Early Childhood Staff

AMY VALENTINE
Executive Director, Gorham Arts Alliance
gorhamarts@gmail.com

Amy founded Gorham Arts Alliance in 2011. Her passion is to enrich and inspire children and adults through the Arts and Sciences. She has taught as a Reading Specialist in grades K-8 in the Clinton, Skowhegan and Bonny Eagle School Districts. Amy is founder of the Gorham Arts Alliance, (a 501c3 non-profit organization) that has grown and evolved since its creation in 2011. In 2014, she created the Community Arts Center located at 34 School St., Gorham and in 2021 created a second center The Arts and Nature Center at Tannery Brook located at 10 Wentworth Dr., Gorham. She loves working with children, spending time with her family, being outdoors, fishing remote streams, hiking in the western mountains and is an avid birdwatcher.

EDUCATION

  • University of Maine at Farmington
    Bachelor of Science: Special Education K-8
    - Minor in Elementary Education and Psychology

CHRISTINA THIBAULT
Assistant Director
gorhamafterschool@gmail.com

Christina joined the Gorham Arts Alliance in 2017. She has worked with children for over 10 years.  She is passionate about Art and Science and providing students of all ages with opportunities to grow and develop skills as creative problem solvers, independent thinkers and creators. She is an avid fiber artist and enjoys creating mixed media artwork with alternative fibers and other repurposed materials.

EDUCATION

  • Maine College of Art
    Bachelor of Fine Arts: Sculpture

  • University of Southern Maine
    Bachelor of Fine Arts: Studio Arts and Art Education

SAMANTHA ROCKWELL
Transitional Kindergarten Teacher

Samantha has been with the Gorham Arts Alliance in 2015. She started off as a part time assistant teacher and after earning her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education has become the Transitional Kindergarten Teacher. She loves to teach children through hands on activities/projects and to incorporate nature into learning. In her spare time she enjoys baking, reading, and playing with her cat and dog!

EDUCATION

  • University of Maine at Farmington
    Bachelor of Science: Early Childhood Education
    - Certified in 029 (grades k - 3) & 081 (pre-kindergarten)

MISSY WILLEY
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Missy joined the Gorham Arts Alliance in 2018. She has worked at the Community Arts School for 3 years, first as lead teacher in our Transitional Kindergarten and in 2022 as lead teacher in our Pre-Kindergaretn program that we piloted with the Gorham Schools. She has experience working with young children as a lead teacher in preschool and toddler classrooms and as a nanny for over 10 years. She recently completed her 081 Teaching certificate in Spring 2022. Missy loves working with children and watching them learn and grow as individuals. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking and skiing.

EDUCATION

  • Keene State College
    Bachelor of Science: Elementary Education
    Bachelor of Arts: Communication

  • Southern Maine Community College C/University of Southern Maine
    081 Teaching Certificate

GINGER FOWLER
Preschool Teacher

Ginger joined the Gorham Arts Alliance in the fall of 2021. She has been working with preschoolers for more than 18 years as Lead Teacher and Director II at Amherst Community Child Care in Amherst, MA. She holds a Director II, Lead Teacher and Infant/Toddler Teacher certificate. She also is an active participant in the Life is Good Playmaker Program. She loves teaching children with hands-on art and science activities, and helping them learn about their world. In her spare time, Ginger enjoys exploring the marshes, beaches and forests, as well as creating collages using acrylic paint and multimedia materials.

EDUCATION

University of New England
Bachelor of Science: Marine Biology
- additional course work in Education and Art

BETH HOLLANDER
PreK Assistant

Beth joined the Gorham Arts Alliance in 2022.  She and her family recently moved to Maine from Massachusetts. She has worked in a child care setting for the last five years and prior to that, she was a stay at home raising her son while nannying children for other families.  She loves children’s energy and their desire to learn. In her spare time, Beth likes to hike, relax at the beach and shop.  

MELODY HASBROUCK
Music Teacher

Melody joined the Gorham Arts Alliance in 2018. She is a certified music educator and has been teaching music in schools since 2017. She became lead Music Teacher for the Community Art Preschool and TK in 2018 and is program coordinator for grades K1 in the after school program. She enjoys sneaking new techniques into music games, silly songs, and rhymes, and encouraging children to be musically creative. Her love of creating with her hands also contributes to classes, whether it be braiding rugs or making small decorations for the holidays.  Melody also teaches flute lessons and enjoys a broad variety of hobbies.

EDUCATION

  • University of Southern Maine
    Bachelor of Music: Music Education

SOPHIE ROBLIN
Ecology Teacher + Art Teacher

Sophie joined the Gorham Arts Alliance in 2020. She heads up our outdoor education and environmental science programs. She has worked with children in a variety of settings, including as an environmental educator with at-risk youth in Wisconsin, and Senior Youth Crew Leader with the Montana Conservation Corps in Montana. Prior to joining the Gorham Arts team she was a program coordinator a the 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryan Pond. As an artist she adds whimsy for her painting of animals in their natural environment. She lives on a small sheep farm and in her spare time loves to run, paint and hike.

EDUCATION

  • Maryland Institute College of Art
    Bachelor of Fine Arts: Painting

WEBSITE
TheFriendlyEwe.com