Class of 2003 Summer 2020 Class Note

Victoria Abbott

Jared Merry joined CES as a senior project engineer within the building services unit as a mechanical engineer. Jared works with mechanical and electrical engineering staff in meeting project designs and goals for CES clients. In addition to his PE license, Jared holds a Merchant Marine’s license. CES is located in Brewer and is a fully integrated consulting firm of engineers, environmental scientists, and surveyors.

Nate Webb, a biologist, has been promoted at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as the new director of its wildlife division. Nate’s path to this esteemed position started while on the UMaine campus as a member of the state’s bear crew. Nate also spent time as a carnivore specialist for the Alberta Ministry of Environment and Parks, where his work focused on wolves, cougars, and bears. He joined the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in 2014 as a special projects coordinator, then the public lands wildlife biologist, and was later selected to lead the wildlife and research assessment section. Nate has a long legacy of leadership and a strong passion for the outdoors as an avid hunter, angler, birder, and hiker.

The Town of Winthrop, ME, has hired Jeffrey D. Kobrock G as its town manager. Jeffrey has done extensive work in municipal and regional communities, most recently as the Gardiner (Maine) city manager. Jeffrey’s career has provided him leadership experience in both town management and economic development. Besides serving the Gardiner and Winthrop communities, Jeffrey has served as executive director for the Midcoast Council of Governments and Midcoast Economic Development District.

Krisjand Rothweiler was recently featured at the Career Center for his unique and glowing alumni perspective! Krisjand grew up in a Navy family but considers this state to be the closest thing to home. During his time at UMaine, Krisjand set his sights on a civil engineering degree. After realizing this wasn’t such a great fit, he switched majors to international relations, with a concentration in government. In his junior year, he made the switch to a major in political science, with a concentration on international affairs, which turned out to be a great fit for him. Throughout his four years at UMaine, Krisjand participated in the Army ROTC program and took German courses. Today, Krisjand is an Army Major and works at the US Army War College in the Department of Strategic Wargaming, where he designs wargame scenarios for various Department of Defense organizations. Krisjand is currently stateside with his wife and two daughters; he hopes to go overseas with his family to teach at an international military school or get a strategic planning assignment.

Danielle Rioux Blacklock is director of NOAA Fisheries’ office of aquaculture, where she is leading the office’s work on regulation and policy, science, outreach, and international activities in support of US aquaculture. Kelly-Anne Rush ‘03 married James Rasanke in a beautiful oceanside event on 7-5-19 in Portland. The newlyweds reside in Virginia.

I wish you health and sanity as we are in the midst of a “new normal” with the Coronavirus. Hopefully summer sun will bring a healthy human race ready to venture outside and celebrate connections again!