About Us
Meet the Hannah Grimes Team
We are a team of seasoned entrepreneurs and educators passionate about providing more accessible entrepreneurial education and empowering entrepreneurs to create thriving businesses.
Mary Ann Kristiansen
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Office (603) 352-5063
mak@hannahgrimes.com
Born and raised in Minnesota, Mary Ann Kristiansen has been skillfully leading the Hannah Grimes Center since it’s founding in 1997.
Sara Powell
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Office (603) 352-5063
sara@hannahgrimes.com
An integral part of the team, Sara is managing and developing the Center’s programs, including its workshops, incubator program, and startup lab.
Nicole French
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Office (603) 352-5063
nicole@hannahgrimes.com
Nicole wears many hats to ensure day-to-day functions operate smoothly.
Lillian Chase
PROGRAMS ASSISTANT
Office (603) 352-5063
lillian@hannahgrimes.com
Lillian oversees marketing, social media, and communications, and supplements support in daily operations.
Julianna Dodson
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & RADICALLY RURAL DIRECTOR
Office (603) 352-5063
julianna@hannahgrimes.com
Julianna is our first time ever Radically Rural Director as well as Deputy Executive Director! She oversees all things Radically Rural, including the annual summit, year-round programming, Local Economy Indicators project, and our national network.
Marybeth Sweeney
OFFICE & FACILITIES MANAGER
Office (603) 352-5063
opdirector@hannahgrimes.com
Marybeth has lived and worked in Keene since 2014, along with her husband and two sons. She has a deep respect for serving in her community and brings joy and dedication to the process.
We are passionate about innovation, and use that passion to accelerate the success of our entrepreneurs.
Our Mission
The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship provides the space, tools and connections that innovative entrepreneurs need to build strong businesses, thriving local economies, and vibrant communities in the Monadnock Region.
Our Vision
The success of entrepreneurs in the Monadnock region fulfills the Hannah Grimes Center’s broader vision of a sustainable, thriving local economy and vibrant community, built upon the region’s heritage, culture, natural resources, and the civic-minded entrepreneurial spirit of its people.
Center for Entrepreneurship
The Center for Entrepreneurship educates, supports, and assists in the successful development of entrepreneurs who are committed to building a vibrant community. Through the incubator, our workshops, annual CONNECT event, and many other programs, we help entrepreneurs overcome obstacles and develop the businesses they’ve always dreamed of.
Hannah Grimes Marketplace
The Hannah Grimes Marketplace, located on Main St., is a dynamic retail store with an exclusive focus on local products. The Marketplace helps build local businesses and connect businesses to regional customers. Now with more than 300 members, the Marketplace is a hub for locally made goods.
Hannah Grimes Center Board of Directors
- President: Deirdre Fitzgerald, Marketing & PR Manager, W.S. Badger Company
- Vice President: Rachel Eschle, Founder & Partner, BCE Consulting
- Secretary: Alana Fiero, Communications and Community Relations, C&S Wholesale Grocers
- Treasurer: Peter Hansel, retired, Filtrine Manufacturing
- John Houston, President, Houston Advisors
- Randy Markelon
- Scott Maslansky, Director of Clean Energy Finance
- Rachel Morrison, Senior Project Manager, Ashby & Gabriel
- David Sayles, retired, BlackRock
- Randall Walter, Architect, Randall Walter Design
Hannah Grimes Marketplace Board of Directors
- President Melissa Binder, C & S Wholesale Grocers
- Vice President Mary Ann Kristiansen, Hannah Grimes Center
- Secretary Dale Montrone, Wondrous Roots
- Treasurer Jim Lorette, Bunny Boogie
- Beth Kosuk, Monadnock Food Coop