MeHAF Community Advisory Committee
The foundation’s statewide Community Advisory Committee (CAC) includes individuals with diverse backgrounds who advise the Board and staff on critical issues that align with MeHAF’s mission. They provide thoughtful input into our periodic strategic planning and assessment efforts.
Katie Adams, MD, FAAFP
Dr. Katie Adams, MD, FAAFP (she/her) grew up in Southern Maine and received her Bachelor’s Degree with a major in Medical Biology and a minor in Chemistry from the University of New England. She received her Medical Degree in 2013 from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed her Family Medicine Residency at Eastern Maine Medical Center. She is a board-certified family physician and an American Academy of Family Physicians Fellow. Dr. Adams is passionate about providing evidence-based, high quality, compassionate care to those in need without financial or social discrimination. She has special interests in medical ethics, promoting professional wellbeing, substance use treatment, and advocacy and care for the underserved populations. Personal interests include spending time with family, traveling (she has traveled to all 50 US States!), and enjoying the outdoors with a particular love for hiking and kayaking.
Nélida Berke, MPH
Ms. Berke (she/her) came to the United States from Peru in May of 2001, with plans to extend her business in Peru. She later moved to the United States, married, and started a new life. Although her interest and experience was in business, opportunity opened a new career path for her in public health. In 2003, she joined the Portland Public Health Division’s STD/HIV Prevention, and then in 2005 she joined the Minority Health Program. In her role as a Community Health Outreach Worker (CHOW), she assisted Latinos, with and without health insurance, to obtain needed healthcare at major local health facilities. Her goal was to eliminate health disparities (language barriers, lack of transportation, lack of health insurance and awareness of resources, financial issues, and limited knowledge of prevention and treatment services) and to improve healthcare access. In 2013, she was promoted to the Minority Health Program Specialist position, where she skillfully coordinated and supervised 39 CHOWs and 17 volunteers from the 13 largest minority communities in Greater Portland to drive success and aid in better serving their communities. In December 2015, Ms. Berke was promoted to her new role as the Portland Public Health Division’s Minority Health Program Coordinator. She constantly advocates for immigrant rights and health equity through enhancing communication and community engagement with underserved populations. She completed her Master Degree in Public Health from the University of Southern Maine. She served on the Board for Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition until August 2020; serves on the Northern Light Mercy Hospital board, Catholic Identity & Ministry Committee and on several advisory committees. She is a regular guest presenter at health care and social services facilities, and universities, promoting improvement in cultural competence and encouraging humility in health care professionals in Maine.
Crystal Cron
Crystal Cron (she/they; ella/elle): Mi mamá y mi abuelita taught me that our riquezas come from the abundance of generosity, millennia of ancestral wisdom, and commitment to collective bienestar that we as indigenous women carry within. As a landless Indigenous person, I carry with me a legacy of colonial pain that has been passed down to me by my mother and her mother before her and her mother before her. Still, despite centuries of violence imprinted on our DNA, I have been honored to learn about collective survival and revolutionary indigenous love from the matriarchs in my family who fought to live and thrive and carry our people forward despite the constant threat of extermination. These warrior women taught me about fearless love, about love as resistance, the ultimate weapon in destroying colonialism. To me, Presente, this community we are creating, is about tapping into and multiplying this revolutionary indigenous love. We are here. We have our ancestors at our backs. We are worthy of this sacred love, of abundance, of beauty and safety. To show it through my heart, mind, hands, feet and soul, is how I live el amor al pueblo.
Lori Dwyer, Esq.
Lori Dwyer (she/her) is president and CEO of Penobscot Community Health Care, the largest federally qualified health center in Maine. A lawyer, Dwyer has been devoted to public and community service throughout her career. She holds an M.A. summa cum laude from the University of Alabama and a B.A. cum laude from Duke University. Early in her career she taught English in both Luxembourg and Venezuela before attending the University of Maine School of Law. Dwyer practiced labor and employment law with Bernstein Shur in Portland, Maine for seven years and was recognized by the Maine Bar Foundation for her pro bono service. An avid outdoorswoman and athlete, Dwyer lives in Bangor with her family.
