Meet Our Team

​Bill discovered Home Instead after he and his siblings had been through a long, challenging, and often frustrating experience attempting to care for their father and step-mother from a distance. After his step-mother’s death, Bill met the founders of Home Instead. He was so impressed with them and the company they had created, he decided to open the first Home Instead office in Northern New England to provide the kind of help he wished his family could have had. Bill serves as Chairman of the board of the Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter, and is a member of the American Society on Aging and the Maine Gerontological Society. A former professional cellist and symphony orchestra conductor, he also served for many years as Music Director at First Parish Church in Gorham. He is the proud father of three grown children and an avid motorcyclist.

After fifteen years of teaching, Renate was ready for a new challenge and joined the Home Instead team in 2016 as a Home Care Consultant. She chose Home Instead because of its commitment to helping aging adults, as well as its focus on innovation and community service. Now, in her role as General Manager, Renate is in charge of the day-to-day running of the office, managing the staff, and guiding growth. Outside of the office, Renate facilitates the Cumberland County Senior Networking Group and is chair of the Greater Portland Walk to End ALZ walk committee. Renate enjoys music and the outdoors and especially loves to travel. She lives in Gorham with her two mostly grown children.

Kathy spent over 30 years serving educational institutions before joining Home Instead. Kathy was inspired to shift her professional focus from serving youth to helping enhance the lives of seniors by her own parents' determination to live and thrive in place. As Home Care Consultant, Kathy cultivates and strengthens relationships with referral providers and the community. She is responsible for seeking new opportunities for Home Instead to be of service and manages various events including community education workshops. Kathy has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and fine arts from Lehigh University and lives in Portland with her husband and daughter. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, gardening, long walks with her dog, jewelry making, and sailing.

​Autumn first joined the Home Instead community as a CAREGiver℠ and, a short time later, became our Administrative Assistant. It was not long after that she moved into her current role of Service Coordinator. In this position, Autumn is responsible for building the CAREGiver teams and creating schedules for all new clients. She works with the rest of the staff to make the best Client/CAREGiver matches possible and to manage the last-minute changes, cancellations, and additions to client and CAREGiver schedules. Autumn loves her interactions with clients, families, and CAREGivers. In her free time, she enjoys photography, going to concerts, and spending time with her family. She also enjoys the New England Patriots, hunting for sea glass, and her cat Andy.

 

Susan knew she wanted to be a nurse from the time she was five years old. Her Grandmother would frequently take her to the local nursing home where she enjoyed talking and sharing with the residents. This is when her passion for caregiving and nursing began. This is also where her love for Big Band music and 40’s and 50’s movies started, which she still adores to this day. Susan’s nursing career spans over 20 years. She went to nursing school in Virginia and lived down South for 22 years, but missing her New England roots, she moved back to Maine in 2014 and appreciates living closer to family and friends. Susan is delighted to be teaching and sharing her knowledge and experiences. As Home Instead’s Nurse Trainer/Consultant, it’s her goal for the caregivers to feel confident and supported. 

Bethany is a certified medical assistant and has been in the healthcare field for more than 18 years. When she is not on call in the evenings and weekends for Home Instead, she is serving patients at Maine Medical Center. Bethany is an excellent troubleshooter and enjoys helping ensure our clients’ needs are being met 24/7. She lives in South Windham and enjoys vacationing in tropical places and spending time with her two children - going to the beach, playing basketball, swimming, and hiking.

“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try,” John F. Kennedy. Jacquelyn has always adored this quote and uses its sentiment to fuel her passion of making Home Instead an employer of choice. Jacquelyn has held several roles in our office and the best part of them all has been connecting with CAREGivers℠. As the Development Coordinator, Jacquelyn works closely with CAREGivers to foster an atmosphere of acceptance, growth, and learning. Jacquelyn has a degree in Sociology and Women and Gender Studies from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She enjoys exploring the great outdoors with her dog Mabel, collecting cookbooks, learning new board games, and traveling every chance she gets.  

Michalyne joined Home Instead after 20 years in the insurance industry, where no matter what her role, she emphasized excellent customer service. Drawing upon her own family history caring for her grandparents, Michalyne is committed to helping people age with dignity and to finding the right level of support and care. In her role as Client Care Coordinator, she oversees the clients’ care, from the initial assessment with the client and family to periodic quality assurance visits to make sure Home Instead remains responsive to the clients' goals and needs. Her favorite part of her role is the privilege of meeting families in their homes and hearing their personal stories. Michalyne lives in Gorham with her two sons. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, crocheting, and relaxing with a good book at the beach.

Jenn originally joined the Home Instead family as a CAREGiver, until taking on the position of Administrative Assistant. She loves how Home Instead really lives by their motto "To us, it's personal." The best part of her job is being able to connect with all the clients, CAREGivers, and members of the community. Jenn lives in Naples where she loves spending time with her family, watching her youngest son play basketball, and spending time outside with her family and her dog.

Charlene has always adored working with aging adults: admiring their life stories and wisdom and ensuring their happiness and wellbeing. She has over 23 years of caregiving experience and joined our Home Instead family over a decade ago as a CAREGiver before transitioning into the Recruitment Coordinator position. As the Recruitment Coordinator, Charlene uses her experience to seek out the most qualified and passionate new CAREGivers for our team. Beyond devising and implementing recruitment strategies, reviewing resumes, and interviewing candidates, Charlene is genuinely interested in all CAREGivers’ success and stays connected with them throughout their onboarding experience. Additionally, Charlene serves as Chair of the ALZ Fair and has helped to make it one of our most successful fundraising efforts in our fight to end Alzheimer’s. Charlene is proud to be a part of Home Instead and the commitment we have to our clients, CAREGivers, and the community. Charlene lives in Steep Falls where she raised 5 children with her husband Scott. Charlene loves family time at her farm, gardening, cooking, and spending time at camp.

Mabel joined our team at Home Instead in November of 2020. As the Cuddle Coordinator, she is responsible for increasing office morale, reducing stress, and giving cuddles. In her free time, Mabel enjoys sunbathing, bird watching, walks on the beach, and making new friends.