Meet our Board of Directors!
Bill Yacopucci
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Like many, my maker life began with Legos. I would follow the instructions to learn but would soon “off-road” and make my own stuff. I’ve been doing so ever since. From general home repairs and improvements - to building a Murphy bed from scratch - I’m not afraid to dive in. If something of mine stops working, I like to take it apart and see if I can fix it.
My first career was in law enforcement as a police officer in the City of Franklin. I then moved into corporate security & safety management. I've worked for companies in a wide variety of industries - retail, manufacturing & distribution, tech, transportation, and property management. Partnering with maintenance staff to solve the safety problems of front line workers honed my making ability further. On, of all days, September 11, 2001, I became a Certified Protection Professional through the American Society of Industrial Security. With inadequate opportunities in education for many NH communities, I became interested in makerspaces as a means of leveling the playing field. If everyone had the same opportunities to create and learn we could solve the world’s problems. Makerspaces can have life-changing implications for young and old alike. I created Franklin Gear, Inc. , initially, as an apparel & accessories line celebrating the City of Franklin, NH and its citizens. The goal was to be able to donate to area STEM programs. I determined my time would be better spent building a makerspace for the people of the Greater Franklin Area. My board experience includes the Boston Chapter of the American Society of Industrial Security. While living in the Midwest, I was on the Greater Columbus (Indiana) Safety Council. In California I was a member of the Western States Cargo Theft Association (tricky name - we were definitely anti- cargo theft). Locally, I was on the Juvenile Diversion Board for Merrimack County, and the boards of the Franklin Opera House and the Franklin Outing Club. With such a diverse portfolio of board service, I've seen the good, the bad & the ugly. I set out to bring a "Dream Team" board to Franklin Makerspace - and I have! |
Kathlene
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I’ve been a real estate appraiser since 1989, working in tax appraisal for the Montana Department of Revenue, then opening my own appraisal business in 1993. I moved to Franklin after accepting a position as a review appraiser with the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2003. I still hold that position and am proud to serve our Veterans throughout a thirteen state region, including New Hampshire. I’ve been on the Franklin Zoning Board of Adjustments for the past ten years and am currently the Vice Chairman. I’m also a past board member of The Franklin Studio. I pursue many craft and art hobbies, including stained glass, beading and weaving. My focus is on the traditional Japanese fiber arts, particularly kumihimo. I’m excited to be a part of Franklin Makerspace, helping in the development of a space for the passionate to master their skills and the curious to learn and explore. |
Don St.Gelais
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Don is the owner of two Transportation Companies - Lakes Region Airport Shuttle & Lakes Region Student Transport. These companies have served the area for over 20 years and employ more than 50 employees.
Don is also a Majority Partner in Mirador Partners Financial consultancy. He has been a Certified Retirement Plan Consultant for 40 years. Don has served on the Board of Directors of Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce for the past 3 years. Don lives in Meredith with his wife Sandra. He is an avid golfer. Don is a craftsman when it comes to woodworking. He brings his skill and enthusiasm to our board. We are lucky to have Don on our team! |
Krystal Alpers
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Krystal graduated in 2004 from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Management and a minor in Psychology. After graduation Krystal worked as a substitute teacher in the Newfound Area School District and started an After School Program at the New Hampton Community School. She soon obtained a job with the Town of Bristol as the Executive Assistant to the Town Manager while also holding various positions gaining a wide understanding of Municipal Government.
In November of 2008, Krystal was hired as the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Franklin. Since then she has been a strong advocate to revitalize Parks and Recreation within the city. Through partnerships and committees, four city parks and Paul Smith School have been revitalized with new playgrounds and other amenities. Overall improvements, added programs and activities have been achieved through fundraising, grants, community partners and the efforts of the amazing parks and recreation staff. Krystal was an integral part in the transformation of the Bessie Rowell Elementary school to a thriving Community Center, and created a flourishing Before and After School program there among other great programs. The Summer Program has also almost doubled in size since she took the helm. During her career she has raised over 1 million dollars for the betterment of Parks and Recreation. She is a Co-Coordinator of the Healthy Eating Active Living Coalition (HEAL) and a member of the New Hampshire Recreation and Parks Association (NHRPA). Krystal is married with two school-aged children. Her family enjoys their beach days on Newfound lake in the summer, hiking and outdoor recreation in the spring and fall and skiing in the winter. She highly supports a strong educational foundation, family engagement, and has a passion for outdoor recreational activities |
Judith Ackerson
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Judith moved to Franklin in 1976 with her husband and three young children. As an at-home mother in the early years, she wore many hats: volunteer coordinator of the Franklin School District Volunteer Program, Franklin Hospital Auxiliary, classroom volunteer, to name a few. When she returned to full employment, she worked for 18 years as office manager of a non-profit in Concord, followed by a short stint at the Society for Protection of NH Forests.
