Pauline Dion, President – Executive Director
Pauline Dion is a champion of non-profit advancement, having held fundraising chairmanships for a number of organizations including Daylight Children’s Center, American Cancer Society, Little Red Schoolhouse, Williamstown Elementary School, Leukemia Society, Boothbay Region YMCA, Boothbay Region Land Trust, BHYC Junior Program Foundation, Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund, Camp Sunshine, Boothbay Harbor Rendezvous, and the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library. She is currently serving on the boards of Boothbay Region Land Trust, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund, First Radio Parish Church of America/Daily Devotions, Kickstart, and Maine Preservation. A passionate lifelong sailor, Pauline chaired the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Junior Sailing and Tennis programs from 2005 – 2012. Pauline received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (with an emphasis in Adult Oncology) from Salve Regina College, and earned a Masters Degree with an emphasis in Nursing Education from Boston College School of Nursing. She has served as a Clinical Nursing Instructor at several hospitals including St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (Brighton, MA), Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA), and Maine Medical Center (Portland, ME).
Eric Graves, Vice President
Eric Graves is President of Boothbay Harbor Shipyard where he is responsible for Business and Project Management, Design, Estimates, and Customer Relations. Following a passion for the Marine Industry, Eric obtained a Bachelor of Technology degree in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo, and pursued a career as a Marine Engineer and Boat Builder working on everything from systems engineering and computer aided design for Navy destroyers to the hands-on construction of wood composite sailboats. He is the Owner and Principal of Cross Point Yachts, a provider of boat design, construction, and restoration services. The father of three young boys, Eric is an active youth team sports coach, and enjoys sailing, fishing and anything to do with the Ocean.
Bruce Washburn, Co-Treasurer
Bruce grew up on the waters of Narragansett Bay. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan college of engineering with a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Upon graduating he worked as a design engineer at Bath Iron Works, working primarily on commercial ships. In 1977, after a couple of years of working on large ships he co-founded Washburn & Doughty Associates with goal of designing and building high quality offshore fishing vessels and other small commercial vessels. When he retired and handed the reigns to the next generation in 2019 he had designed about ¾ of the 130 boats built by W&D including almost 50 state of the art tug boats. In retirement he looks forward to helping BSSC introduce young people to the ocean and sharing his many experiences working and relaxing on and around the water.
John (Jack) L. French, Co-Treasurer
A Native of Maine, after graduating from Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, Maine, Jack received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine, Orono, Maine. After college, Jack attended the Officer Candidate School of the United States Coast Guard and after being commissioned as an officer in the Coast Guard served aboard ships (primarily ocean station vessels) and in various shore positions. After receiving a Juris Doctorate Degree from the University Of Maine School Of Law, Jack returned to Washington, DC to serve in the Office of General Counsel, Department of the Navy. In 1975, Jack returned to Maine and joined the law firm of Powers and Bradford in Freeport, Maine. (The firm name was later changed to Powers and French.) Jack is presently Of Counsel in that firm but devotes his time primarily to mediation of legal matters. Jack built his first boat, a 16 ft sailboat when he was 15 years old. During high school Jack went lobster fishing. His family had many generations of shipbuilders and his great, grandfather built the Schooner, Lewis R. French(named after his great, great grandfather), which today offers weekly cruises out of Camden, Maine. Since youth, Jack has always owned a sailboat and has made several extensive voyages as well as continuous trips along the coast of Maine.
Nicole Poulton
Dr. Nicole Poulton is a Research Scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and is Director of the J.J. MacIsaac Facility for Aquatic Cytometry, part of the Center for Blue Biotechnology. Nicole’s research is focused primarily on phytoplankton ecology, including harmful algal blooms and the role of phytoplankton in the global carbon cycle. Her research uses unique imaging tools to examine phytoplankton in its natural environment. She received a BS and BA (’93 Biology and ’93 Chemistry) from Virginia Tech and a PhD (2001 Biological Oceanography) from the MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program. She joined Bigelow Laboratory in 2001 as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist and became a Research Scientist in 2008. Nicole is very active in education and outreach at Bigelow Laboratory and directs the Laboratory’s high school Keller BLOOM Program and Professional Development Workshop for Maine Educators. She is a former Science Teacher at the Deck House School, and is President of the Board of Trustees at the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library. Nicole is also a Research Professor at Colby College and teaches part of the Fall Semester-in-residence program for Colby College Students at Bigelow Laboratory.
Edward Roberts
Ed Roberts has spent 25 year career in luxury marine marketing. Having left graduate school in design in the early 80’s after becoming hooked on sailing he started a charter sailing and yacht brokerage business in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Ed left the sailing business to join leading cruising power boat builder Grand Banks for 16 years, leaving as V.P. of Sales and Marketing to join The Hinckley Company of Southwest Harbor, Maine where he served as Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Development before joining America’s oldest boat builder, Hodgdon Shipbuilding in 2010. He is currently a sales and marketing consultant to the luxury marine industry. He remains an avid sailor, design enthusiast and lover of the Maine Coast.
Alison Sirois
Alison has spent the last 21 years as a marine scientist and natural resources manager for the state of Maine. She is the regional manager for the Department of Environmental Protection where she oversees administration of the Natural Resources Protection Act, Site Location Development Law, and Stormwater Management Law for all land and coastal development in the Southern Maine region. Previously, Alison worked for 16 years at the Department of Marine Resources as a scientist in the Bureau of Biomonitoring and Assessment working with the commercial lobster industry and then in the Bureau of Public Health working with the commercial shellfish industry on water quality and pollution related issues. Alison received her BS (Biology and Geology) from the Colorado College and MS (Marine Biology) from the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences. Alison grew up in East Boothbay and returned to Maine in 1998 to pursue a career in marine biology; she continues to be an advocate for all of Maine’s natural resources both on land and at sea. As the newest Board member, she looks forward to getting involved in marine science activities and with assisting the BSSC in providing educational opportunities unique to living and working on the Maine coast.
Russel (Russ) Sirois
Russ is currently employed as a Marketing/Sales Representative for McDermott Light and Signal, a New York based manufacturer of commercial and marine LED lighting products. Active in the community he is the Edgecomb Harbor Master and volunteers as the swim meet Referee at the Boothbay Region YMCA. He has been involved in recreational and commercial boating all of his life. He is a graduate of Boothbay Region High School and Maine Maritime Academy, with a BS in Marine Transportation and Management. He has two children and has lived in Edgecomb with his wife for the past 18 years.
Nathaniel (Nat) Wilson
Nat, a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, is a master sailmaker with extensive knowledge of sailmaking methods and practices that span centuries of sailmaking history. The list of historic sailing vessels and replica vessels that set his sails aloft span over four decades of the sail loft’s operations. Nat is the owner of one of the most historic sail lofts in the country where the intricate work of crafting sails for the schooner fleet lives on. Nat is also a local legend in Maine and is known worldwide for his expansive knowledge of sailmaking and rigging both for traditional and modern vessels. He has been an innovator in the sailing industry, helping to develop the modern ship sail cloth ‘Oceanus’ with North Cloth. Nat raised three sons in East Boothbay who all love to sail and have worked in the loft with their father at one time or another. Nat has watched the growth of the Sea & Science Center programs and activities on the Damariscotta River in full view from his loft. He wanted to be more involved and lend a hand to pass on the experience-based skills to young students at this critical age in their development.
