Our Team

We bring different perspectives to the table, but we’re united by a love for purposeful work and real connection.

Steph Grant

Steph picked up her first set of knitting needles around the age of 10, and the rest is history. Steph is a fiber farmer and fiber artist living in Midcoast Maine with a focus on an endangered heritage breed of sheep, the American Jacob, Angora Goats, and a mix of other animals. When not tending her flock at Hawthorn and Thistle Farmstead, Steph is a volunteer fire fighter, runs the Sheep and Goat Barn at Common Ground Fair and is president of the Evening Star Grange in Washington, ME (9) Facebook

Steph’s passion for fiber and the dream of fiber farmers being able to make a living on their farms brought her to the Maine Fibershed. Steph will fuel both of her passions with Maine Fibershed by being a voice for farmer’s needs and those of the fiber art community. 

Board Member, Secretary

Pat Harpell

Pat is the current Board Chair and a co-founder of the Maine Fibershed.  She brings a desire for educational programs, community collaboration, and environmental stewardship to Maine Fibershed.  

Prior to returning to Maine in 2019, Pat founded the South Carolina Herbal Society in 2009, running programs to educate the general public on sustainable, Earth-focused health topics.  Prior to that, Pat founded two Yoga Teacher Training Schools with a dedication to underserved populations, which she ran for 10 years. And before all of that, she founded and ran a technology marketing company for over 25 years to help startup and mainstream companies.

Board member, CHair

Jude Hsiang, master dyer, fiber artist, owner of Versicolor LLC, community educator, dye-plant and community garden steward, writer, and well-loved speaker, brings her knowledge of teaching and love of research to Maine Fibershed. 

Jude was one of the first people to volunteer to help raise awareness of the Maine  Fibershed, partnering with Steph Grant to host a fundraiser at the Evening Star Grange in early 2024.

Jude began exploring natural dyes in the 1970s when she processed wool from her own flock of sheep in New York’s Hudson Valley.  Jude has been recording her results and now teaches others the science and craft of growing, processing, and using natural dyes. 

Her support of Maine Fibershed comes from a deep concern for Maine’s farmland, farmers, and the people who use and love Maine products.

Board Member, Natural Dye Advisory Board Lead

Jude Hsiang

Heather Goss was born and raised in midcoast Maine and currently lives in Westbrook, ME. She learned to knit from her mother while in high school, and since then has had a fondness for shopping for luxury and quality wool and natural yarns from independent fiber and craft stores along the coast. After reading Vanishing Fleece by Clara Parkes, Heather was inspired to promote the local wool industry and get involved with Maine Fibershed. Heather's career has primarily been in publishing, where she works in communications and public relations. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her cat Scarlett, and exploring all that Maine has to offer

board member

Heather Goss

Forever guiding Maine Fibershed, Melissa brought her open heart, immense creative talent, joy for laughter, and wisdom beyond her years to co-found the Maine Fibershed.  She taught us all that hugs were the most important currency, Maine textiles should rule the world (again), and farmers are truly the salt of the Earth. 

Living on a sheep farm through 2020 convinced Melissa that advocating for farmers, natural fibers, local mills, and community makers would inform her steps forward. These decisions were pure magic for the Maine Fibershed and continue to be our guiding principles.  Thank you, Melissa, for teaching us so much in such a short period of time and for looking over us with a love that will never die. 

board member

In Memoriam: Melissa Anne Majkut

Michelle began her journey into fiber at the most beautiful cashmere goat farm in Bremen, Maine, working with Wendy Peih at Springtide Cashmere. She was so entranced that she immediately learned to spin from Casey Ryder at Portfiber, and began knitting, dyeing, crocheting and weaving. 

Michelle learned about large scale wool purchasing, grading, sorting and shipping from Mid States Wool Co-op, and loved learning about milling from her time at Harrisville Designs.

Her love of all things fiber runs deep, from the soil to the animals, hand processing to regional market development. She is particularly interested in large-scale product and market development for felt and garden grade wool in Maine.

spiritual guide

Michelle Makowiecki