Our Team

cvirgilio@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 102

A citizen of the Penobscot Nation, Charlene joined FDDC in January 2019 as its first Community Development Program Manager. In 2020, she was promoted to the Director of Operations and is responsible for managing FDDC’s Programs and Operations, Building Organizational Capacity, Marketing and Portfolio Growth. Prior to FDDC, Charlene worked 37-years with International Business Machines, where she held several management roles and led transformational projects. She also served on the Penobscot Tribal Council for eight years. Charlene enjoys hiking, skiing and boating.

mlewis@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 109

Matthew is a citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik with comprehensive expertise in non-profit sectors and community development financial institutions. He is the Director of Operations at Four Directions Development Corporation. In this role, Matthew champions the preservation of Wabanaki culture and traditions through economic development efforts. Matthew has over a decade of experience working alongside Municipal, State, Tribal, and Federal Governments administering revolving loan funds and executing community development projects. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys crafting intricate Excel formulas, tinkering with electronics to automate household tasks, and exploring the scenic Maine woods with his wife.

jdellipaoli@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 103

Jacques is the Community Development Program Manager. He works with the tribal communities in Maine to improve their economic development initiatives. Jacques’ program supports the advancement of Tribal Sovereignty and economic prosperity while strengthening communities. Jacques holds a Masters of Science Degree in Management from Stevens Institute of Technology located in Hoboken, NJ and an undergraduate degree in Economics from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. Jacques enjoys sailing and horseback riding in his free-time.

adavis@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 105

Armanda joined FDDC in February of 2024 as the Native Arts and Cultural Tourism Program Manager. She has a strong background in Hospitality & Tourism in Maine with over 20 years of experience across various sectors of the industry including: restaurants and catering, lodging, tour operation, travel planning, as well as the airline industry.

She graduated from Eastern Maine Community College with a degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management and was awarded both the Concierge Award and the Excellence in Technology Award. She has also earned several professional certificates from various institutions, including The Travel Institute and The Hotel & Lodging Association, and is currently enrolled in a George Washington University certification program.

Armanda has been immersed in small business culture her whole life. She has a passion for travel & tourism and its ability to educate and open minds. She is eager to support the Wabanaki communities through her work in Cultural Tourism at FDDC. Armanda enjoys spending time with her son, adventuring around the state, and spending lake days with her family chasing sunsets from the bow of the boat.

pthomas@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 106

Preston, a Navajo tribal member, is the Small Business Program Manager and oversees Four Directions’ small business program, which includes business lending and small business counseling. He also runs the APEX Accelerators program which works with Native businesses and Tribal Enterprises throughout Maine to win government contracts. Preston brings diverse experience to FDDC. He began with the first national American Indian APEX in the Southwest, NCAIED. He also served as the Director of Business Development for Native American Public Television, now Vision Makers Media, which was one of the first companies to provide internet broadcasting and pioneered the first Native Call-In Radio Show. He also worked to develop the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Arizona. Preston became the CEO of Ho-Chunk, Inc.’s IT subsidiary, All Native Systems, a tribal 8(a) enterprise. Preston moved from Arizona to Maine in 2021 and enjoys working out and playing golf.

swoog@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 104

Sarah is the Grants Manager and started with FDDC in January of 2023. Sarah comes to FDDC from a career in education, during which she served in various teaching and leadership roles in tribal and public schools, higher education, non-profits, and in government. Sarah has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and American Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Maine at Orono. Sarah brings to her work a passion for serving tribal communities and diverse experiences in grants management and program design. She believes deeply in FDDC’s mission and is excited to work daily towards it. Sarah enjoys spending time with her daughter Maddy and their dog Sherman. She is also the assistant coach of her six-year-old nephew’s basketball team.

kmiller@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 101

Kim has been with FDDC since 2018 and is now the Office Manager. She assists the organization in a variety of daily duties including scheduling, bookkeeping, and greeting new clients. Kim grew up in Aroostook County and loves the state of Maine. Prior to FDDC, Kim had 19 years of experience running her family-owned plumbing & heating business. She brings over 25 years of Customer Service experience to her role here at FDDC. Kim likes to go bowling and camping with her kids and grandkids.

