Our Board Members

Representing a cross-section of Mainers and organizations aiming towards making Maine a more age-friendly state, our board members work hard to fulfill the mission of MCOA everyday!

Peter Baker - Board Secretary

MaineHealth, Program Manager for Geriatrics

Peter is a licensed clinical social worker with a passion for helping older adults access care, education, resources and community supports. In his role as Program Manager for Geriatrics, Peter supports a variety of efforts focused on enhancing and improving the care of older adults throughout MaineHealth’s service area. Prior to joining MaineHealth, Peter served as the Program Director for the Alzheimer’s Association, as well as various roles in long-term care all with a focus on improving the care for people living with dementia and their caregivers since 2006. He holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Maine Farmington and an MSW from the University of Southern Maine. Peter has learned a lot from the older adults he has gotten to know and when he is not working he makes sure to take time to enjoy his family, the outdoors, and all that the state of Maine has to offer.

Laurie Belden

Home Care & Hospice Alliance of Maine

Since 2018, Laurie has worked as the Executive Director of The Home Care & Hospice Alliance of Maine. In her role, Laurie is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of the Alliance. She is charged with developing effective partnerships and strategic alliances throughout the State; developing and ensuring the quality of services and programs; ensuring cost-effective management of operation; developing the resources needed to maintain operations and activities; and providing overall direction for communications, public information, and outreach efforts. Laurie has worked for the Alliance since 2013 as Associate Director. Prior to joining the Alliance she held a series of progressively responsible positions at both state and national health nonprofits— including positions with the Maine Hospital Association, Maine Health Care Association, Maine Quality Counts and the National Academy for State Health Policy.

Franklin Brooks

Clinical Social Worker and Retired Assistant Professor of Social Work

Frank Brooks has been active in social justice change efforts in Maine for several decades (longevity matters!), including legislative advocacy for sexual and gender minorities. This activism informed his teaching of social welfare policy and practice courses when he taught in both the USM Social Work program 1993-2003 and the UNE School of Social Work MSW program from 2104-2021. He developed and taught courses on social work practice with LGBTQIA individuals as well as gerontological social work practice.  Frank retired from teaching in 2021.  His clinical social work practice focused on human sexuality issues, especially sexual orientation, and gender identity.  He continues to provide consultation part-time.

He is former chairperson of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Maine Chapter’s Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Advocacy. He served on the Council of Social Work Education’s Council on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of SAGE Maine, and he served on the Maine legislature’s Joint Standing Judiciary Committee’s Family Law Advisory Commission (FLAC) from 2012-2022.   He has served on boards of the Kids First Center, the ACLU of Maine, and Maine TRANSNET.  He was a founding member of the Portland Area LGBT Parents Group. He lives in Portland with his husband Marvin Ellison and is the proud father of a son, Sam and his wife, Keisha, and is now a grandpa to two wonderful granddaughters Maya and Zoe.

Sharon Foerster

Martin’s Point Health Care

Sharon is Director of the Generations Advantage Comprehensive Care Program for Martin’s Point Health Care. She is responsible for replicating an evidence-based model of care that addresses the Quadruple Aim through prevention and wellness for older people with complex multiple chronic diagnoses. Prior to joining Martin’s Point in 2017, Sharon initiated an in-home mental health assessment program for the state of Maine mid-coast region, and served in administrative roles at SeniorsPlus and MaineHealth. She holds a BA in psychology from the College of the Holy Cross and an MSW in clinical social work from the Boston University School of Social Work.

Sara Forgione

Avesta Housing

Sara is the Director of Assisted Living for Avesta Housing. Sara joined Avesta Housing in 2009 as a Senior Resident Service Coordinator. Sara obtained her Residential Care Administrators License in 2014 and was promoted to Director of Assisted Living. In this role she serves as the Administrator of Inn at Village Square, Avesta’s 37-bed assisted living facility. Sara oversees a staff of 31 people across eight departments, and maintains the regulatory and licensing requirements as well as resident health and safety. Prior to Avesta, Sara worked as a supervisor of a Residential Care Facility for Sweetser Children’s Services. In this role Sara worked with children and families with a variety of mental and behavioral health needs. She studied Psychology at the University of Southern Maine and has worked in helping professions for more than 18 years.

