Board of Directors

Founder & Executive Director

Tim Nickels is the founder and driving force behind Ember’s Paws of Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of veterans, first responders, and healthcare professionals. With a background as a first responder himself, Tim brings a deep, personal understanding of the toll that service can take and the healing power that comes from connection, compassion, and canine companionship.

Inspired by his late dog Ember, Tim created this organization to be a safe space for those who are often the last to ask for help. Through peer support, therapeutic retreats, and the use of trained therapy dogs like Halligan, Ember’s Paws of Hope works to break the stigma surrounding mental health and provide meaningful, lasting support to Maine’s frontline heroes.

Tim is known not just for his vision but for his hands-on approach, whether he’s leading a wellness retreat, speaking at community events, or walking alongside someone through their healing journey. His mission is simple: to offer hope, one paw at a time

Therapy Dog In Training

Halligan, or ‘Hallie,’ Nickels is Ember’s Paws of Hope’s first dog in training to become a therapy dog. With her loving personality and natural ability to bring joy to any room, she’s the perfect fit for the role. Named after Ember’s mom, she’s got big shoes to fill—but she’s more than ready for the challenge. Hallie enjoys food, snuggles, and napping in the sun. Though we suspect she’s completely deaf, her disability doesn’t slow her down. She’s excited to meet many new friends along the way!

President

Anna is a longtime advocate for mental health support and for placing behavioral health on equal footing with physical health. She brings 20 years of experience in non-profit management in both a professional and volunteer capacity to Ember’s Paws of Hope. Anna was a founding Board member of Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards in 2010 with just four Board members and one employee. Today, SAWS is an award-winning non-profit organization that has grown to be a leader in wilderness stewardship, training, and education, not only in the south, but across the nation.

A proud alum of College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Anna’s love for Maine and its people knows no bounds. She takes full advantage of Maine’s natural beauty as an avid kayaker and photographer, and is involved in many community groups. She loves all creatures, great and small.

Vice President

Geena Lucas-Nappi is a New York native who relocated to Maine to attend the University of Maine at Orono. She now calls Standish home, where she lives with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. Geena is a board-certified behavior analyst working in a Southern Maine elementary school with students diagnosed with developmental and mental health disorders. She is very passionate about mental health and animals—especially dogs and wolves.

Geena’s husband served in the U.S. Navy, and during their several years stationed in California, she became deeply involved in dog rescue. To stay busy while her husband was deployed and to give back to the community, she served on a shelter board, helping place rescued animals with active-duty service members, veterans, and their families who found comfort and companionship in animals.

When Geena’s family returned to Maine permanently, she joined the board of the Wolves of Maine Sanctuary, where she continues to serve as an active board member and volunteer. She also donates her time to several other dog rescues throughout the state.

Geena is excited to serve on the board of Ember’s Paws of Hope, where her two passions, mental health awareness and dogs, come together in one meaningful mission.

Secretary

Kayley Weymouth brings over a decade of healthcare experience and a lifelong passion for service to her role as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Embers Paws of Hope. With deep personal ties to the veteran community and a career rooted in compassionate care, this mission is profoundly meaningful to her.

Kayley began her journey in healthcare as a Certified Nursing Assistant, serving for 11 years in both facility and home-based care. Today, she helps run a non-medical homecare agency in Maine, where she supports aging and disabled adults—including many veterans—by coordinating care that allows them to remain safe and independent at home. This work has given her firsthand insight into the emotional and practical challenges faced by veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers—making the peer support and therapy-dog outreach provided by Embers Paws of Hope especially close to her heart.

Kayley’s connection to the veteran community is also deeply personal. Her husband, Thomas, is a veteran, and together they share three years of marriage and a beautiful daughter, Olara. Their family’s experiences further strengthen her commitment to supporting those who have served and the loved ones who stand beside them.

Kayley’s administrative background spans more than five years and includes proficiency across Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android systems, along with data management platforms, regulatory review, and executive-level documentation. These skills support her ability to manage board responsibilities with professionalism and care.

Alongside her full-time work, Kayley is currently a junior at the University of Southern Maine, pursuing her Bachelor of Health Science with a focus on Healthcare Administration. Her academic work strengthens her leadership, regulatory, and operational knowledge, which she brings directly into her nonprofit and homecare roles.

In addition to her work in homecare, Kayley has spent more than a decade supporting another nonprofit, SkillsUSA, a national organization dedicated to building and strengthening the future workforce. Since 2013, she has volunteered as a contest chair and facilitator, helping middle-school, high-school, and post-secondary students excel in their technical trades. Her long-term involvement has given her valuable insight into nonprofit programming, event coordination, and community-focused service.

