Olivia Barron
Olivia is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at UNH and is expected to graduate in December 2025. Olivia has completed two Level II fieldwork placements—one in a school-based setting where she supported students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and another in a community mental health setting serving individuals with a range of psychiatric conditions.
In addition to her academic training, Olivia has worked as a nanny for the past eight years, currently caring for three children with varying presentations of ASD. This hands-on experience has deepened her understanding of family-centered care and the importance of adaptability, collaboration, and advocacy in supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families. Through these experiences, she developed a strong interest in promoting equitable access to meaningful daily activities for all individuals, regardless of ability.
Olivia is passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration and empowering families and individuals through education and strengths-based approaches. She looks forward to expanding her leadership skills and contributing to systems-level change through the NH-ME LEND program.
Linda Bergeron Hansen
Linda holds a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of New Hampshire. She has been a certified educator for over 20 years. Her general education classroom positions have spanned grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Throughout her career, Linda has taught in a variety of settings from specialized intervention programs to college-level introductory courses. In addition to teaching, she served on a variety of curriculum committees and functioned as a team leader. These experiences have made her a more well-rounded educator with a broad, insightful understanding of diverse individual needs.
Linda is also a mother of two neurodivergent children. With hearts full of love, she and her husband embraced parenthood through adoption. Through her personal and professional experiences, she has learned to be an advocate and embrace the power of perseverance and resilience.
Her family’s journey has been transformative, igniting a strong belief in the influence and necessity of advocacy for all children and families. Linda believes in working for a more inclusive, flexible, and understanding world. The challenges her children have faced have led to an informal education in brain science and mental health. She has recently become a volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to try to help others experiencing similar struggles to her family.
Linda hopes that through LEND she can continue to improve her advocacy and leadership skills to influence policy, improve systems, and spread awareness.
Regina Bowie
Regina is a graduate of Houlton High School and currently resides in Presque Isle, ME. She attended Northern Maine Community College where she received her associate’s degree in accounting. Regina is an active self-advocate with Speaking Up For Us (SUFU) where she has served as the Board Chair. She is currently a member of the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) where she was recently appointed as Treasurer.
Regina has strong skills in systems advocacy through her work testifying at the Maine Legislature. She also has experience meeting with Congressional delegates. Regina has used her self-advocacy skills to advocate on many issues. These include social security reform (including the elimination of the marriage penalty), eliminating restraints for adults, improving healthcare (including access to dental care), and improving transportation. She is a graduate of the SUFU Leadership Development Program and has used her leadership skills to mentor other self-advocates.
Regina has served on Project Connect and was a poster project presenter at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) conference for health care providers in 2024. She is also a trained peer educator for Mad Hatter Wellness, an organization that provides healthy relationships and sexuality education to self-advocates across Maine.
Regina runs her own business and enjoys spending time with her fiancé. They like to go bowling. She also enjoys being creative through painting and crafting. She has been involved in the County Community Players and starred in a winter production of A Christmas Carol. Regina is looking forward to strengthening her leadership as a LEND Trainee so she can use her new skills as she continues to serve on the MDDC.
Cara Cabral
Cara is a Master of Social Work student at the University of New Hampshire, where she previously earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing, along with a certificate in Coaching Children and Youth. With ten years of experience designing and facilitating group-based youth development programs, Cara has developed a strong foundation in leadership, program management, and community of care approaches. They are passionate about creating inclusive, trauma-sensitive environments where young people can build confidence, form peer connections, and explore their unique identities.
Cara is grateful for the opportunities she’s had to co-create spaces where individuals can advocate for their needs, engage fully, and contribute meaningfully. Their work integrates a disability justice framework, universal design approaches, and art-based modalities to center clients' unique strengths and promote healing, connection, and growth. Cara balances direct service work with embracing her inner spreadsheet enthusiast, finding joy in using data to make programming more effective and meaningful for clients.
In addition to her program development background, Cara is a certified Teen Mental Health First Aid instructor. They are also involved in grassroots initiatives and steering committees focused on mental health, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and inclusive youth development.
As a NH-ME LEND trainee, she looks forward to strengthening her leadership and advocacy skills to better support individuals with disabilities, advocate for inclusive policies and care systems, and contribute to systemic change.
