Community Coordinators

Nanette Dyer  Blake - Community Outreach and Development Specialist

Phone: 207-842-4657
Email: blaken@portlandschools.org 

Nanette is the Community Outreach and Development Specialist for the Multilingual and Multicultural Center, at the Portland Public School District. Previously she held positions at the City of Boston and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, a non-profit organization founded by Harvard Business School Professor Michael E. Porter. Nanette is a graduate of Norwich University (MA), Vermont College (BA), and the University of Maine. She is a 2020 graduate of MDF’s, Institute for Civic Leadership Bigelow Class. Nanette and her husband Jeffrey, an attorney at KP Law, PC in Boston, live in the Back Cove neighborhood and their son attends Portland High School.

Sylvie Montello - Community Coordinator

Email: montes@portlandschools.org

Sylvie grew up in NH and graduated from New Hampshire College with a degree in Merchandising and Marketing.  She worked as a buyer for a mail order company and then as an interior designer and buyer for Youngs Furniture.  She joined PPS in 2001 working part-time at Lyseth School and currently is the Community Coordinator at 4 schools.

Sylvie has 3 grown children who love to spend time together at their cottage on Long Lake enjoying summer and winter activities and entertaining family and friends.

Tina Mikkelsen - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8260
Email: mikket@portlandschools.org

A graduate of Deering High School and University of Southern Maine with a baccalaureate in Therapeutic Recreation, Tina has worked in Portland Public Schools for 18 years as a Community Coordinator. She also co-facilitates the Portland Public Schools STEM Expo , a member of the PPS Youth Development Team and serves as the District Volunteer Screener. Tina is married and has 3 sons who all graduated from Portland Schools. 

Lauren Ostis - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8228
Email: ostisl@portlandschools.org

Lauren Ostis began her role as Community Coordinator at East End Community School (EECS) in November 2021. She is a self-employed fiber artist with a BFA from Syracuse University’s School of Art & Design and is a regular presence among the artists at the Portland Farmers Market and at First Friday Art Walk.  Experiential education is Lauren’s passion: ten years as a wilderness trip leader and educator at the Chewonki Foundation, multiple years as a substitute teacher in several school districts, and five years as a homeschool teacher for another family’s two young boys.  Her son is a student at EECS which is just down the road from where they live in the community they love.  
 

Kathy Cole - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8210
Email: colek@portlandschools.org

Kathy has been a Portland Public Schools (PPS) community coordinator for 26 years. She has a degree in fashion merchandising from Westbrook College and a volunteer management certificate from USM. She co-facilitates the annual PPS STEM Expo each year and is a member of the Community School Advisory team at Gerald E. Talbot Community School (formerly Riverton.) She has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

Melissa Riley - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8195
Email: rileym@portlandschools.org

A graduate of Villanova University, Melissa began her career with Merrill Lynch in Colorado where she managed a team of customer service representatives before transitioning to the training department.  She conducted professional development and technical training classes for the 2200 employees at the Colorado location for 9 years.
In 2010, after staying home for 8 years to raise her twin boys, she transitioned back into the workforce as the Community Coordinator for Longfellow School.  She also edits and creates training programs for consultants in the Portland area.  Melissa is currently the school-year secretary and Community Coordinator for Longfellow Elementary School.
In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, hikes with her dog and husband, reading, and watching her boys play sports.
 

Sylvie Montello - Community Coordinator

Email: montes@portlandschools.org

Sylvie grew up in NH and graduated from New Hampshire College with a degree in Merchandising and Marketing.  She worked as a buyer for a mail order company and then as an interior designer and buyer for Youngs Furniture.  She joined PPS in 2001 working part-time at Lyseth School and currently is the Community Coordinator at 4 schools.

Sylvie has 3 grown children who love to spend time together at their cottage on Long Lake enjoying summer and winter activities and entertaining family and friends.

Sylvie Montello - Community Coordinator

Email: montes@portlandschools.org

Sylvie grew up in NH and graduated from New Hampshire College with a degree in Merchandising and Marketing.  She worked as a buyer for a mail order company and then as an interior designer and buyer for Youngs Furniture.  She joined PPS in 2001 working part-time at Lyseth School and currently is the Community Coordinator at 4 schools.

Sylvie has 3 grown children who love to spend time together at their cottage on Long Lake enjoying summer and winter activities and entertaining family and friends.

