Members are appointed by the Governor for a term of four years and have training, experience, or special knowledge concerning the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency, the administration of juvenile justice, or the reduction of juvenile delinquency.
They advise the Governor and the Legislature on issues concerning juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. The Advisory Group is charged with monitoring Maine’s compliance to the requirements of the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act and the development of Maine’s Comprehensive Three-year Plan for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG) is the State Advisory Group (SAG) established under the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA), which was most recently reauthorized in 2018 and has been codified in Maine law (Title 34-A M.R.S. §1209). SAGs are comprised of volunteer members (between 15 and 33 total) appointed by the Governor/Chief Executive in each U.S. jurisdiction. Eligible members are determined by the federal statute and must include certain identified stakeholders who have training, experience, or special knowledge concerning the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency, the administration of juvenile justice, or the reduction of juvenile delinquency.
Name |
Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Ned Chester, Esq., Chair | Juvenile Defense Attorney, Miller & Phalon |
| Jill Ward, Vice Chair | Director, Center for Youth Policy & Law at Maine Law |
| Megan Anderson | Youth Member |
| Renee Bernard | School Resource Officer, Lisbon Community School |
| Chris Bicknell | Executive Director, New Beginnings |
| Sarah Churchill | Juvenile Court Judge |
| Bishop Steve Coleman | Pastor, Williams Temple Church |
| Sienna Dana | Youth Member |
| *Samantha J. Fenderson | Department of Labor |
| LaMichael Gildersleeve | Regional Program Director (Lewiston/Auburn), Youth-Led Justice |
| Jacinda Goodwin | Program Specialist, Education for Homeless Children and Youth |
| Brody J. Haverly-Johndro, Esq. | Youth Member |
| *Lt. Aaron Turcotte | Maine State Police |
| Morgan Hynd | Director, The Bingham Program |
| Abeir Ibrahim | CFO, Cross Cultural Community Services |
| *Dr. Todd Landry | Director, Office of Child and Family Services, Maine DHHS |
| Tessa Mosher | Director, Victim Services, Maine DOC |
| Christopher Northrop, Esq. | Managing Director, Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic at Maine Law |
| Ladislas Nzeyimana | Youth Member |
| Jay Philbrick | Youth Member |
| Regina Phillips | Co-Founder, Cross Cultural Community Services |
| Tanya Pierson, Esq. | Assistant District Attorney, York County District Attorney’s Office |
| Bonnie Porta | Community Member |
| Kelly Rackler | Juvenile Community Corrections Officer, Region 3, Maine DOC |
| Atlee Reilly, Esq. | Legal Director, Disability Rights Maine |
| Jonathan Shapiro | Retired, MSP |
| Zubeyda Shute | Youth Member |
| Christine Thibeault, Esq. | Associate Commissioner of Juvenile Services, Maine DOC |
| *Megan Welter | DOE |
Staff |
JJAG |
| Linda Barry Potter | JJ Specialist & Compliance Monitor |
| Anwar Whiting | R/ED Coordinator |
* denotes agency commissioner’s designee
Send email for JJAG members to Linda Barry-Potter. Please specify intended recipient.