Leah Graham - Board Chair

The Jackson Laboratory

Leah is the Associate Director of the Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative (MCGI).  In her previous postion, she served as the Manager of Government Affairs for The Jackson Laboratory. She was a postdoctoral fellow at The Jackson Laboratory, focusing on immune response and vascular remodeling in aging and dementias. She holds a PhD in genetics from Tufts University and a BS from Ithaca College.

Marilyn R. Gugliucci

UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine, Division of Geriatrics

Marilyn, MA, PhD, AGHEF, GSAF, AGSF is a Professor and the Director for Geriatrics Education and Research at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM), and Director of U-ExCEL (UNE~Exercise and Conditioning for Easier Living) Fitness/Wellness Program for older adults. Marilyn designed and implemented the Learning by Living Nursing Home Research Project and 48 Hour Hospice Home Immersion Project—two UNECOM signature programs–which “admit” medical students into nursing homes to live the life of an elder resident for 2-weeks or into the Gosnell Memorial Hospice Home for 48 hours to work with patients, families and staff. She serves on a number of national and state executive boards for organizations focused on aging and has been recognized for her teaching and mentorship in geriatrics and gerontology.

Bill Jenks

Community Member

In 2023, Bill retired as the owner of the Home Instead in Gorham, which serves Cumberland County. He opened the business in November of 2000, marking a dramatic career change. Before moving to Maine in 2000, Bill made his living and was widely known throughout the Midwest as an orchestral and ballet conductor, cellist, radio personality, and educator. Bill began his professional musical life as Assistant Principal Cellist of the Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared as guest conductor with many symphonies across the country. A diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis prompted Bill to explore career options outside the realm of music. When he learned of the opportunity to open a Home Instead franchise, he enthusiastically embraced it, largely because of his family’s experience dealing with the challenges of caring for his stepmother, who had died from Alzheimer’s disease. Bill has been an active with the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, including as Chair of the Board of Directors. Bill serves on our Power in Aging Committee and is a Leadership Exchange on Ageism facilitator.

 

Donna Kelley - Board Vice Chair

Waldo Community Action Partners

Donna is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Waldo Community Action Partners, which provides services and supports to our low-income community members including medical and public transportation, early childhood eduction, home repair and weatherization, heating assistance, and programs that address food insecurity. She has been practicing social work for 29 years, much of that time in the behavioral healthcare field. Donna has also worked for three large community mential health centers in Maine developing, managing, and running rental subsidy programs, homeless transitional housing, independent housing, residential treatment services, and other community services. She earned her undergraduate BS from the Univesity of Maine, with a major in Biology. She received her MSW from the University of New Egland in Biddeford. Donna resides in Belfast ith her family and enjoys coaching high school swimming.

 

Kevin Lewis

Maine Community Health Options

Kevin is the President & CEO of Maine Community Health Options, a nonprofit health insurance company aimed at producing the greatest value in insurance benefits and expanding coverage options for Maine individuals, families and employers.  In this role since 2012, he led the development and growth of Maine’s only Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan.  Prior to taking on this role, Kevin was CEO of the Maine Primary Care Association for more than a decade.  He also serves on the boards of HealthInfoNet and CEI.  He has a MA of Public Policy from the University of Michigan and a BA from Dartmouth College.

