Staff and Board of Directors

Staff:

Leslie

Leslie Clark, MSW (she/her)

Executive Director

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Leslie leads PRCC’s mission and vision in the community, and throughout Maine. Leslie is passionate about recovery. She loves being part of the vibrant, caring, and committed recovery community, and helping spread hope to those who are in need. Leslie has been in long-term recovery since 1989. She believes that the joy and freedom of recovery is possible for everyone when the right resources and support are available. Prior to coming to PRCC, Leslie served in key leadership roles in nonprofit community health, mental health, advocacy, and residential treatment. Leslie lives in Portland and enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling the world, gardening, and singing.
Nicole

Nicole Proctor (she/her)

Program Director,
Maine Recovery Hub

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Nicole is a person in long-term recovery and Program Director of the Maine Recovery Hub at PRCC. Nicole joined PRCC in 2018 and has since worked with many communities throughout Maine to establish and build recovery community centers in their area, providing education, technical assistance and trainings to grow Maine’s statewide network of recovery community centers. Nicole has a passion for helping break the stigma of substance use disorder and bringing peer recovery support to underserved areas throughout our state. Nicole is grateful for all that recovery has given back to her in her life, especially connection with family and the ability to show others that recovery is possible.
Kristen

Kristen Beith (she/her)

Center Manager

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After 15 years working with community behavioral health agencies, Kristen joined PRCC in February 2024. Kristen has been in long-term recovery since 2012. She feels grateful for the opportunity to help others access the resources and support that changed her own life. Kristen enjoys traveling, cooking, and reading, as well as spending time with family, friends and her two cats.
Justin

Justin Reid (he/him)

Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) Recovery Advisor

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Justin serves as the Statewide Recovery Advisor for the Maine RFW program. Justin provides leadership in building a statewide, sustainable resource network for Maine businesses. This will include training and helping businesses to create an environment that is supportive of recovery. Justin is also one of PRCC’s first trainers for the Recovery Coach Academy and a Certified Peer Recovery Coach through the Maine Recovery Coach Certification Board. Justin is engaged in a path of recovery, that works for him, since December of 2014. In his spare time, Justin loves being outdoors, either near the ocean or in the woods.
Ali

Ali Bland, MSW (she/her)

Project Administrator

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Ali joined the PRCC family in October 2020 as an Administrative Coordinator. Ali manages registration and training coordination, grant reporting, and provides administrative and data support to statewide recovery community centers through the recovery hub. Prior to coming to PRCC, Ali’s experience focused on program evaluation, trauma-informed care, restorative justice, human trafficking, and anti-violence services in Vermont, Colorado and Maine. Ali has an abundance of gratitude and love for the recovery community, which has been at the center of her healing journey. When Ali is not working, she enjoys seeing live music, hiking, playing tennis, and spending time with her cat.
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Catherine Rawson (she/her)

Communications and Outreach Specialist

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Catherine has gained dynamic professional experience working in various capacities at direct care and recovery organizations for over a decade. Since moving to Portland seeking recovery years ago, Catherine has been a long-time PRCC member and was happy to join the team in 2024. In her free time, Catherine loves being a mom to her son, Teddy, going to concerts, and exploring the beautiful state of Maine.
Josh

Josh Warren (he/him)

Statewide Recovery Coach Coordinator

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Josh is a Registered Recovery Coach and has been active in the recovery community since 2012. As an advocate for multiple recovery pathways from co-occurring disorders and trauma, Josh’s personal experiences create opportunities to empathize with others. A passion for helping people has inspired Josh’s career and education specializing in substance use disorder and mental health.
Niki

Niki Curtis

DOC Recovery Program Coordinator

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Niki first joined the PRCC family as a volunteer in 2012 before becoming a Peer Support Supervisor in 2013. After leaving in 2017 for other opportunities, she returned here to her roots in 2024 as the Recovery Program Coordinator for the Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC). In this role, Niki aids the Statewide Recovery Coach Coordinator in recruiting, screening, and training recovery coaches using the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) certified curriculum across five DOC facilities. Trained in the CCAR model, Niki promotes a strengths-based approach for individuals in recovery, facilitating connections to support services and fostering hope and optimism. Outside of work, Niki enjoys live music, hiking, and exploring new places with her husband.
Jiffy

Jiffy Kelley-Young

Youth Recovery Program Coordinator

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Prior to coming onboard at PRCC, Jiffy worked with Portland Public Health coordinating the Substance Use Prevention Services program. Jiffy also worked in a local treatment program for 14 years as Clinical Intake Coordinator before switching from treatment to prevention, Jiffy is a Certified Prevention Specialist (PS-C) and is certified in Mental Health First Aid for both Youth and Adults, and she is excited to help develop the Youth Program available through the PRCC. Outside of work, Jiffy enjoys outdoor adventures, traveling, experiencing the local food scenes, reading, being crafty, and working on creative projects. Jiffy loves spending time with friends and family, especially her husband and two Chiweenie pups, Sam and Elliot.
Sandy

