Our Wayfinder Team
Erica Gates – Head of schools
Erica was born and raised in Maine. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselor Education from The University of Maine and has spent many years working with teens in the counseling and education fields as a therapist, classroom teacher, guidance counselor, coach, swimming instructor, and raft guide. Erica has been a teacher for several years but can’t express how excited she is to be working with the staff and students at Wayfinder Schools. Erica feels this teaching opportunity will give her the opportunity to build a relationship with her students that will allow her to watch each of them grow and succeed. In her free time, Erica enjoys kayaking, hiking, skiing, sewing, and spending time with her family. One of her favorite quotes is: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
– Dr. Seuss
ANDREA VASSALLO - DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Andrea joined Wayfinder Schools in 2009. A native of Massachusetts, she spent every summer of her childhood on the Damariscotta River and moved to Maine year- round shortly after college. Andrea holds a BA in Political Science from The University of Massachusetts and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast Program. She has worked in education and non-profit development for most of her career. She has also been a freelance writer, newspaper reporter and writing instructor. She was a 2016 Maine Literary Awards finalist, a Pushcart Prize nominee, and has been cited in Best American Essays. She serves on the board of Amherst Writers & Artists co-chairs their Northeast Chapter. She was nonfiction co-editor for The Stonecoast Review and is a current reader for The Maine Review. Andrea is the founder of Damariscotta River Writers, where she runs writing workshops for women and teens. She lives in Damariscotta with her teenage son, their dog, Rascal, and their cat, Princess Leia.
NICOLETTE SENNETT - DEVELOPMENT & HR MANAGER
Nicolette was born and raised in Maine, and is very proud to call Maine home. After graduating from the University of Southern Maine with a BA in English, and after a few years of substitute teaching, she soon found herself in the non-profit world and never looked back. Prior to joining Wayfinder, Nicolette worked for various non-profits including Spurwink Services and Project Bread in Boston. Her passion for helping others is the driving force behind her work and she's excited to be part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of Maine’s youth. When not in the office, Nicolette enjoys spending time reading, listening to music, cooking, exploring the outdoors, checking out new restaurants, traveling, visiting her friends and their growing families, and making as many memories as possible with her daughter, husband and their dog.
becki Anderson – ADmissions specialist and office manager
Becki was born and raised locally in the midcoast Maine area. She received her Associate’s Degree in Accounting from Husson College. After having children, she became involved with school by volunteering, substituting and working in the school office. She quickly realized that her love for business was deepened when connected to supporting a school. Becki loves a variety of tasks, the ability to learn and grow personally in order to help the school do the same and to assist the staff, students and their families. She was excited to find Wayfinder and join the team! When not working, Becki enjoys spending time with her family, especially her three daughters, and friends. She also enjoys hiking/walking/running, exploring new places, especially within Maine, listening to music and finding new recipes to try out.
Cathy Ames-Cruz – Passages Teacher, Midcoast
Cathy has been working at Wayfinder since 2000. Cathy was born in Camden, attended Camden Rockport High school, and later, studied English and Education at The University of Maine Augusta. Cathy has four children, and in 2009, she became a proud grandmother! Cathy loves working at Wayfinder because she loves kids and believes everyone needs a chance in life. Cathy’s mission at Wayfinder is to help give kids the tools to be successful, and also to help make sure they are eating more than Raman Noodles when they grow up! Cathy lives in West Rockport, and when she’s not at the school, she can be found cooking, baking, or camping and swimming in the outdoors.
Wendy Newell Dyer - Passages Teacher, Washington County
Wendy joined Wayfinder in 2022. She has lived on the coast of Maine her entire life, growing up on Little Deer Isle then raising her family in Jonesport. She attended the University of Maine at Machias earning her bachelor’s degree of College Studies with a concentration in literature and professional writing in 2003. Wendy was a caregiver to her husband for ten plus years then later for her adoptive parents. She is a Hospice trained bereavement facilitator and has been employed as a Family Service Coordinator for Head Start, a CNA, an ED Tech III and a Title 1 Reading Teacher. She has worked for three newspapers and is a published author with stories in several books, newspapers and magazines. She testified before the Maine Truth and Reconciliation Commission after discovering that she was a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at the age of twenty-five. Wendy and her husband homeschooled their three sons through high school. Her hobbies include hiking, biking, mountain climbing, running, swimming, travel, reading, writing, home renovation.
