Leadership Team
- Shannon KinneyFounder, Client Success Officer
Founder & Client Success Officer, AKA “#HeadHoneyBadger”
Shannon Kinney is a seasoned startup Founder and Executive with over 25 years of experience. She is considered a thought leader in the online space, and is a highly sought after keynote speaker, advisor and consultant. With deep experience in sales, marketing, online product development and leadership, this is her third nationally-scaled digital marketing solution company. She founded Dream Local Digital in 2009 “to bring the power of online marketing to small and medium sized businesses”, and also to master the craft of how to make SMBs successful on social media. She has a wide and highly engaged network of leaders in media, technology, and startups worldwide, and has developed Dream Local Digital to be a widely recognized brand as best of breed in social media fulfillment.
LinkedIn Profile and references »
[email protected] »- Founder, Dream Local Digital, working with thousands of small – medium businesses, media companies and ad agencies on online marketing strategies
- Seasoned startup exec with large scale launches such as cars.com, Knight Ridder Digital / Real Cities, Careerbuilder.com, Apartments.com prior to Dream Local Digital
- Experienced Keynote speaker and well-known industry analyst for media, social media and search, and small business marketing
- Named MaineBiz Woman to Watch 2013, Local Digital Innovator of the Year by Local Media Association in 2015, Maine Women’s Network Business Leadership award, Small Business of the Year & Innovative Company of the year by Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, a 2016 Maine Icon and several other honors and awards.
- 25 years consulting experience working with media companies large and small globally with their Web strategies and revenue generation, business plan and strategy development, sales, partnerships, research, analysis, and more. Areas of specialty include social media, local advertising, real estate, auto, recruitment, and classifieds
- 25 Web Product Management and Project Management processes and discipline, lead over 50 software product lifecycles
- Extensive sales experience in print and online media, consulting
- Amber AndersonChief Operating Officer
I was born and raised in a small town in Midcoast Maine. Looking for more experience and a change of landscape, I moved away from that small town almost 10 years ago. Each year that passed, I knew it was only a matter of time before I returned to my roots and back to the same small town that shaped my younger self. My family made the official move home in July of 2017 and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute since.
Prior to joining the team at Dream Local, I laid my hat in New Hampshire. While there I had the pleasure of designing and developing multimedia, graphics, templates, marketing materials, classroom-based and online training, web, and varying technology products for an array of clients representing nonprofits, government agencies, and foundations that serve both military and non-military cultures.
As a #HoneyBadger, I look forward to leveraging my unique skills and experience to support clients and their missions through a range of technical solutions.
When I am not creating all things digital, I enjoy spending quality time with my husband and our daughter. Most weekends you can find me knee deep in a home improvement project, a pile of dirt or some other type of DIY mission that I am convinced is a good idea.
- Kasey AhlquistChief Marketing Officer
I was born and raised in Maine. After graduating from Scarborough High School in 2002, I attended school in Boston and Maine before earning my associates degree in legal studies. I spent several years working as a Social Security Disability Representative, helping clients maneuver the complicated Social Security hearing process. Through this work and several years in customer service in various industries, I have developed a talent and passion for helping people reach their goals. My husband and I love spending time with our little girl. I am a proud member of the Dream team and love using my talents and enthusiasm to help local businesses grow and thrive.
Management Team
- Alexandrea ChaseDigital Production Manager
I grew up in Rockland, ME. My passion for everything related to technology and digital technology began in high school. I remember seeing Dream Local Digital come for presentations and always aspired to work there or somewhere similar. I attended the University of Southern Maine and graduated with a BA in Media Studies and a minor in Public Relations. During my time at USM, I had an internship that later turned into a part-time paid opportunity with the Friends of Woodfords Corner, a nonprofit in Portland, ME. My experience with them, managing their social media marketing, email marketing and website, really solidified my passion for the digital marketing world.
My first full-time job in digital marketing came about a year after graduation. I worked as a Digital Media Coordinator for O’Connor Auto Park, a local dealership. I managed all of their social media platforms, their websites, and their customer management software. I truly enjoyed my time there but was thrilled when the opportunity to join the Dream Local team arose. I’m excited to use and expand my skills to help even more businesses be heard and promote their brands online!
When I’m not working, I spend a lot of time with my 1-year-old crazy Siberian Husky who I am obsessed with. He keeps me busy while my boyfriend is away working on ships for 2-3 months at a time. We all love to hike the various trails of Midcoast Maine together and one of our goals for the next few years is to travel to new places. Spending quality time with them and weight training are what keeps me sane!
- Jason AndreoniSenior Website Developer, Assistant Manager
I joined Dream Local Digital in late 2010 as a freelance graphic designer. Having spent many years in the media industry as a graphic designer, my role changed to that of a web designer/developer after a company merger. In July of 2010, I was laid off due to downsizing and a chance encounter led me to Dream Local. Since then, my role with Dream Local has changed to that of the company’s senior web developer and assistant manager. I have been working in web design and front-end development since 2004 on a freelance basis as well, with a client base throughout New England.
