Contact
For more information contact Lianne Lissauer, Maine LEND program coordinator at (207) 221-4582.
Program Staff
Core Faculty
Additional Faculty
Nancy Cronin
Advocacy
Director of the ME Developmental Disabilities Council
Erika Lichter, Sc.D., M.A., M.S.
Epidemiology
Maternal and Child Health Epidemiologist, State of Maine and Associate Research Professor, University of Southern Maine Muskie School of Public Service
Stephen Meister, M.D.
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
Medical Director of the Edmund N. Ervin Pediatric Center at MaineGeneral Medical Center
Joanna Reidy
Family Faculty
Mother of a child with ND
2023-2024 trainees
Maine LEND is a federally-funded program in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities. Spanning a spectrum of specializations, our trainees engage in didactic, clinical, and leadership experiences in order to provide enhanced and expanded services to those in Maine with autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or other neurodevelopmental disabilities, their families, and their schools.
Akua is currently in her final year of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at UNE. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Texas Tech University in 2018.
After graduation, she worked full-time as a physical therapy technician at an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinic in Dallas, Texas while also working part-time as an assistant teacher at a daycare and occasional babysitter for 4 years. In both settings, she primarily worked with children from ages 6 weeks up to 12 years old with some having neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Akua has a passion for working with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and is eager to expand her knowledge in this area through the LEND program and her clinical placement at an outpatient pediatric clinic in York, Maine in the Spring of 2024. While in graduate school, she has volunteered with iCan Bike in Falmouth, Maine and New Horizon Special school in Accra, Ghana. Through her involvement in the LEND program, she is looking forward to becoming a better advocate for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and developing further skills on how to work on an interprofessional team to become the best pediatric physical therapist she can be.
In her spare time, Akua loves to try new restaurants in Portland with her friends, going to the beach and watching movies.
Michaela is currently in her second and final year of the Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy program at UNE Portland. She received her Bachelor of Science in Health, Wellness, and Occupational Studies in 2022 from UNE Biddeford. She has worked at New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland, Maine as a Therapy Technician, assisting in the care plans of adults recovering from neurological and orthopedic injuries and procedures.
She is currently working as a Youth and Family Counselor at Sweetser, serving children ages 9–17 through trauma informed care and family centered practice. Michaela has a passion for working with children with neurodevelopment disabilities and supporting mental health/behavioral challenges. She continues to expand her knowledge in this area at her current clinical placement at Spurwink Day Treatment School in Lewiston, Maine.
Throughout the LEND program, Michaela is looking forward to developing her advocacy skills and learning more about policies and services that are available for children and families. She enjoys finding new coffee shops in Portland and spending time with friends and family.
Bella is currently in her second and final year of UNE’s Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy program. She also received her Bachelor of Science in Health, Wellness, and Occupational Studies from UNE in 2022. Bella was a five-year member of the UNE Women’s Varsity Ice Hockey team and is a member of Pi Theta Epsilon. Prior to grad school she worked as a BHP in Maine, working with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Bella has a passion for working in adaptive sports, as sports have had a significant impact on her life she hopes that she can make a difference by providing the opportunity for children with disabilities to participate in sports. Bella is currently in her level II placement at SMHC Acute Care Hospital in Biddeford, Maine, and will be heading to Sandcastle Clinical and Education Services in Lewiston, Maine, in the spring.
During her time in the LEND program, Bella hopes to gain skills surrounding interdisciplinary/intradisciplinary and family collaboration, advocacy, and disability policy. In her free time, Bella likes to spend time with her dog (Moose), be outside, watch the Pittsburgh Penguins, and coach girls hockey!
Jessica is currently in her Doctoral program in Education Leadership. She owns a practice and built a school called Whilde (whole child education) in Yarmouth, Maine.
When she is not working, she spends her time with her children and husband on Orrs Island, where they live. Jessica has a Masters's Degree in Special Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science.
Katy currently works as a clinical social worker within the Opiate Health Program at The Opportunity Alliance in Portland, Maine, as well as an independent therapist in Westbrook, Maine. She has worked with vulnerable populations in Maine for 10 years, including at the Preble Street Resource Center and the Wayfinder Schools.
Prior to moving to Maine, she helped co-found and ran the award winning “Made in NY” Production Assistant Training Program in New York City from 2006–2013.
In her free time Katy likes to make comics, cook, take walks in the woods and watch comedies with her teenage son. She is passionate about the use of stories and creativity to communicate the unique experiences of people whose voices are rarely heard and believes in the ability of a well told story to change hearts and minds.
Katy is thrilled to be part of the LEND program and to expand her knowledge and skills to better serve and advocate for people with neurocognitive disabilities and their families as well as expanding her ability to work within an interdisciplinary team.
Emma currently works as a Speech-Language Pathologist at Northeast Hearing and Speech, where she provides both intervention and assessments for children with speech and language needs. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Maine. Prior to becoming an SLP, Emma worked as a school-based behavioral health professional with preschool-aged children who have neurodevelopmental differences and various genetic conditions.
Emma has a passion for supporting children as they grow in their communication skills, with specific interests in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families.
She is excited to learn more about interprofessional collaboration and working with families through the LEND program as well as her current placement at the Children's Odyssey.
In her free time, Emma enjoys trying new restaurants, doing puzzles, and spending time with her friends and family.
Haley is currently a third year Doctor of Physical Therapy student at UNE. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science from the University of North Alabama in 2020. Haley is very passionate about working with children, specifically in the acute care setting. She is also very excited about expanding her knowledge in all things pediatrics and neurodevelopmetal related through participation in the LEND program.
In her spare time, Haley loves to go to the beach, play with her dog, workout, and read.
Elizabeth is currently in her final year in her Doctorate of Audiology program. She is in her externship year at Northeast Hearing and Speech, where she provides both intervention and assessments in hearing healthcare for children and adults in the Portland area. She received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Minnesota State University. Elizabeth has a passion for supporting her patients in every stage of their life and her research interests include pediatric assessment and interprofessional education.
Kate is a general pediatrician and primarily works in pubic health. Her work focuses on maternal child health, exposures in pregnancy and impacts on infancy and early childhood. Her passions include making sure all infants and children are set up to achieve their full potential.
Jill is currently a Shared Living Provider for her disabled son. She enjoys helping parents learn to advocate for their children and themselves. Jill has a background as a Medical Assistant in a local pediatric office. She also brings her lived experience from raising her son.
MaryElizabeth is completing her Master of Public Health at UNE. Her areas of interest include prevention and early intervention policy. Her participation in UNE’s Interprofessional Ghana Immersion Program increased her commitment to these areas of public health as a means of addressing healthcare disparities in low-resource environments. She is also passionate about reproductive justice.
MaryElizabeth is excited to be a part of LEND, and appreciates the opportunity to learn from this interprofessional approach learning environment to better meet the needs of neurodiverse people and their families.