Sharon Jordan
Sharon (she/her) is a citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Senior Director of the Health & Wellness Division at Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness which has been operating since 1996. Her division provides various behavioral health prevention and care programs for tribally enrolled Native Americans. Sharon is a mother, grandmother, and engaged member of the Wabanaki communities. She brings with her over 30 years of expertise as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and longstanding relationships with individuals, organizations, and governments to her work. She has worked in both clinical and outpatient settings where she prioritizes the health and safety of her clients first. Sharon believes strongly in the strength of our people and cultural teachings. She believes that when we celebrate our accomplishments, we are celebrating our ancestors and the generations to come, and that when you belong to a people, you are never alone. Sharon incorporates these beliefs into every level of planning and implementation of programming at Wabanaki Health & Wellness. Sharon holds a B.A. in Human Development from the University of Maine, an M.S.W. from the University of Maine, and an L.C.S.W. from the State of Maine.
Kailee Josgenson, DMD
Kailee Jorgenson (she/her): Known to most as Dr. Kailee or Dr. K, Dr. Kailee Jorgenson is a dedicated general dentist whose career has been marked by a deep commitment to public health and expanding access to oral healthcare. With a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from the University of New England College of Dental Medicine, Dr. Kailee graduated in 2019 and has since focused her career on serving underserved communities and mentoring the next generation of dental professionals. Currently, Dr. Kailee holds the position of Director of Off-Site Care at Mainely Teeth, a role that allows her to integrate her clinical expertise with her passion for expanding access to quality dental care. Prior to this, she served as Clinical Director at the Waterville Community Dental Center, where she played a key role in shaping the clinic's patient care strategies and fostering a team-oriented approach to public health dentistry. Dr. Kailee’s leadership extends beyond her clinical practice. She is an active member of several key dental organizations, including her role as President of the Maine Oral Health Centers Alliance, where she advocates for improved dental care policies and resources for Maine residents. She is also a member of the Children’s Oral Health Network Steering Committee and serves on the Board of the Maine Dental Association (MDA). Additionally, Dr. Jorgenson is a Co-Chair of the MDA’s MaineCare Task Force, working to address challenges related to Medicaid dental coverage and reduce barriers to access for low-income individuals. A passionate mentor, Dr. Kailee, has contributed to the professional development of over a dozen dental students from the University of New England by serving as a preceptor. She finds great fulfillment in teaching and guiding students, emphasizing the importance of compassionate patient care, the value of working within public health, and the broader impact dentistry can have on improving community well-being. Throughout her career, Dr. Kailee has remained steadfast in her commitment to improving access to dental care for all Maine residents, especially those in underserved communities. Her work reflects a dedication to not only providing direct clinical care but also influencing policy and systems to address the barriers that prevent individuals from receiving the care they need. Whether through leadership, mentorship, or hands-on patient care, Dr. Kailee Jorgenson continues to make a lasting impact on the oral health landscape in Maine.
Kenneth Lewis
The Reverend Kenneth I. Lewis, Jr. is an Ordained Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church of America, Inc. Appointed May 18, 2003, Rev. Lewis is honored to serve as the current pastor of the Historic Green Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Portland, Maine. Additionally, he serves internationally as the Presiding Elder of the Nassau District, Bahamas Conference of the A. M. E. Zion Church. Presiding Elder Lewis has been favored with more than 30 years of effective ministry and community leadership. Rev. Lewis has served historic congregations such as; Rush Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, Cambridge, MA. and Goodwin Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Amherst, MA. Denominationally, he is a current member of the Connectional Council serving on the Board of Communication which oversees the Star of Zion, Quarterly Review, and all social and print media outlets. Since arriving in Portland, Pastor Lewis has served on various organizational boards such as the United Way of Greater Portland, Vice President of the Greater Portland Branch of the NAACP, the City of Portland’s Community Development Block Grant subcommittee, and the Police Citizens Review Subcommittee. Currently, Reverend Lewis serves as a Commissioner on the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Populations. A native son of Boston (Roxbury), MA; Pastor Lewis has dedicated himself to community empowerment, spiritual development, economic opportunity, and social justice.
