Patrick Breeding, Co-Founder, Marin Skincare

Patrick is a wellness entrepreneur and co-founder of Marin Skincare, which creates gentle and effective skincare products for people with eczema, psoriasis and dry skin using a glycoprotein found in lobster as the key ingredient. He is also a co-founder of KinoTek, an innovative movement analysis startup using motion capture and virtual reality to visualize, analyze and communicate biomechanical information to decrease risk of musculoskeletal injury.

Patrick earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering in 2017 and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering in 2019 from the University of Maine. He is passionate about biotechnology research and commercialization in various fields, spanning skincare, marine bioresources, drug development, medical education and sports performance innovation, and enjoys participating in regular K-12 outreach experiences motivating and mentoring students for careers in STEM.

Kate Howell, Director of Workforce Partnerships, Educate Maine

Kate Howell has worked in Human Resources and leadership roles throughout her career. Prior to joining Educate Maine, Kate was HR Generalist at a biotech company in Portland focusing on recruitment, career development, and university relations. She led the national university relations program and brings a wealth of knowledge in the area of internship programming and university partnerships. Before moving to Maine, Kate worked in New York City and Washington, DC across a variety of industries and non-profit organizations. Kate holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Syracuse University and a SCP certification from the Society for Human Resources Management.

Sara Conant, Program Director, Maine Career Catalyst – Educate Maine

Prior to joining Educate Maine in 2022, Sara worked for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program. Her career & educational experiences have provided her with an understanding and practice in the design, implementation, & evaluation of experiential learning programs for both youth and young adults. Sara holds a Maine Professional Teacher Certification and is a graduate of the Muskie School of Public Policy at USM where she earned a Masters in Policy, Planning, and Management with a concentration in Public & Nonprofit Management.

Basant Paradis, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, IDEXX

Originally from southern Georgia, Basant obtained her BS in Chemistry from Georgia Southern University in 1998. She then joined International Paper’s Chemical Products Division, Arizona Chemical (now Kraton Polymers) in Savannah, Georgia where she worked in new product development. She left to attend the University of Maine where she obtained her MS in Chemical Engineering in 2001. Upon graduation, she joined Georgia Pacific Corporation in Old Town, Maine where she worked as a Process Engineer and supported process development initiatives. She left corporate America to be an entrepreneur owning several different types of businesses. She also taught Chemistry at the collegiate level for 4 years. In 2016, she joined F-O-R-T-U-N-E Personnel Consultants of Bangor as the Director of Recruiting, Specialty Chemicals. Her recruiting focus was working with chemical, biotech, and paper companies finding research and development scientists and engineers. In August of 2021, she joined IDEXX as a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist where she finds scientists and engineers for the Innovation Team. She truly enjoys working with candidate to help them find the best fit within the organization, and she equally enjoys working with hiring managers to find the best fit candidates for their teams. She currently lives in Old Town, Maine with her husband, Mark, their two children, Andre and Olivia, their two 2 dogs, May and Abby, their cat, Piper, and their two juvenile red-foot tortoises, Scarlett and Bowser.

Jeff Nevers

Jeff Nevers has counseled thousands of students and alumni in his 15 years in the Career Services field. He has advised and presented on topics ranging from career exploration to salary negotiation, for a host of majors and professions from liberal arts to science to high tech. At the University of New England, he held many career services roles, most recently as director. He was also an affiliated faculty member, teaching professional competencies to health professions students, and was a faculty coach for interprofessional healthcare student teams competing nationally, which resulted in two medaling teams in four outings. Jeff has presented on the intersection of human resources and higher education, locally, statewide and nationally. He most recently advised students at the Roux Institute of Northeastern University. A Maine native from Presque Isle, Jeff has with a BS in Political Science from the University of Southern Maine and an MA in Journalism from Syracuse University. He lives in Portland with his wife, Michelle.