Our newest member, Kathi Hall Perkins, was born in Bangor ME. However, she moved away two weeks later once her dad had graduated from UMaine.  The oldest of six kids, she grew up around Rotary. Her dad was an active Rotarian and the family hosted many traveling guests over the years like boy scouts and Up With People cast members, as well as Rotarians.  Her dad is a Past District Governor, so there were many Rotary-related trips to conventions and service projects. She has traveled to Haiti twice with her dad on Rotary service trips.  He has made over 30!
 
 
Kathi graduated from Middlebury College in 1970 with a BA in math. She taught math at an inner city high school and received her MAT in secondary math education in 1974 from Webster College.  Later, she obtained a CAGS in counseling from UMass Amherst.
 
Kathi married and move to VT with her husband as he established his medical practice.  She raised two sons while keeping her hand in teaching.  She and her husband later adopted their third son from Cambodia, making him the oldest of three.  Over the years, they hosted 3 month-long summer students from France, Italy, and Spain and 11 year-long exchange students: 3 each from Japan and Germany, 1 each from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Russia, and Thailand.  She has maintained life-long connections to most of them. Unfortunately, after 24 years of marriage, she and her husband divorced.
 
During her career, her jobs have been with young people, primarily with adolescents: teaching in public and private schools, training and supporting foster parents, training and supporting exchange students and host families. She worked for Upward Bound, Dept of Children’s Services, Youth for Understanding, and served on school board.  She later worked for Dublin School in NH as Dean of Students where the head of school asked her to join the local Rotary club.  Since the club met at the school, it was an easy decision!  This was her first experience with RYLA.  When she was at Vermont Academy, she belonged to the Randolph RC and later the White River Junction RC. Her last job before moving to Maine was at Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie NY.
 
Kathi moved to Maine to be closer to family, including her brother Dick Hall, a member of the Portland Rotary Club. She now lives in a condo on the west side of South Portland.  She brings a strong interest in education and in international youth exchange to our Club and District.