Sandstrom caps 27-year career
PRESQUE ISLE — The Aroostook County Action Program, Inc. (ACAP) Board of Directors has announced the retirement of Connie Sandstrom, executive director.
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| Sandstrom |
Sandstrom has been with ACAP since 1988 and has served as its Executive Director since 1995.
“Each year ACAP assists nearly 14,000 of our most vulnerable citizens in Aroostook County,” explained Stephen Richard, ACAP board chair. “For 20 years, Connie Sandstrom has led ACAP through many opportunities and challenges. Each decision has been made with careful thought and consideration regarding ACAP’s ability to help our clients achieve greater economic independence.”
As a tireless advocate for low-income neighbors and friends, Sandstrom became a Certified Community Action Professional (CCAP) in 2012. She has served on a number of local and state boards and advisory committees, including the Maine Community Action Association, Northern Maine Community College Foundation, Community Care, Aroostook Regional Transportation System, Grace Interfaith Food Table and Eastern Maine HomeCare, and is the current board chair for Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF). She is also a member of Kiwanis.
Sandstrom looks forward to having a more relaxed schedule to enjoy her family and to travel. She will retire this fall when her replacement, Jason Parent, joins ACAP.
For 43 years ACAP has provided services and resources that help individuals and families achieve greater economic independence and has responded to needs in the areas of community, family, energy and housing and workforce development.
Parent to take helm
The Aroostook County Action Program Board of Directors is pleased to announce that it has named Jason Parent of Caribou as the new executive director/CEO.
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| Parent |
“We had an excellent pool of candidates apply from within the State of Maine and also from out of state,” shares Steve Richard, ACAP Board Chair. “The board is delighted that it could appoint a strong candidate from right here in Aroostook County. We believe Jason’s progressive leadership roles and community involvement will be a great asset to ACAP and the people it serves.”
Parent, a native of the St. John Valley, is most recently the director of advancement for The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC). Previous roles include director of development and college relations and executive director of the NMCC Foundation and Alumni Association at Northern Maine Community College; and director of university relations, University of Maine at Fort Kent.
He is also a part-time instructor for Husson University, teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in communication, management and organizational policy and strategy.
He currently serves on the boards of Aroostook Aspirations Initiative; Leaders Encouraging Aroostook Development (LEAD); Presque Isle Rotary Club; and United Way of Aroostook – Northern Star Project. He has also been a key volunteer with several national and international Nordic Ski and Biathlon events held in the region, serving in lead press and promotion and cultural event roles.
“I am so pleased and excited to join the ACAP family,” Parent said. “The board of directors, leadership team and entire staff are clearly committed to make life better for the people of Aroostook County.
“ACAP’s outstanding reputation, coupled with its County-wide presence and wide range of much needed services, uniquely positions it as a leading voice in the effort to advance The County and our most valuable resource – our people. I am honored to have the opportunity to build upon this impressive legacy.”
Parent earned a master of science in Business Degree from Husson University in 2008. He earned his bachelor of arts in communication from the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 1996. In addition, he is a 2013 graduate of the Advisory Board Healthcare Leadership Academy and a 2010 graduate of the Maine Development Foundation’s Leadership Maine Program.
He will begin his duties on October 5.