I was relocated to Lincolnville, Maine, back in 1978 from Sherborn, Massachusetts. Growing up on a farm, I could be found exploring the woods around my childhood home during the day and stargazing in the evenings. Summers were spent helping my dad bail hay in various fields around our community. My family raised cows, chickens, turkeys and they even had a goat.
In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, hiking in the beautiful Maine woods with my wife, Bri, son Zachary and our greyhound, Joy. My family and I are also avid Geocachers, having discovered most of the caches in the Midcoast area. I also enjoy video games and cooking for my family.
I love working at Dream Local with my fellow #HoneyBadgers, and live in Rockland.
- Kaye NisbetDigital Marketing Manager
A Maine native, I attended Saint Joseph’s College of Maine where I graduated Suma Cum Laude in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Communications, with minors in both history and theology. At Dream Local Digital, I work as a Marketing strategist and enjoy helping my clients succeed in the world of social media marketing. I am a true #HoneyBadger at heart because I don’t take no for an answer and will do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals. I am from Warren, Maine, and when I’m not working I enjoy spending time with friends and family. I love to travel, and some of my most memorable trips have been exploring England, volunteering in Haiti, and swimming with whale sharks in Cancun. My favorite social media channel is Instagram because I love connecting with photographers from all over the world. In my spare time, you will find me searching beaches for sea glass and fossils, working on my photography, practicing archery, completing 1000+ piece jigsaw puzzles, completing Pinterest art projects, and playing with my cats.
- Sierra HayesSenior Operations Manager
I’m Sierra Hayes, and I joined the Dream Local Digital team as the Office Coordinator/Executive Assistant in July of 2015. I have since switched positions within the company and am now the operations manager. Dream Local Digital is the perfect fit for me because I love the fast-paced environment and the #Honeybadger culture.
I am originally from Northwest Iowa, but have moved several times in the past few years because my husband, Curtis, was an officer in the United States Coast Guard. I grew up in Iowa, and received my Bachelor of Science degree at South Dakota State University in 2012. Since college, I have lived in Connecticut, Wisconsin, Maine, Washington, DC, Kentucky, and Oklahoma! You could say I have the whole moving thing down.
Before working at Dream Local Digital, I was the Administrative and Logistics Assistant for a large company in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. During this time I realized how much I love administrative and project work, and knew I wanted to pursue something similar when I moved to Rockland, Maine. I am so happy I found Dream Local Digital, because it is exactly what I was looking for.
After work hours and during the weekends, I enjoy spending most of my time outside. When the weather is warmer, you can find me riding a horse, fishing, walking our dogs, Moose and Derby, or finding a new state park to explore. During the winter months, I enjoy ice fishing, reading mysteries, and watching movies.
Dream Team
- Everyone
- Client Services
- Editing
- Finance
- Marketing Strategy
- Sales
- Amy SmithMarketing Strategist
I live in Portland with my two amazing kids, Jack and Ella, and our rather spoiled maltipoo, Tessa. A born-and-bred “Down Easter,” I grew up in the Jonesport region of Maine, where I have had jobs raking blueberries, making wreaths and even digging clams (for fun, of course!) on occasion. I have also worked in the childhood education field and as an assistant at an art gallery. I spent time studying at both Wheaton College and the University of Southern Maine before settling down to graduate from the University of Maine at Machias with degrees in both English literature and fine arts. I have also done a good bit of traveling. I have spent time in Italy and Sweden and lived in Norway for several months. In my spare time, I enjoy drinking ridiculous amounts of coffee, pretending I know how to garden, being a science and art-history geek, watching too much anime with my kids and attempting to take regular naps. On the serious side, I love to support Maine farmers and local businesses as much as possible. I am proud to be a member of the Dream Local team.
- Bobbi ButlerFinance Coordinator
- Denise ScottMarketing Editor
- Janette RossMarketing Editor
I grew up in the village of South Thomaston, Maine. The youngest of six, I am forever grateful that my father chose to move his family back to his own childhood home after retirement, making Maine my home.
In this community, I have been a field hockey coach, manager of a sporting goods store, assistant manager in a fitness center at a 4-star resort where I earned the Hospitality Award, and a medical billing specialist in a pediatrician’s office. My background in sales, marketing, customer service, and retail management has given me the experience necessary to develop my own small businesses. All of these positions require a dedication to customer service while upholding client satisfaction.
My husband and I have owned and operated a construction company, a home rental business, and an equine boarding facility with 9 horses on 30 acres. We started, grew, and developed these companies to a successful point and have recently sold the last one.
While managing these companies and raising two children, I was a Graphic Editor/Editor for Penobscot Bay Media for 23 years. I provided editing and media support in many aspects of document formatting, graphic creation, learning-tool application support, and maintenance support for the Department of Defense Dictionary. I watched the evolution of web-based solutions as I went from creating graphics for an 8 1/2 x 11 paper copy of a Joint Publication for the Joint Chiefs to uploading figures to a server in preparation of the publication becoming a searchable database.