Megan Cosgrove
Megan Cosgrove is a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), pursuing her Master of Social Work (MSW). She received her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology from Connecticut College in 2023.
Throughout college, Megan interned at the Waterford Country School in Waterford, CT, a school that focuses on providing care and support to adolescents who struggle with behavioral regulation challenges and have experienced trauma.
Before college, Megan interned at a non-profit in Troy, NY known as Unity House where she saw firsthand how an unstable environment and living situation can play a significant role in one’s mental health. This experience led Megan to pursue her interest in clinical social work. Her desire is to support individuals through therapy and help provide a stable environment for them and their families.
In addition to these experiences, Megan worked at a non-profit titled Housing Families, where she helped immigrant families in a homeless shelter find housing and advocate for themselves when speaking with realtors and landlords.
Megan’s interest in developmental disabilities grew after participating in a fellowship program through McLean Hospital at an adolescent inpatient psychiatric unit. There, she began to see the difference in how psychological disabilities were observed in adolescents who also had developmental disabilities. She learned strategies for supporting each child differently based on their own personal needs. Megan hopes to continue learning how to support and advocate for children and their families throughout her time at UNH and the NH-ME LEND program.
Alyssa Gagne
Alyssa Gagne is a graduate of the University of Maine in Orono, Maine where she earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in communication sciences and disorders. Ally was a member of the executive board for the Best Buddies program; a non-profit organization focused on building inclusion and integration of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She worked closely with her college and community peers to organize and engage in community events as well as plan one-to-one activities with her buddy. She acquired clinical observation hours for speech pathology to grow her experience in the disability field for both children and adults.
Ally spent two summers working as a Behavioral Health Professional (BHP) and Educational Technician III in an inclusive preschool program which confirmed her passion for working in early intervention, specifically with children with autism and other disabilities. In addition, Ally worked in home care services and an elementary school with children with autism. This work experience allowed her to observe multidisciplinary collaboration between physical therapy, occupational therapy, social work, psychologists, classroom teachers, families, and care partners.
Ally is currently a second-year graduate student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program at the University of New Hampshire. She is interested in working with children in either early intervention or elementary education settings. Ally is eager to learn more about leadership, disabilities, and interprofessional collaboration related to her field.
Paige Galloway
Paige is a licensed Early Childhood Special Educator and is currently serving as the Program Director of Maine Families of Greater Portland at The Opportunity Alliance. Prior to moving to Maine in the summer of 2022, Paige worked directly with families of infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities. Her background also includes serving as the Program Manager for her local United Way’s early childhood initiative, and she has spent most of her career weaving between administrative and direct service roles. Paige’s favorite part of working with families is helping parents to recognize that they are exactly the right parent for their child and to develop strategies and routines that support that belief.
Her interest in supporting individuals and families experiencing disability started early in life, as she is a big sister to an adult sibling with autism spectrum disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Her identity as “Zach’s sister” has, and continues to be, an incredibly formative part of her life. Even as a young child, Paige was highly experienced at making sure Zach’s teachers knew which swing he preferred on the playground, when he would need his headphones, and where to find her if they needed backup. Paige’s hope for her participation in LEND is to expand her knowledge in the service of ensuring that all spaces are safe spaces for children and individuals with developmental delays and disabilities.
Zee Immele
Zee is a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire, pursuing a degree in Occupational Therapy. In Spring 2025, she completed a fieldwork placement at Moving Kids Forward Therapy in Nashua, NH, where she worked with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. This experience further solidified her passion for occupational therapy and reaffirmed her commitment to supporting children in achieving meaningful, functional goals.
After earning a master’s degree in international development and working both internationally and domestically in the nonprofit sector, Zee realized their true calling while supporting neurodiverse youth in under-resourced educational and residential settings. The messy sensory sessions, real-time problem solving, and behavioral complexity sparked a lasting passion for functional, hands-on intervention and meaningful collaboration.
Zee brings a collaborative spirit and years of experience working with interdisciplinary teams, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists and educators. Their passion lies in addressing challenges through functional, empowering solutions: modifying environments, building essential skills, and fostering self-advocacy. Zee plans to build a career focusing on autonomy, accessibility, and purpose. They are excited to gain knowledge and skills that will help them better be able to create meaningful change for children and families. Zee looks forward to growing alongside others who share their passion for problem-solving, creativity, and supporting children in leading meaningful lives.
