ABOUT EXPERIENCE HAMPTON

Dean Merrill has served as President of Experience Hampton since the organization's founding, providing steady leadership and a deep commitment to Hampton's community identity and economic vitality. A Hampton native and Winnacunnet High School graduate, Dean is the third generation of his family to lead Tobey & Merrill Insurance, one of Hampton's most established businesses, founded in 1920, where he has worked since 1975 and currently serves as President overseeing commercial lines.

Dean holds an Associate Degree in Business Management from Plymouth State University and the Certified Insurance Counselor designation. His professional civic record is extensive — he is a past president of both the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce and the New Hampshire Insurance Agents Association, a past New Hampshire Director with the Independent Insurance Agents National Board, and has served on the boards of the Hampton Beach Area Commission and the Provident Bank as a Corporator. In 2012 he received the Distinguished Service Award from the New Hampshire Insurance Agents Association.

In July 2026, Dean will retire from his career in insurance after more than five decades of service to his clients and community. He has also announced that he will step down as President of Experience Hampton following the 2026 Annual Hampton Holiday Parade, closing a remarkable chapter of civic leadership in the town he has called home his entire life.

Nicholas Bridle has served as Vice President of Experience Hampton since 2017, overseeing the organization's communications, digital presence, and community outreach. A Hampton native, Nicholas attended Hampton's public schools through grade eight before graduating from Winnacunnet High School in 2002. He later earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from ECPI University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Nicholas began his public service career as a sworn Probation and Parole Officer in Wake County, North Carolina, before returning to Hampton in 2014. Upon his return, he immediately became involved with Experience Hampton, joining as a volunteer with the Annual Hampton Holiday Parade before taking on a growing role in the organization's communications and outreach efforts. He has served as a Fire and EMS Dispatcher since 2016, currently with the Derry Fire Department, and is a past president of the New Hampshire Emergency Dispatchers Association.

In the community, Nicholas has served on the Hampton Municipal Budget Committee, co-directs the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival and the Annual Hampton Holiday Parade, and is the founder of Shore Line Brand Management, a local firm supporting small businesses and nonprofits across the Seacoast. In November 2024, he was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, representing Hampton in Rockingham District 29. In that role, he has been a consistent advocate for Hampton and the broader Seacoast region, championing legislation focused on coastal resilience, veterans' access to state parks, flood resilience for coastal municipalities, and the protection of New Hampshire's natural and recreational resources.

Diane Withee has served as Secretary of the Experience Hampton Board of Directors since 2015, bringing decades of financial leadership and nonprofit governance experience to the organization. A graduate of Bentley University with a degree in Accounting, Diane built her career across some of the country's most respected institutions, including Ernst & Young, Nashua Corporation, and Waste Management, Inc., where she rose to Senior Manager of Group Accounting. She later served as VP of Finance at BANKW Staffing and operated her own CPA practice, Diane P. Withee, CPA PLLC.

A Certified Public Accountant and Certified Forensic Accountant through the AICPA, Diane has also served as President of the New Hampshire Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and as Board Treasurer for New Generation, Inc., a Seacoast nonprofit serving homeless pregnant women and their families. She is currently based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Dyana Martin has served as Treasurer of Experience Hampton for many years, bringing a deep well of professional expertise in recreation management, event planning, and community programming to the organization. A University of New Hampshire graduate in Leisure Management and Tourism, Dyana also holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and carries dual certifications as a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional and Certified Playground Safety Inspector through the National Recreation and Parks Association.

Dyana spent more than two decades as Director of Recreation and Parks for the Town of Hampton, a role she held from 1996 to 2018, making her one of the most experienced recreation professionals in the Seacoast region. She currently serves as Recreation Director for the Town of Rye, where she oversees programming, special events, youth and adult recreation, and senior services.

Her career has been defined by a commitment to building vibrant, accessible communities — a mission she continues to advance through her work with Experience Hampton.

Lisa Stonesifer has served on the Experience Hampton Board of Directors since 2016, contributing more than a decade of community banking expertise and deep Seacoast civic involvement to the organization. With over 25 years in relationship-centered banking, Lisa currently serves as Vice President and Community Banker II at Camden National Bank, where she works with small businesses across the Seacoast and surrounding communities.

Her banking career has included leadership roles at Newburyport Bank, Kennebunk Savings, and People's United Bank, consistently focused on business development, community engagement, and building lasting client relationships. She holds an Associate of Arts in Business Administration from Monterey Peninsula College and completed an intensive banking program at the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College.

Lisa is equally committed to the broader Hampton community, serving on the Hampton Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors — including terms as Vice Chair and Chair — and volunteering with the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival and Toast to the Coast planning committees. In 2025, she relocated to Hampton, where she now calls home.

Lisa Kelly has served on the Experience Hampton Board of Directors for several years, bringing a community-first perspective rooted in a genuine love for Hampton and its character. A Hampton resident, wife, mother, and grandmother, Lisa is deeply committed to preserving the town's New England charm and ensuring that Hampton remains a welcoming, family-friendly destination for generations to come.

