president

Nate Moody, CPFA

Lebel & Harriman Retirement Advisors - Senior Financial Advisor, Employer Financial Services, Partner

Nate is a Partner at Lebel & Harriman and a Senior Financial Advisor on their Employer Financial Services (EFS) team. Nate’s primary focus is working with Businesses, Institutions, and Non-Profits on their Financial & Retirement Benefits.

Nate was appointed by Governor Mills to serve on the Maine Retirement Savings Board and also serves as President of the Maine Employee Benefits Council (MEBC). Nate has been recognized by the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) as a Top Retirement Advisor under 40 for the past five years and by PLANADVISER as a Top Retirement Adviser for the past two years. In addition, two of Nate's clients have been selected as Finalists for Plan Sponsor of the Year by PLANSPONSOR with one winning in 2023.

Vice President

Molly Barker Gilligan, Esq.

Cross Benefit Solutions, Inc. - Vice President of Employee Benefits Compliance.

Molly brings to the table a background in government, healthcare and litigation. As a practicing attorney, Molly’s areas of specialty included employee benefits, ACA compliance, licensure and license defense, fraud and abuse compliance, audits, HIPAA privacy and security standards and health care confidentiality, and providing advice, counsel, risk management, and defense of OCR and other complaints before state and federal administrative agencies.

With her robust understanding of the legal and regulatory issues affecting healthcare providers and her experience defending clients in front of state and federal administrative agencies, Molly counsels employers on a broad range of issues, from Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), employee benefits and executive compensation including benefit design and planning, workplace-based retirement plans, health plans, and group insurances, to stock and stock-based compensation programs, nonqualified deferred compensation, and plans for non-profit and government entities. She also provides advice, counsel, risk management, and defense of OCR and other complaints.

Treasurer

Steve Eddy

H.M. Payson - Portfolio Manager

Steve has 30+ years of portfolio management and leadership experience. Steve currently works as a Portfolio Manager at H.M. Payson and before that was vice president of fiduciary consulting services at Old Port Advisors. Steve has worked in the Trust and ERISA-based retirement plan fields in Portland since 1985. He spent a large portion of his career at the Peoples Heritage/Banknorth trust departments in various roles working with institutional and retirement plan clients across New England.

Kenneth Ginder, Esq.

Verrill - Partner

Ken is the Vice Chair of Verrill’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Group, focusing his practice on all areas of employee benefits, including retirement plans, welfare plans, fringe benefits, and executive compensation. Ken has more than 20 years of experience representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Labor in audits and under their correction programs, and he spends a significant amount of time traveling and meeting with fiduciary committees.

With an advanced degree in taxation and prior experience in public accounting, Ken particularly enjoys working on mergers and acquisitions, executive compensation, fringe benefit, and tax withholding matters.

Ken is listed in Best Lawyers, and is recognized in Chambers USA (Band 1 Ranking). He serves on the firm’s Pension Plan & 401(k) Plan Investment Committee, in addition to being a member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation.

Nick Colucci

Marsh McLennan Agency – VP, Employee Health & Benefits

Nick serves as a Vice President of Employee Health & Benefits at Marsh McLennan Agency.  Bringing extensive expertise in designing and implementation innovative health and benefits strategies, Nick collaborates with businesses across Maine, and nationally to drive workforce well-being and manage costs effectively. Known for strategic vision, Nick offers valuable guidance to organizations seeking tailored solutions that align with corporate objectives and employee needs. He resides in Falmouth, ME with his wife Nicola, and their two children Camila and Vincent.

Sandra Southerland, CPP

Dead River Company - Compensation & Benefits Manager

Sandie has held several positions in the Dead River Company HR department through her 15 years with the company, most recently overseeing both the payroll and employee benefit departments. In her current role, she brings the perspective of the benefit consumer to the council. She understands the challenges faced by Maine employers as they look to provide affordable benefits that meet the needs of their employees, while attempting to stay informed of the complex federal and state legislative changes on the horizon.

Connor Smart, CPA

Baker Newman & Noyes - Tax Manager

Connor Smart is a senior manager in BNN’s tax practice. He works predominantly in BNN’s non-profit and exempt-organization compliance group, as well as within the firm’s compensation and benefits specialty practice. Through his role within BNN’s not-for-profit team, Connor provides tax preparation, review, and compliance and consulting services to many tax-exempt and charitable entities, including (but not limited to) hospitals and healthcare systems; schools and educational facilities; arts, museum, and cultural groups; and private foundations. He also frequently advises on matters concerning unrelated business income and investment income taxes, excess benefit and other prohibited transactions, disallowed investments, and compliance best practices for charitable organizations.

Additionally, through his position within BNN’s compensation and benefits practice, Connor provides preparation and review services on annual Form 5500 filings, and frequently provides tax consulting services and compliance guidance for matters related to retirement accounts and distributions, pension benefit plans, welfare benefit plans, and payroll filings and income recognition concerns.

Michelle M. Carson, RPA, QKS

The TPA Experts - Senior Sales Consultant

Michelle has more than 20 years of experience in third-party administration services.  She focuses on helping organizations make decisions regarding qualified retirement plan solutions and design.   She brings a consultative, relationship-driven approach to every engagement – listening first, aligning solutions to real business needs, delivering strategies for compliance, efficiency and long-term value.  Michelle prides herself on asking the right questions and delivering solutions that are compliant, impactful and cost efficient.   Her primary goal is to make life easier for the clients of The TPA Experts while driving and preserving long-term relationships with financial professionals, accountants, investment platforms, payroll partners, and business owners.

Michelle holds two industry-related professional designations: Retirement Plans Associate (RPA) through the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) program, and Qualified 401(k) Specialist (QKS™) through American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA).  She is also working towards two additional professional designations: Cash Balance Specialist (CBS) through ASPPA and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) through National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA).  She is deeply committed to continuing education, staying current with evolving regulations, trends and best practices to better serve clients.

Beyond Michelle’s professional work, she has served her community over the years through board involvement with veteran wellness-focused nonprofit organizations, supporting initiatives that improve the lives of those who have served.  She grew up in New Gloucester, Maine where she lives today.  Hobbies include reading, sewing and traveling New England on her customized Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Ed Feibel, Esq.

Employee Benefits Attorney - Retired

Ed worked in all aspects of employee benefits for almost 40 years. He worked primarily with employers in the establishment, operation and maintenance of tax-qualified retirement plans, retirement plans for tax-exempt and governmental entities, Taft-Hartley plans, cafeteria plans, health care and other welfare and fringe benefit programs, and executive compensation arrangements. A significant portion of Ed’s time was devoted to resolving compliance issues under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA. Over his career, Ed’s clients ranged in size from individuals to employers with more than 1,000 employees. While practicing, although most of his clients have been based in Maine, Ed has worked with clients based in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and California, as well as with clients headquartered in Canada with respect to their U.S. operations.

After 43 years in practice, Ed retired effective January 30, 2026. It is an honor and a privilege for the Council that Ed continues to offer our Board his time and insight, even as he embraces the new adventures and challenges that a well-deserved retirement offers him.