Dawn Stiles Chosen to Lead Spurwink

Spurwink announced that Dawn Stiles, LCSW, of Augusta, will take over as President of the non-profit organization on October 2, 2006. Stiles has been Vice President of Spurwink for the past five years and succeeds Peter McPherson, of Limington, who has served as President for the past ten years.

"The Board of Directors conducted an extensive national search for a new president," said Donnell Carroll, Chair of the Spurwink Board. "Our mission was to find a candidate who would fit the agency, and whose background, knowledge and experience could lead Spurwink into the future. We are very pleased that Dawn Stiles rose to the top of all the other candidates."

Stiles joined Spurwink in 2000 after serving as Deputy Bureau Director for the Maine State Department of Health and Human Services. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maine.

Spurwink was founded in 1960 as "The Spurwink School," by the late Dick Smith of Scarborough and initially served adolescent boys with difficult behaviors. The first residential and educational program was located at 899 Riverside Street in Portland, which remains the location of the agency's administrative offices today.

Over the past 45 years, Spurwink has grown in response to the needs of Maine families by developing a wide array of community-based mental health and educational services for those who face emotional, behavioral and developmental challenges. The agency employs 850 staff and will serve 4,500 individuals throughout southern and central Maine in the year ahead.

"Spurwink is committed to providing quality services and supports that can help change lives," Carroll said.

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