By profession a nurse, Lisa brings the same dedication to service and care for others that defines her career to her work with Experience Hampton, supporting the organization's mission of promoting Hampton's events, businesses, and quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

Bob Preston is one of Experience Hampton's longest-serving board members, bringing decades of investment in the Hampton community to the organization. A fixture in Hampton Beach real estate and hospitality, Bob has operated Preston Real Estate since 1972 and has managed SeaWalk Suites on Hampton Beach since 1984 — making him one of the most enduring small business presences on the beach.

Bob's civic involvement runs deep. He serves as the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce representative to the Hampton Beach Area Commission, sits on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Hampton Mounted Patrol, and has been a longtime member and past president of the Hundred Club of New Hampshire, which provides financial assistance and scholarships to the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty. He is also a Newburyport Bank Corporator and was named Hampton Rotary Citizen of the Year in 2011.

His roots in Hampton's business community and his commitment to the people and institutions that make the beach what it is make him an invaluable voice on the Experience Hampton board.

Kelly Beaupre joined the Experience Hampton Board of Directors in May 2026, bringing more than 20 years of human resources leadership and organizational development experience to the organization. A Hampton resident, Kelly has built her career guiding companies through complex growth, transformation, and change — work that translates directly into the operational and strategic needs of a growing nonprofit.

Kelly holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management from the University of Canterbury and has held senior HR executive roles across a range of industries, including insurance, technology, and private equity-backed companies. Most recently she served as Vice President of Human Resources at Courser, a PE-backed managed services provider, where she built the company's HR infrastructure from the ground up and managed the people operations side of 16 acquisitions. Prior to that, she spent eight years as Vice President of Human Resources at Gordian, helping scale the organization from 250 to 900 employees across multiple international markets.

Kelly is known for bringing structure, clarity, and a people-first approach to organizations navigating growth — qualities that make her a strong addition to the Experience Hampton board.

Mike Brillard has served on the Experience Hampton Board of Directors since 2017, bringing a lifetime of service to Hampton and an unmatched connection to the community he spent his career protecting. A Hampton resident, Mike served the Town of Hampton Fire Department for over 35 years, retiring in January 2022 as a Captain and Paramedic — a career that began when he joined as a call firefighter in 1986 and became a full-time member in 1994.

Over the course of his tenure, Mike rose through the ranks from firefighter to lieutenant to captain, becoming one of the most experienced and respected members of the department. He capped his career in fitting fashion, responding to a nine-alarm fire on Salisbury Beach during his final shift — a wind-driven blaze that destroyed several buildings in the heart of the beach community. It was, by any measure, a career that ended the same way it was lived: showing up when it mattered most.

Mike remains deeply rooted in Hampton and brings to the Experience Hampton board the perspective of someone who has watched this community grow, change, and endure — and who cares deeply about its future.

Kati Pittendreigh joined the Experience Hampton Board of Directors in May 2026, bringing over a decade of hospitality leadership and a deep commitment to the Seacoast community to the organization. A Seacoast New Hampshire resident and Hampton advocate, Kati has built her entire career at Galley Hatch Restaurant, where she currently serves as General Manager.

Kati began at Galley Hatch as a server in 2013, progressed to Front of House Assistant Manager and Event Coordinator, and assumed the General Manager role in 2022. In that capacity she oversees all aspects of restaurant operations, employee relations, team development, and on-site event planning for gatherings ranging from intimate celebrations to events of 100 guests. She is also a committed advocate for recovery-friendly workplace practices.

Her perspective as a hospitality operator with firsthand knowledge of what it takes to run a successful small business on the Seacoast makes her a natural fit for Experience Hampton's mission of promoting the town's economy, events, and community identity.

John Tinios is a third-generation restaurateur and one of Hampton's most recognized names in hospitality, bringing decades of business leadership and deep community investment to the Experience Hampton Board of Directors, where he has served since the organization's early years.

John returned to the family business at Galley Hatch Restaurant in Hampton in 1978 and spent the next several decades growing it from a 20-seat takeout concept into a 400-seat full-service restaurant with two bars and a café. Over time he expanded his portfolio significantly, co-founding Popovers on the Square in Portsmouth in 2006, opening a second Popovers location in Epping in 2013, and launching Tinos Kitchen and Bar, an upscale casual Greek restaurant inspired by his heritage. Today he leads Tinios Pro Hospitality Group, which encompasses Galley Hatch, Tinos, Grill 28, Popovers on the Square, Popovers at Brickyard Square, and The Commissary production bakery.

John has also served as Past President of the New Hampshire Hospitality Association. His perspective as a multi-generational Hampton business owner and one of the Seacoast's most accomplished restaurateurs makes him an anchor presence on the Experience Hampton board.

Colleen Westcott joined the Experience Hampton Board of Directors in May 2026, bringing a wealth of event management experience and deep ties to the Hampton and Seacoast community. Colleen serves as Director of Events and Marketing for the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce, a role she has held since 2018, where she coordinates some of the region's most prominent community events including the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival.

Beyond her work with the Chamber, Colleen is the owner of Portsmouth Eats, LLC, a food tour and event company she founded in 2012, and has spent nearly three decades as a yoga instructor and holistic wellness practitioner on the Seacoast. Through One Being Yoga, her Hampton-based studio, she holds certifications in Kundalini Yoga, Polarity Therapy, and hypnosis, and has built a practice rooted in community, wellbeing, and connection.

Her combination of professional event expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and long-standing commitment to the Seacoast makes her a natural addition to the Experience Hampton board.