land-based learning, along with experience as a student teacher and substitute in Portland Public Schools, Keaghan's familiarity with day-to-day conflict and power imbalances fuels her passion for reparative, community-based work. Keaghan has extensive experience in kitchens and gardens, which she started tending as an infant with her grandparents and has continued ever since. Keaghan has been shaped by her proximity to the Indigenous cultures of the Great Plains, in particular the Oglala Lakota, with whom she grew up. Mitakuye Oyasin, a sacred Lakota blessing that affirms and honors the interrelated nature of all living beings, has been a guiding light throughout her studies, ultimately leading her to spend her final undergraduate semester in India where she studied alongside some of the most esteemed teachers in the Buddhist world. When she's not in the kitchen or the garden, she's probably en route -- you might see her cycling around Portland or walking home from the farmer's market.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Homemade with fresh fruit
Alexander Tranchemontagne
Site Director - Waterboro
Experience:
Alex has worked with LearningWorks AfterSchool since 2016 but took on the role of Program Director of Waterboro in 2022. Previously to this position, Alex worked in various roles in education from librarian to classroom teacher. He graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in Communications and a minor in Educational Studies. Alex enjoys helping students find their spark in life by offering non-traditional educational opportunities. Outside of work he can be found spending time with his wife Theresa, twin daughters Teddy & Sloane, and best friend/corgi Pascal.
Favorite Ice Cream:
Any gelato
Favorite Song:
“STARSTUD” – Matt Watson
Sierra Dube
Site Director - Saco
Experience:
Sierra Dube became the LearningWorks AfterSchool Site Director in Saco in 2023 after serving as a LearningWorks teacher at Waterboro Elementary School in the 2022 summer and 2022-2023 school year. She also worked in private and public education in various roles from Pre-K to Kindergarten to first grade classroom teacher. She graduated from the University of Maine in 2018 with a degree in Child Development and Family Relations with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. She is always excited to learn new things!
