Board Members
Maine Connections Academy Board of Directors
William Thompson
Board President/Secretary
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 20 years and they have a 14-year-old daughter, twin 10-year-old sons, three dogs, two cats, and on any given day a random assortment of bugs and other wildlife living with them.
Angela Lallier
Board Treasurer
Angela Lallier, M.S., SHRM-CP, is a culture strategist and employee experience leader whose professional background includes human resources, banking, manufacturing, sales, and business operations. Throughout her career, she has led teams, improved organizational processes, developed onboarding and employee feedback systems, and designed engagement and recognition programs that strengthen workplace culture. Her approach combines an understanding of employee behavior with practical business and financial insight to help organizations translate feedback into meaningful action.
Ms. Lallier holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in human resource management and business administration and is a SHRM Certified Professional. She has also contributed to community leadership as Second Vice Chair of the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber and is an inducted member of the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Jana Lapoint
Board Member
Jana Lapoint joined Maine Connections Academy as a board member, continuing her long and successful career in education. She has a BS 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. During her time as Chair she proudly signed the documents that established the Vocational School as the Community College of Maine. She was a member of the State Board of Education for 8 years and two as Vice Chair. During that time the State approved charter schools and she would go on to serve for 8 years as an authorizer and two as Chair. She was also a trustee of Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts and Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Maine Alliance for Charter Schools and a board member of two Maine charter schools. Jana has four children, 13 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
Connie Ronco
Board Member
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 in 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 45 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.