I am an artist, a teacher and a social worker. I had the joy and privilege of studying art-making and art teacher education at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design. Teaching in the public school systems exposed me to the inequities that some students face, which made me curious to understand the roots of these issues.

At that same time, my hometown (like many others) was dealing with the impacts of the opioid epidemic, which grabbed my heart and attention. Searching for an understanding of the origins of these issues, I began studying addiction, trauma and subsequently oppression; I also began studying the connective antidotes to these issues including embodiment, anti-racism, restorative justice, art therapy, and community organizing. I eventually went back to school and earned my Master of Social Work from the University of Southern Maine.

In my time as a social worker, I have worked directly with individuals and families throughout Southern Maine focusing on the interconnected fields of addiction, trauma, women’s issues, parenting, and public health, across multiple systems including schools, government, the department of corrections, housing, healthcare, and child welfare.

All of these life and educational experiences have led me to this role as the director of the WCC for Sagadahoc County, and I am humbled every day by the deep care that this community has for each other. This work is deeply personal to me, and it’s my belief that we already have within us everything we need to create better systems of care for youth by strengthening our connections to this place, to ourselves, to each other, and across systems.