pburington@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 107

Pat serves as FDDC’s Housing Loan Officer. Pat processes residential loans from inception to closing. She also provides administrative support and escrow reviews for FDDC’s Community Development, Small Business, and Residential Lending programs. Pat is on her 3^rd year as an Advanced Preparer and Site Coordinator for the Financial Capabilities’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.  She has earned multiple certifications including her NMLS License #1819633 and HUD Certified Housing Counselor certification.  With dedication and passion, she continues to strive for all Native Americans to have safe, affordable housing. Pat is an avid wood-worker and enjoys scrapbooking.

cwaite@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 522-7258

Chris Waite serves as FDDC’s Tribal Broadband Consultant. With over 20 years of experience in the broadband industry, he brings a lot to the table, holding roles in system maintenance along with fiber optic construction and engineering. Additionally, Chris is the owner of a small fiber construction company and an architectural digital twin creation firm. Chris grew up in Maine, traveling along the east coast where he lived on the eastern shore of Maryland for some time during his early adult years. He returned to Maine later in life where he currently resides in Bowdoinham. Outside of the office, he spends his time being an entrepreneur, hiking, and working with tractors and landscaping. Chris also enjoys spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and their yellow lab, along with his five adult children and two grandchildren.

rmaynard@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 110

Rebecca Maynard is our Financial Capabilities Coordinator. Rebecca has a BS in Library and Information Sciences. She also has a background with the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAF), which helped provide relief to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. During her time with HAF, Rebecca found her passion in helping people get the resources they need to make their lives better. She joined Four Directions with the goal of helping those in need through education about smart financial decisions to ensure financial stability. In Rebecca’s free time, she enjoys soap-making, sewing, and all forms of crafting.

sbruni@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545 ext. 112

Stephani started at FDDC in a temporary Office Assistant role and is now a permanent member of the team as Program Administrator. Stephani provides clerical support to all FDDC programs from paper to digital files, inventory of records and client support. She brings a diverse background of experience to the FDDC team, from managing records for a 250-person deployable team while serving in the US Air Force, to creating and managing plans and programs for people with disabilities. When not at work, Stephani enjoys creating from quilts to decorating cookies, and the wonders the Maine outdoors has to offer.

adana@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545

Andrew is a citizen of the Penobscot Nation and grew up on the Penobscot Reservation on Indian Island, Maine. Andrew was previously employed by the Penobscot Nation for over 13 years where he held multiple positions; the most recent position being the Nation’s Director of Finance. He has over a decade of experience in administering federal grants and contracts with specific knowledge of budgeting, financial reporting, and compliance. Andrew became the Director of Finance at Four Directions Development Corporation in 2023 and leads all day-to-day finance operations, supports compliance functions, and has overall responsibility for accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll. In his personal life, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with family.

dlester@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545

Desiree Nicole Lester serves as FDDC’s Co-op Navigator Fellow. This fellowship is a three-year program started by the Cooperative Fund of the Northeast, in which FDDC’s partnership will work to amplify community-owned economic development and solutions. Desiree manages startups and initiatives from Maine to DC. She has dedicated over 10,000 hours to community organizing and meditation. Desiree incorporated her first LLC, The Artist Assignment, in August 2022. She is also a healthcare practitioner at Good Medicine Collective in Portland. Desiree grew up in Maine, loves living by the ocean, and even enjoys winter surfing.

cwynn@fourdirectionsmaine.org | (207) 866-6545

As the newest Economic Recovery Corps Fellow, Courtney is excited to help incubate and develop small businesses in tribal communities while helping them generate jobs and build generational wealth so they can continue to live and work in their tribal communities. Having grown up in a small, rural, and marginalized community herself where good jobs required a significant commute, she aspires to build up and enrich communities so residents don’t have to resort to moving away.