Debora Keller
Executive Director
Debora Keller has been with Bath Housing since January 2014. She is a community development leader in Maine with over 20 years of experience in non-profit management. She holds a Masters Degree from Tufts University in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning and a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University. She received the 2016 Stephen B. Mooers award from MaineHousing in recognition of the creation of Comfortably Home. She was the 2010 recipient of the Joseph Kreisler Community Impact Award from Preble Street for her work developing Florence House in Portland. She currently serves on the City of Bath’s community development committee ands the RSU#1 Building Committee for its new high school. She is a Corporator of Mid Coast – Parkview Health and serves on its Elder and Home Care Services Committee. Debora is active with the Maine Association of Public Housing Authority Directors (MAPHD) and served on the boards of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition (as Chair from 2017-2019), the Genesis Fund board of directors from 2014 – 2020, and MaineHousing’s 2015 Affordable Housing Working Group. She co-chaired the Maine Council on Aging’s Housing Committee in 2018.
Debora worked at Avesta Housing from 2004 to 2013, serving as Director of Programs. In that role, she oversaw Avesta’s programmatic efforts, including unprecedented real estate portfolio growth from 2007 to 2013 with 21 affordable multi-family construction projects that created 649 new apartments. She also oversaw Avesta’s assisted living facility, Housing Choice Voucher program, and the launch of the new HomeOwnership Center.
Prior to joining Avesta, Deb served as Associate Director of the Genesis Fund, a Maine-based Community Development Financial Institution providing loans to nonprofit organizations. At Genesis, Deb managed the organization’s $3.0 million loan portfolio and was responsible for marketing, underwriting, monitoring, and servicing for all lending activity. She has extensive past work experience with non-profit community development organizations around the country. Deb started her affordable housing career as a VISTA Volunteer in Iowa where she created a security deposit loan program for low income clients and a breakfast café for the homeless.
Jess Irish
Director of Housing
Jess oversees the integration of all housing programs and services, including Property Management, Maintenance, and Resident Services. She has extensive non-profit leadership experience and a deep commitment to human services. She most recently worked with GMS in Westbrook, Maine where she served as both the Director of Residential Services and the Director of Operations. In this capacity, Jess worked to expand not only the Residential Services Department, but also the variety of services available to adults with intellectual disabilities and autism, leading to a growth from 27 to more than 150 individuals supported. Jess worked internally – and with outside agencies and contractors – to ensure staffing, housing, training, and policy needs were met to provide each new service in a quality manner. Prior to returning to her home state of Maine, Jess worked as a counselor and then as director of adolescent behavioral health homes in the greater Boston area with Northeastern Family Institute of Massachusetts. She is a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono. Jess in on the Board of Directors for the Maine Real Estate Managers Association. She is also a member of the RSU1 Design Committee for its new high school and the steering committee for the Lower Kennebec River Livable Communities group.
Joshua Dubois
Maintenance Supervisor
Joshua Dubois began working with Bath Housing in January 2010 and began serving as the Maintenance Supervisor in December 2017. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science Building Construction Technology from Central Maine Community College where he also completed a 30 Hour OSHA training certification course. He is certified as an HQS and UCPS inspector. Josh previously worked at East Coast Woodworking where he was a lead installer and at BIW where he was a ship fitter and backup lead man. He graduated from Lisbon High School and serves as a Lieutenant on the Town of Lisbon Fire Department.
Lisa Boley started with Bath Housing in June 2018. She obtained a business degree and has worked for various companies prior to becoming an office manager for a homeless shelter for five years. Having gained a lot of experience working with residents and caseworkers alike, she is excited to be a part of the team. In her free time she enjoys the outdoors with her husband and animals.
Kevin joined Bath Housing in August 2018. He began his career as an AmeriCorps VISTA serving as a Neighborhood Service Associate for the Office of the Mayor in Pittsburgh, PA. He has several years of experience in community development and worked for both the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group and the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation. Kevin has his degree in Urban Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.