Muhidin Libah
Muhidin Libah (he/him): Muhidin Libah is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Somali Bantu Community Association of Maine was born in Southern Somalia, grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp, and came to the United States in 2004. He has co-founded multiple nonprofits including the Middle Jubba Relief and Sustainability Organization, Somali Bantu Community Association of Syracuse, and Somali Bantu Community Association of Maine. His special expertise includes food production, food security, and sustainability. He has extensive experience farming in Somalia has the skills and knowledge to teach its community members many elements of their cultural heritage. Muhidin has been instrumental in the transition of SBCA owning the 104-acre Wales property that houses Liberation Farms which will happen later in 2024. He is a CNA certified to do medical translation which aids him in his Community Advocacy work at SBCA’s Office & Community Center. He graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a B.S. in Natural Applied Science with a Biology Concentration and a Minor in Holistic Health. He is a family man who recently celebrated the birth of his 11th child.
Rebecca Matusovich, MPPM
Becca Matusovich (she/her) is the founding Executive Director of the Children's Oral Health Network of Maine. Her 30+-year career in public service includes work in education, substance abuse prevention, chronic disease, public health infrastructure, refugee & immigrant health, child welfare, and community engagement. Becca brings a deep passion for improving the systems that serve Maine children and families, and she has extensive experience in catalyzing complex system change and forging partnerships with a common vision. Her state government posts include Prevention Team Manager for the Office of Substance Abuse, Chronic Disease Division Director at Maine Center for Disease Control and the Maine CDC’s first Cumberland District Public Health Liaison, and she spent several years as a Policy Associate at the Cutler Institute within USM’s Muskie School for Public Service prior to her current position. While crossing sectors and disciplines in many ways over the years, her work has always gravitated around a core interest in health equity and systems thinking.
Kenney Miller
Kenney Miller (he/him) is the Project Director for Maine's Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Block Grant at the Office of Behavioral Health, providing strategic guidance and oversight for this federal award to best address the complex issue of problematic substance use. Prior to this position Kenney served as the Executive Director of the Health Equity Alliance (HEAL). With a Master's of Science in Social Anthropology, Kenney is a consummate student of culture and society and has devoted his career to addressing the ways in which social forces influence, shape, and collide with human health. He has spoken widely on health equity and the impact of stigma and discrimination on health outcomes, and the need to transform health systems to be more culturally and structurally competent. During his tenure at the Health Equity Alliance Kenney oversaw the agency's growth and transformation from a small social service agency into a regional force for health and social justice throughout Maine. He co-founded the Maine Harm Reduction Alliance, and the Maine Coalition for Sensible Drug Policy, through which he propelled the philosophy of 'harm reduction' to center-stage and amplified the need to better integrate principles of compassion, science, and pragmatism into Maine's drug policy. He has co-founded several state-level health-focused conferences and helped jump-start numerous collaborations and projects to benefit Maine's most marginalized communities including people living with HIV, people who use drugs, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with a history of incarceration, and others.
Michael Murnik, MD
Born in Philadelphia, raised in eastern Massachusetts, Mike (he/him) started calling Maine home as soon as he could. After high school, he started calling his family’s camp in Georgetown, ME, home. Mike attended college in New York City, then medical school in Burlington, VT. He did his residency out west, as the expectations for Family Medicine are very different east and west of the Mississippi. Mike didn’t come back for 18 years. After residency in Albuquerque, he worked in rural Montana for almost seven years, practicing true full-spectrum primary care affiliated with a Critical Access Hospital in Deer Lodge, MT. 129-hour weeks do get old eventually, and Mike returned to the University of New Mexico as faculty in the Medical School and the Family and Community Residency Program for eight years before starting to have children and returning to Maine.
