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Distance Education Team

Deans

Dr. Kelly Boyer Ontl is the Dean of Graduate Studies. Dr. Boyer Ontl has been working in the field of primatology and wildlife conservation for 20 years. Her diverse background includes working as a primate keeper at the Houston Zoo, caring for orphaned chimpanzees at a West African sanctuary, researching wild chimpanzees in Senegal, and serving in faculty roles at Michigan Technological University and Ball State University. Her time in West Africa fueled her to pursue her graduate degrees and to establish the Falémé Chimpanzee Conservation project, an outreach program that promoted chimpanzee conservation through education, stakeholder collaboration, and ecological research. Her area of expertise focuses on the ecology and behavior of chimpanzees in southeastern Senegal using indirect and non-invasive methods. Her research has explored how chimpanzees adapt to the hot savanna environment by using caves as microrefugia to escape the heat, as well as studying the impacts of human activities, specifically small-scale gold mining, on chimpanzees and their behavior. Her research has been featured in the New York Times Science section and on Smithsonian.com. She received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and M.A. in Anthropology from Iowa State University, and a B.A. in Animal Behavior from Franklin and Marshall College.

Dr. Jennifer Cartier is the Dean of Sustainability Studies. Prior to joining the faculty at Unity College, Dr. Cartier was the Director of Teacher Education and a Science Education faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh where she was recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Teaching and the Carnegie Science Foundation Excellence Award for University/Post-Secondary Education. Dr. Cartier has published research exploring the relationships between science teachers’ professional identities, instructional materials, school contexts, and the enacted curriculum. Her work has been published in a variety of professional journals, including School Science and MathematicsScience and Children, and Science and Education. Dr. Cartier co-authored the chapter Developing Understanding Through Model-Based Inquiry in the seminal NRC publication How Students Learn (2005) and Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Task-Based Discussions in Science (2013). Throughout her career, she has been awarded more than $7M in grants to support science education research and curriculum development. Since joining the faculty at Unity College in 2014, Dr. Cartier has enjoyed teaching a variety of courses related to pedagogy, learning, the socio-politics of education, and sustainability. Dr. Cartier is thankful that her career has brought her back to her native state of Maine after more than two decades of work in academia in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and enjoys spending time with her extended family and searching for sea glass on beach walks whenever she can.

Dr. Cartier received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her B.A. in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Williams College.

Dr. Jeff Marlett is the Associate Dean of Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences. 

Dr. Jeffrey Marlett enjoys working with both faculty and students to pursue transformative education. He comes to Unity College with over twenty-five years of administrative and faculty experience. At The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, he taught courses in American Studies, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. From 2017 to 2019 he served as the interim Dean of Art and Humanities at Saint Rose, overseeing seventy faculty in seven departments. He has also developed and taught online graduate courses for St. Joseph’s College of Maine. 
Author of Saving the Heartland (2002), a study of Catholic responses to the Dust Bowl and other agricultural crises, Dr. Marlett has published book chapters and journal articles in American Catholic studies ranging from ethics to sports and movies. Currently he is working on a biography of Leo Durocher, the baseball manager who coined the phrase “nice guys finish last.”
An avid hiker and paddler, he looks forward to enjoying all of Maine’s outdoor activities, especially pestering the state’s fish with his poor fly-fishing casts. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wabash College, a Master’s from Vanderbilt University, and his PhD from Saint Louis University.

Dr. Rita Peachey is the Associate Dean of Environmental Conservation and Research. 

Dr. Peachey is a Marine Scientist and non-profit executive that continues to love to learn about the ocean. Through a broad variety of research, teaching, and running high-impact science programs overseas, Dr. Peachey has promoted the understanding and conservation of the marine environment. Raised in Pennsylvania, she studied at Juniata College, then moved to the University of South Florida, where she obtained a BS and MS. After working as a marine ecologist in Hawaii, she accepted a fellowship from the University of South Alabama and completed her PhD in Marine Science. She embraces the future by supporting Unity College student access to Distance Education!

Highlights of her career include serving as Director of CIEE Research Station Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands. Other executive experience includes serving as the Executive Director of the Association of Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean, Assistant Department Head at Pensacola State College, and Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Technology Bonaire.  She has conducted research on coral reefs, toxicology of hydrocarbon pollution and sunlight on marine organisms, fish feeding ecology, mass transfer of nutrients to coral reefs and seagrasses, the invasive lionfish, the effect of mangrove nursery location on rainbow parrotfish distribution, the behavior of tube-dwelling copepods on seagrasses and sixty-six undergraduate independent research projects on coral reef ecology.


