Board of Directors

President

Anna Phillips

Anna Phillips was born and raised in rural, coastal Maine, has lived and traveled to a few different places, and now is settled with family back in Maine again. Her undergraduate degree was in Forensic Archaeology (a combination of chemistry and classics), and she has a graduate degree in Bible History and Geography.  Anna has been with Dignity First since very near its beginnings, and is excited to work with this team to build something amazing for Bangor. She is the coordinator for the Greater Bangor Area Street Pastors, does pet sitting and house help for a few people in the Bangor area, and helps homeschool her nephews. She also has been adjunct faculty at a local Seminary teaching Biblical Context and Greek. Currently her passion project is doing therapy dog visits with her family's dog in local hospitals, schools, and other places where the human-animal bond can help bring comfort and peace.

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Over more than a decade volunteering with the Street Pastors in downtown Bangor, Anna has seen and spoken to a wide range of community members on the street at many hours of the day and night. Knowing what some of the community needs are, has led to a drive to participate in building this program with Dignity First. 

Secretary

Emilie Bronson Blair

Growing up in Bangor, Emilie was raised with a pride for our city and state. Her family roots of community service run deep in Bangor. Emilie worked with the Bangor Y and served as volunteer staff for their Leaders School summer camp program for many years. While in college, she participated in numerous community service efforts including Habitat for Humanity.

Emilie's professional background is extensive in marketing and customer service. She obtained her B.S. in Music Industry and Business Administration from Northeastern University. After several years as an Events Manager, she became a Marketing Specialist at a well-known Maine outdoors company. She now works as a REALTOR in the Bangor market while currently serving on the Greater Bangor Association of REALTORS board of directors, sitting on a committee for the Maine Association of REALTORS and as the Maine representative for the housing opportunity committee for the National Association of REALTORS. In 2025, Emilie was named the Greater Bangor Association's REALTOR of the Year.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, serving on the parent teacher association at her childrens' school, crocheting, walking and listening to podcasts. Emilie, her husband, and their children reside in Bangor.

Treasurer

Kim Boucher

Kim has passion for expanding the common good throughout the greater Bangor area. She shows her commitment to serving her community through volunteering, service on many local boards and committees, and strong civic engagement. With more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she has held leadership, fundraising, strategy, and communications roles supporting a wide range of mission-driven organizations. Kim is a graduate from the University of Maine and received an MBA from Brandeis University. She lives in Bangor with her family.

Board Member

Janet Jonas

Janet returned to Bangor in 2022, immediately immersing herself in the local non-profit sector to help expand community opportunities across the city. She holds a degree from the University of Maine and brings over three decades of experience spanning pulp and paper manufacturing, public education, disaster recovery, urban planning, and community development.
 

Janet joined Dignity First as a volunteer supporting community food initiatives. Her extensive skill set and dedication to the organization's mission led to her appointment to the Board of Directors in 2025. She contributes key expertise in project and construction management, grant writing, and federal grant administration.
 

In addition to her board service with Dignity First, Janet serves the Bangor community as Vice-Chair of the City’s Planning Board and as Secretary for the Penobscot Valley Senior College.

Board Member

Sarah Kincaid

Sarah has been studying solutions to homelessness for several years. While pursuing a Masters of Social Work degree at the University of New England, she has researched effective ways to provide stable housing that not only improves the lives of individuals, but also strengthens the whole community. Before pursuing her MSW, she was an elementary school teacher. She also has several years of experience working in the mental health field with children, teens, and adults who have experienced trauma, substance use disorders, and homelessness. She provided volunteer reading and math tutoring in schools and ran an inner-city volunteer program to provide after-school tutoring and snacks to children in an impoverished area. She spent time living and working in indigenous communities in Alaska before returning to her home state of Maine. She loves backpacking, growing food, kayaking, sharing adventures with her family, and trying to knit recognizable things. She believes that everyone should have a home. 

Board Member

Joyce Mallery

Throughout her life, Joyce has found ways to work for social justice and democracy. She has

participated in community service wherever she has lived, including organizing, and

volunteering.

Recently, Joyce has worked for the Democratic party, the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership

Institute, Hope for the Homeless, and Dignity First. Last year, she and her husband volunteered in schools in the small fishing village of Chacala, Mexico. Joyce continues to find ways to connect and learn from others, and explore ways that people can thrive.

Joyce lives in Bangor and writes educational materials; her professional endeavors have also

included teaching in public schools, opening a Montessori school, a restaurant, and a women’s

clothing store, Sea of Cotton, in Bar Harbor and Bangor. She is a person with diverse interests and welcomes the opportunity to use her background and skill set.

In her spare time, Joyce enjoys spending time with her eight grandchildren, camping, reading,

knitting, and taking care of her horse, Sweet William, with her oldest granddaughter.

Board Member

Joe Simpson

Joe is a Maine native with a deep commitment to community service and advocacy for vulnerable populations. He has been actively involved in volunteer work for many years, including serving as a wish granter with Make-A-Wish Maine and as a founding board member of Bangor Area Street Pastors, where he helped support outreach efforts to individuals experiencing hardship in the Bangor region.

Joe regularly participates in local and international mission work through his church community at All Souls Church, reflecting his strong belief in service, compassion, and hands-on engagement.

He is especially passionate about addressing homelessness in the Bangor area. Joe is dedicated to helping create safe, stable communities that provide individuals experiencing homelessness with pathways to permanent housing, dignity, and the opportunity to build meaningful, self-sustaining lives.

Professionally, Joe is a licensed real estate agent in both Maine and Florida, bringing practical expertise in housing, property, and community development to his volunteer and
board work. He divides his time between Bangor, Maine, and The Villages, Florida, with his wife, Tracy, and their Maltipoo, Murphy.