MeHAF Board of Trustees
MeHAF’s statewide Board of Trustees oversees the work of the foundation and its members serve as responsible stewards for the foundation’s resources. The Board brings a wealth of expertise and experiences from leaders who represent the diversity of Maine.
Beth Bordowitz, JD
Beth Bordowitz (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Maine Retirement Savings Board. She has previously served as the Vice President, Legal and Administration for the Forman S. Acton Educational Foundation from its inception in 2014 through 2018. She is a certified mediator on the Maine Courts family matters roster. Beth served as a Community Development Volunteer in North Macedonia from 2018 to 2020. Beth served as the CEO of the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) from 2007 to 2014 after serving as General Counsel to FAME. While at FAME, Beth was instrumental in the development and implementation of numerous programs, including the State of Maine’s venture capital fund and the state’s College Savings Program, the NextGen College Investing Plan. Beth has served and held leadership roles on numerous nonprofit and governmental boards of directors including the Portland Public Library, 2009 - 2018, Alfond Scholarship Foundation, Maine Development Foundation, Portland Zoning Board of Appeals, Family Crisis Shelter, Board of Directors. A New Jersey native, Beth earned a bachelor's degree from Rutgers College, a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Eagleton Institute of Politics of Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law-Camden.
Barbara Crider, JD
Barbara Crider (she/her) is the former Executive Director of York County Community Action/Nasson Health Care, an organization providing health and human services across predominantly rural York County, Maine. YCCAC/Nasson is one of only a handful of organizations across the country that is both a designated Community Action Agency and a HRSA funded Federally Qualified Health Center. As such, Barbara leads a team of health and human services professionals in providing high quality, inter-disciplinary care, paying particular attention to the access barriers and the resulting health disparities that many rural dwellers experience. Barbara and her team understand that poor health and poverty are inextricably linked, and can only be effectively addressed by a delivery system that integrates the provision health care with social supports. Barbara has lived in Maine since 1981, when she moved from her home state of Minnesota, seeking a more temperate climate. She is an earnest, if only marginally successful gardener, and enjoys living in rural Acton, Maine.
Matt Dexter
Matt Dexter (he/him) is the Executive Director of the Christine B. Foundation (CBF), a Bangor-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting patients and families facing cancer. Together with his team and a robust volunteer workforce, patients are greeted at local hospitals and connected to vital cancer nutrition services provided by CBF (home-delivered medically-tailored groceries, produce prescriptions, and oncology dietitian counseling). Matt leads the strategic direction and day-to-day operations, proudly serving the community in memory of his mother, Christine, the organization's namesake. Outside of his work with CBF, Matt lives in Bangor and enjoys a fresh cup of coffee, volunteering in the community, and running along the state’s scenic coasts and wooded trails.
Jim Douglas
Jim Douglas (he/him): is a native Mainer and now resides in Brunswick, the town where he grew up, living with his spouse and close to their two sons and four grandchildren. After earning his M.Ed. in community agency counseling from the University of Maine, he devoted his professional career of 37 years almost exclusively to non-profits serving individual and community health. This included over 20 years in substance dependence rehabilitation, significant time in conjunction with the Maine juvenile justice system, served eight years as minister for Durham Friends Meeting, and was the Bereavement Services Supervisor for Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice (now AndWell). Most recently, Jim was the Director of Healthy Oxford Hills until his retirement in 2019. HOH, formerly a Healthy Maine Partnership, continues to be part of the public health system of Maine. As Director Jim was the local liaison with state and district partners part of the Western Public Health District which includes Oxford, Androscoggin and Franklin counties) implementing chronic disease prevention and health promotion initiatives. He provided administrative oversight for the Oxford County Wellness Collaborative grants, also serving on several committees and working on its mission to involve all sectors and stakeholders of Oxford County in a collective framework initiative to dramatically improve the health and wellness of all residents of our county. Jim has served as a Board member of Community Concepts, the CAP agency serving Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties; the Oxford County United Way and Norway Downtown. In 2015 he was invited to become a Fellow of the Maine Network Partners, an innovative leadership development initiative focused on facilitative and networked leadership skills and models.
