Get in touch with any of the MECASA friends by clicking on their photo and the Ask a MECASA Friend Guide can tell you a bit more about the team!

Jess Bedard, Director of Program Planning and Performance
she, her, hers

​​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
she, her, hers

As the Program & Administrative Coordinator, Maureen's 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. Being a strong team member and resource for MECASA is one of her top goals, and she loves collaborating with 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.  
Katie Church, Children's Advocacy Center Network Coordinator
she, her, hers

Katie works to coordinate the efforts and act as a resource for the Children’s Safety Partnership, an initiative that began in response to the legislation passed in 2015 mandating child sexual abuse prevention for all publicly funded Pre-K through 5 programs in Maine. When not at work, Katie loves trying out new recipes and going on adventures with her family.
Sarah Firth, Director of Human Resource & Compliance
she, her, hers

Sarah coordinates compliance and quality; that means she can help you figure out how to offer services and develop your workplace in ways that also satisfy the regulations. You might see her doing site visits or training at staff meetings but she also works on projects to develop consistent statewide services like text/chat and support group facilitator training.

She lives with her family in Vienna.

Jessica Gorton, Communications Coordinator
she, her, hers

​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
she,they

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, Special Projects Coordinator
she, her, hers

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.  When she is not working, Marion enjoys x-country skiing, reading, and spending time near the closest body of water.
Hallie Larsson, Training Coordinator
she, her, hers

Hallie provides training and coordinates MECASA’s training efforts. A former classroom teacher and video game designer, she is passionate about effective education efforts and strives to keep even her driest trainings engaging. Reach out to her to learn more about MECASA’s training offerings.
Melissa Martin, Public Policy and Legal Director
she, her, hers

Melissa is the Public Policy and Legal Director.  In her role, she will manage 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, Finance Director
​she, her, hers
​
Julie is the Finance Director 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.

Lisa Rävar, Prevention & Community Change Coordinator
she, her, hers

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, Bookkeeper
​she, her, hers

Kristin is the bookkeeper 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
​she, her, hers

Elizabeth and Dory have 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, they focus on initiating and advocating for victim-centered public policy at the State House and in other policy arenas. Elizabeth and Dory report directly to MECASA’s Board of Directors.
​
​When they don’t have their heads buried in Maine’s Criminal Code, Elizabeth and Dory can be found working outside with the rest of their family at their home in Belgrade; trying to spend as much time as possible in, on and by the water; and saving their frequent-flyer points miles for their next family adventure.