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.