Gia Drew
Gia Drew (she/her) is the Executive Director at EqualityMaine, whose mission is to protect and advance full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Mainers by creating an inclusive and intersectional movement through political action, community building, education, engagement, and collaboration. Gia has been with EqualityMaine since starting as a volunteer during the 2012 marriage equality campaign. She is serving, or has served, on multiple committees and boards, including the Maine Advisory Board to the US Commission on Civil Rights, board chair of Equality Federation, a leading national LGBTQ+ organization, board president, MaineTransNet, board member, GLSEN Southern Maine, Domestic Violence Task Force of Oxford County, and the MaineCare Advisory Committee. Gia ran for the state legislature in 2020, to represent parts of Biddeford, Kennebunk, and Kennebunkport, and was elected to represent Maine's 2nd congressional district at the Democratic Convention in 2024. Born and raised in the Boston area, Gia was previously a high school teacher and coach for 20 years, and has called Maine home for more than 25 years. She currently resides in Portland.
Richard Evans, MD
Richard Evans, MD (he/him): Richard A. Evans MD is a highly accomplished and respected figure in the field of medicine and surgery, military service, and community leadership. Originally from Houston, Texas, Dr. Evans has resided in Maine for the past 30 years. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology with a minor in chemistry from Howard University, Washington, DC. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the USAF Reserves at the time of graduation. Dr. Evans earned the degree of Doctor of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. After an intensive 5-year Residency Program in General Surgery, he entered active-duty military service with his first assignment being at Loring AFB, ME where he served as Chief, Surgical Services and Chief, Hospital Services. Following his assignment at Loring AFB, Dr. Evans went on to serve as Chair, Department of Surgery at Offutt AFB, NE and later as Hospital Commander, Whiteman AFB, MO, and as Medical Group Commander at Ellsworth AFB, SD. He also attended the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine and earned his Flight Wings to become a Flight Surgeon. He completed his military service as Director of the Congressional Efficiencies Project at Offutt AFB, NE. During his Air Force tenure, Dr. Evans was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for Distinguished Service, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. Dr. Evans returned to Maine as a general surgeon at Down East Community Hospital in Machias, ME and also served as President of the Medical Staff and as a member of the hospital’s Board of Trustees. He then elected to enter into solo private practice in Dover-Foxcroft, ME where he also served as Chair, Department of Surgery and President of the Medical Staff where he has practiced for the last 20 years. Dr. Evans is also a Past President of the Maine Medical Association (MMA), and was awarded the MMA’s highest award, the President’s Award for Distinguished Service. Dr. Evans is currently Maine’s Senior Delegate to the AMA, and Past Chair of the New England Delegation to the AMA. Dr. Evans is currently the President of the national Organization of State Medical Association Presidents (2023-2024), and a current member of the Board of Trustees of Maine Consumers for Affordable Health Care. In 2020, Dr. Evans became the first Democrat in 30 years to be elected to represent Maine House District 120, becoming only the fifth Black lawmaker in Maine’s 200-year history. Dr. Evans was recently named as a recipient of the 2024 American Medical Association Award for Outstanding Government Service in the category, Member of a State Legislature.
Ann Gahagan,FNP-C
Ann Gahagan, FNP (she/her) a Registered Nurse, Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management, has a passion for Diabetes. For more than 40 years she has crusaded for comprehensive, patient centered care for people with diabetes. Her work and the support of colleagues established one of the most recognized Diabetes Education Programs in Maine.
She began her career at Cary Medical Center and a provider with Pines Health Services, has devoted much of her career to improving diabetes care. Ann and the diabetes team received national recognition from the IHI, CDC, NIH. Bureau of Primary Health Care’s National Diabetes Health Disparities Collaborative from 1999-2004, for their leadership in developing innovative and effective treatment, care management, and patient education programs. This work made a real difference in improving the lives of diabetes patients in her community and helped to establish practice guidelines that have improved the lives of hundreds of the region’s diabetes patients.
