Bill Beaudoin Board Director Bill is our newest member to our Board of Directors. Bill has been surfing since he was a child, having grown up at Fortunes Rocks Beach. Although Bill is a busy guy, with twin toddlers, he makes time to “drive” our Special Ops chair boards. Bill is VP at Integrated Financial Partners in Waltham, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Saint Anselm’s College. |
Bradley Boutet Volunteer Team Leader – Logistics Brad has been our transportation and equipment Team Leader since 2014. Brad loves to hunt, fish, play hockey… anything competitive. He also loves motors and motor sports. Brad is an all-seasons kind of guy and plans to share these passions with his newest project. His son Beckett. |
Tricia Conley Volunteer Team Leader – Participant Registration Tricia Conley is retired after a career in finance. Carol Landry recruited Trish several years ago and she has been volunteering at the Special Surfer registration table ever since. Trish enjoys interacting with the surfers and focuses on making the process fun and a positive experience. |
Pam Emerson Volunteer Team Leader – Volunteer Registration Pam has been volunteering with Special Surfers since 2014, using her organizational skills to streamline the onsite volunteer registration process. Pam and Nanci have been a team since their days organizing the Special Olympics Beach Volleyball Fundraising Tournaments. Pam worked at Emery Waterhouse for many years as a Senior Buyer and now works as a Ed Tech at Biddeford High School. She is a busy Mom of teenage twins and enjoys attending sports games, reading and spending time at the beach. |
Karen Turner Board Director and Treasurer Karen Turner learned about Special Surfers in 2009 when walking down the beach and seeing the happiness brought to all the surfers during one of their events. She immediately jumped in the water to help volunteer and has continued to support the organization since then. She started serving as co-treasurer for the organization in 2021. Karen practiced as a CPA with KPMG in NYC for several years after graduating from USM with a degree in accounting. Since then, she has volunteered doing hands-on work and served on numerous boards in various capacities in the metro-NYC area and in Maine. She is married and has two adult daughters, who also have volunteered with Special Surfers. She currently resides in NYC and spends summers in Kennebunk. |
Jed Donnelly President, Board of Directors, Volunteer Team Leader – Special Ops Jed Donnelly has been volunteering with Special Surfers since 2014 and has been on the Board of Directors since January of 2018. He lives in the Boston area with his wife and two children, and is a Partner in an executive search firm working in the life sciences. He is a graduate of Colby College and Georgetown University Law Center. |
Jim and Sue Burnell Volunteer Team Leaders – Logistics & Development, Merchandising Jim and Sue Burnell are retired municipal workers. They volunteer for the National Park Service during the winter and reside in Saco during spring summer and fall volunteering for several organizations. They help with logistics, equipment development and merchandising for Special Surfers. |
Heather Ross Volunteer Team Leader Heather Ross - also known as ‘Hedda-K’ has been a devoted volunteer with SS since volunteers were needed! I'm a ‘Wearer of all hats’ who can be found running around on the beach posting live streams of the events, helping out kiddos in the water, making sure everyone gets some SS gear, or whatever else is needed. I love this organization! I truly believe in these kids and the freedom they feel in our boards! I wish we could do it all year round and sincerely, look forward to the 3 events all year long! |
Carol Landry Volunteer Team Leader - Participant Registration Carol Landry is a retired kindergarten teacher. She has directed the Special Surfers registration table for several seasons. She is rewarded many times over by seeing the smiling faces of the surfers and appreciative parents. She is grateful for the dedicated volunteers that help her, especially Tricia Conley! |
Jessica Girard Board of Directors, Volunteer Team Leader - Surf Team Coordinator A native of Kennebunkport, Jessica is active in our community and has been involved in YMCA Volunteer - Fundraising Chair and Competitive Swim Coach, USA Swimming Official and USA Hockey Coach. |
Debbie McAlpine Finance Director, Wave Captain Debbie is a CPA and retired accountant. She lives in London and summers in Kennebunkport. Her children learned to surf at a young and age and after truly catching the bug, they are now instructors. They all volunteer at special surfers either as wave captain or special ops. She now brings her finance experience and organisational skills to the operational side of Special Surfers. |