Full-time Faculty

Dr. Brent Bibles is a Distance Education Professor of Wildlife Biology. He received a Ph.D. and M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from the University of Arizona and BS in Fisheries and Wildlife from Utah State. Brent has been involved in wildlife management since the 1980’s and is a well-respected expert in the field. Besides working in academia, he has worked for state wildlife and federal land management agencies. He is primarily an ornithologist but works with all taxa. He has worked with several threatened or endangered species, most recently the Mexican Spotted Owls and black-footed ferrets.

Dr. Bibles is an excellent teacher and works at delivering courses using question-driven instruction. His contribution to the Sustainable Natural Resource Management track of the MS in Professional Science is to add his management experience, quantitative abilities, and student-focused teaching style to the curriculum.

Dr. Bruce Brazell

Dr. Bruce Brazell is a Baccalaureate Associate Professor of Practice of Mathematics. Dr. Bruce Brazell’s earliest childhood memories are of the Apollo moon landings. The thrill and excitement of those days stayed with him over the years and influenced his career path to go into the sciences. He earned a BS and MS in physics and an Ed.D. in Higher Education (focusing on science education). After a brief stint working in an observatory, Dr. Brazell followed the education path initially working as a high school physics teacher then progressing into the role of college physics and astronomy professor. Afterwards, served as a dean for a national university for many years. Dr. Brazell’s publication experience includes physics preparation books for Kaplan, teaching certification materials for ABCTE, study guides and test items for state science standards exams, book reviews, and contributions to the Astronomy Education Review. Dr. Brazell and his wife have been together for over three decades and successfully raised five children. Outside the classroom, he enjoys stargazing with his telescopes, amateur archeology activities, and fishing.

Tanya Lubansky Unity Faculty

Dr. Tanya Lubansky is the Baccalaureate Assistant Professor of Marine Biology and Sustainable Aquaculture. Tanya holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences at Wheaton College and has professional experiences working with universities, national parks, and environmental nonprofits. Tanya completed her PhD in Ecology and Evolution in 2015 in the Federated Department of Biology of New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University, with research quantifying individual movement behavior and social networks of humpback whales within the Gulf of Maine. Tanya is currently a Research Associate with Allied Whale, a nonprofit organization within College of the Atlantic of Bar Harbor, ME. She has worked with Allied Whale for over a decade completing marine mammal research and coordinating intern programming. Tanya also has extensive experience in managing the logistics and operation of a remote offshore research station. Through her experiences, Tanya developed a clear passion for education. She has focused much of her professional career on bringing her enthusiasm and skillset to diverse learning platforms, from working with tourists on whale watch vessels to mentoring high school student research and now to the new frontier of online learning. Beyond research and education, the ocean is also a major part of Tanya’s personal life— she is a competitive offshore rower and has spent years living aboard her sailboat along coastal Maine.

Kristyn Vitale

Dr. Kristyn Vitale is the Assistant Professor in Animal Health and Behavior. She received a Ph.D. in Animal Science with a focus in Experimental Psychology from Oregon State University and a Master’s in Environmental Science from Miami University. She holds a B.S. in Zoology and a B.A. in Social Geography from Kent State University. Her areas of specialization are animal behavior, animal cognition, and human-animal interaction. Her research focuses specifically on domestic cat behavior and the cat-human relationship. During her graduate career she was as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and a Visiting Research Fellow at Kyoto University in Japan, where she conducted cross-cultural research into cat-human social interaction. Her research on cat behavior and human-animal interaction has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals. Her innovative research has generated significant international attention from media outlets including Science, National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Times of London. She has taught a variety of in-person and online courses on animal behavior and welfare, including courses focused on enrichment, learning, behavior modification, and cat training. She is also an active public speaker and is frequently invited to present at professional associations and to the general public. It is Dr. Vitale’s vision to provide high-quality distance education experiences that foster critical thinking and empower students to become leaders in the field of animal health and behavior.


Operations Manager

Michelle Ross

Distance Education Operations Manager Michelle Ross comes to Unity after 21 years of combined service in the Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Michelle has worked in Administration, Human Resources and Recruiting. While serving in the military, Michelle earned a BA in Environmental Studies from Ashford University through distance education.


