Staff
University of Southern Maine, BA: Interdisciplinary and Self-Designed in Women’s Studies Goddard College, MA, Interdisciplinary and Self-Designed with a focus of Discrimination through the Lens of Class with a special focus on Social Service and Health-Care Delivery
Joanne, HCCA Executive Director, has integrated advocacy, health promotion and coalition building into initiatives serving populations with disparate health risks via her work with and in community-based coalitions. As HCCA Director, she currently directs the assessment and coalition building activities as well as the Healthy Maine Partnership efforts in the 18 towns in Southern Kennebec County. Her passion is reducing the impact of tobacco and the barriers to tobacco treatment on populations with the highest negative impacts.
Joanne participates on several collaborative groups that serve the Kennebec Valley and the DHHS Central District of Somerset and Kennebec Counties.
* Central Maine Behavioral Health Cessation Collaborative
* Mid Maine Worksite Wellness Collaborative
* Healthy Moms Healthy Babies Healthy Families
Community Service activities include
* Richmond Area Health Center, Community Board of Directors,
Vice President and Secretary
* Maine Network of Healthy Communities, Past President, Chair
of Membership Committee
* State Coordinating Council for Public Health System, Executive
Committee advising the Maine Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (MCDC)
Previously, she was the Director of Community Planning for the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in Boston, and the HIV Prevention Community Planning Coordinator in Maine. She also served as Executive Director of Dirigo Prevention Coalition, a pilot initiative to provide technical assistance to health promotion and disease prevention coalitions statewide in the late 1990s.
She is a Native of Maine, a mother of 3, and lives with her partner in Bowdoinham
Neill left semi-retirement to join HCCA. A developer of substance abuse prevention and treatment programs across the New England states for the past 15 years,Neill worked 18 years for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, including six years as the Director of the State Alcohol and Drug Agency. He lives with his wife Mary Ellen in Augusta; his two sons were educated in the Augusta schools, graduating from Cony High School.
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Renee, School and Youth Program Manager, provides technical assistance and resources to schools and youth organizations for policy development and environmental change around physical activity, nutrition, tobacco, and substance abuse. Prior to coming to HCCA, Renee has worked as a School Foodservice Director and nutrition and lactation counselor. She holds a Masters degree in Public Health, a B.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition, and an A.S. in Business Management and Accounting. She is an active member of the Maine Nutrition Council, the Hall-Dale Elementary PTO, the Hall-Dale Wellness Committee, the Hall-Dale Pee Wee Basketball Board, and is a 4-H volunteer. In her spare time you might find Renee enjoying the Kennebec River Rail Trail with her family. Renee resides in Farmingdale with her husband Richard and two elementary school-aged children.
Karen, HCCA Project Coordinator, works closely with the Executive Director to ensure overall smooth operations at HCCA, providing the day-today communications link between HCCA and the community, board, stakeholders and others. Additional responsibilities include website maintenance, Healthy Home programs and coordination with our fiscal partner, Medical Care Development, to assure financial documentation is accurate and in the right hands. The Project Coordinator interfaces with all HCCA staff to support their projects, build capacity and implement objectives. Karen is an enthusiastic newcomer to the capital area. A graduate of University of Maine at Orono and a Maine native with a masters in Training and Organizational Development, she brings with her seven years in community outreach, non-profit and volunteer management. In addition, Karen’s background in mediation and facilitation supports staff in connecting to the communities HCCA serves. Hers is the voice you are likely to hear when you give us a call.
Amy Wagner, Adult and Worksite Wellness Initiatives Manager, works with small businesses and communities encouraging the development of supportive, health-promoting workplaces and organizations focused on improving adult health and wellness. Amy, a nationally Certified Worksite Wellness Program Consultant, also holds numerous certifications in exercise, nutrition, tobacco cessation and prevention, coaching and chronic disease management. Prior to coming to HCCA, she was the project director of a Healthy Maine Partnership in the Midcoast District after working as an accountant for twelve years. She currently maintains her home in Jackson with two dogs Sirus and Simmone and two cats Roscoe and Zoe. In her spare time she loves to garden, kayak, hike, bike, travel, cook and practice Reiki.
Staff Associates
Nicole Sergent, School Health Coordinator
Nicole, the School Health Coordinator (SHC) is employed by RSU 11 through a Community-School Partnership with HCCA, the Local Healthy Maine Partnership (HMP). Each of the 28 HMPs across Maine is required to partner with at least one school district to employ a SHC. RSU 11's SHC is a full member of the school district Administrative Team and is the Chair fo rthe District Wellness Committe, Health and Physical Education Committees, Take Time! Committee, School Health Leadership Team and the parent Health Advisory Committee. The Primary responsibility of the SHC is to advocate for systems and policy changes to support tobacco use reduction, increased physical activity, improved nutrition, and substance use prevention, Additional pubilc health initiatives such as sun safety and H1N1 are often added to the expectations. Nicole is a Gardiner High School and University of Maine graduate living in Gardiner.
Abigail, District Tobacco Coordinator for Public Health District V, provides technical assistance, resources, and coordination for tobacco prevention and control initiatives to the four Healthy Maine Partnerships serving Kennebec and Somerset Counties. Serving as a liaison between State-wide efforts and local level priorities, she works to enhance comprehensive delivery of evidence-based and population appropriate tobacco prevention and control programs. Abigail has worked in a wide array of public health settings including enhancing worksite wellness with the Bangor Region Wellness Council, coordinating the Penquis Breast and Cervical Health Coalition, Covering Kids and Families Campaign, and Access Initiative Coalitions, and served as the Southern New England Regional Supervisor and Health Educator for Cianbro's wellness program through OMC, LLC. Abigail holds a BS in Community Health Education with a minor in Nutrition from the University of Maine at Farmington. She expects completion of her Masters in Public Health through Walden University in 2009.
Our local service area includes: Augusta, Chelsea, Farmingdale, Fayette, Gardiner, Hallowell, Litchfield, Manchester, Monmouth, Mount Vernon, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Richmond, Vienna, Wayne, West Gardiner, Windsor, Winthrop.
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