Our Team
People have been living, working and fishing in and around the waters of Downeast Maine for centuries. Today we are proud to help caretake that legacy.
Dwayne Shaw, Executive Director
Dwayne Shaw is Executive Director of the Downeast Salmon Federation, where he has led the development of the Federation’s fisheries and land conservation programs since 1989, beginning with the removal of the Pleasant River dam and the renovation of the facility as a hatchery and fisheries research center in Columbia Falls.
In 2000 he led the removal of the East Machias River dam and received the National Coastal America Partnership Award from President George W. Bush. The East Machias site is now home to DSF’s Peter Gray Hatchery for the restoration of Atlantic salmon.
Dwayne was also one of three recipients of the prestigious Gulf of Maine Visionary awards in 2016. The Visionary Award recognizes the recipient’s commitment to protect, enhance, and restore the ecosystem of the Gulf of Maine region and to safeguard and improve the well-being of the communities that depend on its resources.
Carla Ganiel, Chief of Staff
Carla Ganiel is a strategy, evaluation, and learning professional with two decades of experience helping mission-driven organizations learn, adapt, and create lasting impact. She was born and raised in Downeast Maine and spent her youth raking blueberries, building treehouses behind the family home, and keeping her father company in his carpentry workshop where he kept her entertained with his fishing and trapping stories. After years working nationally with foundations, nonprofits, and public agencies, she returned home to be closer to family. She spends her free time reading, hiking, and traveling.
Ashleigh Tucker Pollock, Director of Development & Communications
Ashleigh joins Downeast Salmon Federation from coastal New Hampshire where she served for nonprofits in the arts industry including roles in executive leadership, fundraising, operations, and human resources.
Growing up spending summers at her family’s camp on Beddington Lake, Ashleigh is excited to officially be in Maine close to her family and exploring the beauty of Washington County and beyond.
In her free time, Ashleigh enjoys gravel cycling, reading and spending time with her husband and pup, Zeke.
Email Ashleigh
Michael Manning, Fisheries Biologist
Michael joined DSF as their Fisheries Biologist in the spring of 2022 after completing his MSc in Fisheries Science at Oregon State University. His work covers a wide range of areas, including habitat restoration, species-specific research, and monitoring. By combining his experience from a previous career in the fire service & emergency management with an education in fisheries science & management, he brings a mitigation-focused approach to environmental issues. He strongly believes that realistic, workable solutions to environmental problems can be found when stakeholders work together towards common goals.
He has undergraduate degrees in emergency management (University of Richmond) and fisheries & wildlife science (Oregon State University). His graduate work focused on modeling the risk of hybridization occurrence between native and introduced salmonids based on physical stream characteristics, combined with species habitat use and distribution. The results of his graduate work, “Assessing Hybridization Risk Between ESA-Listed Native Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and Introduced Brook Trout (S. fontinalis) Using Habitat Modeling” were published in Frontiers In Environmental Science in March, 2022, and have presented at national and international conferences. He also has experience working for the US Forest Service as a Biological Field Technician (Aquatics) and as a Naturalist Intern at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Virginia.
Originally from Vermont, he and his wife Kathy (originally from Rhode Island) are happy to be back in New England with their three dogs: Pia & Primy the Pugs, and Nebi the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. When not at work he enjoys working on their 200 year-old home, outdoor activities, and spends much of his time volunteering with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, a program that uses fly fishing and related activities to help veterans heal from service related trauma.
“Be curious, and however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” ~Stephen Hawking
Sara Williams, Land Trust Manager
Sara Williams joins the Downeast Salmon Federation as the Land Trust Coordinator after working for the US Fish and Wildlife Service for 25 years. After graduating from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s in wildlife science, her career as a wildlife biologist took her to coastal National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia, Connecticut, and Maine where she specialized in colonial nesting bird management and seabird research. She brings a wealth of experience managing and monitoring habitats, including non-native invasive plants.
Sara has lived Downeast for 15 years and is proud to call Cherryfield home. She enjoys nearly all outdoor activities and looks forward to fostering a connection between the beautiful DSF lands and local communities.