Jeanette Kayitesi
Jeannette, “Jany” holds a Master’s in Business Administration (Finance) from the Adventist University of Central Africa. Jany brings a strong academic background to complement their hands-on expertise in managing complex operational and financial systems. Throughout their career, Jany has demonstrated a capacity for adapting to evolving roles and navigating complex challenges. Having taken career breaks for personal and family commitments, Jany re-entered the workforce in 2021 after Covid with an enhanced perspective and renewed dedication to excellence in community-driven roles, and connecting and collaborating with others.
Currently serving as a Customer Service Leader at Hannaford Bros. Co., LLC, Jany has successfully overseen store operations, managed teams, including training new associates and managing customer service operations. This experience builds on previous roles in leadership, including mentoring young people. In earlier positions, Jany worked internationally directing project outreach and stakeholder engagement, coordinating office operations and financial activities, and contributing to financial oversight at various companies.
Jany is an experienced and multilingual professional with a strong foundation in community engagement, project management, human resources, and finance. Fluent in Kinyarwanda (native), English, French, and Swahili, Jany has a proven ability to bridge communication gaps across diverse populations and create meaningful relationships, particularly in multicultural environments. As a parent of a child with speech delays, Jany hopes to learn advocacy skills. Jany also hopes to help other people understand that children with disabilities are not their label of disability, but children who need help. With a passion for advocating for children with special healthcare needs, Jany combines a robust technical skill set with a commitment to community and organizational success.
Regan Lamphier
Regan graduated from Merrimack College with a BA in History. She attended school while raising her son Thomas and working third shift at the United States Postal Service. Regan’s second son, Ethan, was diagnosed with complex medical issues soon after his birth. Ethan’s family quickly learned all about the unexpected joys of loving a child with disabilities but also experienced the trauma of losing him just after his eighth birthday.
After Ethan’s death, Regan reached out to her local area agency with the hope that she could make a difference for others with disabilities. She attended their Policy Partners training and then the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Institute on Disability (IOD) Leadership Series. She returned to this program as a mentee and served as a mentor for Policy Partners for several years.
Regan completed the Special Education Volunteer Advocate class offered by the Parent Information Center. She is a member of the New Hampshire Council for Youths with Chronic Health Conditions (NHCYCC) and has volunteered with several different non-profit organizations. Regan is the proud recipient of the Brianna Dillon Leadership Award, which is given to a person who shows leadership in and commitment to the full participation of all people in the education, political, and cultural life of New Hampshire. She has also received the Kathleen Murphy Community Partnership Award, an award that recognizes an individual whose leadership, actions and collaborative spirit have resulted in a stronger, more respectful sense of community and belonging for citizens of all abilities. Regan ran for elected office in 2021 and has served on the Nashua Board of Education for nearly four years.
With encouragement from her husband, Regan recently retired from the US Postal Service. After more than ten years of volunteer work, she and her family are excited that she will now be able to follow her heart to pursue a career in the disability world.
Emmerson Leach-Howell
Emmerson is a graduate of Norwich University with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and minors in criminal justice and French. Her undergraduate degree provided a space to explore different cultures, economic issues, and how privilege and access to essential needs impact civil rights. As an undergraduate, Emmerson learned of many civil rights issues across the world and that she wanted to be a part of positive change. Consequently, Emmerson is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work at the University of Maine Orono (UMO).
Because her mother is a teacher for children with various neurodevelopmental disabilities, Emmerson grew up working with and learning from these children. As a result, she has volunteered and worked in places that support children with different abilities from a young age. She has volunteered for the Special Olympics, soup kitchens, and many other organizations. She has particularly enjoyed work that focuses on issues related to accessibility.
In addition to her academic commitments, Emmerson is an active member of the Accessibility on Campus club at UMO where she is helping with an initiative that maps accessible and non-accessible spaces on campus. This initiative has provided Emmerson with insights into how many people access the world, sparking her love for advocacy work. Emmerson is looking forward to participating in the NH-ME LEND program to learn about neurodevelopmental disabilities advocacy and other work.
