Nessa Burns Reifsnyder was born and raised in New York City, but she has deep family roots in Maine. In 1982, Nessa headed north to Bowdoin College, where she double-majored in English and History. Since graduation, she has resided in coastal Maine and worked as a writer, editor, graphic designer, and public speaker.

Her career as a grantwriter began in 1986 with a stint at the nonprofit Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance; then, she switched over to The Jackson Laboratory, where she interpreted cutting-edge genetics research for diverse lay audiences, including foundations and major donors. In 2005, she and a colleague, Joanne Harris, shared an American Business Award for their documentary film about The Jackson Laboratory; Nessa served as scriptwriter, co-interviewer and co-editor for the project, and also located and scanned hundreds of historic photographs used in the film.

Nessa began her position at MDI Hospital in 2013. With her longstanding interest in Island history, her knowledge of bio-medicine, and her storyteller’s heart, she endeavors to inform foundations and major donors about MDI Hospital’s central role in the Downeast region’s health and well-being. With every piece she writes, more people learn about Hancock County’s first hospital–today, one of the nation’s leading rural healthcare facilities and a center for medical education and collaboration.

Along with her work at MDI Hospital, Nessa co-owns a Bar Harbor crafts shop, Fabricate. She also writes and publishes poetry and fiction through her own imprint, Sunswick Media. Nessa and her husband, Peter, have four children. Their home is filled with old books, pop culture detritus, vinyl records, genealogical files, four cats and a dog.