Claudette Ndayininahaze

In Her Presence

Claudette Ndayininahaze acts as the executive director of In Her Presence. She has developed an effective network of resources that provides needed support for the immigrant, asylee, and refugee communities on a grassroots level. She is a leader in the Portland immigrant community, encourages individuals and communities to help themselves, but have never lost sight of the importance of compassion, gratitude, and modesty, which allows others to feel comfortable coming to her for assistance.  A native of Burundi, Claudette has a bachelor’s degree in administration/management from the University of Burundi and was a National Sales Manager for a beverage brewery whose majority stockholder was Heineken.  Claudette has served on the boards of different community organizations: Hope Acts, First Parish Unitarian Universalist (FPUU), Youth Family Outreach (YFO), Vice president of Burundi Community Association of Maine (B CAM), Furniture Friends (FF), Welcoming Immigrants Network (WIN) and Financial Stability Expert Panel with United Way.

Mary Jane Richards - Immediate Past Chair

North Country Associates

Mary Jane is the Chief Executive Officer at North Country Associates – the largest provider of long-term care services in the state of Maine. She has worked at North Country for the past 32 years. Mary Jane is a Multi-Level Administrator, Board member and recent past chair for Maine Health Care Association, a member of the Maine Council on Aging, Multi-disciplinary Task Forces in the state and a member of the Maine Council of Elder Abuse Prevention.  Her knowledge of care and services across the continuum of care assists legislators to fully understand the impact their decisions make on the elders and caregivers of Maine.

Betsy Sawyer-Manter - Board Treasurer

SeniorsPlus

Betsy is the President & CEO of SeniorsPlus — the Area Agency on Aging for Western Maine. She currently serves as President of the Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging and is the Treasurer for the Maine Council on Aging. Betsy also is a co-convener of the Speaker’s Maine Aging Initiative for the Health and Well-Being Workgroup. Prior to joining SeniorsPlus in May 2009, Betsy worked for the People’s Regional Opportunity Program (PROP), the Community Action Agency for Cumberland County. During her 20 years at PROP as a senior manager, Betsy was responsible for the oversight of all programming and was also responsible for the development of five affordable housing projects. Betsy holds a BA in Social Work from University of Southern Maine and a MSW from University of Connecticut.

Angela Cole Westhoff

Maine Health Care Association

Angela is the President/ CEO of the Maine Health Care Association. Prior to this role, she held similar positions with the Maine Dental Association and the Maine Osteopathic Association. Angela has over 20 years of non-profit management experience with a focus on health care, reimbursement policy, public health, and communications. She graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor and master’s degree in communication, with concentrations in health communication and public relations. Angela is a graduate of the Hanley Health Leadership Development program as well as a past president of the American Osteopathic Society of Executive Directors and the Maine Public Health Association. In 2017, she received national recognition from the American Academy of Osteopathy with an Academy Award, the highest honor bestowed upon non-physicians. Angela has served on various public health committees and is a current volunteer for United Way of Kennebec County. Angela resides in Sidney, ME with her husband and daughter and she enjoys running, hiking, and kayaking in her spare time. 

Jess Maurer

Executive Director, Maine Council on Aging

As the Executive Director of the Maine Council on Aging, Jess leads and manages a broad, multidisciplinary network of more than 130 organizations, businesses and community members working to ensure we can all live healthy, engaged and secure lives as we age in our homes and in community settings. In this role, she advances statewide public policy initiatives, provides leadership within Maine’s aging network, and supports Maine’s Legislative Caucus on Aging. Jess’s areas of specific focus include housing, transportation, lifelong communities, direct care workforce, and care across all settings. She oversees the Maine Municipal Data Across Sectors for Healthy Aging Initiative, the Maine Power in Aging Project, the Equity & Healthy Aging Initiative, and the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging, a regional learning collaborative aimed at increasing the collective impact of community-driven aging initiatives. Jess annually organizes statewide and regional events that advance aging policy, including the Maine Wisdom Summit. She co-authored Building a Collaborative Community Response to Aging in Place and Maine’s Blueprint for Action on Healthy Aging. A licensed Maine attorney, Jess worked for 17 years in the Maine Office of the Attorney General. As Executive Director for the Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging, she co-founded the MCOA in 2012, and became its first Executive Director in 2018. Jess graduated from the University of Maine School of Law and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.