Sandy Mekonis (she/her)

Operations Manager

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Sandy joined the PRCC team full time in August 2021. She provides administrative support for the Maine Peer Recovery Coach Certification Board, fundraising, capital campaign and more! She is happy to be working back in the non-profit world after taking break when her daughter was born in 2005. Sandy loves the atmosphere at PRCC and while not in recovery herself, she is excited to be part of such important work in our community and to be collaborating with such an inspiring group of people. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, two dogs, two cats and can most often be found reading or walking on the beach.
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KiM Capone-Sprague, MSW (she/her)

Pathways of Hope Resource Navigator

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KiM is a trained CCAR recovery Coach and oversees all of PRCC’s peer recovery coaching and the Telephone Recovery Support program. Kim is passionate about recovery because her life changed 100% since working a program of recovery in 2012. Kim enjoys life, running, skiing, spending time with family or just being by the ocean.
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Danielle Megalaitis (she/her)

Peer Recovery Support Supervisor

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Danielle is a trained CCAR recovery coach who trains and supervises volunteers at PRCC. Prior to joining PRCC as a recovery coach, she served as a volunteer. As a person in long-term recovery, and someone who has experienced loss due to substance use, Danielle is passionate about the work happening at PRCC. She is excited to be part of this movement to spread hope throughout the state of Maine.
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Kristen Crowley

Recovery Coach Coordinator

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Kristin joined the PRCC team as a Peer Recovery Coach in August 2024 and has since become the Recovery Coach Coordinator for PRCC. Following her own struggles with addiction, Kristin enrolled in college and obtained an Associate Degree in Human Services with a certificate in Substance Use and Recovery. She has worked as a Peer Support Specialist prior to working at PRCC. As a woman in recovery, Kristin knows the importance of connection. She feels blessed that she can be a source of connection for others in their recovery journey. When Kristin is not working, she enjoys being in nature and spending time with her children, family, and loved ones.
Alex

Alex Messina

Volunteer Coordinator

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Alex joined the PRCC team in November 2024 as the Volunteer Coordinator, supporting the volunteers who keep the center running. Alex will also be focusing on planning the annual Rally 4 Recovery. Alex is a former volunteer at the PRCC, spearheading the Gardeners in Recovery meeting. In addition to his work at the PRCC, Alex is a house manager at a sober living home in Portland. Being an active member of the recovery community himself, the PRCC is an incredibly special place to Alex, and is where his journey started. Prior to working at the PRCC, Alex worked as a behavioral health tech at a detox clinic and spent many years prior to that working as a carpenter. Outside of work, Alex enjoys gardening, cycling, surfing, and spending time with his family and his dog, Beansprout.
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Han Ferguson (they/them)

World Recovery Cafe Outreach Coordinator

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With over 6 years of administrative, management, and customer service experience in varied non-profits, Han is passionate about connecting people to the kind of essential resources that recovery community centers provide. Han identifies as a recovery ally and family member, and firmly believes recovery is for everyone, benefits everyone, and that breaking down social stigmas and barriers to support is essential to building real, thriving community. When not at work, Han can be found making art or hiking with their cat Starburst.
Susie

Susie McKenna (she/her)

Peer Recovery Coach

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Susie works part-time at PRCC, and provides peer recovery coaching at York Hospital as part of PRCC’s partnership with their Recovery Center. Susie is a CCAR trained Recovery Coach, as well as a recovery coach academy trainer. Susie has been in long-term recovery since 2012. In her free time, Susie enjoys volunteering in her community and serving on the board of directors for Crossroads. Susie also enjoys running and spending time with her family and friends.
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Julie Egdahl (she/her)

Peer Recovery Coach

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Julie joined the PRCC staff in January 2023 after serving as a volunteer for 9 months. She is a CCAR trained recovery coach serving PRCC members. As part of PRCC outreach, she shares recovery curriculum to participants in Crossroads treatment programs. Julie identifies as a person in long term recovery and is excited and inspired to be part of the robust recovery movement in Portland, Maine and beyond. In her free time, Julie enjoys romping in the woods with her German Shepard, reading historical fiction, or driving down a winding, rural road listening to a good tune.
Liz

Liz Holder (she/her)