Enrollment

Denise Young Unity College

Denise Young, our Associate Vice President of Distance Education, is a Maine native with a Master’s in Education with a dual focus in Instructional Technology and Educational Leadership and B.S. in Business Administration, Management Concentration from the University of Maine. She is mastery level certified by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) in prior learning assessment.

Denise has been instrumental in transforming the landscape of online enrollment management with a specific focus on student persistence at the national level. Her leadership has resulted in the recruitment and retention of Unity College’s largest student population. With over 20 years of experience in education at all levels, she specializes in finding pragmatic data driven solutions to complex problems and coaching teams to their maximum potential in a results oriented culture.

Graduate Enrollment

Assistant Dean of Graduate Enrollment Perceval Inkpen (he/him) comes to Unity with a ten-year track record of helping a diverse array of students reach their personal and academic objectives. He received a B.A. from Bard College with a joint major in History and German, and an M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Southern New Hampshire University with a focus on non-traditional student success. As a former distance education graduate student who worked and studied simultaneously, Perceval is personally committed to ensuring the success of all students in achieving their goals. Perceval studied for a year at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and has first-hand as well as professional experience working with international and domestic students. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and seeing Maine’s nature and wildlife (particularly its wide array of birds), making block prints, and playing the cello. As someone who loves the outdoors, Perceval is happy to be working with graduate students who want to be responsible citizens, environmental stewards, and visionary leaders.

Wendy Berube

Graduate Advisor Wendy Berube joins the Unity College Distance Education team with over 15 years of experience in higher education and career training. Her work has focused on student services, advising, admissions, career development, and campus management. She also worked for 7 years in the non-profit world, fundraising and marketing, and holds a BA in History from the University of Southern Maine. As an Academic Advisor, Wendy is dedicated to ensuring that all students are successful. 


Concierges

Jessica Sawyer Unity College

Baccalaureate Concierge, Jessica Sawyer comes to Unity College with a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Maine at Farmington. After working in retail for 10+ years, she is looking forward to helping students from all walks of life, pursue and achieve their environmental sustainability goals.

Baccalaureate Concierge, Alena Marvin joins us with a B.A in French and Secondary Education from Roanoke College (VA). Bringing her experience as a tutor and student teacher, she hopes to continue helping students as they explore new opportunities at Unity College. As a new Maine resident, Alena is excited to spend her free time exploring the state’s natural beauty!


Advisors

Danielle Ebbrecht, our Associate Dean of Advising. Danielle Ebbrecht has 30 years of higher education experience in academic affairs, direct student advising and support as well as teaching at both private and two year colleges. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Entrepreneurship and Human Resource Management from Gettysburg College (PA), and her Master’s Degree in Education with a concentration in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific University (CA). She is passionate about student success and is committed to helping and guiding all students to reach their goals and become the strongest and best versions of themselves. Danielle is a mom to two grown children and in her free time enjoys walking (mostly at the beach!), restorative yoga and traveling to new places. She is very active in her church and is also a member of a small women’s acapella group called “Women of Note” where she has had the opportunity to sing for two presidents as well as at the White House.

Assistant Dean of Advising Jessica Hannebury joins Unity with over 10 years of experience in higher education.  She has her Master’s Degree in Higher Education as well as an array of experience in the field, having worked in departments such as advising, student leadership, career and transfer services, TRIO and residential life.  Jessica is passionate about supporting and advocating for her students to help them achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals. 

Trish-Popovitch-Unity-College

Baccalaureate Advisor, Trish Popovitch joins the Unity Distance team with a background in higher education and sustainable agriculture journalism. Her background includes running an outreach college campus in Wyoming, teaching the HiSet program to adult learners, advising technical students in the Portland area, and most recently running a remote learning program for a private school in Auburn, ME. She holds a degree in the social sciences from the University of Wyoming and studied history at both Penn State and the American University in Cairo. Trish’s diverse advising and research experience in both the college and K-12 setting affords her the necessary insight to navigate her new role at Unity College. With a penchant for exploring, Trish enjoys foraging for medicinal plants and edible mushrooms in the beautiful Maine countryside.

Nichelle Orel Unity Advisor

Baccalaureate Advisor, Nichelle Gorman joins the Unity Distance Education team with several years of experience in higher education and college counseling. Originally from New Jersey, she received her BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Rutgers University and her MS in Applied Psychology from Sacred Heart University. She has a background in college admissions and advising, as well as college counseling in secondary education. She has spent the last four years working with international students providing wholistic advising services at a community college in Massachusetts. Before this, she worked at a non-profit organization providing college counseling and advising to students within underrepresented and underserved communities. Her ambition and passion for not only education but also nature and exploration brought her to Maine, where she would vacation often. She enjoys spending as much time as possible outside either snowboarding, hiking, running, or rock climbing.

