NEW GLOUCESTER — Nichole Stevens has announced her candidacy for the Maine House of Representatives for District 105, which includes New Gloucester, Durham and part of Lisbon.

Stevens is a 2003 graduate of Husson University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies. She has been employed by Pierce Promotions, a Portland-based marketing firm, for the past five years.

Stevens resides in New Gloucester with her husband, Mark, and her stepdaughter Kerrigan. She has been an active volunteer for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine, mentoring two different “little sisters” for the past nine years.

“A good work/life balance has always been extremely important to me. I have always worked multiple jobs, starting back in college, and I have always made the time to give back to my community in some way, be it serving warm meals at the Bangor homeless shelter or cleaning cages for the humane society,” Stevens said.

She added, “I want to take the scare tactics out of politics, and work with my neighbors to ensure we are all able to move ahead, not just a select few. I believe Maine needs to expand its educational opportunities, which will enable more of our best and brightest to stay right here at home. If we can better train people for what the future holds, we have no place to go but up, and I want to make that happen.”