Jess Bedard, Director of Program Planning and Performance
Jess is the Director of Program Planning and Performance. Jess supports the MECASA team in planning and evaluating our programming. She also provides support to member program directors and helps us use the EmpowerDB database. Jess is passionate about making sure our programming aligns with our values and the needs of centers. Feel free to reach out to chat with her about all things planning and evaluating! When she’s not at MECASA, Jess enjoys hiking, traveling, and snuggling her cat.
Maureen Booth, Program & Administrative Coordinator
Maureen has been hired as the new Program & Administrative Coordinator at MECASA. Her role puts her in the unique position of not only tending to the administrative duties of the office, but also helping the project staff with their individual needs. Additionally, she will be the hub for planning and organizing events and trainings. Becoming a strong team member and resource for MECASA is one of her top goals, and she is very excited to be joining the fantastic group of individuals working in the sexual assault field. When she’s not in the office you can typically find her painting, hiking, or enjoying a nice meal somewhere cozy.
Sarah Firth, Director of Human Resource & Compliance
Sarah coordinates compliance and quality where she helps Maine’s sexual assault support centers figure out how to offer services and develop their workplace in ways that also satisfy the regulations. She conducts site visits and trainings on these issues, and also works on projects to develop consistent statewide services like text/chat and support group facilitator training. She lives with her family in Vienna.
Carlie Fischer, Systems Advocacy Coordinator
Carlie Fischer is the Systems Advocacy Coordinator at MECASA. She supports center staff as they advocate for survivors involved with complex systems, including the criminal justice system, the civil legal system, and corrections. She also works with human trafficking service providers across the state to make services increasingly survivor-centered and trauma-informed. Outside of MECASA, Carlie enjoys “playing outside” with her dog, cooking, crafting, and tending to her (one too many!) houseplants.
Jessica Gorton, Communications Coordinator
Jessica works to support centers in developing effective messaging to promote the amazing work they do and to inform survivors and their loved ones about the resources available to them. She also thinks a lot about how to change the conversation around sexual violence and how to craft MECASA’s messaging to have the most impact on individual actions, public policy, and the larger culture. When she is not trying to make the world a little better, she is probably either gardening, reading, or playing with her husband, son, and puppy on their homestead in Readfield.
Kayce Hunton, Intervention Coordinator
Kayce is the state-wide Intervention Coordinator. The Intervention Coordinator delivers training, provides program support, and connects advocates to resources related to services for survivors of sexual violence to Maine’s sexual assault support centers and related partners. This position is charged with supporting core services that support people who have been impacted by sexual violence such as helpline, support groups and one-to-one services. Kayce enjoys hiking, traveling and being in nature for restoration, rejuvenation, and individual sustainability.
Marion Hylan Barr, Public Policy Specialist
Marion joins MECASA after working for many years at the Maine Legislature as a legislative analyst for the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and as director of the Office of Policy & Legal Analysis. During her time at the Legislature, she worked with MECASA and many other organizations and stakeholders drafting legislation, working with study commissions to draft various reports and supporting the work of legislators in developing law and policy. Marion has always had great respect for the leadership and mission of MECASA and is excited to bring her legislative and public policy experience to support the MECASA team.
Meg LeMay, School-based Prevention Coordinator
Meg is the School-based Prevention Coordinator at MECASA. Her role is to build the capacity of prevention educators to change the conditions upon which violence occurs by fostering a state-wide approach to comprehensive primary prevention in Maine’s PreK-12 schools. Meg sees prevention as worldbuilding. Central to her approach is a commitment to joy. She is eager to empower members and partners in cultivating school communities that are happier, healthier, and more just. She is most at home romping through woodlands with her partner and canine companion, dancing, and reading – especially to her school-age children. Daughter of a flower farmer, she is frequently found with a fresh bouquet.
Melissa Martin, Public Policy and Legal Director
Melissa is the Public Policy and Legal Director. In her role, she manages the public policy and legislative work for MECASA by advocating for legislative changes to support survivors of sexual violence. Melissa also represents survivors in appellate cases before the Maine Supreme Court and will also address matters related to sexual violence through amicus briefs. Prior to working at MECASA, Melissa worked representing survivors in civil cases and Title IX matters for several years at Pine Tree Legal Assistance. Melissa enjoys eating and cooking new foods, gardening, and traveling near and far.
