Shannon Haines was hired as president + CEO of Waterville Creates in October of 2016. Under her leadership, Waterville Creates completed a formal merger with the Maine Film Center and the Waterville Opera House in the fall of 2018 with the goal of maximizing efficiencies across the organizations while expanding programmatic impact and reach. She also led Waterville Creates’ collaboration with Colby College on the planning, design, and fundraising for the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, which opened in December 2022 and serves as the new home for Waterville Creates’ year-round film, visual, and performing arts programming. Shannon served as the executive director of the Maine Film Center from 2012 to 2016 and as the director of the Maine International Film Festival from 2002 to 2017. Prior to that, Shannon was the executive director of Waterville Main Street from 2003 through 2012, during which time she oversaw over $1 million in downtown revitalization grant programs as well as numerous community development initiatives and special events. She has served on a variety of local and statewide boards and commissions, including the Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Film Commission. In 2023, she was honored by the Colby College Museum of Art with the Jette Award for Leadership in the Arts. Shannon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and Japanese from Middlebury College. She lives in Waterville with her husband Norman and her daughter Naomi.