Whether supporting caregivers, empowering students, or advocating for veterans and first responders, Kayley is driven by a genuine commitment to service. She is honored to contribute her skills and passion to Embers Paws of Hope and to help further its mission of restoring hope, connection, and healing—one visit, one conversation, and one dog at a time.

Treasurer

Sibylle has over thirty years’ experience in corporate life, with a focus on Corporate Travel Management & Commercial Real Estate sectors. Throughout her career, Sibylle worked with senior level executives of Fortune 500 companies including American Express, Thomas Cook, Xerox and UST. She was a longtime Wilton, Connecticut resident where she was active in the community by volunteering and holding board positions for various organizations. Sibylle was President of the Wilton, CT High School PTSA and Co-Chaired the Wilton PTA Council.

She has been a member of the Wilton Student Financial Aid Committee (WSFAC) since 2012, a non-profit that helps fund need-based college education for any eligible Wilton, CT student. She served as Chair for WSFAC from 2015-2020 and is now serving as the Committee’s Account Manager.

In 2021 she moved to Maine and has since retired from corporate life but continues to be active in three non-profit organizations. Sibylle continues to represent WSFAC as Account Manager, serves as the Assistant Treasurer for Team Long Run – a registered non-profit that uses active play and reading to give kids living in rural Maine communities a brighter future and has joined the Team for Ember’s Paws of Hope as Treasurer hoping to bring support to all of our first responders whenever needed.

Sibylle lives with her husband, Dan. In her spare time, she enjoys birding, photography and exploring State and National Parks.

Board Member & Veteran Representative

Jim Troiola is a distinguished veteran and dedicated leader within The American Legion, having served the organization at local, state, and national levels. After retiring from an accomplished executive management career in the automotive dealer service industry, Jim continued his lifelong commitment to service by dedicating himself to supporting veterans and strengthening the veteran community.

A proud United States Navy veteran, Jim served honorably before his discharge in 1974. Following his military service, he devoted much of his life to advocating for veterans’ rights and benefits. From 2020 to 2022, he served as the American Legion National Legislative Chairman, where he testified before both the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees. His advocacy centered on securing proper funding and staffing for the Department of Veterans Affairs, with a particular focus on addressing the urgent issue of veteran suicide and ensuring the VA builds effective support networks for all veterans—including those who do not access VA healthcare.

In September 2022, Jim was elected National Commander of The American Legion. As Commander, he launched the Be The One mission, a national effort to raise awareness about veteran suicide and empower individuals and communities to support those in crisis. Throughout his term, he traveled extensively to VA medical centers, nursing homes, American Legion posts, and military installations, encouraging open conversations about mental health and reinforcing the message that it is “OK to not be OK.”

Jim has also extended his passion for veteran advocacy to local initiatives. He became a strong supporter of Ember’s Paws of Hope (EPOH), recognizing its mission to provide peer-to-peer support for at-risk veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers. His belief in compassionate community engagement aligns closely with EPOH’s vision and values.

Today, Jim continues to serve his community in meaningful ways. He works as a school bus driver for Falmouth Public Schools and drives part-time for Custom Coach of New England. He and his wife, Saveria, live in Windham, Maine, where they enjoy being close to their daughter Laura, son-in-law Michael, and grandchildren Alex (14), Abigail (10), and Natalia (5). Jim’s other daughter, Jeanette, resides in Jersey City, New Jersey. His strong family ties and deep sense of community reflect the same dedication that has guided his lifelong commitment to service—not only to his fellow veterans, but to all those around him.

Board Member

A proud New Hampshire native, Kim now calls Steep Falls, ME home, where she lives with her husband, two kiddos, two Dalmatians, an exchange student, and a set of in-laws, keeping life anything but quiet! She is a PICU nurse and pediatric clinical instructor, balancing shifts, patient care, and teaching. Outside of work, she stays deeply engaged in her community through various hospital committees and local organizations. Kim also spent 15 years in public safety, trained as a paramedic, and was actively involved in the fire service. Her nursing career has kept her busy since 2006, with experience in various ICU settings.

Kim thrives on being busy, whether it’s managing a dynamic household, meeting new people, or diving into the latest project. In her rare moments of downtime, she loves reading, traveling, crafting, and spending quality time with her family.

Having navigated mental health challenges within her own family, Kim recognizes the importance of giving back. With a strong background in public service and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those in demanding fields, she has made it her mission to raise awareness, share knowledge, and support others, with the hope of making a difference and even saving lives along the way.

Life may be chaotic, but it’s incredibly fulfilling, and Kim wouldn’t have it any other way!