• Home
    • About RJP Maine
    • What is Restorative Justice?
  • Community Justice Hubs
    • Community Building Circles
    • Harm Repair Program >
      • Approaches to Harm Repair
    • Community Reentry >
      • The Open Table
      • Community Reentry Program
    • Policy & Advocacy
  • Learn With Us
    • Info sessions
    • Individual Training & Volunteering
    • Group Training & Support
    • Experience/Practice
    • Implementation Resources
  • Our People
    • Volunteers >
      • Interested in volunteering?
      • Volunteer Voices
    • Partner Organizations & Sponsors
    • Job Openings
    • COVID-19 Safety Protocol
  • Media
    • Circle Up Newsletters >
      • Circle Up Aug/Sept 2022
      • Circle Up June/July 2022
      • Circle Up April/May 2022
      • Circle Up Feb/March 2022
      • Circle Up Dec/Jan 2022
      • Circle Up Oct/November
      • Circle Up June/July 2021
      • Circle Up April/May 2021
      • January 2021 Newsletter
    • Annual Reports
    • Media Archive >
      • Efficacy Study
      • Call To Artists
      • RJP Maine BLOG
      • Past Community Events
      • Stories from the Community
      • Photo Gallery >
        • 10th Anniversary Photo Gallery
      • Black Lives Matter
      • More archives
  • Connect and Donate
    • Connect And Subscribe
    • Donate
  • Resources
  RJPMidcoast
  • Home
    • About RJP Maine
    • What is Restorative Justice?
  • Community Justice Hubs
    • Community Building Circles
    • Harm Repair Program >
      • Approaches to Harm Repair
    • Community Reentry >
      • The Open Table
      • Community Reentry Program
    • Policy & Advocacy
  • Learn With Us
    • Info sessions
    • Individual Training & Volunteering
    • Group Training & Support
    • Experience/Practice
    • Implementation Resources
  • Our People
    • Volunteers >
      • Interested in volunteering?
      • Volunteer Voices
    • Partner Organizations & Sponsors
    • Job Openings
    • COVID-19 Safety Protocol
  • Media
    • Circle Up Newsletters >
      • Circle Up Aug/Sept 2022
      • Circle Up June/July 2022
      • Circle Up April/May 2022
      • Circle Up Feb/March 2022
      • Circle Up Dec/Jan 2022
      • Circle Up Oct/November
      • Circle Up June/July 2021
      • Circle Up April/May 2021
      • January 2021 Newsletter
    • Annual Reports
    • Media Archive >
      • Efficacy Study
      • Call To Artists
      • RJP Maine BLOG
      • Past Community Events
      • Stories from the Community
      • Photo Gallery >
        • 10th Anniversary Photo Gallery
      • Black Lives Matter
      • More archives
  • Connect and Donate
    • Connect And Subscribe
    • Donate
  • Resources
Picture

Staff


Picture

​Kathy Durgin-Leighton
Executive Director

Kathy@rjpmidcoast.org
​

​​Kathy joined the Restorative Justice Project Maine in February 2020 and brings to RJP Maine a vast experience in organizational management and leadership in both the public and non-profit sectors.  A collaborative and strategic leader with a strong commitment to social justice and gender and race equity, Kathy has successfully led organizations through transformative times resulting in organizational growth and sustainability.  Kathy is a strategic and creative thinker and approaches every situation with an attitude to succeed along with a good sense of humor.  Kathy is a native Mainer, and resides in Georgetown with her husband, Dick, and their lab Casco.  When she's not leading the charge, Kathy is hiking with Casco or sailing with her husband.
​

Picture



​Sarah Mattox
​Enterprise Support/Special Projects

Sarah@rjpmidcoast.org


​Mattox floated into Belfast Harbor in 2011 in a canoe unsure as to whether she had any professional qualifications besides instructing Voyageur Outward ​Bound students on the etiquette of backwoods canoe and dogsled travel.  Happily, within a matter of weeks she noted the postage-stamp ad in the Free Press and, shortly thereafter, joined the warm and hard-working staff of RJP.  At that time, Mattox was the only full time restorative conference coordinator and facilitator in the state.  She has had the distinct privilege to witness and to participate in the significant growth of the restorative movement over the past decade - both within RJP as an organization and as the RJ landscape evolves in Maine.  During that time, she has learned a tremendous amount about trauma and healing, about communication, collaboration, and the power of accompaniment and community, and about the needs and nuances of nonprofit work.  In her off-the-clock time, Sarah delights in movement of many kinds -- whether rowing, skiing, paddling or yoga; she has an undying allegiance to coffee and baked goods, to dogs and good books, and is deeply grateful to spend time in the company of family and friends. She is a proud graduate of Earlham College and grew up in midcoast Maine.​​