Tasha Pinkham Board of Directors, Executive Assistant, Secretary Tasha Pinkham is Assistant Director for Special Surfers and the Director of the Parks & Recreation Department for the Town of Kennebunk. She is also a Registered Maine Guide. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and paddle sports with her family and friends. Tasha strives to offer all people opportunities for recreation and improvement of physical and mental well-being, through programs that enhance their quality of life. Tasha can be found wherever there’s a need for someone energetic to help with each Special Surfer Event. |
Hannah Wuerthner Board of Directors Hannah grew up in Southern Maine and the ocean and surfing has been part of her life since she was a little girl. She has been volunteering for Special Surfers since working at Aquaholics at age 14 during her summers. It has always been a favorite and important part of her summer. Hannah joined the board in the summer of 2021 and is excited for the opportunity to be part of such an incredibly impactful organization. Hannah currently works in New Hampshire for a private family and spends her free time enjoying the beautiful ocean and all it has to offer! |
Peter Rush Volunteer Team Leader – Wet Volunteer Safety Advisor Peter Rush lives in South Portland, and has been working in the laboratory of the Portland Water District as an Environmental Scientist for 30 years.(ouch). He has been involved in beach monitoring bacteria early on for what has become the Maine Healthy Beaches Program. Peter is a seasoned surfer and has been volunteering for Special Surfers since 2013. Peter is responsible for the “Safety Briefing” for our Wet Volunteers. |
Stacie Verrill Board of Directors – Parent Advocate Stacie Verrill currently lives in NH with her husband, daughter and 2 dogs. Their favorite family summer activity is spending time out on their pontoon boat and in the winter they enjoy downhill skiing. They also enjoy going for family walks with our dogs. Stacie’s daughter became involved with Special Surfers 6 years ago. She is an Epileptic and non-verbal. Stacie has been part of the Special Surfers Board of Directors for 2 years now and enjoys being part of it for a parent’s perspective. |
Nanci Boutet Founder and Executive Director Nanci Boutet founded Special Surfers in 2003. Being a little “Special” herself, (people liken her to the Energizer Bunny) she understands the importance of fun and inclusion. She loves the sense of community this event fosters and the way these events level the playing field for everyone of every level of ability. It’s a good thing she’s hyperactive, this program takes a lot of energy! Nanci receives the most joy from her happy family and this program. |
Billy Smith Volunteer Team Leader – Special Ops William “Billy” Smith is a retired Police Officer from Midcoast, Maine. Billy has worked in Public Safety for 32 plus years. Starting his career in the Fire Service as a professional Firefighter/Paramedic, Billy spent the last 25 years as a Police Officer. Billy has been a brain tumor survivor since 2012 and enjoys living life to the fullest. When Billy isn’t camping in the Maine North Woods with his partner, Karen-Ann, he’s taking photos, being spontaneous, busting out in song and dance, being service to others and spending quality time with his amazing son Will, and his beautiful daughter Olivia. |
Molly Collin Board of Directors, Operations Physical Therapist Molly has been a volunteer for ten summers and joined the board in 2019. In 2014, her daughter, Anneliese, seven at the time, joined her as a wave captain assistant and they have been teaming up ever since. Though Molly is technically the captain, she feels she takes more of the assistant role these days as the kids gravitate to the calm and likes of Anneliese, now 14. Molly is a seasoned physical therapist with over 22 years of experience working in a variety of settings throughout southern Maine, treating both adults and children. She is an adjunct faculty member at the University of New England and is a certified yoga teacher. Molly lives in Portland with her husband and two daughters who keep busy with a myriad of outdoor activities. |
Susie Winstanley Volunteer Team Leader – Participant Registration, Fundraising Susie Winstanley has a psychology degree from Williams College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She has had a career in marketing and strategic planning for Fortune 500 companies and is now raising her children. She has served on several boards and has focused her volunteer efforts around working with underserved inner-city youth. Most recently she is working as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care. She recently served as Commodore/President of the Kennebunk River Club. Volunteering with Special Surfers has been a gift for her entire family. |