Kathy Cole - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-766-2528
Email: colek@portlandschools.org

Kathy has been a Portland Public Schools (PPS) community coordinator for 26 years. She has a degree in fashion merchandising from Westbrook College and a volunteer management certificate from USM. She co-facilitates the annual PPS STEM Expo each year and is a member of the Community School Advisory team at Gerald E. Talbot Community School (formerly Riverton.) She has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

Phyllis Hey - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8220
Email: heyp@portlandschools.org

Phyllis has been a community coordinator in the Portland Public Schools since she was hired in 1998. Prior to this position, she was a social worker, first as the assistant director at Teen Parent Services located at the YWCA in Portland and later working with Family Crisis Services providing outreach and direct service to victims of domestic violence. One of her first positions at Family Crisis involved coordinating volunteers as well. She left that position to become what was then called a partnership developer at Baxter Elementary. This offered her the opportunity to work part time as she had two young children at home, utilize her relationship and problem solving skills, and gave her entry into public education which is something she strongly believes in. She is currently the community coordinator at Lincoln Middle School Presumpscot Elementary School.

Sylvie Montello - Community Coordinator

Email: montes@portlandschools.org

Sylvie grew up in NH and graduated from New Hampshire College with a degree in Merchandising and Marketing.  She worked as a buyer for a mail order company and then as an interior designer and buyer for Youngs Furniture.  She joined PPS in 2001 working part-time at Lyseth School and currently is the Community Coordinator at 4 schools.

Sylvie has 3 grown children who love to spend time together at their cottage on Long Lake enjoying summer and winter activities and entertaining family and friends.

 Joanne Abrams - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8140
Email: abramj@portlandschools.org 

Joanne started as the Community Coordinator at King Middle School in 2021. A Mainer since 1987, she worked as a school counselor for twenty years. Joanne received her BA from Tufts University, her Ed.D. from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her MS in School Counseling from USM. Joanne and her husband live in Portland and have three grown children and three grandchildren.  On her time off you can find Joanne hiking, skiing, or paddling in the western mountains and coastal waters of southern Maine.

Phyllis Hey - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8145
Email: heyp@portlandschools.org

Phyllis has been a community coordinator in the Portland Public Schools since she was hired in 1998. Prior to this position, she was a social worker, first as the assistant director at Teen Parent Services located at the YWCA in Portland and later working with Family Crisis Services providing outreach and direct service to victims of domestic violence. One of her first positions at Family Crisis involved coordinating volunteers as well. She left that position to become what was then called a partnership developer at Baxter Elementary. This offered her the opportunity to work part time as she had two young children at home, utilize her relationship and problem solving skills, and gave her entry into public education which is something she strongly believes in. She is currently the community coordinator at Lincoln Middle School Presumpscot Elementary School.

Sue Doyon - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8150
Email: doysons@portlandschools.org

Born and raised in Portland Maine, Sue attended Longfellow Elementary, Lincoln Middle, and Deering High School. After high school, she attended Mansfield Beauty Academy. She worked at the Head Shed in the Old Port for several years before opening her own salon, The Cutting Edge on Market Street in Portland. Sue has worked for Portland Schools for 25  years.  One year at Lincoln Middle School,  24 years at Lyman Moore, and 17 years at Portland High
 
She has been married to her husband Dan for 40 years. He is a graduate of Portland High and USM. They have 2 boys who both went to Riverton, Lyseth, Moore and Deering. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her adult sons, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren. She also enjoys cooking, movies, going to the gym, walking, reading and dining out with friends.

Tina Mikkelsen - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8260
Email: mikket@portlandschools.org

A graduate of Deering High School and University of Southern Maine with a baccalaureate in Therapeutic Recreation, Tina has worked in Portland Public Schools for 18 years as a Community Coordinator. She also co-facilitates the Portland Public Schools STEM Expo , a member of the PPS Youth Development Team and serves as the District Volunteer Screener. Tina is married and has 3 sons who all graduated from Portland Schools. 

Sue Doyon - Community Coordinator

Phone: 207-874-8250
Email: doysons@portlandschools.org

Born and raised in Portland Maine, Sue attended Longfellow Elementary, Lincoln Middle, and Deering High School. After high school, she attended Mansfield Beauty Academy. She worked at the Head Shed in the Old Port for several years before opening her own salon, The Cutting Edge on Market Street in Portland. Sue has worked for Portland Schools for 25  years.  One year at Lincoln Middle School,  24 years at Lyman Moore, and 17 years at Portland High
 
She has been married to her husband Dan for 40 years. He is a graduate of Portland High and USM. They have 2 boys who both went to Riverton, Lyseth, Moore and Deering. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her adult sons, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren.  She also enjoys cooking, movies, going to the gym, walking, reading and dining out with friends.