Woodsville, NH - North Haverhill resident Jeffrey Maerder, Founder and Director of Life Transition Services (LTS), recently purchased the former USDA Field Office building on Swiftwater Road in Woodsville. He is now operating from this centrally located and versatile site.
LTS, in its 20th year, is a provider of specialized support for students and adults with intellectual and mental health challenges. "Whether individuals need residential support in one of our staffed residences or family care in a community home setting, LTS provides individualized services that improve our clients' quality of life and independence," Maerder said during a recent interview with The Bridge Weekly.
The company was founded in 2006, and since then, Maerder and his employees have been working with many different types of clients, providing a wide range of services. LTS is an agency that works with high-risk individuals to assist them with their everyday living needs. Maerder says one important mission they have is to build meaningful connections for people in the community.
He notes that "Every life has meaning and a contribution to make, that a life without purpose is bankrupt of meaning." He said he truly believes that the purpose of life is a purposeful life, and that one of the main goals of his company is to find worthwhile employment for his clients because " LTS believes that employment connects you to your community, and your contribution provides you dignity and respect, a place in this world.
LTS is a successful enterprise that has outgrown locations and moved several times over the years but with this move to Swiftwater Road they are confident they have found a home that will provide for their needs for the next generation.
The Owner and Founder is well-spoken, especially when articulating his company's goals. During our interviews, he spoke at length about the history and mission of LTS and his understanding that a life without purpose conflicts with nature and human design. Each of us has a desire to know that our life counts, has connection to others, a place to belong and is making a contribution to the community. Employment is a gateway to finding our place.
In 2006, Life Transition Services began working with young adults in high school, helping them discover their interests, providing opportunities for successful experiences, and giving them a basis for a new identity, one that is productive and connected to their community. Two years later, in 2008, LTS began working with adults throughout New Hampshire.
He said the seeds of the mission for LTS came to him while he was in Alaska waiting for the fish to run, and he could get work on a boat or at an onshore wild salmon cannery. "I realized that there is something far worse than being penniless and that is being bankrupt of purpose. Living a life of purpose that focuses on employment while taking responsibility is central to Life Transition Services as a result."
LTS has grown steadily since they set up their first office in 2006. However, the core mission of LTS remains from those Alaska fishing days, and that, for its clients, living a life of purpose that focuses on employment and responsibility-taking remains central to LTS.
LTS has had several offices over the years from a one-bedroom apartment in North Haverhill to a rental on Bridge Street in Woodsville and most recently at The Old Pine Mill in North Haverhill. LTS moved into The Old Pine Mill at the end of 2008, a custom-designed (by Alan Leete) "office" space. In 2010, Heidi Lyman put the Old Pine Mill up for sale; Maerder Property Management, LLC formed and purchased the property, which housed LTS for the next 15 years.

Towards the end of 2025, the old USDA building, which was currently owned and occupied by Northern Human Services, had interest in downsizing and selling the building on Swiftwater Road. Northern Human Services (Mark Vincent) reached out and contacted LTS about purchasing the building on Swiftwater Road in Woodsville. By December 1, 2025, Maerder closed on this building and began extensive renovations by local contractors.

LTS moved into 250 Swiftwater Road on January 12! The new building has a dedicated resource space called the "Lodge" for students and adults to work on independent living and employment skills. In addition to all this, the building has 26 climate-controlled storage units that Maerder Property Management, hopes to open for public rental at 250 Swiftwater Road in Woodsville in late spring. Also, he noted that the old office space at 60 Pine Mill is currently being renovated into two new two-bedroom apartments.

Program Director Shelly Binford told The Bridge Weekly that LTS supports each individual in all areas of life to help them be a part of their community.
Whether LTS was initiating medical support, such as finding a primary care physician or dentist, developing social and recreational connections, employment development, independent living, including budgeting and shopping, or residential support, are all part of what LTS does towards helping everyone achieve a life of their choosing.
LTS provides these supports to adults throughout New Hampshire as well as working with area schools, supporting those students both in school and in the community.
Having worked with schools throughout the Upper Valley from Windsor and Rivendell to BMU and Caledonian, LTS is currently working with Woodsville, Oxbow, and Lisbon High Schools. Binford said that 95 percent of the students graduate with a job of their own.
During the interview David Fullerton, Residential Manager, said that, "We guide each of our individuals to their highest levels of independence, never doing for them what they are capable of doing themselves and teaching them what they might not currently know. LTS has had clients who have moved on to become nurses, get married, and have families, and who are no longer receiving services.
Binford noted that each client at LTS is brought through an employment development curriculum. The employment curriculum includes the client taking an opinion test to determine an interest profile. "Based on each individual s interest profile, we coordinate job tours with local employers in their identified field of interest.
Finance Manager, Katelynn Pike noted that LTS employs Life Coaches and Home Providers, stating that both are the backbone of the company. Without their tireless efforts and support, positive changes in the client s lives would not be possible! The Life Coach provides guidance and meaning to the client s workweek while the Home Provider opens their home and creates the bedrock that we all need for a good life - a good home!
Maerder said The goal of LTS is for everyone to live a Good Life, one that is empowered, responsible, connected and productive."
In addition to the 40 Life Coaches and 18 Home Providers, the office personnel at this new location include Founder and Director Jeff Maerder; Program Director Shelly Binford; Finance Manager Katelyn Pike; Office Manager Kelsie Morrison; Residential Manager David Fullerton; Nurse Trainer Denise Ferrari-DiResta; Housing Coordinator Syvanna Roderick-Kilduff; Team Coordinator Dan Cheverie; Team Coordinator Jennifer Dougan; Employment Specialist Morgan Maerder, and Head of Security Raven.
The website is ltsnh.org.

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