Core Staff
First Light is driven by a wide community, including many volunteers. The core staff team have full time responsibilities to First Light and to the Wabanaki Commission and work with the many other members of First Light to achieve our collective goals. We seek to experiment with and model shifts in “business as usual” organizational practices, so we are moving deliberately to a shared leadership model where decisions are shared by the core staff team. You are welcome to contact any staff if you have a specific project.
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Brett Ciccotelli
he/him
Core Staff Member on Returning
Brett works closely with the Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship and First Light organizations in their shared goal of growing land ownership and access for Wabanaki Communities.
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Ellie Oldach
she/her
Core Staff Member on Relearning
Ellie works with non-native and Wabanaki partners to develop workshops, gatherings, and Learning Journeys, creating space for dialogue and building our collective sense of what's possible in this work.
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Peter Forbes
he/him
Core Staff Member on Recentering
Peter is accountable to Wabanaki people and institutions to ensure that First Light’s work centers Wabanaki voice, their direction, and upholds the values we set out.
New Learning Journey Staff
Staff members at New Learning Journey (First Light's parent 501c3) make all our work possible.
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Savitri Bhagavati
she/her
Business Manager
Savitri is the Business Manager for New Learning Journey, the 501(c)(3) fiscal agent of First Light, and ensures that all organizational and financial infrastructure is operating smoothly to support First Light's work.
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Axandra Boselli
she/her
Project Manager
Axandra supports programming, development, and events for all of New Learning Journey's work.
First Light Catalysts
Catalysts carry specific leadership roles within First Light, while also holding responsibilities to their home organizations. We use the term catalyst to convey our intention to create connections and learning, but not to control outcomes. The roles of catalysts have evolved over time to share power with and take direction from the Wabanaki Commission in their work to organize and support the First Light community.
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Sarah Alexander
she/her
Catalyst for Food Sovereignty Working Group
Sarah brings expertise in food systems to leading the projects of the Food Sovereignty Working Group in partnership with Wabanaki communities.
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Ethan Miller
he/him
Catalyst for the Wabanaki Self-Determination Fund
Ethan facilitates the working group developing a fund from non-native sources to be held and administered by the Wabanaki Commission to serve Wabanaki relationship to land.
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Lokotah Sanborn
he/him
Catalyst for Wabanaki Youth Leadership
Lokotah brings his experience as an organizer, artist, and Bomazeen Land Trust board member to First Light’s efforts to connect with the next generation of Wabanaki leaders. He is working to convene Wabanaki youth to collectively envision the future of Wabanaki land relationships.
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Ciona Ulbrich
she/her
Catalyst for Cultural Access Tools
Ciona supports work with Wabanaki communities to ensure cultural access to conserved lands.
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Doug Welch
he/him
Catalyst for Island Access Working Group
Doug leads the Island Access Working Group in an effort to increase Wabanaki access to the islands of Maine.
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Kara Wooldrik
she/her
Catalyst for the First Light Community
Kara supports First Light organizations as they make a variety of internal transformations to work more fully in Wabanaki solidarity.
Previous Staff & Catalysts
Many people have helped build First Light. We are grateful to the staff members & catalysts who are in different roles now, but helped us get to where we are.
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Ella McDonald
she/her
Program Manager
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Lauren Brady
she/her
Development Assistant
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Ashley Bahlkow
Story Catalyst