Enjoying the view of the lighthouse and breakwater from our Owls Head home is what I enjoy most, as well as traveling with my husband, spending time with our children and family, walking the coastline with our two dogs, and taking in the fresh salt air on a daily basis.
- Jessica GordonPartner Support Manager & Sales Support Team Lead
I was born and raised in Athens, GA, better known as home to the University of Georgia and the Georgia Bulldogs. I moved to Augusta, GA in May 2009, where my family laid down roots and has lived ever since. I have one son, a senior in high school who plays multiple positions in football, soccer, and basketball. We have two dogs, a rambunctious golden retriever and, as some who work closely with me know, a very vocal chihuahua.
I recently joined the Dream Team in October 2022 with nearly ten years of experience in digital media sales, key account management, sales team support, and my passion - campaign strategy and development. What we do is so important to me because being a catalyst for a business's growth and success not only positively impacts local/national economies, but also helps their employees, families, and local communities to thrive.
When I’m not helping businesses with their growth strategies, I enjoy a wide range of personal passions and hobbies with my family. Some of my hobbies and interests include football, DIY home improvement projects, cooking, crafting (embroidery, vinyl/Cricut design), web & graphic design, dance, Texas Hold’em, creative writing, theater, volunteering, and many more.
As a new member of the #HoneyBadger team, I am excited to lend my experience and skill sets to helping partners and the clients we serve to develop winning market strategies that contribute to their overall growth and success.
- Kat WatersMarketing Strategist
I was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and even though I’m “from away,” I truly consider Midcoast Maine to be my home. Ever since I was young, I fretted about what I was going to do when I grew up, and wondered if I would every be able to find an occupation that would truly make me happy. Fast forward to August 2013 when I started at Roger Williams University. I was much older but I still didn’t know what I wanted to do, and was struggling to choose a career path between biology (I’ve always had this thing for whales) and marketing (a suggestion from my very left-brained father, which was probably the best advice he has ever given to his very right-brained daughter).
I decided to pull in the reins on my run-away imagination and steer the rest of my education through the marketing department. During my last year of college, I was in an Advertising Campaigns class that participated in the National Student Advertising Competition, which caused me to absolutely fall in love with advertising (I knew any class that encouraged one to dress as an “agency creative hipster” was going to be a great fit). This class had me sitting in the same room with the same people for 12 hours at a time, spending two hours fixing copy to return to the same sentence we started with, only to have our professor tell us that he hated it and that we needed to start over again. While this would have sent others running for the hills, I kept coming back for more, not knowing if it was because I was so passionate about what I was creating, or if I was completely crazy. (It was a perfect combination of both.) I graduated in May of 2017, with a Bachelor of Science (ironically) in Marketing, with minors in graphic design and web development. With that being said, I found an occupation that truly makes me happy, and I am thrilled that I get to do what I love every day at Dream Local Digital.
I am very passionate about drinking coffee, Jurassic Park, photography and making people smile. In my free time, I’m attending concerts, taking road trips, playing the guitar, hanging out with my dog or napping in a hammock.
- Mary AllenAsst. Digital Production Manager
I was born and raised in midcoast Maine, a place that I will always consider home. After graduating from high school, I attended the University of Maine. I was very interested in the business world and what it had to offer and decided I wanted to be a part of it. I obtained a bachelor's degree in business management and graduated in May of 2020.
Since graduation, I have moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. I was tired of the Maine winters and wanted to explore in another city. I live in an apartment right near the city with my boyfriend. Dream Local Digital was always a company that I admired and was interested in throughout college, so when the opportunity to be able to remotely work for Dream Local while living in a new and beautiful city was perfect. I have a passion for helping people, and my background and recent education experience made this the perfect fit.
In my spare time, I love to spend time with my friends and family, play golf, go hiking, or do anything outside. I love animals and am hoping to adopt a puppy in the near future!
- Susannah MaherStrategic Account Executive
I was born and raised in Owl’s Head, Maine, and graduated from Rockland District High School. I began my career as a business owner for 15 years offering services, consulting, and operations support in the fitness, wellness, and beauty industries. For six years, I divided my time between Vail, Colorado, and Martha’s Vineyard until I had the opportunity to be based in NYC and jumped at the chance. I loved the fast-paced life surrounded by art, culture, history, and diversity.
In 2009, I finished my undergraduate degree in pursuit of new skills and graduated with honors. That achievement helped pivot my career into sales for MINDBODY online, the leading business management software provider for fitness, wellness, and beauty. After 5 years, I moved on to selling dietary supplements to holistic pharmacies, practitioners, and boutique retailers.
Over the years, I have returned home to midcoast Maine for weeks and months at a time whether on vacation to see family over the holidays or while working remotely. A few weeks after the pandemic took hold, it was obvious that there is no place like home and I wanted to be near family and a community of friends that are like family.
While searching for a new opportunity, I was hopeful that I would find a local business that valued my unique skill set and was positioned for growth. I am thrilled to be working with Dream Local to offer the tools and necessary services to help businesses achieve success as the economy recovers and beyond.