Julie Montefesco, Director of Finance and Operations
Julie is the Director of Finance and Operations at MECASA and brings many years’ of finance experience with her. She enjoys spending time with her two teenage kids, road trips, kayaking, and photography.
Hyde Nichols, Training Coordinator
Hyde (they/them) helps provide trauma informed trainings about sexual violence and related topics to our direct service centers as well as community partners. They also maintain MECASA’s high quality trainings and support the rest of the team with their training needs. Hyde’s previous work includes advocacy and mentorship of youth from many different backgrounds including LGBTQ2IA+ and CSEC. When Hyde isn’t working you can find them hiking, reading about dinosaurs, and caring for their 4 cats and over 30 houseplants.
Lisa Rävar, Prevention Director
Lisa strives to support the impactful work of local centers’ prevention efforts by ensuring preventionists can access tools, resources, and partnerships that deepen and connect their work in communities. Her role seeks to address primary prevention in the communities in which we all live, play, and work to allow for the most sustained social change. When Lisa isn’t thinking about fundamentally shifting social norms, she’s attempting to read as cats or a dog are competing for lap space or she’s adventuring and eating her way across our beautiful state with her partner.
Kristin Shumway, Finance Coordinator
Kristin is the Finance Coordinator at MECASA and brings many years of experience with her from the private sector. As a former teacher, she has a strong interest in social justice and is thrilled to be part of the amazing team at MECASA. In her free time, she enjoys attending concerts, travelling, and curling up with a good book. She resides with her family in Winthrop, ME.
Elizabeth Ward Saxl, Executive Director
Elizabeth has overall strategic and operational responsibility for MECASA’s staff, programs, expansion, and the execution of its mission to end sexual violence in Maine and to support high quality sexual violence prevention and response within Maine’s communities. In addition, she focuses on initiating and advocating for victim-centered public policy at the State House and in other policy arenas.
You can reach any of our staff by filling out our contact form.
Jess is the Director of Program Planning and Performance. Jess supports the MECASA team in planning and evaluating our programming. She also provides support to member program directors and helps us use the EmpowerDB database. Jess is passionate about making sure our programming aligns with our values and the needs of centers. Feel free to reach out to chat with her about all things planning and evaluating! When she’s not at MECASA, Jess enjoys hiking, traveling, and snuggling her cat.
Maureen Booth, Program & Administrative Coordinator
Maureen has been hired as the new Program & Administrative Coordinator at MECASA. Her role puts her in the unique position of not only tending to the administrative duties of the office, but also helping the project staff with their individual needs. Additionally, she will be the hub for planning and organizing events and trainings. Becoming a strong team member and resource for MECASA is one of her top goals, and she is very excited to be joining the fantastic group of individuals working in the sexual assault field. When she’s not in the office you can typically find her painting, hiking, or enjoying a nice meal somewhere cozy.
Sarah Firth, Director of Human Resource & Compliance
Sarah coordinates compliance and quality where she helps Maine’s sexual assault support centers figure out how to offer services and develop their workplace in ways that also satisfy the regulations. She conducts site visits and trainings on these issues, and also works on projects to develop consistent statewide services like text/chat and support group facilitator training. She lives with her family in Vienna.
Carlie Fischer, Systems Advocacy Coordinator
Carlie Fischer is the Systems Advocacy Coordinator at MECASA. She supports center staff as they advocate for survivors involved with complex systems, including the criminal justice system, the civil legal system, and corrections. She also works with human trafficking service providers across the state to make services increasingly survivor-centered and trauma-informed. Outside of MECASA, Carlie enjoys “playing outside” with her dog, cooking, crafting, and tending to her (one too many!) houseplants.
Jessica Gorton, Communications Coordinator
Jessica works to support centers in developing effective messaging to promote the amazing work they do and to inform survivors and their loved ones about the resources available to them. She also thinks a lot about how to change the conversation around sexual violence and how to craft MECASA’s messaging to have the most impact on individual actions, public policy, and the larger culture. When she is not trying to make the world a little better, she is probably either gardening, reading, or playing with her husband, son, and puppy on their homestead in Readfield.
Kayce Hunton, Intervention Coordinator
Kayce is the state-wide Intervention Coordinator. The Intervention Coordinator delivers training, provides program support, and connects advocates to resources related to services for survivors of sexual violence to Maine’s sexual assault support centers and related partners. This position is charged with supporting core services that support people who have been impacted by sexual violence such as helpline, support groups and one-to-one services. Kayce enjoys hiking, traveling and being in nature for restoration, rejuvenation, and individual sustainability.