In 1999, Judith turned her desire to becoming a full-time presence in Franklin by finding employment there, first as a substitute teacher, then as a library aide at the high school and finally as Registrar, part of the Guidance Department, from which she retired in 2011. Judith served on the Board of Directors of the Franklin Public Library for ten years. She continues to serve as a board member of the Franklin Opera House, teaches an exercise class at the senior center and line dances there as well. Since 2013, she has continued to serve as the Franklin Town Crier, posting weekly activities in the Concord Monitor and on several Franklin Facebook pages. This helps her keep her fingers on the pulse of all the things that make Franklin a great place to live. Judith enjoys taking on new endeavors, most notably now as secretary of the Franklin Makerspace. She and her husband Ken enjoy an active social life in the community as well as with neighbors at Mountain View Estates, where they are spending their retirement years. They enjoy keeping up with their combined family of 5 adult children and 6 grandchildren who live in Massachusetts, Franklin NH and Iowa. |
Colby Morrill |
Colby Morrill is one unique individual who has no one set of skills - he has many! A gentleman he met in a bar while on worldly travels once said “Colby you strike me as a man who knows a little bit about a lot“
Colby‘s work experience is quite extensive; spending over two decades working in and around the outdoor recreation field. Colby has enjoyed a lifetime of gardening and volunteering in and around the community. Colby has degrees in Natural Resources Conservation, Parks And Recreational Management, Ski Area Technology and has many technical certifications in the fields of taxidermy, welding, compost and horticulture. Colby is attempting to live a sustainable farming life-style with a family farm stand and maple syrup, while working in outdoor recreational areas, and still tries to give himself more free time to invest in Franklin and the surrounding community. He truly wants to make where we live a better place for all of us. Colby's making experience is extensive. A few projects of note: As Colby became an Eagle Scout, his capstone project was "Welcome to Franklin" signs - which are strategically placed at Franklin's borders. The sunflower that he built in Marceau Park is spectacular. And Kayak Man welcomes people to Franklin Falls and Mill City Park. Colby is the definition of a maker. |
Mike Atkins |
Mike graduated from SNHU with his Master’s in Education in 2015, and is currently working on an MBA. He taught on campus, was an advisor for grad students, and now is a senior instructional designer with SNHU. Before SNHU, he worked at Pinkerton Academy during the school year and was the Assistant Director for Easter Seals Camp Snomo in the summers. Mike has always worked in and around the education realm due to his fascination with the learning process. You learn something new every day right?!
Mike is a true maker at heart. He is a huge fan of the “heck, I could buy it, but it would be cooler if I made it” mentality. He likes to work with wood the most, but he will make whatever needs making, fixing whatever needs to be fixed (you might hear him refer his illustrious research process into fixing things as obtaining his "Youtube PhD"), and tinkering with just about anything. Mike's more recent obsession brought him deep into the world of 3D printing, and he shares that knowledge with anyone and everyone who wants to take a class with him. I bet if you asked, he would tell you anything you want to know about 3D printing any time or place! He joined the Board of Directors here at the Makerspace to get in on the fun and help get things going for us. |
Jeremy Laucks |
Jeremy is the owner, designer, and everything else of Blackfly Canoes, a manufacturer of whitewater canoes; and co-owner of Sugarhouse Skis, a startup boutique ski company.
He resides out in the woods in New Hampton with his wife, son, and two dogs. An avid whitewater paddler, he currently serves as President of the board of Mill City Park, a non-profit working to build New England’s first whitewater park here in Franklin. Jeremy is always seeking to expand his skills for “making things” and is driven by curiosity to learn how he can do a better job of making things. He has recently developed an affinity for hobby machining and might be starting a collection of 1940’s era machine tools, and as he describes it, “making things to make other things.” Jeremy can also be occasionally spotted cruising the backroads of the Lakes Region on his vintage mopeds at a blistering 30 mph, and soon, you may even spot him driving his entirely rebuilt electric Jeep. Safe to say: Jeremy Makes Things. |
Jim Jones |
Where to begin with Jim? His bio could fill a website. Jim’s long career in home & commercial building began in the 1970s - working for his father’s company G.J. & Sons. There, Jim’s passion for building and making was born. After his dad retired Jim helped two of G.J.’s talented employees start their own successful businesses. Jim is always there for people; his drive is undeniable!
Jim has been a member of the National Building & Remodeling Association. He served on the boards of the Concord, Laconia, Manchester & Nashua Chapters of the NH Building & Remodeling Association - simultaneously! He spent a year as the Concord Chapter’s President. Jim joined the board of the Webster Lake Fishing Derby for their 36th anniversary. There he acted as liaison between the derby and the Franklin Outing Club - an organization that has provided recreational opportunities in Franklin for over 60 years! Jim soon joined the Outing Club where he served as President for four years. He has been instrumental in the development of The Outing Club’s Veterans Memorial Recreation Area. It's greatest feature “The Hill” is where community members can grab the rope tow or ride the T-bars to the top and enjoy The Hill’s 10 trails. Jim’s service to the community includes work with the Boy Scouts and coaching football & lacrosse at Tilton School. He also coached women’s basketball at Tilton for 15 years. Jim is married to his wonderful wife Joy and they have three grown children. Jim is the owner of J. Jones Building & Remodeling Consulting. He is also a Realtor with Whitewater Realty in Tilton. Jim has a passion for helping homeowners define their vision and work with the right people in the trades to make it reality. What is Jim’s vision for Franklin Makerspace? To build a place where kids and adults can go; to better themselves, learn some trades, maybe even start a business. He envisions the old timers enjoying their hobbies while sharing their experiences with the younger generations. Jim is our liaison between possibility and reality. |
Claire Sleeman |
Claire Sleeman graduated with distinction from Purdue University in 2007 with a Bachelor of
Arts in Anthropology and spent the next ten years travelling around the eastern United States doing contract archaeology. She started working for USDA in 2017 and moved to Franklin in 2021 with her husband and two dogs after accepting a position with the White Mountain National Forest. She is currently on the board of Hoyo, a 501(c)(3) cultural resources company and has formerly been the vice president and president of the Kinzua Fiber Artists board. She enjoys hiking, food, travel, craft beer, and making things herself, especially if there is fiber involved. Claire sees the potential of the Franklin Makerspace to contribute much to Franklin and surrounding communities. She believes Franklin Makerspace will give people of all ages the opportunity to build skills toward a trade or career. Avid makers will have an opportunity to share their skills with the community, and “maker curious” folks can try out new hobbies without a huge investment in tools and equipment. |
