Staff

Matthew Graff, Executive Director

Matthew’s journey started on Long Island, New York where he enjoyed playing in, on, and under the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Time passed, as time does, and Matthew graduated from Long Island University, Southampton with his BA. A JD from Franklin Pierce Law Center followed soon after, along with a job as a lobbyist. But the ocean and Sound beckoned him back, and he eventually joined the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and traded his suit, tie, and desk for a pair of waders and a boat, and an office on the water. Books eventually took precedence, setting Matthew towards his MLIS from Syracuse University and a position as the Director of the Cohoes Public Library in Cohoes, NY. Matthew lives in Newcastle and loves being part of the extraordinary Skidompha team.

 

Gab Smith, Development Director

Gab grew up in Owls Head and returned to the Midcoast in 2020. She worked as a leader and volunteer in arts and culture organizations in North Carolina, most recently as the director of a contemporary art museum. She believes that museums and libraries are kindred in their ability to connect people to each other and to the larger world through storytelling. Her favorite library lore is a story told by artist Louise Nevelson about a librarian at Rockland Public Library being the first person to tell her that she was an artist. Gab looks forward to finding even more ways to connect our library to the creativity and energy radiating from our community.

 

Adult Services

Terry Hapach, Head Librarian

Back in Ohio, many years ago, Terry was often found waiting impatiently for the library doors to open. When she was offered a part-time job there after school, she loved it so much it became a career that lasted over 30 years. Then one crazy vacation day she and her husband took a different route on the way to the Erie Zoo – and ended up in Maine. To live here on a more permanent basis, she retired. Or so she thought. A volunteer stint turned into employment and she’s now pleased to be helping to continue the development of an awesome library full of wonderful people.

 

Chloe Deblois, Adult Services Librarian

Chloe’s formative years often featured Skidompha. Throughout her childhood in Newcastle, she was a devoted attendee of the children’s library, and her family regularly volunteered for Skidompha’s planning and fundraising efforts to transition to its new building. After graduating college with a degree in philosophy, Chloe returned to Damariscotta where she spent a fulfilling time working with books and the public at Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop. She has a passion for nonfiction, history being a particular favorite, and loves learning about how stories connect, comfort, and strengthen us. She is excited to be part of Skidompha’s team and community.

 

Meghan Hawkes, Adult Services Librarian & Communications Director

Meghan grew up in western Connecticut, before heading to art school in New York and Massachusetts. After graduating, she followed her family to Maine and decided it was an excellent place to stay. She focused a love of books into working at the local bookstore and doing freelance illustration, before finding her way to Skidompha. Meghan will read anything you put in front of her, though she reserves a particular love for history, horror, and science fiction. She is very pleased to be part of the Skidompha team, and its opportunities to support the local community.

 

Youth Services

Youth Services Librarian

Hannah Doktor, Teen Services Librarian

Hannah is originally from New Jersey, but has loved every minute of living in Maine. Her two favorite activities have always been exploring outside and reading. She indulged the first one by initially becoming a forester, before finding that she missed spending time with people. Volunteering at the local library quickly turned into an exciting career change. Hannah has always found libraries to be warm, welcoming spaces of learning, growth and community. She hopes to bring that same feeling to everyone here at Skidompha.

 

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Jeannette Eaton, Mindfulness Teacher

Jeannette brings her passion for mindfulness, group facilitation, poetry, and writing to her work at Skidompha. With a graduate degree in writing for social change, she has spent the last two decades devoted to nonprofit work. She loves learning from people in her weekly virtual mindfulness meditation and poetry groups here at Skidompha. She also runs Paper Trail Creative Writing Workshops and is a mindfulness meditation teacher.