The CBF Community

Every week, 100-120 CBF volunteers and partners support our cancer community.

CBF Staff & Board of Directors

  • Matt Dexter, Executive Director

    Matt founded CBF in 2014 as a single fundraising event to support other cancer services in the Bangor region and celebrate the ‘value legacy’ of his mother, Christine, after she passed to stomach cancer. Since then, the CBF community has evolved greatly to fill gaps in care across 11,500 square miles. He believes collaboration and innovation are the secrets to bringing Maine communities together and reducing the burdens of cancer. Matt is a University of Maine graduate, lives in Bangor, and volunteers with groups including FUSION: Bangor, Maine Health Access Foundation, Heart of Maine United Way, and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

    LinkedIn

  • Brian Ross, Program Manager

    Brian Ross is the Cancer & Nutrition - Program Manager, overseeing the program’s supply chain and volunteer engagement. He brings an award-winning background as a chef to the CBF mission, as well as a personal story of overcoming cancer himself. Brian grew up in Bangor and now lives in Hampden with his wife.

    brian@chrisbfund.org

  • Rob Smith, President

    Rob is the President of the CBF board of directors. He is a father of 2 teenage children at Bangor High. He is a financial advisor with Edward Jones after spending 15 years as a chemical engineer servicing the pulp and paper industry. Rob also serves on the Board of Directors for Amicus here in Bangor.

  • Jamie Comstock, Vice-President

    Jamie is the Vice-President of the board of directors. She lives in Orono and is the mother of two. She is the Health Promotion Manager at Bangor Public Health and Community Services and has worked with partners locally and statewide since 2007 to build and strengthen Maine’s public health system. She brings experience in program development, program management, and grant writing to CBF the board of directors.

  • Jim Dexter, Treasurer

    Jim currently serves as Treasurer and has been involved with CBF development since its inception to honor his late spouse, Christine. Previously he was a Program Manager for Teradyne for 26 years and is now retired living in New Hampshire.

  • Becky Caron, Secretary

    Becky is an Oncology Nurse at Eastern Maine Medical Center Cancer Care. Her hands-on experience with the cancer community in Eastern Maine strengthens CBF’s understanding of what the community seeks and how CBF can deliver. Her leadership and community engagement is also apparent through countless volunteer positions and her adjunct professor position teaching nursing at Eastern Maine Community College.

  • Katherine Lavallee, Director

    Katherine lives in Veazie and works at Northern Light Health – EMMC Cancer Institute in Patient Access Services. She is a seasoned outpatient leader with advanced practice operations skills in primary care, OB/GYN and hematology/oncology. Katherine plays an important role in bridging the gap for patients between clinical treatment and community resources.

  • Robin Russel Ph. D, J.D., Director

    Dr. Russel is a Professor of Social Work at the University of Maine. She has taught in the areas of foundation practice, social welfare policy, research, child welfare, family violence, and spirituality and social work. She started her career as a legal services attorney specializing in juvenile and family law. Robin brings uniquely personal experiences as well as knowledge of others in the Maine cancer community to strengthen CBF’s mission on the board of directors.

  • Amanda Cost, Director

    Amanda is currently the Executive Director at Partners for Peace and a survivor of cancer times 2. Amanda has worked in the nonprofit sector for 23 years including serving on the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence’s Governing Board, the City of Bangor Public Health Advisory Committee, and the United Way of Eastern Maine Campaign Cabinet. She is passionate about social justice advocacy and supporting individuals and families in Maine who need and deserve someone who will listen. She lives in Orono with her partner Chad and their two children, Christopher and Laura.

  • Wendy Schors, Director

    Wendy is Vice President of Asset Management for Machias Savings Bank and has been employed by MSB for the past 30 years. Wendy lives in East Machias with her husband and two children. She has volunteered for a variety of organizations over the years including Children’s Miracle Network, Northern Light Healthcare Foundation, Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and the Red Cross Disaster Services. Wendy is passionate about giving back to my community and always looking for a way to improve the quality of life in rural areas.

  • Dan Bahr, Director

    Dan brings a 40-year career as a dynamic leader, systems developer, team builder, educator, and advocate for cancer support services. Dan’s EMS career was robust, coordinating all activities for over one-third of Maine, the largest geographic region in the state. After a personal bout with cancer, he had the opportunity to go to work for the American Cancer Society at the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care in Augusta, Maine, as their ACS Patient Navigator. Now, Dan is retired, living in Orrington with his wife, and plays an active role in CBF programming. His service was recognized as the 2022 Volunteer of the Year.

  • Kristen Vilasuso, Director

    Kristen is a Bangor Savings Bank Regional Manager, VP, for the North West Region of Maine. She oversees ten branches, investing in the staff’s talent and deepening roots in their communities. She volunteers for many organizations and causes, including Bangor Area Recovery Network, Jobs for Maine Graduates Career Volunteer, and CBF. She splits her time living in Brewer and Millinocket.

  • Sarah DeGeorge, Volunteer PR/Marketing Coordinator

    Sarah brings years of marketing and public relations expertise to CBF as a volunteer. Since CBF’s inception in 2014, Sarah has organized and led campaigns to improve the impact and visibility of CBF in Bangor and across eastern Maine.