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Odette Butler,
​Executive Director

After nearly 20 years in Alaska, Odette returned to New England to be closer to family and now calls Hancock, NH home. Her professional journey has spanned roles in drug and alcohol counseling, senior care coordination, and nonprofit leadership—including 17 years as CEO of the Breast Cancer Detection Center in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Before joining The River Center, she served as Executive Director of the Vermont Wilderness School. Odette brings deep experience in nonprofit management and a passion for community service to her role.
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She’s a proud mom of three grown sons and enjoys cooking, gardening, crocheting, and time in the woods with her husband and pets.

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KELLI TOURGEE
EARLY HOME SUPPORT/PARENT EDUCATOR

Kelli began working with FACT and The Family Center in 1998. Her years of experience working with children and families benefit the home visiting work and parent education she does with The River Center. Before coming on board, she worked at Peterborough Elementary School as a 1:1 aide and she was a home daycare provider. She works with all age groups – from infants in the home visiting program to parents and young children in Families, Forests, and Farms as well as from families in the Jaffrey parenting group to tweens and teens in Safe Sitter. She enjoys working with people!

She loves her family, friends, and clamming in Rhode Island.

Read about why Kelli does the work she does here.

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MANDY CARTER
Kinship Navigator | Community Resource Specialist​

Mandy is a dedicated family support professional and community advocate based in Peterborough, NH. At The River Center, she serves as a Kinship Navigator, Community Resource Specialist, Support Group Facilitator, and Certified Community Health Worker, helping families navigate complex challenges. A graduate of the NH Leadership Series and a member of the Peterborough Affordable Housing Committee, Mandy brings both lived experience and deep commitment to her advocacy work.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, being creative, and shopping for cute dresses and blue hair dye. 

​Read more about what drives Mandy in the work she does here.

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NISA SIMILA
Communications and Money Matters Manager

In her dual roles as Communications and Money Matters Manager at The River Center, Nisa brings an eclectic background as a former speech-language pathologist, stay-at-home mom, PTO secretary, and children's teacher. From managing the social media accounts and website to coordinating volunteers in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, she has a unique view of the organization behind the scenes and in direct service.

She enjoys spending time with family, cooking, and riding her Vespa all over New England in her spare time. Raised in Canada, she lives in Peterborough with her family.

​Read more about why Nisa feels everyone needs a "River Center" in their lives here.

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SHANNON MCNAMARA
Consulting Social Worker

Shannon works in program development and facilitation in the family support program area of The River Center. She loves community outreach and researching and implementing programs and activities that can positively impact families, community and culture. Shannon has a particular passion for meeting the needs of youth and adolescents and enjoys designing and facilitating programs for parents and teens on maintaining good communication and understanding with one another.

Shannon grew up in the Monadnock region and has deep roots in the area. She lives in Hancock with her husband, three children and very active dog. A perfect day would be morning coffee with her husband on the deck, lunch with friends at Fiddleheads, followed by kayaking, dinner and music at Orchard Hill Pizza night, or taking in a Drive-In movie.

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SUE WHITAKER
Operations & Development Manager

Sue handles all things related to donations and data. She tracks and reports on information about the participants in each of our programs so that our donors and funders know how we are using their generous dollars. She also runs our fundraising campaigns such as NH Gives. Sue coordinates our family programs making sure everything is in place for the programs to run and that the facilitators have everything they need. 
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Sue enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her husband and 4 children. 

​Read more about Sue and how her experience at The River Center brought her to where she is today here.

board of directors

​Douglas Sutherland

Chair
DEIB Consultant
Resides in Hancock, NH

tim kolk

Treasurer
President, TRK Advisors
Resides in ​​Peterborough, NH

Peggy Lee

​Member
Retired educator
Resides in ​New Ipswich, NH

ivor edmonds

Member
​​Co-founder and Chief Wellness Officer, Sága LLC
​Resides in ​Peterborough, NH

KRISTEN GARLAND

Vice-Chair
​​Educator, The Well School
Resides in ​Peterborough, NH

STEPHANIE THOMSON

​Secretary
Upton & Hatfield, LLP
Resides in ​Peterborough, NH

JOHANNA ARNONE

Member
Editor, NerdWallet
​Resides in Peterborough, NH

nick zotto

Member
​Resides in Greenfield, NH