Maggie Mahoney
Maggie is a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where she is pursuing an accelerated doctoral degree in occupational therapy (OTD). Maggie completed her undergraduate studies at UNH as well and graduated with a bachelor's degree in occupational science. Maggie’s love for occupational therapy (OT) began in 7th grade, when an occupational therapist from Spaulding rehabilitation hospital came to her middle school for a job fair. Ever since then, Maggie has been determined to follow the OT journey towards helping patients return to doing the things they love. During Maggie’s time at UNH, she engaged in clinical activities in a variety of settings like community-based geriatric care and inpatient acute care at St. Annes Hospital.
Maggie has had many opportunities to advance her knowledge in occupational therapy outside the classroom setting. She traveled to Kenya, Africa to assist in creating interactive murals for children with disabilities. She also was a research assistant for a study using social assistive robots for individuals with Alzheimer's, and a teacher’s assistant for the OT department for the last two years of school. Lastly, Maggie was an intern for Seacoast Pathways as a mental health advisor.
Maggie is currently completing her final clinical experience. She has one more semester to finish before completing her dissertation for her doctorate degree, with plans to graduate in May of 2026! Maggie is eager to learn new skills in pediatric care and cannot wait to see what LEND has in store!
Jon McGovern
Jon McGovern is a self-advocate who lives in Bangor, ME with his family. He has been employed by Speaking Up For Us (SUFU) since 2015. Prior to working for SUFU, Jon held leadership positions on the SUFU Board of Directors where he was Treasurer, Chair and Secretary. He currently works as the Program Associate managing the database, completing mailings to members, and engaging in SUFU legislative activities.
Jon was a graduate of the first SUFU Leadership Development Program where he learned to become a leader and how to mentor other self-advocates. Jon has used his leadership strengths to make lasting changes on systems level issues such as eliminating the sub-minimum wage in Maine, rights around Guardianship and, more recently, the harmful use of restraints on adults living with disabilities. Jon is most passionate about eliminating what self-advocates call the Marriage Penalty and Social Security Reform.
Jon has served on the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS). He is an active member of the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) where he chairs the Nominations Committee to recruit new council members. Jon has served on other stakeholder groups including Employment First Maine, Oversight and Advisory Board, and work groups to implement the Lifespan Waiver. Jon actively serves on the REV Up Coalition working to strengthen voting access to people with disabilities. He was a part of Project Connect in partnership with MDDC working to make healthcare more accessible for people with disabilities.
In his spare time, Jon likes to get out in his community and network with people at local businesses. He likes to talk with his local state representative at the Corner Store. He is involved in 2 different community-based bowling leagues and is a certified non-skating official for roller derby. Jon likes listening to music including his vast vinyl record collection. He enjoys helping people out and giving back.
Sarah Perry
Sarah is a first-year student in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). She received her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Neuroscience from Loyola University New Orleans in spring 2025. As an undergraduate, Sarah participated in the Loyola University Community Action Program (LUCAP), a student-led club that organized and implemented various service-learning projects connecting the student body with the greater New Orleans community. She also spent time as a tutor at Girls Hope Boys Hope NOLA, which provided college preparatory support at residential housing for adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds.
During her undergraduate years, courses such as behavioral neuroscience, psychology, and sociology combined with her community service and tutoring experience piqued her interest in the field of clinical social work. In the summer of 2024, Sarah worked as a camp counselor at Miracle Farms Speech Therapy, where she assisted in organizing and facilitating activities that promoted effective communication and behavior among children ages 3–6 years old. It was here that Sarah’s passion for pediatric psychology, behavioral health services, and disability advocacy was further strengthened.
After she graduates from her master’s program in 2027, Sarah hopes to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in New Hampshire to provide therapeutic services to children while helping their families navigate complex support systems. She aims to combine her neuroscience background with clinical social work to engage in disability care through a compassionate and evidence-based approach.