She was the founder and director of Camp Adventure, an innovative diabetes week-long education camp that made it possible for teenagers with Type I Diabetes to live in the wilderness while they learn the lifelong skills necessary to successfully live with diabetes. Young people from throughout Maine have attended the camp since its founding in 1996 to 2019. Ann was the recipient of the Dr. Daniel Hanley Leadership award for her work with Camp Adventure in 2006.
Ann retired from her healthcare career after 48 years as her most recent nurse practitioner position in Pine’s primary care in 2021. Ann has lectured at Northern Maine Community College as a Diabetes guest lecturer from 2022-2024 for their registered nurse program. Ann is enjoying retirement with her family, her grandchildren, gardening and traveling with her husband Michael.
She served on the MeHAF Community Advisory Committee from 2014 to 2020.
Tracey Hair
Tracey Hair (she/her) is a Community Partner at the Maine Community Foundation and is the former Executive Director of H.O.M.E. Inc. which provides services to low-income and homeless families in Hancock County. Tracey has volunteered in partnership with H.O.M.E. Inc. at a homeless charity located in Harlem, NY, where she and her partner worked doing street outreach. In addition to street outreach, Tracey taught basic computer skills to low-income families in the Bronx and has spent time advocating for LGBTQ+ families. Tracey recently served on the Statewide Homeless Council and is the former Co- Chair of the Region III Homeless Council. Tracey holds a lifelong passion for helping underserved populations. She lives in Bucksport where she enjoys gardening and tending to life in her little cottage.
Benjamin Huerth, MD
Benjamin Huerth, MD (he/him) is the Medical Director and Family Physician at the Penobscot Nation Health Department, Indian Island. Ben graduated from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his residency in Family Medicine at Eastern Maine Medical Center. Ben is a long-tenured, community-focused family physician who has dedicated his career to serving the Penobscot Nation tribal community, with particular emphasis on preventive care, chronic disease management, prenatal care, and substance use disorder treatment. He co-authored a paper titled “A Pharmacy Student-Facilitated Interprofessional Diabetes Clinic With the Penobscot Nation” published in Preventing Chronic Disease in November 2015, alongside Sarah L. Martin, Evan Williams, and J. Daniel Robinson.
Michael Lambke, MD
Mike Lambke (he/him) is a practicing family medicine physician offering family centered, community based medical care in Skowhegan since 1998. He is recognized as a medical staff leader, one time medical director and a current board member at Redington-Fairview General Hospital. Aiming to improve the health of the population of Somerset County and central Maine, he has collaborated with local organizations, Skowhegan Farmers Market, Skowhegan Maine Street, Somerset Public health, and Maine Grain Alliance on topics of childhood obesity, worksite wellness, community and family development. Work with these organizations and Connecticut-based Wholesome Wave yielded substantive additions to the federal Farm bill improving access to healthy local produce for SNAP recipients in urban and rural areas. To improve access to high-quality healthcare and medical education, he is actively engaged with the Tufts University School of Medicine-Maine Medical Center longitudinal integrated curriculum since 2010. This novel educational process focuses students on individuals and families as they engage with healthcare in rural areas improving the longevity of practicing physicians and the humanity of physicians in training. While always appreciative of learning, he has grown increasingly grateful for a humanities education at Loyola University Chicago and clinical medical education at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Residency at Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency, subsequent professional practice and the stories of our community members now weaves a complex tapestry of life from this formative fabric of ideas. In 2008, he was recognized as the Maine family physician of the year by the Maine Academy of family physicians and has received several teaching awards from Tufts medical students.