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

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Liz is a part-time staff member at PRCC. She has worked in the recovery community for 20 years and at the PRCC since 2013. Liz hosts the H.O.P.E. group meetings as a volunteer here at the center. Liz has been in long-term recovery since November 1986. In her free time, she enjoys art projects, poetry, and spending time with her dog and cats.
Andrea

Andrea Napolitano (she/her)

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

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Andrea has been a part-time staff member at PRCC since 2015. She has been in long-term recovery since 1987. Andrea worked at Milestone for 10 years as well as served on Milestone's Board of Directors for 4 years. For Andrea, working at the PRCC is a joy because she has the opportunity to meet so many of the wonderful people in the recovery community. Andrea enjoys spending her time at the beach where she found her Higher Power.
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Chris Harris

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

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Chris volunteered at the Portland Recovery Community Center for two years before joining the team, bringing a deep passion for supporting individuals. Originally from Massachusetts, Chris has also lived in Florida, where he graduated from high school and developed a love for beach volleyball. A resident of Maine for the past six years, Chris enjoys exploring the state’s natural beauty through fishing, walking, and catching a sunrise or sunset. Chris has previously worked as a peer professional and in school settings. Chris believes wholeheartedly that everyone has a purpose and is honored to help others embrace theirs within the recovery community.
Lynn

Lynn Sprinkle (she/her)

Bookkeeper

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Lynn joined the PRCC team in March 2024. Originally from North Carolina, Lynn moved to Portland with her husband Randy to fulfill a longtime dream of living in Maine. She brings over 25 years of nonprofit experience and a deep passion for service. While not in recovery herself, Lynn feels called to use her skills in accounting and faith to support the community of PRCC, inspired by her guiding principle to “do all the good I can.” When not in the office, Lynn enjoys spending time with her family.

Board of Directors:

John-Buro

John Buro

President

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John Buro is the Executive Director of Bishop Health. John has been working in the addiction and mental health field for over 10 years. He studied behavioral health in Southern Maine and addiction psychology through SNHU. Finding long term recovery through a 12-step retreat, John has been active in the Portland recovery community and has dedicated much of his time supporting families of individuals struggling with addiction. Taking a lead role in founding The Family Restored, he serves on the board of the organization, assisting families and their loved ones find support and treatment. John is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug counselor and has worked directly with treatment providers in Maine, New Hampshire and Florida. His passion is working with addicted individuals and their families.
Eric-Saunders

Eric Saunders

Vice President

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Eric Saunders is a former partner at Bernstein Shur, with over 40 years of experience as an attorney. He’s worked on appellate litigation, municipal law, ERISA, securities law, tax law, corporate and partnership law, health care law, and housing law. Eric’s work focused on counseling businesses on everything from governance to executive compensation. He was also a dedicated member of the law firm’s health care practice, for which he covered both the regulatory and transactional aspects, including mergers and acquisitions. Eric graduated with an AB from Harvard, and received his law degree from Boston University. Eric enjoys the outdoors, and also painting and woodworking. Eric has been an active member of the Portland recovery community for over 25 years.
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Justin Fenty

Treasurer

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Justin Fenty is passionate about and invested in strengthening the greater Portland recovery community. Being a person in long-term recovery, he brings authentic perspective and lived experience to his position on the PRCC board. Justin stays connected to the recovery community though sponsorship, fellowship, and service. He exercises his love of nature and adventure as an avid traveler, outdoorsman, Eagle Scout, and certified Wilderness First Responder. He works as a new mobility underwriter and previously served on the board of directors for Camp Ketcha. Justin holds a BA from the University of Southern Maine, an MBA from Babson College, and is a CPCU in good standing. He lives with his two amazing children in Brunswick, Maine.
Kendra

Kendra B. Connelly, LCSW

Secretary

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Kendra B. Connelly, LCSW, is a professional social worker with more than 25 years’ experience in Maine and New Hampshire. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Plymouth State University and her Master’s in Social Work from the University of New England. Her career includes work at the Maine Youth Center, Preble Street and The Opportunity Alliance in Portland, where she served as Clinical Director of the residential program MaineStay for 15 years. In that role, she helped build and sustain a program that served 18-to-25-year-olds with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance use disorder, earning her recognition from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Currently, she is a private practice counselor in the Portland area. She has served as a member of the Board of The Salvation Army, Community Housing of Maine (CHoM), the Maine Association of Recovery Residences (MARR) and the Bayside Neighborhood Association.
Kevin

Kevin D’Amboise

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Kevin D’Amboise has a professional background in real estate. He is a native Mainer from Lewiston, graduating from St. Dominic High School. Kevin continued his education at the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham taking business and real estate classes. From there, he became a real estate broker and a real estate investor in the Greater Portland area. Kevin has been a part of the recovery community since 1995 and is very grateful to have found sobriety in such a strong recovery-based community. He sits on the Greater Portland Landlord’s Association Board, the Dignity First Board as well as the Maine Immigration Coalition Board. Kevin enjoys traveling with his wife Cecile, and outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, biking, boating, swimming, and walking his dog Riley.
Whitney