Baccalaureate Advisor, Samantha LeBlanc joins Unity College with experience in various levels of education, specifically focused on serving underrepresented communities during her time as an educator. She is committed to empowering students to achieve their academic and professional goals with equity at the center of her advising approach. Samantha holds her M.Ed. in Visual Art Education from Lesley University, BFA in Photography, and has continued her education specializing in teaching English as a second language. Outside of working with students, Samantha can be found exploring Maine (and beyond) with her camera.

Baccalaureate Advisor, John “Tyler” Snowe joins the Unity College Distance Education team with over 15 years of experience in secondary education working in admissions, coaching and student development.  Tyler has a B.S. in Leadership and Organizational Studies from University of Southern Maine.  Throughout his career Tyler has enjoyed helping many students find their avenues of success in achieving their academic, athletic, and personal goals and is excited to bring that passion to Unity.  In his free time Tyler can be found sharing his passions of skiing and other outdoor adventures with his wife and two young kids.

Baccalaureate Advisor, Sue Estabrook joins the Unity College Distance Education team with over 20 years of experience in higher education.  She spent nearly 14 years working at the University of New England (UNE) where she was the Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach and served as an Academic Support Coordinator for student athletes. Sue was an active member of the university’s Student Success Committee, where she collaborated with faculty and staff to guide students on a path to academic achievement.  Prior to UNE she worked at the University of Southern Maine, where in addition to coaching, she was the Learning Center Manager and taught a learning strategies course for conditionally admitted students.  Sue also spent time in various roles at SUNY Old Westbury, Binghamton University, SUNY Maritime, and Wesley College.  Sue’s true passion is encouraging students to be the best they can be and aiding them in their academic success.  She grew up in Bethpage, New York and earned her BA in English at Marist College. 

Baccalaureate Advisor, Meghan Westphal joins the Unity Distance Education team with several years of experience in higher education and college advising. Originally from New Hampshire, she came up to Maine to receive her B.S in Health Science and holds her M.S.Ed. in Education at St. Joseph’s College of Maine. She has a background in college admissions and specifically online programs and advising.  Meghan is passionate about supporting and advocating for her students to help them achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals. In her free time, Meghan enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and walking her two Coonhound dogs. 

Baccalaureate Advisor, Melissa DeRan joins the Distance Education Team with over 20 years of experience in higher education; primarily in collegiate athletics. She has spent the last seven years as the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach and Faculty Lecturer in Physical Education at Bates College. Melissa has also served as a Title IX coordinator, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee director, Diversity Equity and Inclusion chair, Assistant Track and Field Coach, and a strength and conditioning coordinator. Melissa has had stops at Union College, UMASS Boston, and St. Lawrence University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History from Murray State University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from St. Lawrence University. Melissa has been fortunate to work with numerous national champions and all-Americans; however, her greatest joy is helping her students find their unique path to personal success outside of the playing field. When she is not working with her students, Melissa can be found spending time with her wife, three young children, reading, exercising, and trying to find a quiet moment to take a nap. 

Baccalaureate Advisor Allyson Gill has worked with students ranging from elementary grade level to adult learners. In her role at Unity, she will help students have a meaningful experience by ensuring they always feel supported as they pursue their academic and professional goals. Allyson is from Madison, New Jersey and is new to Maine, an area she visited often during her many years living in Boston. She graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a Bachelor of Arts and Political Science and earned a Master of Arts in School Counseling from Montclair State University. Outside of advising students, Allyson loves exploring Maine, interior design, and searching for vintage art.

Baccalaureate Advisor Alexis Rog has over 20 years of experience in various levels of education. She received her B.S. in Education from the University of Maine; her M.Ed in School Counseling from the University of Phoenix; and earned her Certification as a Master Level Life Coach. Alexis’ work in life coaching and advising within the K-12 school setting affords her the necessary insight to navigate her work here with students at Unity College. Alexis is passionate about supporting and advocating for her students, helping them achieve their academic, professional and personal goals. As an Academic Advisor for Distance Education undergraduate students, Alexis is committed to maximizing student success. A Maine native, Alexis enjoys spending as much time as possible outside, hiking and biking, and indoors, riding (dancing on) a stationary bike to the beat of music.