Julia Johnston – Passages Teacher, Southern Maine
Julia Johnston came to Maine in 2016, but feels more at home here than any of the many places she has lived. Her past teaching experience includes a bilingual French American school, an alternative high school, a refugee English class, and one-on-one tutoring for all different ages. Julia holds a Bachelor in History from Oberlin College, a Master of Architecture from Va Tech, and a Masters of Teaching from Rhode Island College. Prior to teaching she was an architect in Colorado and Rhode Island. Teaching at Wayfinder is a welcome opportunity to combine many of her passions in one meaningful job. She is very excited to be able to work so closely with students, and watch them and their children grow and succeed. When she is not working you will find her hiking, gardening, cooking, reading, kayaking or just sitting around admiring the beauty of Maine.
Ida Koller – Passages Teacher, Southern Maine/Midcoast
Ida grew up in the midcoast of Maine. She tried leaving a handful of times, and travelled a great deal before moving back to Maine to raise her family. Ida has a passion for individualized education, and graduated from Goddard College in 2005 with a degree in English and poetry. She returned to school after the birth of her youngest child in 2013 to complete her teaching certification, and while on this journey discovered that not only did she love to teach, but she loved learning about learning. She currently is working on her Masters of Special Education and will someday have to accept that she “can’t go to school forever”. Ida is the mama to three amazing girls, who keep her life very interesting, exciting and full. When not teaching, being a mama, or tending to her busy household, Ida loves to read, write, and play with her dog outside. One of her favorite quotes is: “The most important thing to remember is: to be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become.” - W.E.B. Dubois
Cindy Stevenson – Passages Teacher, Midcoast
Cindy joined Wayfinder in 2013. She grew up in Auburn, Maine and received her Associates Degree in Dietetics from University of Maine at Farmington. After interning with Central Maine Medical Center, where she later became an employee, she decided to continue her education at the University of Maine Orono, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Family Life/Health Education. Cindy has worked in Residential Life at UMaine Orono, as a home economist for Hannaford, as a Licensed Chiropractic Assistant, and as a Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician. She has also served on the Board of Directors at The Eastport Health Center and has always been involved with her local schools, by volunteering in her children’s classrooms, fundraising, supporting Project Graduation, and by serving as PTO President. Cindy’s greatest teachers have been her own children, Thomas 20, Jacob 18, and Benjamin 14. She and her husband Andy also share their Waldoboro home with two beautiful Golden Retrievers and six cats. Gardening, cooking, walking, and reading are some of her favorite things, and Cindy is happiest when she’s feeding the crowds and her house is full of loud music and teenage banter.
Phyllis Wentworth – Passages Teacher, Southern Maine
Phyllis joined Wayfinder in 2023. Although she left Maine for college and lived in different parts of New England as an adult, she was happy to move home again, and currently lives with her husband on the road she grew up on. Phyllis holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and art history from Boston College and graduate degrees in psychology from Mount Holyoke and UNH. She is an adoptive mom, with two young adult children who are her pride and joy. Phyllis has worked in education her whole career, with students of all ages and walks of life. She’s thrilled to be part of the Wayfinder team especially because of the individualized approach to teaching and learning. Phyllis enjoys gardening, birdwatching, walking/jogging, reading, and beginner knitting projects that often take her a whole year.
MARTHA KEMPE - educational advisor
Martha joined Wayfinder Schools in 2004. Prior to moving to Maine, Martha was Director of Grants and Contracts at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She completed a certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from the University of Maine Orono. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Oregon and a Master’s Degree in Expressive Therapies from the University of Louisville. Her varied life experiences include directing residential services for mentally disabled adults, coordinating educational programs at Slater Mill Historic Site, coordinating apprenticeships at the Swain School of Design, assisting grantees at the National Endowment for the Arts, and teaching reading to elementary school children. She loves seeing the creative process in action and the way it sheds light on our lives and souls. Martha’s two daughters and husband keep her guessing. Give her good books, dear friends or family scattered across the U.S. and she is happy. If not, she is content to hike Maine, explore new places or bask near any body of water…really, any body of water.