Meagan Stanhope, Hatchery Manager
Meagan has been connected to the Peter Gray Hatchery since 2013, working with us during her studies at the University of Maine at Machias (UMM). Her early contributions to our rearing process laid the groundwork for many of our successes. Meagan is now an alumnus of UMM with a degree in Environmental Studies and is currently enrolled at Washington County Community College in the Aquaculture Technology program.
After earning her Environmental Studies degree in 2019, Meagan pursued a career in aquaculture before returning to us, bringing valuable expertise and commitment to our growing program.
Michelle Wright, Finance Manager
Michelle joined the DSF team in January 2016 and has over 25 years of bookkeeping experience.
She has a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting & Management from the University of Maine at Machias.
She resides in Addison along the Pleasant River.
Claire Bailey, Community Engagement Specialist
Claire Bailey is excited to join the Downeast Salmon Federation as the Community Engagement Specialist. Claire graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2020 with a bachelor’s in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a master’s in Conservation and Biodiversity, and she has experience working with both nonprofits and federal agencies doing public engagement and community-based education. She fell in love with Maine after spending summers in Acadia and moved to Bar Harbor shortly after graduation. She is excited to join the team and help promote education and community involvement in the restoration of critical salt marsh habitat in Downeast tidal rivers.
In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, bicycling, and kayaking, in addition to gardening and volunteering with local food security organizations.
Ben Huott, Assistant Hatchery Manager
Ben Huott grew up fly fishing, rock climbing, and hiking in the woods of Rhode Island. Motivated by experiences in the wilderness, he pursued studies in Animal and Veterinary Science and received a Bachelor’s degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science from the University of Rhode Island in spring of 2023. At URI, Ben worked under professors to rear Rainbow Trout and hatch Mahi, running challenges and manipulating feed/water parameters to study biological responses.
He is looking forward to furthering his knowledge of hatchery management, all while taking in all the experiences that Maine has to offer!
Ellie Mason, Habitat Restoration Project Manager
Ellie grew up on Mount Desert Island where she spent her early years exploring the granite mountains and turning over rocks in the intertidal zone. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Smith College and a Masters in Marine and Environmental Affairs from the University of Washington where her research focused on the adaptive capacity of fisheries in response to climate change in the Gulf of Maine.
Ellie has professional experience as an environmental educator, field technician in coastal and stream habitat monitoring, and most recently worked as a policy analyst for the Makah Tribe in Western Washington as a Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellow. In this role, she worked to protect and advance the Makah Tribe’s treaty rights by engaging in state and federal policy processes, partnering on projects with various agencies, and supporting Tribal projects such as derelict vessel removal and habitat restoration. She is excited to return to Maine and join DSF as the habitat restoration program manager and reconnect with the coasts and rivers she grew up on.
John DiMartino, Jr., Project Manager – West Branch of the Pleasant River
John is alumnus of The City College of New York where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering. John worked for 23 years as a Project Manager for the USEPA in New York City managing the clean-up of federal hazardous waste sites in New York State. He was also part of Emergency Response actions during his tenure at EPA, including working on Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, and Maria clean-up efforts as wells as EPA’s World Trade Center Response and Recovery operations in the aftermath of 9-11.
John fell in love with Downeast Maine while participating in an Artist-in-Residency at the Tides Institute in Eastport in 2021, eventually relocating here permanently in Winter 2023. John is the President of the Board at the non-profit Lubec Landmarks and is leading the preservation efforts of the McCurdy Smokehouse Complex in Lubec. When not practicing large-format photography making tintypes, you can find John hiking the many trails along the Bold Coast. John looks forward to the challenge of working with DSF and local stakeholders on the restoration of the salt marsh on the West Branch of the Pleasant River.
John lives with his partner and their family in Lubec, Maine.
Alice Hotopp, Fisheries Assessment and Science Communication Specialist
Alice is dedicated to protecting Maine’s threatened species through conservation and storytelling. She holds a PhD in Ecology and Environmental Science from the University of Maine, where her dissertation focused on adaptation in tidal marsh sparrows. She studied population genetics of North American river otters for her Master’s degree at Frostburg State University.