Marion Hylan Barr, Public Policy Specialist
Marion joins MECASA after working for many years at the Maine Legislature as a legislative analyst for the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and as director of the Office of Policy & Legal Analysis. During her time at the Legislature, she worked with MECASA and many other organizations and stakeholders drafting legislation, working with study commissions to draft various reports and supporting the work of legislators in developing law and policy. Marion has always had great respect for the leadership and mission of MECASA and is excited to bring her legislative and public policy experience to support the MECASA team.
Meg LeMay, School-based Prevention Coordinator
Meg is the School-based Prevention Coordinator at MECASA. Her role is to build the capacity of prevention educators to change the conditions upon which violence occurs by fostering a state-wide approach to comprehensive primary prevention in Maine’s PreK-12 schools. Meg sees prevention as worldbuilding. Central to her approach is a commitment to joy. She is eager to empower members and partners in cultivating school communities that are happier, healthier, and more just. She is most at home romping through woodlands with her partner and canine companion, dancing, and reading – especially to her school-age children. Daughter of a flower farmer, she is frequently found with a fresh bouquet.
Melissa Martin, Public Policy and Legal Director
Melissa is the Public Policy and Legal Director. In her role, she manages the public policy and legislative work for MECASA by advocating for legislative changes to support survivors of sexual violence. Melissa also represents survivors in appellate cases before the Maine Supreme Court and will also address matters related to sexual violence through amicus briefs. Prior to working at MECASA, Melissa worked representing survivors in civil cases and Title IX matters for several years at Pine Tree Legal Assistance. Melissa enjoys eating and cooking new foods, gardening, and traveling near and far.
Julie Montefesco, Director of Finance and Operations
Julie is the Director of Finance and Operations at MECASA and brings many years’ of finance experience with her. She enjoys spending time with her two teenage kids, road trips, kayaking, and photography.
Hyde Nichols, Training Coordinator
Hyde (they/them) helps provide trauma informed trainings about sexual violence and related topics to our direct service centers as well as community partners. They also maintain MECASA’s high quality trainings and support the rest of the team with their training needs. Hyde’s previous work includes advocacy and mentorship of youth from many different backgrounds including LGBTQ2IA+ and CSEC. When Hyde isn’t working you can find them hiking, reading about dinosaurs, and caring for their 4 cats and over 30 houseplants.
Lisa Rävar, Prevention Director
Lisa strives to support the impactful work of local centers’ prevention efforts by ensuring preventionists can access tools, resources, and partnerships that deepen and connect their work in communities. Her role seeks to address primary prevention in the communities in which we all live, play, and work to allow for the most sustained social change. When Lisa isn’t thinking about fundamentally shifting social norms, she’s attempting to read as cats or a dog are competing for lap space or she’s adventuring and eating her way across our beautiful state with her partner.
Kristin Shumway, Finance Coordinator
Kristin is the Finance Coordinator at MECASA and brings many years of experience with her from the private sector. As a former teacher, she has a strong interest in social justice and is thrilled to be part of the amazing team at MECASA. In her free time, she enjoys attending concerts, travelling, and curling up with a good book. She resides with her family in Winthrop, ME.
Elizabeth Ward Saxl, Executive Director
Elizabeth has overall strategic and operational responsibility for MECASA’s staff, programs, expansion, and the execution of its mission to end sexual violence in Maine and to support high quality sexual violence prevention and response within Maine’s communities. In addition, she focuses on initiating and advocating for victim-centered public policy at the State House and in other policy arenas.
You can reach any of our staff by filling out our contact form.
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Member Advisory Council
Erin K. Flood, Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine Arian G. Clements, Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine Meagan Davis, Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Services Fatuma Hussein, Immigrant Resource Center of Maine Tamar Mathieu, Rape Response Services Julia Miller, AMHC Sexual Assault Services Donna Strickler, Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center |
Board of Directors
Erika Lichter, Brunswick Stephanie Brock, South Portland Maulian Bryant, Indian Island Julia Miller, Hampden Meryl Poulin, Falmouth Matt Ruel, Sidney Julia Russell, Biddeford Betsy Stivers, Freeport Donna Strickler, Winthrop |