Sara Almy
Office Manager
Sara Almy joins Bath Housing as Office Manager on July 27, 2020. Most recently she was with Wayfair as Assistant Manager of the 3D Imagery Team. She worked at L.L.Bean for 18 years with a primary focus in Merchandising. Sara also brings her experience as a volunteer and then Program Coordinator at the Center for Grieving Children in Portland. She started her career with the U.S. Pro Ski Tour based in Bath, Maine and is excited to be back in “The City of Ships”. Sara has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Maine at Orono and a M.A. in Communications from Emerson College. We are thrilled to welcome her to the organization.
Kristen McEvoy
Resident Service Coordinator
Kristen joined Bath Housing in April 2019 and brought a real passion for fostering connections. Her background encompasses health care, higher education and non-profit work. Most recently, she served as Manager of Volunteer Resources for Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, supporting volunteers, patients, loved ones and staff with a variety of programs. Kristen also brings years of experience in providing counseling services and outreach programming during her years in Tennessee and Vermont.
Kathy Smith
Resident Service Coordinator
Kathy has a strong commitment to the community and helping improve the lives and living conditions of local people. As a community engager and social services professional, Kathy has a demonstrated history of working in a variety of areas in the non-profit sector. Her professional experiences include providing information and referral services, relationship building, case management, program implementation and evaluation, event management, volunteer management, fundraising, and grant writing. Most recently she has addressed low-income housing issues with Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine. Over the past five years she worked with Harpswell Aging at Home to establish and support their volunteer Home Repairs program and was part of the collaboration with Bath Housing to pilot what is now the successful Comfortably Home Program.
Karl Beane
Maintenance Technician II
Karl Beane joined the Maintenance Team at Bath Housing in May 2009. He is a certified UPCS Inspector. Karl’s past work experience includes three years as a helicopter mechanic for the US Army, ten years at Bath Iron Works as a ship fitter and pipe fitter, and eight years as a maintenance technician at the Highlands.
Terry Layton
Maintenance Technician II
Terry Layton joined Bath Housing in April 2018. Terry served in the US Navy until 1986 where he was a firefighter, plumber and carpenter. Since that time, he has worked in a variety of roles including as a pipefitter, a camp maintenance director, a plumber and carpenter. He was also self-employed as a handyman and carpenter for a number of years.
Jonathan Lucas
Maintenance Technician
Jonathan joined Bath Housing in November 2018. He previously operated J & J Handymen where he sub-contracted for numerous property management companies in the region. He was a certified welder and an HVAC technician and is a certified chairlift technician. He attended courses at New England School of Metalwork and Maine Energy Marketers Association.
Ryan Mack
Maintenance Technician
Ryan joined Bath Housing as a maintenance technician in February 2020. He previously roasted coffee for a local organic roastery, where he was awarded for his hard work and dedication. He also spent numerous years working for Shaw’s and L.L. Bean’s.
Bath Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
Catherine Powers, Chair
West Bath, ME
Term: February 2020
Terry Nordmann, City Council Representative (non-voting)
Bath, ME 04530
Term: Yearly
Pia Neilson
Arrowsic, ME
Term: February 2024
Terrence H. Gray
Bath, ME 04530
Term: February 2022
Mary K. Terry
Woolwich, ME 04530
Term: February 2020
Barbara Gaul
Bath, ME
Term: February 2021
Judy Martin
Bath, ME
Term: February 2023
VACANT – Resident Commissioner
Term: February 2023
Bath Housing Development Corporation Board of Directors
Mary K. Terry, Chair
Woolwich, ME
Catherine Powers, Vice-Chair
West Bath, ME
Nancy Carleton
Woolwich, ME
CR Davis
Woolwich, ME
John Evans
Georgetown, ME
Barbara Gaul
Bath, ME
Jeff Knuckles
Phippsburg, ME
Michelle Rines
Woolwich, ME
Steven Schuchert
Bath, ME
Julie Shea
Georgetown, ME
Nancy Jennings
Bath, ME