A native of Rehobeth, Mass., Rebecca Swanson Conrad came to Maine by way of Bates College where she majored in English. But her association with the school extended well beyond her graduation in 1982.

The college was where she worked after meeting and marrying native Audie Conrad, now owner of Austin’s Fine Wines and Foods. Beckie was first hired as an assistant to the dean of faculty, Carl Straub. From there, she became assistant to then-President Donald Harward.

Long a supporter of her adopted hometown, she began a history of community involvement that continues today. Her work as a community advocate was capped when she was appointed director of L/A Excels in 1998, a grass-roots partnership to improve housing, health care, business and culture for the area.

Most recently, she decided to strengthen her business partnership with her husband and opened Rysen, a gift shop that reflects her Swedish heritage, just a few doors down from Austin’s on Main Street in Auburn.

Despite the demands of opening a new business, she still found time to volunteer with myriad groups and organizations. Her service as a board member has included The Auburn Downtown Action Plan Committee, Lewiston Downtown Advisory Board, Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, Advocates for Children, The United Way, Empower Lewiston and the “Campaign for a New Century team” at Auburn Public Library.

Among the cultural organizations she serves are L/A Arts, the Maine Arts Commission and Bates College Museum of Art Advisory Committee. Previously she worked on the L.A College Advisory Board, as a trustee of the Central Maine Medical Center School of Nursing, chair of the board of Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, Central Maine Community College trustees and chaired the host committee of last week’s Blaine House Conference on the Creative Economy.