In addition to her scientific work, Alice is a communicator. Her creative nonfiction explores the intersection of people, place, and the natural world, and has appeared in publications such as Five Minutes, Spire: The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability, and on the Maine Public Radio program Poems from Here.
At Downeast Salmon Federation, Alice blends population monitoring with public engagement to support the recovery of Atlantic salmon and other sea-run fish in the Narraguagus River.
Jillian Howell, Midcoast Project Manager
Jill joined Downeast Salmon Federation as a project manager in August 2025 with more than a decade of experience in the environmental field. Jill grew up just outside of Boston, and attended Colby College where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Global Studies. After graduating, Jill worked as project scientist at ATC Group Services, an environmental and engineering consulting firm in Massachusetts, where she conducted various types of environmental sampling programs, and environmental site assessments, and oversaw remediation projects. She later received a Masters of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and since has worked at environmental non-profits dedicated to monitoring and protecting waterways. She was the Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper for Sound Rivers in eastern North Carolina where she monitored and addressed pollution sources impacting the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River watersheds. Most recently, Jill was Upstream Watch’s first Executive Director, launching Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper based in Belfast, Maine.
Jill lives in Belfast with her pup Miller, and enjoys spending time paddling on the ponds, lakes, and rivers of the Penobscot Bay watershed.
Jordan Newcomer, Executive Assistant
Jordan joins Downeast Salmon Federation from Pennsylvania, where she spent the past ten years working in healthcare. She holds a B.S. in English with a minor in Biology from California University of Pennsylvania.
Originally from Pennsylvania, Jordan now lives in Harrington. In her free time, she enjoys biking in Acadia with her husband, Tyrell, cooking, and reading by the ocean.
Madeleine Jackson, Hatchery Technician
Madeleine graduated from the University of Maine at Machias with a B.S. in Marine Biology with a concentration in Coastal Conservation. Originally from Delaware, she came to Downeast Maine for school and quickly fell in love with the region’s rivers, coastlines, and strong sense of community. She previously worked with Downeast Salmon Federation in both hatchery and research roles during her summer breaks. Her recent research focused on infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) and the development of monitoring protocols to support Atlantic salmon conservation in the East Machias River watershed.
Madeleine is passionate about community involvement and spends much of her time volunteering with local organizations and community members throughout Downeast Maine. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, creating art, and spending time outdoors.
Nathan Dorn, Land Trust Planner
Nathan joins Downeast Salmon Federation as the Land Trust Planner, bringing a strong background in biology, aquatic ecology, and conservation. Originally from Wisconsin, he developed an early appreciation for natural landscapes and the importance of protecting forests, rivers, and coastal ecosystems.
Nathan earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and has held aquatic ecology positions in Illinois, Utah, and Maine. He later completed a Master of Science in Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington before returning to Downeast Maine, where he is excited to contribute to the conservation and stewardship of the region’s unique natural resources.
Outside of work, Nathan enjoys hiking and camping with his wife, Naomi, and their two dogs.
Nate Siebert, Land Trust Stewardship & Volunteer Manager
Nate grew up in central Iowa, often found near rivers hunting, fishing, and trapping. He took his first job in conservation at 17 restoring tallgrass prairies and wetlands. This restoration work sparked his interest in natural resources which led him to study at Iowa State University.
After graduating with a Bachelors in Forestry, Nate spent 12 years with federal land management agencies gaining experience in recreation, ecosystem, volunteer, and flood risk management.
Most of his career was spent in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest with little aspiration to travel east of the Mississippi River. This changed when his partner, now wife, took him to the Northeast to visit her family. Instantly hooked on the area, it took little convincing to uproot from Washington and move to Maine. Nate and his family live in Milbridge and spend most of their time gardening, preserving food, and restoring their Victorian home. Nate is excited to be working for Downeast Salmon Federation and becoming more involved with the community. He is still often found near rivers and finds joy in the outdoors every day.