Short biographies of our current Board of Directors 

David Allen Nims: From the John line, David is a native of Jackson County, Iowa but has called Richmond, Virginia home for more than 30 years. He is a graduate of Iowa State Univ. with a BA in French and earned his MBA in International Business from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, AZ. He is retired from careers in information technology and state government. His interest in genealogy and the Nims Family history was sparked by great aunts Thelma Leone Nims Frost and Pauline Virginia Nims Doran; and great-great aunt Myrtle May Nims Huff, whose legendary stories of Nims escapades on the prairie planted a fertile seed in a teenager’s imagination.

Jeffrey Nims: Jeffrey Nims descends from the Ebenezer line. He was raised in Sudbury, Massachusetts, graduated from Harvard College in 1971 and immediately moved to Maine. Since retiring as Town Planner of Camden in 2010, Jeff has been writing and hopes to publish his first novel in 2013. He and his wife Betty own a blueberry farm in Union where they are avid gardeners and ocean kayakers.

Nancy Garreaud: I am from the Ebenezer Line and grew up in Marlborough, NH.  My mother, Eleanor Price Johnson, was very interested in her genealogy and introduced me to the Nims Family Association in 2001.  I am retired and live in Salt Lake City where the interest in genealogy is very high.  I like to read (mostly British fiction), garden, and listen to old rock and roll music.

Sally Phillips: I descend from the Thankful Line through my mother. I was one of three daughters born to Donald and Kathryn [Hicks] Roberts and raised in Shelburne, MA. I first knew about Deerfield's history....but none of my own.... as a 4th grader and was immediately enthralled with it. Always loving "Old Deerfield”, I sought a summer job there in 2000, and spent a few summers as a Museum Aide, meeting and greeting visitors in a few self-guided houses. Following a layoff from the local elementary school in 2005, I was offered a part-time position as a Museum Attendant. Part-time became full-time, and I am currently supervisor of the ticketing desk staff. About 2004, while delving into genealogy I discovered my Nims roots! I hold an Associates' Degree in Floriculture from University of Massachusetts, Stockbridge School of Agriculture; my interests are in gardening, landscaping, and genealogy. 

Babs Deacon: is a retired IT Consultant with over 30 years of discovery and information management experience. She specialized in providing consulting, project management and data reduction services to law firms, corporations and government clients, including management of the 9/11 WTC project for the Law Department of the City of New York. She has participated as the social media manager of several non profit organizations and is currently the Publicity Committee Chair of the Women's Guild of the New Orleans Opera and serves on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Opera. She joined the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2013; recently chairing the Ocklawaha Florida Chapter’s Volunteer Information Specialists Committee and creating their first website. She created the WikiTree Black Heritage Project Documentation Committee and served as its first Chair. She grew up in Rye, New York, holds a conservatory degree in Music from Northwestern University, and currently lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Frank Nims: I am a descendant of Ebenezer Nims, and more immediately of Frederick Augustine Nims (1839-1914) of Muskegon, Muskegon County, Michigan, USA. Born in Niles, Michigan and raised in South Bend, Florence, Madrid, and Chicago. Obtained a M.A. in English Language and Literature, which is still my main interest. Also interested in history, baseball, horses, and golf.

Danielle Pray: I am a descendant of Abigail Nims through my French-Canadian Paquette paternal line. I was born and raised in Rhode Island and now live in New Hampshire. I first learned of my Nims connection many years ago but only in the past 10-12 years have I really delved into all the genealogy information that my father steadfastly compiled for over 40 years. His own father immigrated to New England in the early part of the 20th century and his maternal grandparents were also immigrants from Quebec. I come from a typical French-Canadian Catholic family and have eight brothers and sisters, some of whom also share my interest in genealogy. My maternal side of the family is deeply rooted in early colonial America. I graduated with a B.A. from University of Rhode Island and have also obtained graduate degrees, J.D. and LL.M. Most of my time is spent as a wife and mom these days to my husband, Steven, and two children. But I also enjoy volunteering with Scouts, Lions, school activities, genealogy, and sewing and crafts.

Donald Arthur Robinson: From the Thankful Line through my maternal grandmother Lillian Janes Sackett. Born in Springfield, MA and graduated from University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with both BS and PhD from College of Engineering. Spent 13 years with GE and 42 years with University of Massachusetts as head of Environmental Health and Safety for the campus. Married to Sara for 52 years as of September 2018. We have 3 children and 6 grandchildren and live in Leverett, MA. Sara was Head of the Bement Lower School in Historic Deerfield where the 2004 Nims reunion was held. That was the first reunion we attended. Her 4th grade class researched and wrote reports on houses in the Village. Now retired we spend more time with the grand kids and playing tennis!

Cynthia Smellie: I was born in Newton, MA and grew up with a strong Nims presence (Jeff Nims, an Ebenezer, on the Board is my cousin). I studied Fashion Designing and had my own business. Years later I went back to college, at night, to work on an accounting degree and for the past 12 years have been an account manager for Group Employee Benefits. Interests are genealogy and photography. I have been a member of the Nims Family Association for 18 years so when volunteers were needed, I didn’t hesitate to show my support on behalf of all the members that have given so much of their time to keep our organization alive with a wealth of history for all to share.

Allan Wiscombe: I graduated from the University of Utah in 1964 with a business and statistics degree and had a 30 year career with IBM in systems engineering and marketing. I later worked for Thiokol in software quality assurance and was the Y2K project manager. Because of my employment, we lived in NY, MD, CA, and UT. I have always had a great interest in genealogy and have developed a close association and love for my own ancestors and their descendants. My Utah pioneer heritage goes back five generations on all of my lines. Since retirement in 2001, I have enjoyed gardening and yard work and living with your Nims family on a daily basis.

Betsy Wiscombe: I descend from Ebenezer Nims through my mother, Eleanor [Price] Johnson and I was one of 6 children raised in Marlborough, NH. I attended college at BYU and the University of Utah studying English and music. We have 6 children and my main interests are playing the piano, homemaking, the outdoors, and our 24 grandchildren. We moved to a mountain community in northeast UT in 1993 and we are retired.