Picture
Tim O'Donnell
Office and Finance Coordinator
​
Tim@rjpmidcoast.org​

Tim has been working for RJP Maine for the past eleven years as the Office and Finance Coordinator. Tim brings a wealth of experience to the table. He previously worked for 33 years with a hotel management company that granted him the expertise to lead RJP Maine to success. Tim is a native “Mainer” born and raised in Bangor. He currently resides in Searsport with his wife, Jewel, to whom he has been fondly married for 35-plus years. In his free time, he enjoys listening to ‘60s and ‘70s music.
​

Picture

Margaret Micolichek
Director of Community Justice Hubs
Margaret@rjpmidcoast.org
​

Margaret serves as the Director of the newly forming Community Justice Hubs across the four counties of the mid-coast. Margaret has experience partnering with the community, justice system, schools and organizations to incorporate restorative practices to build relationships, problem solve and resolve conflicts. Margaret is deeply committed to walking with individuals and systems to be intentional in trusting equitable relationships through circle practice and responding to harm and wrongdoing in ways that are healing. Margaret resides in Belfast and enjoys living on the coast.  

Picture

Sarah Matari
Director of Training and Capacity Building

​Smatari@rjpmidcoast.org

Sarah came to Restorative Justice work with hopes of empowering community members, organizations and institutions to address conflict holistically through restorative interventions and proactive community building. At RJP Maine, Sarah focuses on training and capacity building with her team, serving k-12 schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations to build their own capacity to use restorative practices. The T&CB team uses a model that consists of training, group coaching and 1-1 coaching, stemming from Sarah's experience with restorative justice and mediation services in New York City based institutions and communities in the past, such as the New York State Unified Court System, Family Court, Community Dispute Resolution Centers, and the Department of Education. Sarah assisted the NYC Department of Education to create a Restorative Justice Pilot Project. The Pilot created and tested best practices in select schools to better implement Restorative Practices in all NYC public schools. Her ground work in select Pilot schools consisted of delivering mediation and Restorative Practices trainings to staff and students as well as directly facilitating Restorative interventions to repair harm done in the community. Through her time as an attorney, mediator, and now restorative practitioner, her passion for helping communities to establish a culture of belonging and safety for all of its young people drives her work. When Sarah is not at RJP Maine, she is either cooking, doing yoga, swimming or dancing with her family.

Picture

​​Erica Buswell
​Knox Community Justice Manager

​Erica@rjpmidcoast.org

Erica came to Maine in 2004, chasing visions of Winslow Homer’s winter ocean. She landed in Belfast, where what was intended to be a temporary gig at the Belfast Co-op blossomed into 16 years of work in the Maine food system, including 10 years of service at Maine Farmland Trust. She’s excited to bring a mixed skillset in collaborative leadership, facilitation, program development, and data analysis to support the work of RJP Maine. A Montana girl at heart, Erica originally came out east to attend the College of the Holy Cross, where she discovered a passion for social justice and community development. She feels fortunate to care for a small, off-grid homestead in Searsport, where she and her husband, Scott, are cultivating abundant food and joy.

Picture

​​Leigh Anne Keichline
Lincoln & Sagadahoc Harm Repair Support
​Lkeichline@rjpmidcoast.org


Leigh Anne has a background of over two decades of education work with both children and adults.   She has studied, worked with, and taught in widely diverse educational settings in Ohio, Baltimore, New York City, and other New England states in addition to Maine -- as a classroom teacher, school librarian, nature educator, and more.  Leigh Anne holds a Dual Masters in Literacy and Education as well as a Masters in Political Science.  During her second Masters at Bank Street School of Education, Leigh Anne created events and programs in her capacity as the Head of the Student Council for two years, building cross-division collaborations, initiating a mentoring program, and spearheading an annual community-wide showcase of teaching and learning.  She then served on the Advisory Board of Alumni.  Since 2003, she has tutored adults and children from around the world in English fluency work, and since 2011, tutored as a reading and writing specialist to children.  At two universities, Leigh Anne created and hosted interview radio shows, highlighting vitally diverse voices.  As a trained National SEED Project leader, Leigh Anne has led intensive year-long seminar programs for educators in equity and diversity.  She can often be found hiking, biking, and photographing in nature.  Her interest in restorative justice is rooted in community relationships, in making space for many voices, and in the potential to evolve and build together.

