Deborah Charest Email & Phone Number

Lewiston, Me, Us

Lewiston/Auburn, Maine Area

Lake Auburn, Maine

Auburn, Maine

As Conservation Director for the accredited land trust, I was responsible for coordinating and managing all stewardship, outreach, and administrative responsibilities for the organization. As the only staff member, I reported to the 15-member Board of Directors. Major responsibilities included the general management of the stewardship needs that are associated with the more than 5,000 acres of land that ALT conserves either through ownership or conservation easement. Included in stewardship responsibilities is the oversight of the 50 member volunteer steward program. I maintained and managed communication with landowners, volunteers, and other stakeholders. I supported the Board’s development efforts, including the distribution of mailings, maintenance of donor database, and submission of grant applications. Additionally I coordinated and supported ALT recreation and education events throughout the year.

Freeport, Maine

At Wolfe's Neck Farm I assisted in educating children from surrounding schools that ranged in age from preschool through high school. The position was part time and seasonal, and the setting was an outdoor classroom with hands-on activities such as tide pool exploration, birding, gardening, and learning about farm animals in the barn. Major topics covered included marine ecology, salt marsh ecology, forest ecology, sustainable agriculture, and life cycles, just to name a few.

Brunswick, Maine

At the Maine chapter of The Nature Conservancy, my internship responsibilities included updating and digitizing the Management Plans for many of their 70+ Maine preserves. Updating The Nature Conservancy's Management Plans required me to assess and interpret Maine's Beginning with Habitat and Maine's Natural Resources Inventory data and then draft the ecological information sections of the management plan also making recommendations on field assessment needs based on this data. I created boundary, human use, ecological features, landscape context, and soils GIS maps. I also gained exposure to conservation easements and notices of grant agreements. Some field work included assessing preserves for correctness of surveyed boundary markers, proper signage, invasive species, proper trail use, and other notable ecological concerns.

Lewiston/Auburn, Maine Area

Throughout my employment with TD Bank I held several positions within the Statement Services department. Each of the positions involved working in a high production environment and required a strong attention to detail and effective time management skills. The job required me to be flexible and work under stressful deadlines, which at times could be difficult because of the heavy reliance of machinery. Minor repairs and maintenance to machinery were also a responsibility as well as working with vendors and equipment mechanics. For several years I gained management experience while supervising the department of Statement Rendering. My responsibilities included managing a team of seven employees and performing interviews and evaluations. I was also responsible for tracking a number of data and producing daily, monthly, and annual reports, which I reported to higher management.