Meet Our Board

Mike Carrier (Board President) made his first trip to MATE 20 years ago when he became the Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Ramsey, NJ, and joined their work team which had been making trips for years. Since then he has made numerous trips with work teams from Ramsey as well as the Bedford Presbyterian Church. Seeing the transformation that happens tangibly through the renovation projects as well as what happens personally in the lives of everyone involved is what keeps Mike so connected to MATE. Mike, now retired from active ministry, and his wife, Linda, live in Campton, NH.

Alan Dossett (Board Vice-President & Treasurer) has been a part of MATE work groups from the Presbyterian Church in Sudbury (MA) for about 30 years. Over that time, Alan gained a lot of skills and tools, but more importantly he realized how relationships with home owners are the real basis for mission work. The work of MATE can transform lives for the workers and the home owners.

Alan grew up in Southern California and moved to the Boston area after college where he worked in technology and then financial services companies. Alan is a financial planner and lives with his wife Jane and two dogs in Milford, MA. Alan roasts coffee and brews beer in his spare time.

Steve Allman (Board Secretary), began his service as pastor at Leeds Community Church in March, 2019, and joined MATE’s board in 2020. Prior to coming to Maine he served churches in West Virginia, New York, and South Dakota. Currently Steve is working on a Doctor of Ministry degree. He’s originally from Pennsylvania and worked as a journalist, salesperson and educator before entering the ministry. He’s proud to be part of guiding MATE through its transition to being a nonprofit. Focuses include helping MATE maintain contact and partnership with the congregations that have long supported MATE’s mission.

Sharon Cowen lives in Bedford, NH with her husband Larry, and is a member of Bedford Presbyterian Church. She moved to Bedford in 1998 from Cincinnati after growing up and attending college in Columbus, Ohio. Sharon retired from University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension in 2018 after 15 years as Field Specialist in Community Development and adult educator in parenting and financial education. Previously she worked in market research. Sharon participated in several recovery teams with BPC after hurricanes in New Orleans and Puerto Rico and believes strongly in MATE’s focus on supporting the housing needs of individuals, families and communities.

Kobi Chase is the Systems Coordinator at Maine Children’s Trust. She has a BS in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from UMF and a Master’s in Education from New England University. She had been an elementary school teacher for many years before joining the Community Action’s fight against poverty, first at Community Concepts and now at WMCA. Through this work, she has seen the unmet needs in our area and believes in MATE’s mission of supporting our most vulnerable community members.

Kobi grew up in Maine and raised her own family here. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, running, skiing, and any other outdoor activity.

Michael Malek has spent his life as a restaurant food service manager and independent consultant specializing in expansion, renovation, and program development, with a passionate avocation in building. He grew up in New Hampshire and Maine. He and his wife, Pam, live in New Vineyard, Maine during the summer and outside Chapel Hill, North Carolina the rest of the year. If you were part of a MATE service trip during the summer of 2023, you may ran into Michael who work as a special season-long volunteer conducting a variety of activities, including serving as a Site Supervisor.

Kat Zimmermann has been a part of the MATE community since coming on a recovery trip with her Youth Group in 2016. Over the years it became clear to her that she wanted to help MATE in its mission to engage more youth; she joined the board in 2024.Kat is a New Hampshire native, but in the last few years has lived in many places including Germany, Ireland, and NYC. She is currently a student at Columbia University studying Political Science and she intends to pursue a career in Consulting or International Relations. Among many other activities, Kat loves her role as VP of Student Council, likes to take walks with her dog, and enjoys trying new flavors of tea.

Doug Novitch lives in Dover, MA with his wife CynDee. He raised his three children in Dover and has been a member of The Dover Church since 1997. Doug retired from a 30-year career in banking where he primarily focused on lending to the real estate industry. Doug has previously served as a board member of the Boston Real Estate Finance Association and was a member of the executive committee for the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1 Dover. He was introduced to MATE six years ago through The Dover Church where he volunteered as a project leader with each of his children. Doug continues as a MATE volunteer because of the satisfaction of mentoring young adults and supporting the Farmington community. Doug enjoys cycling (32-year PanMass Challenge rider), hiking, camping, playing golf and tennis.

Dee Robinson lives in Chesterville, ME. Dee and her husband, Frank, have been married for 36 years and they are the proud parents of four wonderful children, 3 adults and one 12-year-old. Dee has served on the local RSU9 school board for fours years, including two of those years as the chair. In December 2023, the family’s roof was severely damaged in a harsh winter storm right before Christmas. Despite Frank’s best effots to repair the roof, the family had to place numerous water buckets in the house to catch water dripping in from leaking roof. Because the home was “livable”, Dee’s family did not qualify for the aid they needed to repair the damaged roof. In the summer of 2024, MATE stepped in and was able to repair the roof. Dee has her Master’s Degree in IT and has experience in grant writing/research and is excited to help-out Maine in any way she can!

Millard Rackliffe is a dedicated member of the Mission at the Eastward (MATE) community, contributing in various capacities to enhance the lives of residents in Central Western Maine. His involvement with MATE includes serving as a Site Supervisor, where he guides and educates workgroups during their service trips, and acting as a Site Assessment Specialist in the spring. Additionally, Millard is the de facto winter caretaker of the McCleary House and participates year-round on multiple committees, volunteering countless hours to support MATE’s mission.

Beyond his work with MATE, Millard is an active figure in the Farmington area. He manages audio services on Sundays at Fairbanks Union Church, serves as the hospitality coordinator at the Farmington Conference Center, and sits on the Maine Outdoor Ministry advisory council. Guided by his strong Christian faith, Millard is always willing to assist those in need. He deeply cares for his friends and family, possesses a great sense of humor, and enjoys bringing a sense of fun to his work.