Kimberly Sampson is an early childhood educator and the Director of the Little House School, located on her family’s farm in Damariscotta. Drawn to the Midcoast for its vibrant sense of community and grounded lifestyle, Kimberly has dedicated herself to fostering meaningful connections between people and their environment.

While she previously served as the Volunteer Coordinator for The Waldo, Kimberly has transitioned into the role of President of the Board. In this capacity, she brings her extensive experience in educational leadership and community building to help guide the theater’s mission. Her vision and enthusiasm are deeply valued by her students, her community, and her colleagues at The Waldo.

Lydia is a clinical social worker and recently served three terms in the Maine Legislature, where she focused on transportation policy that improves community interconnectivity. Lydia is raising her two daughters in a multigenerational home and she values the importance of social connection that spaces like the Waldo provide to community members of all ages. Lydia received her bachelor’s degree from Smith College and her MSW from the University of Maine. 

Chris serves as “Innovator in Residence” for the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center and also as an adjunct associate professor of Marine Sciences for the University of Maine. He teaches courses in aquaculture and shellfish biology at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center. Chris is celebrating over 40 years of farming oysters in the Damariscotta River as a founding partner in the Pemaquid Oyster Company.

​

Chris received his B.A. from Colby College and Ph.D. from the University of Maine. He lives in Waldoboro with his wife, Janet, and they are fortunate to have their two daughters living nearby.

Susan is a writer whose book, Brilliant Disguise, was a finalist for the 2024 Maine Literary Awards in Memoir. Her full-time career began at Rolling Stone magazine when reporters were still throwing typewriters across the office and concluded as a senior communications expert in domestic policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington. She moved to Maine 15 years ago because of her love of the ocean and open space. Doing so proved to be one of the best decisions of her life.

Susan holds degrees from both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Johns Hopkins University. Being part of the Waldo Theater board gives her the opportunity to both give back to the community and take part in the expansion of this cultural institution into ever more exciting endeavors that can entertain, educate, and connect.

Rebecca Cooney is the creator of “Waldoboro Voices,” a website and a column in the Lincoln County News to which she adds to weekly. Taken as a whole, the testimonies make a portrait of Waldoboro as told by the people of Waldoboro, spanning professions, age, geography and income, and touching on all the major issues of our time, with the hope of generating more understanding between us. It was a natural outgrowth of moving permanently to Waldoboro in 2020, after summering with her family for every year of her life because her father’s roots were here. But it was also a natural progression of her professional life, which has included directing the public education for INFORM, an environmental non-profit; being a Clio-winning (TV) art director at Benton & Bowles; working as a New York Times freelance photographer and photo editor; and of organizing around human rights.

When Rebecca started volunteering at The Waldo in 2022, she was struck by a profound sense of home and belonging -- perhaps because she’s a great niece of founder Carroll T. Cooney.  And being there, she has embraced The Waldo’s eclectic selection of music, art and movies.  But along the way, her vision has expanded into one of this theater being a place for everyday expression, a place for the unknown, the quirky, and the surprise.  

In 2024, Rebecca launched The Waldoboro Talent Show, the first talent pageant in almost 50 years.  She held it three days before the election.  It was meant to showcase townspeople’s dreams to perform on that stage, and it filled the house.  Even months later, people said they still felt the fairy dust from that evening.  This is the vision she holds for The Waldo.  

Keith Mestrich is a financial executive, strategic advisor, and nonprofit board leader with more than 30 years of experience working with mission-driven institutions in banking, labor, financial technology, media, and community development.

Keith is a Founding Partner and Managing Director at Percapita, a financial technology company that provides financial services to low- and moderate-income workers through employer benefit platforms. He previously served as President and CEO of Amalgamated Bank, where he led the bank’s return to sustained profitability, expanded its national presence, completed several acquisitions, and took the company public in 2018.

He currently chairs the boards of the National Trust for Local News and the Frances Perkins Center and serves as a director of Carver Bancorp. His other civic and nonprofit leadership roles include the Central Lincoln County YMCA and the Lincoln County Democratic Committee. He also founded the Amalgamated Foundation and continues to advise organizations developing innovative approaches to finance, philanthropy, and social impact.

Earlier in his career, Keith held senior leadership positions with the Service Employees International Union, UNITE, and the AFL-CIO. He is the co-author of Organized Money and a Finance Leaders Fellow of the Aspen Institute.

Keith lives in New Harbor with his wife, Tilney.

Bradly Widener is thrilled to serve on the Board of Directors at the historic Waldo Theatre, bringing over a decade of administrative expertise in both nonprofit and commercial theater.

Most recently, Bradly served as the Director of Operations at the Tony Award-winning Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. In this role, he managed multiple departments and a multimillion dollar budget. During his tenure, two musical productions successfully transferred to Broadway. His previous theater experience also includes serving in a senior staff role at the Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island.

Bradly is the co-owner of Widener Company, an interiors shop and guest cottage in the village of Wiscasset. He lives with his husband, Alexander, and their small dog, Rudy. Bradly is excited to channel his passion for performing arts administration and community building into supporting the Waldo Theatre’s vibrant future.