Lisa Rancourt
Lisa lives in Hermon, Maine with her husband of twenty-two years and her two sons. She is an active volunteer at local schools. Lisa graduated with her Master’s in Business from Husson University in Bangor, Maine in 2004. She is a former Advertising Manager at the Bangor Daily News where she innovated the newspaper’s approach to new media, classifieds and obituaries. She earned a PhD in organizational change from Walden University. Her dissertation explored implied contracts with new, expecting and breastfeeding parents in diverse workplaces. Lisa is active in Scouting America, as a Merit Badge Counselor, former Den Leader and is the current Cubmaster of Pack 25 in Hermon. She coaches Special Olympics swimming, bocce and track and field. In her free time, Lisa enjoys art and likes to paint landscapes with watercolors and sometimes acrylics. Lisa enjoys traveling with her family, and Disney cruises. She loves to learn about new places and cultures. Lisa lived overseas in Norway, Belgium and attended school in Switzerland, where her love for international travel began. She has visited four continents with a life goal of visiting all seven. Some of her favorite travel experiences include the total solar eclipse in 2024 which she only had to travel one hour to see, viewing the Northern Lights from the artic circle, and taking her son to a Canadian grocery store to practice his French. In the Summer Lisa enjoys swimming and boating at her family camp on Thompson Lake in Western Maine.
Julia Sabet
Julia lives with her husband and 9-year-old daughter in Eliot, Maine. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of New England and a Master of Science and PhD in Nutrition from Tufts University. She has been working as a nutrition scientist for 11 years and has worked in both academia and the dietary supplement industry, conducting research related to cancer prevention, gut health, mental health, and joint health. She is now working as an independent science consultant for food, beverage, and dietary supplement companies.
Julia’s primary interest is understanding and promoting mental health holistically, using physical, psychological, spiritual, and environmental means. She is eager to learn more about neurodevelopmental disabilities and the factors that contribute to mental health problems and mental health improvement in neurodivergent people. Julia has several neurodivergent friends and family members and is often seeking to better understand and raise awareness of their needs as well as promote inclusion. She also exhibits some autistic traits herself, although she lacks a formal diagnosis.
A natural leader, Julia has designed and managed several nutrition research studies and chaired an organization for early-career researchers. She has also conducted various Baha’i-inspired community-building activities over many years, with a particular focus on the spiritual education of children.
Melissa Whaley
Melissa (she/her) graduated from Wake Forest University in 2005 with a Master’s in Divinity (MDiv) and from Clemson University in 1995 with a Bachelor’s in English. She completed a residency at Atrium Health in Clinical Pastoral Education, with a second-year specialized study in the role of story in healing during crisis. For thirteen years, Melissa provided staff education and spiritual care to patients and families at end-of-life as a hospice chaplain on an interdisciplinary care team.
Since moving to New Hampshire in 2022, Melissa has been exploring a vocational transition that utilizes her love of writing, pastoral care skills, and longtime interest in and deepening understanding of the neurodiversity movement. She is particularly interested in the movement’s shift from a deficit-driven model towards a neuro-affirming model that identifies strengths and tailors support and advocacy for fuller inclusion. Her vocational pursuits have been guided by relational-cultural theory in which community shapes individual reality and power with, not over, is key to transformation and health. She currently is co-leading a mental health initiative at her church that promotes appropriate faith community engagement, destigmatization, and support for mental health challenges.
Having suspected her own neurodiversity throughout her life, Melissa was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at the age of 50. Diagnoses of various neurodiverse conditions have led to greater self-understanding and ability to self-advocate for all members of Melissa’s immediate family. The benefits of diagnosis and the challenges of addressing stigma, navigating medical and school systems, and doing life with differences in a neuro-normative world have long fueled and continue to guide Melissa’s advocacy.
Audrey Young
Audrey is a graduate of the University of Maine, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), and minored in both Child Development and Family Relations and Interdisciplinary Disability Studies. She is currently a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) pursuing her Master of Science degree in CSD. Audrey’s education has provided her with knowledge of speech and language development, communication disorders, and feeding/swallowing impairments across the lifespan. In the Fall 2024 semester, Audrey’s clinical experience consisted of her collaborating with clients and their families at UNH’s Speech-Language-Hearing Center and Clinic for Neurogenic Communication Disorders, and working with children at a local elementary school in York, ME.
In college, Audrey was a student volunteer at her local school district in Maine, where she worked with elementary children receiving speech services under a school speech clinician. Audrey was also a member of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapter at UMaine. This club supports CSD students to find meaningful careers in the field. It also provides volunteer opportunities at community events.
Audrey has a deep-rooted connection to CSD, having received speech services during her own childhood. During this time, Audrey received the support she needed by a clinician she trusted and valued. This experience inspired Audrey to pursue an education in speech-language pathology so that she could help others like herself.