Baccalaureate Advisor, Emerson Zoltko joins the Unity College Distance Education team with 5 years of experience working in higher education, specifically collegiate athletics. He received his B.S in Athletic Training in 2017 from the University of New England, where he later served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Women’s Rugby and Women’s Ice Hockey teams. It was during this time Emerson learned of his passion for creating a positive student experience for his athletes. He is eager to advocate for and support his students to help them achieve all of their academic, professional, and personal goals. Originally from Southern New Hampshire, Emerson and his family now call Wells, Maine home. Outside of advising, Emerson enjoys fishing and exploring Pop Culture with his son.

Baccalaureate Advisor, James Fry brings his broad and diverse background working with postsecondary students to Unity, providing advising, student support, and recruitment consulting at Chattanooga State Community College in Tennessee. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science, and his master’s degree in professional studies with a concentration in Training and Development from Tennessee Tech University, where he focused on understanding and guiding non-traditional students through the challenges they often face as returning students. Jim is a passionate champion for students, connecting them with the resources they need to be successful. Jim is also a strong advocate for those who are unhoused, having served on the board for shelters and agencies in New York and Tennessee, and he has written a children’s book for distribution and programs serving homeless families. Recently relocating with his wife from Tennessee, Jim enjoys driving to see the coastal vistas across the region, and spending time with his family who live in the Northeast. Jim is also an accomplished classical pianist who has performed at a wide variety of venues.

Christina LeBlanc

Baccalaureate Advisor, Christina LeBlanc joins the Distance Education team after completing her M.Ed in Student Development in Higher Education at the University of Maine. She also holds a B.S in Secondary Education with a double major in English. Her experiences and interests through her graduate studies includes assessment of student success and retention, institutional research, and financial advising. As an Academic Advisor for undergraduate students, Christina is committed to increasing student success within the Distance Education programs.

Lili Grieves

Baccalaureate Advisor, Lili Grieves joins the Unity team with 8 years of experience working in education as a Montessori teacher. She is originally from Maine and received her BA in Elementary Education from High Point University in North Carolina. With her background working with children, she pursued a career in Montessori education after working as an assistant teacher in Denver, Colorado. This ignited a passion for the methodology and took her to a Montessori teacher training program in Portland, Oregon where she lived for a year. After moving back to Denver to work and live for 6 years Lili and her fiancé moved home to Maine where they now reside with their three-year-old rescue dog, Polly. When Lili is not working you can find her honing her skills as a new surfer, hiking with her family, practicing yoga, or cooking up a new recipe. She is so excited to be at Unity to help others pursue their passions and be a pillar of encouragement and support for every student.

Dan Sullivan, Baccalaureate Advisor

Baccalaureate Advisor, Dan Sullivan joins the Unity College Distance Education team with over 5 years of experience working in various levels of elementary and secondary education. He received his B.S in Mathematics, with a second major in Economics, from the University of Massachusetts. Originally from the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, Dan is excited to call upon his variety of experience working with virtual learners to help students to get the most out of their experience at Unity College. As an Academic Advisor for the Distance Education program, Dan is excited to work together with students to ignite (or re-ignite) their passion for learning. When Dan is not working you can find him on the golf course, the tennis courts, or exploring the beautiful trails and mountains of Southern Maine.


Instructional Designers

Chris Malmberg

Chris Malmberg is Director of Instructional Design with a background in the humanities. He received his M.F.A. and M.A. in Creative Writing and Literary Studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he taught Composition and Creative Writing for several years. He is interested in the application of narrative in learning design, the evolving interface between humans and technology, and the ways in which education must evolve to serve peoples’ needs in a world that is constantly changing.

Learning Technology Support Specialist Greg Siekman earned his A.S. in Information Technology from Southern New Hampshire University. He brings a background in technology support and education technologies from his previous work in public school classrooms and technology departments in the Western Mountains of Maine.

In his free time, Greg enjoys playing music, nature photography and coaching baseball.

Daniel Chin

Instructional Designer Danny Chin brings experience in language teaching and diversity, equity, and inclusion to his role at Unity. He holds a BA in French and Biochemistry from Bowdoin College and an MA in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University. His approach to education emphasizes skill-building, communicative strategies, and real world applications of language learning, which he implements in his instructional design of courses. He believes distance education has the potential to create more equitable learning experiences and new forms of connection.