As a family physician Mike has been a hospital doc, ER doc, clinic doc, Public Health Officer, Nursing Home Medical Director, Ambulance Service Medical Director, Hospice Medical Director, Chief of Staff, Associate Professor of Medicine, researcher, assisted and operated in ORs and delivered around 1,000 babies. Since coming east, Mike’s scope of practice wings has been clipped significantly. Though he’s lived in Blue Hill for 17 years, Mike worked in Ellsworth at Maine Coast Hospital for the first eight years doing both hospital and outpatient medicine. When forced to choose between inpatient and outpatient medicine, Mike chose the latter and cut out the commute, joining Blue Hill Hospital- a Critical Access Hospital on the water, hoping to see a few more of his girls’ soccer games. For the last nine years he has been the Senior Physician Executive (CMO) for Blue Hill, which is part of Northern Light Health.
Mike is a fan of Critical Access Hospitals and FQHCs and perpetually frustrated by the plight of Primary Care and Public Health in the United States. With a belief in collaboration and community, and bolstered by his experiences in New Mexico, Mike has worked with Healthy Peninsula and Healthy Acadia to obtain grants (several from MeHAF) to fund projects with community partners related to community health, thriving in place, and substance use disorder prevention and treatment. We were always unanimously proud to be awarded a grant from MeHAF because of the rigor and professionalism involved in the process.
Julia Sleeper
Julia Sleeper (she/her): Julia Sleeper is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Tree Street Youth Center. Born and raised in Bangor area, she initially moved to Lewiston as an undergraduate at Bates College. During her time as a student, she began connecting to the Downtown Lewiston community youth through service learning opportunities afforded to her as a Psychology and Education major. Over the past 10 years, Julia has continued to build on the relationships formed as an undergrad, seeking to provide valuable programming to at-risk youth in Lewiston-Auburn. After completing her Masters in Leadership and Organizational Studies at USM-LAC, she began the present-day Tree Street Youth Center.
Sara Squires, MPPM
Sara Squires (she/her) received her undergraduate degree from Wheaton College (MA) and a Master's from USM's Muskie School of Public Service in 2010. She joined Disability Rights Maine (DRM) as an intake coordinator in September 2002 and was later named Public Policy Director. Sara supervises DRM’s information and referral unit, while also coordinating the agency’s policy work and overseeing data management for reporting and quality assurance purposes. She is a past Chair and current member of the MaineCare Advisory Committee and served a term on the mPower Loan Board, which oversees Maine's adaptive equipment loan program. In addition to her collaborations with the Secretary of State’s Office to provide training at its annual conference for municipal clerks and registrars, Sara has also offered training around such topics as Ableism and working with individuals with disabilities.
Joby Thoyalil, MPA
Joby Thoyalil (he/him) has over a decade of experience working in both Maine and New York advocating for economic and racial justice through policy change. He works as a senior policy advocate at Maine Equal Justice where he analyzes and develops legislative and administrative policy proposals and coordinates policy advocacy on a range of issues related to the economic stability of low-income individuals and families in Maine. Joby currently serves as a Commissioner on the newly established Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Populations, which is an independent, governmental entity with the mission to examine racial disparities across all systems in Maine and to specifically work at improving the status and outcomes for historically disadvantaged racial, indigenous and tribal populations in the State. Prior to moving to Maine, Joby worked as a campaigns organizer at the New Economy Project in New York, where he coordinated multiple campaigns and coalitions, including the statewide New Yorkers for Responsible Lending (NYRL) coalition and the NYC Coalition to Stop Credit Checks in Employment. He earned his Master’s in Public Administration from New York University's Wagner School of Public Service, where he specialized in public policy analysis.
Shirley Weaver, MT(ASCP), MA., Ph.D.
Shirl Weaver (she/her) has a long history of involvement in health professions education, both in military and civilian capacities. Shirl was the founding director of the Maine AHEC System and the Maine Geriatric Education Center at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Associate Director of the Harvard Geriatric Education Center at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. Through those organizations she focused on workforce training and education issues at national and state levels to improve health care for rural and underserved communities, such as: improving the distribution of health care providers, especially primary care providers; increasing health career awareness and preparation of rural and underserved youth; preparing providers to care for our increasingly older population; and increasing veterans’ quality of life. Shirl now enjoys retirement in Kennebunk, where her volunteer efforts focus on the quality of life of older adults and military veterans, and mentoring the next generation of osteopathic physicians.