Abbe Staff News

We are excited to announce the arrival of new staff member Joanna Robinson-Clarke as our Administrative Associate.

Joanna focuses on facilities and office management and supports the finance and event staff with such responsibilities as vendor and contractor coordination, property rentals, cash management, and financial reporting.

A Mount Desert Island local, Joanna studied Anthropology and Sociology at Rochester Institute of Technology before returning home to pursue her love for baking. As an avid volunteer in local communities, she realized her passion for community development and outreach, which she now brings to her role as the Administrative Associate and greening advocate for the Abbe.  

In her free time, she volunteers with local theater groups, collects board games, and bakes for friends and family. Please join us in welcoming Joanna to the Museum and Bar Harbor!

After three and a half years as Director of Advancement at the Abbe, Heather Anderson has made the difficult decision to leave the Museum. Over her tenure, she has launched The Abbe Midsummer, drastically improved the Abbe's social media presence, and was a driving force behind all of the Museum's fundraising efforts.   

"I have genuinely cherished my time working with Abbe staff, our Board of Trustees and Advisory Council members, and especially our donors who keep the Museum moving forward," Heather said. "The Abbe's mission is deeply meaningful to me and it will be difficult to give up this important work. It truly has been a privilege to have known and worked with so many inspiring, creative, and brilliant people over the years. Significant accomplishments have been achieved in our decolonizing museum practices over the last few years and I'm so honored to have been a part of it all."

Heather will maintain her roots in the Bar Harbor and MDI community and will stay on to do contract work for the Abbe Museum Indian Market. We will miss her infectious laugh and her lead by example work ethic. Good luck with this next adventure, Heather!