Instructional Designer Hannah Sirois has a background in place-based education, experiential learning, and curriculum development. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Maine in Education with a minor in English. She attended the University of Idaho’s McCall Outdoor Science School, earning a master’s degree in Natural Resources with Environmental Education and Science Communication certificates. Hannah is passionate about designing immersive and experiential instruction, preparing students with the skills to make a difference in their careers, environment, and communities.

Instructional Designer David Stahl has served as a public-school teacher, student-teacher mentor, and adjunct professor over the last 20 years while living in the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. He holds a BA in History and an MEd from the University of Pittsburgh, along with e-learning and instructional design coursework at the University of California, Irvine.  With his recent relocation to Maine, he has decided to take his dedication to education in a new direction, becoming an Instructional Designer at Unity College.  He is interested in bringing experiential learning and distance education together, as well as designing high-quality, dynamic courses that engage students.  In his free time, he enjoys running, hiking, kayaking, and photography. 

Instructional Designer Kerrie Tisdale comes to Unity with a BA in International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MS in Literacy Education from USM. She spent many years working with English language learners in the US and Canada. Her background includes teaching and developing curriculum in the K-12 system in Maine, Wisconsin, and Ohio. As well, Kerrie was an instructor and curriculum designer in higher education in Wisconsin and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 

After living in various locations, Kerrie and her husband decided to return to Maine to be closer to family and to enjoy the many activities Maine has to offer. In her spare time, she likes to downhill ski, hike, bike, fish, and travel, to name a few. 

Michael Trombley

Instructional Designer Michael Trombley has a background in online learning design for higher ed and K-12. He holds an undergraduate degree in English and Secondary Education from St. Joseph’s College, as well as an M.Ed. in Instructional Design from Western Governor’s University. He enjoys the challenge to make online education relevant to the lives of all learners, tapping into their intrinsic motivation and personal curiosity about the world around them. In his free time, Mike loves playing video games with his family, listening to jazz, and birding. 

Enterprise dedicated to Distance Education

Talent Acquisition Specialist / Training Coordinator, Matt Caston comes to Unity College with a strong background in recruiting and relationship management. Before to joining the team at Unity College, Matt spent three years at the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE) working in Dept. of State compliance with J1 international high school exchange students and prospective host families in for the High School USA exchange program. Prior to his shift to higher education, Matt organized and recruited volunteers for a number of campaigns and organizations across the state ranging the from American Cancer Society, Mainers United for Marriage, and one of Maine’s 2014 gubernatorial candidates. Matt loves nothing more than helping connect passionate people to the things they love doing most. When not scheduling interviews or working with faculty, he loves cooking for his fiancée and friends, aggressively snuggling one of his two cats, or playing pen & paper RPG’s with old friends.

Candice Parsley

DE Career Specialist, Candice Parsley, Joins Unity with her Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Columbia College, where she also started her career in Admissions. After eight years in Higher Education, she moved to Gilbert High School to help students with career planning. While there, she earned her Global Career Development Facilitator certification. She moved to Maine from South Carolina and is excited to combine her experience to help DE students with Career Services.

Nichole Clarke

Assistant Bursar, Nichole Clark returned to Unity College in 2018 as an alumna with her B.S. in Captive Wildlife Care and Education. Since then, she has held several roles throughout the college as she continues to develop from admissions to financial aid and now as the Assistant Bursar. As a graduate, Nichole has unique insight and understanding of the college’s sustainability principles to help guide and support our students. Having been a non-traditional student herself, Nichole has firsthand knowledge of the struggles that a working professional, parent, and student will experience while obtaining their education. She is now committed to assisting students as they pursue their own unique passions, here at Unity College.

After she graduated, Nichole successfully implemented an Animal Care Technician Internship program at The Humane Society Waterville Area of Waterville Maine, which has since accepted Unity College students into its program. In her off-time, Nichole enjoys the outdoors as a wildlife photographer and spending time with her family.

DE Marketing Specialist and Content Developer, Patrick Mashburn, is a former radio talent hailing from Tennessee who recently moved to Maine to take on a new role as a Marketing Director for a college. With a degree from the University of Tennessee, Patrick is eager to use his expertise to expand the brand and tell the story of his new employer. In his free time, Patrick is a fan of SEC football, BBQ, and Marvel movies. He is poised to bring a unique perspective and energy to his new position. He is excited to continue his career journey in Maine and is looking forward to helping share the Unity story.