The Yarmouth Town Council unanimously voted to appoint Audra Caler as Yarmouth’s next town manager. She will begin on Oct. 1.
“We couldn’t be more excited to start this next chapter together,” said council Chair David Craig at the meeting on Aug. 20.
Caler served as town manager for Camden for nine years and previously worked as Rockland’s community and economic development director, also later acting as Rockland’s assistant city manager and acting city manager.
Her previous career experience includes working as a program coordinator and community development officer for a drug awareness and rehabilitation organization in Australia, later serving as a community land use planner for the city of Logan, Australia. Following her return to Maine, Caler joined the Midcoast Council of Governments as a planner and later a development and planning director.
“We really did a deep dive on this,” said Councilor Janice Cooper. “We were all deeply impressed with Audra. Not only with her experience and abilities, but her warmth and personality.”
Caler’s appointment follows the departure of Scott LaFlamme from the position at the end of June as he left after two years in Yarmouth to lead the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority. Nathaniel Tupper is currently serving as interim town manager and will do so until Caler takes over.
Caler is a Bowdoin College graduate, where she studied visual arts and art history. She holds a master’s of development practice from the University of Queensland and last year she attended the Harvard Kennedy School and was certified in its senior executives in state and local government program.
Caler will relocate to the Yarmouth area this fall.
“I just feel so fortunate that this has worked out so well and I’m so excited to join everyone here,” said Caler at the Town Council meeting. “The more I learn about Yarmouth and the more I learn about the town proper, the more excited I am to start here.”