Whitney Reynolds Waxman

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Whitney Reynolds Waxman is co-owner and founder of American Roots in Westbrook Maine, a company that she founded with her husband, Ben Waxman. Launched in 2015, American Roots is a family run textile business that trains and hires stitchers in Portland Maine, creating American-made polartec fleece apparel. American Roots has been featured in many news articles, including the Washington Post, for their mission and commitment to American made products of quality and model employment practices. With the onset of COVID-19, American Roots quickly pivoted to begin manufacturing personal protective equipment, and is a major supplier in Maine for masks and other gear. Whitney was born and raised in Rochester, N.Y., spent her high school years in Australia, and then returned to the United States for college, earning a degree in anthropology from Fordham University. She took a variety of jobs, ranging from events coordinator to bartender, before moving to Portland to be near her sister. She also met Ben, who was back home in Maine from Washington, D.C. and wanted to start a business and create jobs.
Kerry

Kerry MacDonald

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Kerry MacDonald is the owner and operator of Beacon Recovery Services in Portland, a recovery services organization that provides a range of services ranging from family interventions to sober living. Beacon House provides a structured sober living home for women, including house meetings, programing, family support, and supervision of house management. Kerry also serves as a registered dietitian consultant for Pine Tree Recovery Center, and has an extensive professional background in nutrition and health care. Prior to founding Beacon House in 2017, Kerry was director of women’s extended care at the Plymouth House in Portland and program director for the Family Restored sober living.
Tim Westwig

Timothy Westwig

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Timothy Westwig possesses a wealth of expertise as a nonprofit leader, having several decades of invaluable experience. He once ran operations at one of the world’s largest Youth Hostels in New York City. In his current capacity, Timothy serves as the Executive Director of the Conway Area Humane Society. He endeavors to elevate consciousness surrounding animal welfare and secure essential backing for this cause. Timothy is a member of the Metepenagaig Band of Mi’kmaq. His cultural roots run deep within this indigenous group, instilling in him a profound connection to his heritage and an unwavering sense of identity. Timothy brings to this board a desire to improve the accessibility to recovery for all people, especially those of minority status.
Jonathan-Fellers

Jonathan Fellers, MD

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Jonathan Fellers is an addiction psychiatrist and a Maine native. He grew up in New Gloucester before earning his Bachelor’s of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College. He completed his psychiatry residency at the University of Virginia where he served as Chief Resident. He then went to Oregon Health and Science University for a fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry and a postdoctoral fellowship at the MIRECC Portland VA Health Care System. Dr. Fellers returned to Maine in September 2015 to head up the new Integrated Medication Assisted Therapy Team (IMAT) at Maine Medical Center. He currently is in private practice, and also serves as Medical Director for Crossroads, as well as for Discovery House. His expertise is broadly sought after and he frequently speaks locally, regionally, and nationally.
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Luis Gonzalez

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Luis Gonzalez is a People Experience Lead with an owner operator of McDonald’s in Maine,overseeing onboarding, orientation, and reporting &; analytics. Luis has over a decade of experience in the field of Human Resources, spanning various industries (insurance, media, biotechnology, and restaurant & hospitality). He studied Business Administration at Bryant University. Luis found his way to Portland, ME in May 2021 after being introduced to the 12-step recovery program at Rockland Recovery in Weymouth, MA. Over the last year, Luis has found a home in the PRCC by volunteering and becoming part of the community. His passion is with the people – both in recovery and professionally, Luis is driven by pulling out the best in people.
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Catherine Ryder

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Catherine Ryder serves as the Vice President of Special Projects for Spurwink Services. Her professional work has been focused on developing models that align with the principles of healthcare reform and yield exceptional outcomes. She is passionate about ensuring access for those in need, bending the cost curve to achieve fiscal sustainability, and reducing the stigma associated with behavioral health. Catherine is proud to serve at an agency noted for its trauma-informed, recovery-based approach to services. Catherine is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with a MS in Counselor Education, a Nationally Certified Counselor, and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. She has completed the certificate program in Primary Care Behavioral Health from University of MA and is a graduate of the Hanley Leadership Development program for healthcare leaders in Maine. Catherine currently serves as a board member for the Maine Council on Aging (MCOA), the Alliance for Addictions and Mental Health Services (AAMHS), the Hanley Center for Health Leadership, and is a newly appointed corporator for Bangor Savings Bank.