Boardman enjoying new position at CCA
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — For the first time since the school opened in the fall of 2006, Cornerstone Christian Academy has an advancement director.
Dana Boardman
Dana Boardman, 41, of Fort Fairfield, began the part-time position Nov. 15.
“It’s been going great,” he said. “I’ve been out there trying to build relationships with local churches and doing some outreach. Recently our students went to Graves’ Shop ‘n Save for their Family Fun Day where they sang Christmas carols. I look forward to continuing to meet members of the community and sharing with them the great things going on at Cornerstone.”
Boardman was born and raised in Windham, N.H., and has been in Aroostook County for nearly 10 years. His wife, Tania, is a Presque Isle native.
“I met her while I was up here getting the General Nutrition Center store set up at the Aroostook Centre Mall,” he said. “The rest — as they say — is history.”
Immediately before accepting the CCA position, Boardman was working as a department manager at Lowe’s. Prior to that, he worked as an account executive at Time Warner Cable for nine years.
“My two daughters — Meghan, 9, and Olivia, 6 — just started attending Cornerstone this year, and through talking with Head of School Brigitte Morse, I learned about the position that they had available and were looking to fill,” said Boardman. “I’ve always been very interested in marketing, fundraising and promotion, so I thought it would be the perfect fit for my personality, plus I could see the need for the school to have somebody in that position.
“I love being at the school. It’s a great environment and I get to have lunch with my daughters every once in a while, which is nice,” he said. “In addition to my new job, I also volunteer three mornings a week in the pre-K and kindergarten classes. I enjoy working with the young kids and helping out in that way. It’s fun.”
As advancement director, Boardman will help promote the school, its activities and work with volunteer committees that head up the major fundraisers such as the annual auction and golf tournament. In addition, he will facilitate and oversee volunteers in other fund-raising activities such as the development of an annual fund for regular yearly giving, as well as building campaigns, a donor and planned giving initiative, corporate giving and grants.
In conjunction with Morse and committee chairs, Boardman will also assist in media publications and announcements, which may include website and other media development.
“My ultimate goal is to gain as much recognition as we can for the school out in the community,” he said. “Building the annual fund will be a major emphasis. While we want to keep tuition affordable for all income levels, it really only covers about 50 percent of what the actual cost is to send students to Cornerstone. The rest comes from the community; we don’t receive any state or federal assistance, so I’ll be busy working on increasing that fund.”
Boardman said school officials are monitoring enrollment — which continues to increase — and anticipates an expansion project some time next year to accommodate the increase in students.
The part-time job is allowing Boardman to attend the University of Maine at Presque Isle where he is studying physical therapy. He and his family are also active in the Presque Isle Wesleyan Church.
Boardman can be reached by calling CCA at 768-6222, his cellular phone at 441-1138 or e-mailing dboardman.cca@gmail.com.
