CAMDEN — United Midcoast Charities recently announced the addition of four new members to its board of directors. The new directors’ diverse professional experiences range from foreign service and conference management to retail operations and socially responsible investing.

Denise Breed enjoyed a 20-year diplomatic career across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. She also worked for two years as the executive aide to the commander, U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Breed relocated to Rockport with her husband, Jeff, in the summer of 2019.

Janice Washburn Gates has over 18 years of experience as an executive in retail operations in the Northwest, Intermountain West and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. She is the director of operations for the Farnsworth Art Museum. Gates and her husband, Chris, live in Camden.

Karyn Rizzo is a native of Newton, Massachusetts. After pursuing a short teaching career and raising her two daughters, she spent many years at Sun Life's U.S. headquarters in Wellesley, Massachusetts, leading the conference services department. Rizzo and her team managed meetings and incentive conferences for the company in the U.S., Canada and other countries. She and her husband, Tom, retired to their cottage on Spruce Head Island after her retirement in 2012. They now reside in Owls Head.

Mark Haley, of Rockport, is the founder of Burntcoat Capital, a private investment fund focused on socially and environmentally responsible opportunities. His passions are surfing, sailing, fishing and aquaculture. He has family roots in Maine, having spent summers on Swan’s Island.

Breed, Gates, Rizzo and Haley join other community leaders on the UMC Board of Directors: President Lori Alexander, VP Jim Hengerer, Treasurer Frank Hackett, Secretary Mary Sargent, Chris Beebe, Jay Foster, Elinor Goldberg, Kristin Sidwell and Alexandra “Sani” Fogel.

About United Midcoast Charities

United Midcoast Charities, founded in 1942, is a 501c3 community-supported nonprofit whose mission is to energize Midcoast Maine nonprofit agencies through finance and guidance, supporting a network of resources stronger than any single organization. UMC’s primary areas of focus are food, housing, health & safety, and economic security. UMC has awarded $3.5 million to more than 50 agencies in the last five years as part of its community-led competitive grants program. For more information, visit www.unitedmidcoastcharities.org.