BOARD MEMBERS
Maine Connections Academy Governing Board
William Thompson
Board President/Secretary
Email: WilliamThompson@mca.connectionsacademy.org
Billy is currently a social studies teacher at Lisbon High School. Prior to becoming a teacher he served as the Chief of Staff in the Legislature’s House Minority Office.
Billy graduated from Colby College with an AB in Philosophy and Government and holds an MA in Political Science from George Mason University.
He is also formerly the Senior Education Policy Advisor to Governor LePage, previously worked on the DC staff of Senator Collins, and held a Presidential Appointment at the Department of Homeland Security as Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs for DHS Intelligence. Among other jobs he worked in the Maine Senate as Director of Communications and as the Director of Policy for the Speaker of the Maine House.
He is a member of the Brunswick School Board and served three terms as chairman. He has been married to his wife for 17 years and they have a ten year old daughter, twin seven-year-old sons, three dogs, two cats, and on any given day a random assortment of bugs and other wildlife living with them.
Jennifer Cummings
Board Treasurer
Email: JenniferCummings@mca.connectionsacademy.org
As Director of Business Programs at the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), Jennifer Cummings oversees a strong and experienced lending team that works with Maine lenders and businesses to help them get to “yes.” FAME has a unique role in Maine, tasked with taking on greater risk than traditional lenders for the benefit of the state. FAME does this primarily by offering Maine lenders commercial loan insurance and providing direct loans to Maine businesses through its FAME Direct Loan program, frequently facilitating deals that would not otherwise be possible.
At FAME success is measured by the number of jobs created and retained, as well as the amount of capital deployed: since 1983 when FAME opened its doors, over 100,000 jobs have been created or retained across all of Maine’s major industries and over $2 billion in loans and equity capital has been funneled into the Maine economy.
Jenn has over 15 years of experience as a commercial finance professional, both as a commercial loan officer and workout officer. She joined FAME in 2013 as Senior Workout Officer and now serves as Director of Business Programs. A Maine native, Jenn received her BS in International Business and Logistics from Maine Maritime Academy and earned her MBA from Thomas College. When not at work, she enjoys spending time outside with her family, hiking and skiing. She can also be found competing at local Crossfit competitions and is a Crossfit Trainer. Jenn lives in Manchester with her two daughters Grace (9) and Eleanor (3).
Ellen McBride
Board Member
Email: EllenMcBride@mca.connectionsacademy.org
Ellen McBride is an adjunct professor at Kennebec Valley Community College in the Early Childhood Education department. She also serves on the Maine State Literacy Team. Earlier in her career, she was a public school educator for seven years. Ellen holds both a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and a M.S. in Early Literacy from the University of Maine Orono. She volunteers at the local community food pantry and serves on the board for the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Augusta, where she also serves as a literacy tutor. Ellen is a strong advocate for the promotion of literacy and literacy skills overall. Ellen currently has two daughters enrolled in MCA and greatly appreciates the opportunity to have school choice.
Board Member
Jana Lapoint
Email: JanaLapoint@mca.connectionsacademy.org
Jana Lapoint joined Maine Connections Academy as a board member, continuing her long and successful career in education. She has a BD in history and an MS in business education, as well as more than a decade of experience teaching high school students. In 1995, Jana was appointed by former governor Angus King to the board of trustees of the Maine Community College System. She also served on the Maine State Charter Commission, with two of those years as chair, during which time she proudly signed the documents that established the Vocational College as a community college of Maine. From 2010–2021, Jana served as vice chair on the Maine State Board of Education. In addition, she acted as trustee at Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, and Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine. Jana has four children, 13 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Board Member
Connie Ronco
Email: ConnieRonco@mca.connectionsacademy.org
Connie Ronco is a part time Faculty member in the College of Education /Human Development at the University of Maine. In her previous career she was the department chair of the Early childhood and Education Programs at Eastern Maine Community College and a classroom teacher in public and private schools. Maine. She has also served as an adjunct faculty at the University of New England. She completed her education at University of Maine, earning a B.S. in Human Development, a M.S. in Education, and a CAGS in Educational Leadership. Connie is a dedicated educational professional in Maine, having served over 40 years in the field as a teacher, administrator, and institutional leader. She enjoys her role in mentoring and guiding pre-service educators as they prepare to become the future teachers for Maine students and beyond. As Team Leader for the Achieving the Dream Initiative at Eastern Maine Community College, Connie has been a champion for student success and retention and has been instrumental in bringing many best practices, such as learning communities, a student success center, math pathways and college success courses to support first generation and at-risk students to succeed in college. Connie is an advocate for students and believes that families should have choice for the best educational experiences for their children. Connie lives in Winterport with her husband and enjoys spending time with her family and grandchildren.