Healthy Acadia, a community health coalition serving Hancock and Washington counties, is thrilled to welcome Patrick Lyons and Bob Fitzsimmons as new members to the organization’s Board of Directors. “We’re so honored to have Bob and Patrick join our team,” stated Elsie Flemings, Healthy Acadia’s Executive Director. “They are dynamic community leaders, and each brings his own unique experience, insight, passion and expertise, which will help to guide our work and enhance our effectiveness in building healthier communities.”
A Washington County native, Bob Fitzsimmons has worked in law enforcement for many years; serving as a warden, a police officer for the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, and a sergeant with the Calais Police Department. In 2013, Bob returned to his hometown of Baileyville to serve as the Chief of Baileyville Police Department.
Bob consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to serve as a positive role model and make a real and lasting connection with the children and families in his community. He makes frequent visits to area schools, including Woodland Elementary, Woodland Junior/Senior High School, and Princeton and Alexander Elementary Schools, and is involved with nearly every school function. He is a regular classroom visitor, frequently stopping in to talk and connect with older students or to sit and read with the younger ones.
Bob was instrumental in the planning of community forums that have taken place across the county in response to the opioid epidemic. He is committed to efforts to prevent substance misuse in his community and beyond, and to helping those affected by addiction to find their path to recovery.
As an Associate with Eaton Peabody Attorneys at Law, Patrick Lyons focuses on environmental and land use law and permitting, in addition to municipal law and civil litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Patrick served as a Term Law Clerk for the Honorable John A. Woodcock, Jr., U.S. District Court, District of Maine. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maine School of Law, where he was the President of the Environmental Law Society, an Articles Editor for the Ocean and Coastal Law Journal, and was awarded the Faculty Significant Achievement Award and the Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award in Environmental Law.
Patrick is no stranger to the Downeast region, is very enthusiastic about serving on the Board. “My grandfather is from Washington County, so moving Downeast felt like coming home and I wanted to find a way to become a part of this community. That is why I was immediately drawn to Healthy Acadia’s vision and mission of helping build diverse, vibrant communities in Hancock and Washington County. We all need to help those that need help and provide support and opportunity for everyone in our community. That is what Healthy Acadia works towards every day, and that is why I am honored to serve on the Board with an amazing group of people working for an amazing organization.”
Patrick resides in Ellsworth with wife, Kourtney Collum, a professor at the College of the Atlantic and the Partridge Chair in Food and Sustainable Agriculture Systems. They enjoy spending time in the Maine outdoors with their dog, Ophelia.
Healthy Acadia is 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to building healthier communities across Hancock and Washington counties by connecting individuals with health supports, building partnerships, coordinating education and prevention services, and improving policies and environments. Learn more at www.healthyacadia.org.