Kevin Lewis
Kevin Lewis (he/him) is the President & CEO of Community Health Options, a non-profit health insurer with qualified health plans on and off the Health Insurance Marketplace for both individual and group markets throughout Maine. Health Options partners with consumers, businesses and providers for Triple Aim achievement. Prior to co-founding Health Options, Kevin was the CEO of the Maine Primary Care Association (MPCA). Currently, Kevin serves on several boards including HealthInfoNet, Health Plan Alliance, the Maine Association of Health Plans, the Maine Guaranteed Access to Reinsurance Association, and Coastal Enterprises, Inc. Kevin earned his Bachelor's from Dartmouth College (1991), a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Michigan (1995), and is an alum of Leadership Maine (2002), the Health Leadership Development program (2008) and the UCLA Johnson & Johnson Health Care Executives Program (2009). Kevin lives in central Maine with his wife and daughters and many four-legged rescues.
Grace Odimayo, DMD
Dr. Grace Odimayo, DMD, (she/her) is a general dentist providing preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental procedures in Farmingdale. She received her dental training at Tufts School of Dental Medicine, graduating in 2003. Dr. Odimayo came to the United States in 2002 from Nigeria where she had training, and practiced dentistry in Nigeria and in Great Britain prior to coming to the US. As a general dentist, she sees firsthand the importance of preventive and restorative services for children, young adults, and older adults relative to their general health and nutrition, as well as their ability to work, attend school, and maintain full and healthy lives. Her approach to practice is to listen to patients and understand the context of their lives as a way to inform the care she provides. In her practice she sees pre-school children with MaineCare coverage, and provides pro-bono services for the Head Start program. She will bring her perspective as a dental professional and the perspectives and experiences of her patients to MeHAF’s Board.
Susan Roche, Esq.
Sue Roche (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) and been at ILAP since she joined as the organization’s first staff attorney in 2000. Located in Portland, ILAP is Maine’s only statewide immigration legal aid organization. ILAP helps Maine’s immigrants keep their families together, gain protection from persecution and domestic violence, attain residency and work authorization, and become proud U.S. citizens. ILAP builds stable families and improved opportunities, allowing Maine’s immigrants to contribute to their communities for generations to come. Sue has specialized in family based immigration, remedies for noncitizen domestic violence and crime victims, and removal defense. She has been an invited presenter at regional and national conferences of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Sue received a B.S. in Business Administration and International Affairs from the University of New Hampshire, and she received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. She is admitted to the Maine Bar.
Ellen Seidman
Ellen Seidman (she/her) is a nonresident fellow in the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute. She is a member of the boards of the Financial Health Network, Friends of the Strand Theatre and Luminato Condominium Association. From 2012 to 2016, Seidman served on the inaugural Consumer Advisory Board of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. From 2012 to 2014, she was a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, where she edited Investing in What Works for America’s Communities; What Counts: Harnessing Data for America’s Communities; and What It’s Worth: Strengthening the Financial Future of Families, Communities, and the Nation. She was the 2013–14 New York University Stern–Citi Leadership and Ethics Distinguished Fellow. From 2002 to 2010, Seidman held various positions at ShoreBank Corporation, and from 1997 to 2001, she directed the Office of Thrift Supervision. She also sat on the board of directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and chaired the board of directors of NeighborWorks America. Seidman was senior counsel to the Democratic staff of the House Financial Services Committee, was Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and held senior positions at Fannie Mae and the US departments of Transportation and the Treasury. Seidman received an AB from Radcliffe College, an MBA from the George Washington University, and a JD from Georgetown University.
Ian Yaffe
Ian Yaffe (he/him) is Director of the Office for Family Independence (OFI) at Maine Department of Health and Services (DHHS). OFI connects Maine people and families to services and programs that foster health, safety, resilience, and opportunity including MaineCare (Medicaid), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and other education and career programs. Prior to joining the DHHS team in 2021, Ian served for 11 years as Executive Director of Mano en Mano, a non-profit organization that works with immigrant and farmworker communities in rural Maine to advocate for change and ensure access to essential services, education, and housing. Ian holds a Bachelor's Degree in Latin American Studies and Education from Bowdoin College and a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of Washington. He is also a Master Chief Boatswain's Mate in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and currently assigned to Coast Guard Station South Portland.