Board of Directors

Audrey Findlen, Executive Director

In June 2006, Audrey Findlen retired after thirty years as a public educator most of which was with the South Portland School system where she served on a number of district-wide committees, facilitated the middle school math curriculum and was grade 7 team leader. She graduated cum laude from the University of Southern Maine completing her bachelor’s degree in three years and received her master’s degree from the University of New England. Currently she is Corporate Manager for Frederick Findlen DMD, PA.  Audrey began her pageant experience in 1976 when she was crowned Miss Greater Portland and was named first runner-up to Miss Maine. Since then Audrey has served in a number of capacities and now is the Executive Director. Having studied both dance and voice, she has performed around the state in local and regional theaters, with the Maine State Ballet Company, and with Maine State Music Theater. Audrey lives in Pownal with her husband Frederick and two golden retrievers, Mulligan and Reilly. Audrey and Fred enjoy travel, theater, and the company of family and friends as well as decorating and landscaping their home. 

Valerie Crooker, President and NAMASP President '04 - '05

Our own native of Brunswick, Valerie Crooker Clemens held the title of Miss Maine 1980.  She has served throughout the years at the local, state, and national levels of the Miss America system.  Currently she serves as President of the Miss Maine Scholarship Pageant and Past President of the National Association of Miss America State Pageants (NAMASP). She has judged over 30 Miss America State preliminaries.  In January, Valerie lead a team of 44 volunteers from around the country in the annual “Day of Service” with Habitat for Humanity in Las Vegas, Nevada.  This event is dedicated to our Miss America State Finalists as a thank you for their volunteer efforts all year long.  Valerie is a volunteer for the National Foundation for Celiac Awarenesss and Melmark, a home for the mentally and physically handicapped in Newtown Square, PA.  For the past 19 years she has hosted the Miss Maine Invitational, a “Miss America Boot Camp”: to prepare the contestants for the Miss America Pageant.  Valerie resides in Radnor, Pennsylvania, with her supportive husband Al, and their children: super ski-racing son “AJ,” who attends Waterville Ski Academy in New Hampshire, and Pine Tree Princess “CoCo,” who represented Maine in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant as a little sister in Florida in 2008.

Megan Stiles, Secretary

Megan is a native of Berwick, Maine, a 1993 graduate of Noble High School, and a 1997
graduate of the University of New Hampshire where she majored in Psychology, which then led her to an 11 year career as a social worker. Having worked in the fields of crisis management, Child Protective Services, and supporting children with special needs, Megan has learned how to better serve people in my community. That journey brought her to the world of Long Term Care, which is now her new life passion. She spends her days caring for loved ones - grandparents, parents, sisters and brothers - generally needing end of life care. She is a member of ACHCA (American College of Health Care Administrators).

Her other passions include spending time with her family, participating in any type of water sports, and continuing to stay involved with a lifelong passion, cheerleading. Megan is a former instructor with NCA and enjoys staying involved by judging competitions for the Maine Principals Association. Megan is a new board member of the Miss Maine Scholarship Pageant,

Megan has already learned how important this program is in the lives of young women.

John Hatcher, Vice President

John has been a realtor for over 20 years in the Greater Portland area and is with The Hatcher Group of Keller Williams Realty.  He serves on the Portland Board of Realtors Board of Directors and has also served on the state level.  John continues to be involved in the Portland area with various charitable organizations including the Portland Symphony Orchestra.  He has been coaching figure skating at the professional level for over 20 years and competed at the national level in both Pairs and Ice Dance.  Since 1985 John has been affiliated with the Miss Maine Scholarship Pageant in a variety of capacities and has attended the Miss America Pageant for many years.  For the past several years, John has been host to the annual Miss Maine sendoff in January.

Gene Gagne, Vice President

Gene graduated from Auburn Maine School of Commerce in 1964 with a degree in Accounting and Business Administration.  In 1974 he went to work for the Brunswick School Department as a school bus driver for Special Education students.  He added many other duties over the years and in 1991 was promoted to Assistant Director of Buildings, Grounds and Transportation.  In 1995 he ws named Director.  Gene retired in November 2003 after 29 years of service.  In 1964 Gene and the Brunswick Jaycees started the Miss Brunswick Scholarship Pageant and has been involved in pageantry ever since.  In 1977 Gene became a member of the Board of Directors of the Miss Maine Scholarship Pageant and has served in many capacities, including Co-Producer and Field Director.  He has attended the Miss America Pageant for over 35 years.

Deb Landry, Director of Youth Programs (Miss Maine's Outstanding Teen, Pine Tree Princess Program, and Miss Maine Day)

Deb Landry is a children’s author and a parenting coach specializing in social awareness behaviors. She  is the co-founder, President/CEO of Crossroads, a non-profit performing youth program and the Editor-in-Chief of Breathe Magazine.  Deb has been with the Miss Maine Organization for three years in different roles. During her tenure, she co-authored the book The Snapdragon Princess, with MAOT Executive Director Kim Parrish.

Jeff Christenbury, Director of Marketing and Publicity

Jeff is 25 years old and lives in Saco. He graduated from Thornton Academy in 2003 and earned a degree at Boston University in the field of broadcast journalism, graduating in 2007. Jeff currently works for WPXT-TV and WPME-TV in Westbrook and hosts a high school sports show called The Maine Rundown. He was also elected to the Saco City Council in November 2009. Jeff has been volunteering since he was a teenager, specifically for Crossroads Youth Center in Saco. Jeff first got involved with the Miss Maine organization in 2006 when his good friend, Karissa Staples, took home the crown.

Paul Hanson, Director of Sponsorships

Paul is the Food and Beverage Manager at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport and has taken on the role of Director of Sponsorships with the Miss Maine Scholarship Pageant.  He first became involved with pageants in Aroostook County when stationed at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone.  He is thrilled to be a part of this organization and to help the young women be the best they can be.

Margaret Watkinson, Director of Policies and Procedures

Margaret joined the board in the fall of 2009 after offering to work on Policies and Procedures for Miss Maine Scholarship Pageant.  Margaret saw first hand how the program provides experiences and a template for personal growth and development for young women when her daughter, Adrienne, took advantage of workshops, trainings, mentorships, public performance and community service opportunities in addition to developing her personal style through the process of running twice for Miss Maine. Going to Miss America to support Adrienne as she represented Maine at Miss America in 2009 completed the education about how the national and state programs provide limitless opportunities for young women.   Margaret considers herself a problem solver, an advocate for all young people and education in general and holds a BA in Linguistics, a MS in Special Education and CAS in Early Language and Literacy.  Margaret has been married for over 30 years to Chris, and together they live in Richmond, having raised four fabulous children.