Afton had the privilege of participating with Restorative Justice through her previous role in juvenile community corrections. Prior to her work in corrections, she was involved with at-risk youth as a multisystemic therapist, while also coordinating a local nonprofit to deter domestic violence. During the four years she lived on the West Coast, Afton became certified as an elementary school teacher, and taught at a Title 1 school in South Phoenix. She later worked in a position to support homeschool families in her Colorado community. Upon moving back to Maine, Afton was excited by the opportunity to coordinate local harm repair within the counties she served previously. Her degree is in Behavioral Science, with a minor in Criminal Justice. She is driven towards restorative work, as a means to continue to strengthen trusting relationships through equitable and sustainable prosocial experiences. When not working at RJP, Afton enjoys literature, art, and feeding her chickens.

Picture

​Heather Fogg
Training & Capacity Building Practitioner
​Heather@rjpmidcoast.org




Heather is thrilled to have joined RJP Maine in July 2021. Years of visits and learning the restorative landscape in the area make being here a dream come true. Heather values the interconnectedness of all people and honors that as a circle keeper, conflict coach, mediator, restorative dialogue and restorative reflection facilitator, community dialogue facilitator, conferencing facilitator, and Certified Optimum Life Breathologist (C.O.L.B.). Heather invitationally shares her love of the work by awakening the ideas and concepts within others via trainings, presentations, and teaching courses about conflict and resolution and restorative justice. She served on the board and leadership circle of the Circle of Restorative Initiatives (CRI) for Maryland, helping to spread the awakening to restorative values and the processes that support them. Heather was fortunate to grow in the field with years of support, love, and encouragement from colleagues and collaborators at the Maryland Judiciary Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO). Heather’s educational upbringing included studying psychology because she is fascinated by people and all the gifts each individual brings in the world. Her family includes her wonder-full science-fiction loving, cosmic space study exploring partner, Mike, along with a large number of furry and feathery friends. Her favorite experiences are being in connection with others in circle gatherings of all kinds, and you can be sure she carries a talking piece with her everywhere she goes.  ​

Picture

Jamar Williams
Training & Capacity Building Practitioner

Jamar@rjpmidcoast.org



Jamar arrived in August of 2021 with enthusiasm as a trainer on the Training and Capacity Building Team of RJP Maine. He has extensive experience in various aspects of the prison reentry field and has leveraged his expertise to educate others in universities, institutions, and conferences across the country. Jamar's focus on social & restorative justice has led him to relocate to Maine to train others on restorative justice practices. When he is not motivating others through speeches or helping them to live a life of purpose, he can be found participating in any kind of exercise. Bicycling, reading, writing, and going for walks are ways that he rounds out his day. Jamar also enjoys gathering around food with others as he exercises his culinary skills in the kitchen.

Picture

Drew Himmelstein
​Lincoln Community Justice Hub and Harm Repair 
Manager
drew@rjpmidcoast.org

Drew spent much of her career as a journalist, working for community news organizations and reporting about education, families, social action and more for magazines, public radio and podcasts. Authentic community engagement and human-centered storytelling are a cornerstone of her work, and she became interested in restorative justice after learning about the impact of trauma-informed practices and social-emotional learning through her reporting in schools. As the new Lincoln Community Justice and Harm Repair Manager, Drew is excited to be a resource for the residents of Lincoln County and engage in creative and transformative community-building as she helps launch the Lincoln County Community Justice Hub. Drew holds a master's degree from UC Berkeley and did her undergraduate work at Amherst College. She now lives in Rockland with her husband and two sons, who are growing up as fourth-generation Rockland residents. Drew enjoys reading, writing, cooking, and puzzles, and she is learning to take care of the beautiful and intimidating garden that came with her home.


Tom Blatz
Sagadahoc Community Justice Hub and Harm Repair Manager
​tom@rjpmidcoast.org
Picture
Tom joined RJP Maine in April of 2022. Born and raised in New Jersey, Tom and his family moved to Maine in 2003 and settled in Wiscasset. After working in the banking field for a short time and then at L.L.Bean, Tom worked for United Way in the Midcoast region for eleven years. During that time, he became an ordained Catholic deacon and currently serves at All Saints Parish based in Brunswick. Working for RJP Maine truly aligns with who he is. As a deacon, he is called to be in service to the community. His work in the nonprofit world has enabled Tom to serve others where he lives. When not at work, you can find Tom cooking, cutting firewood, bicycling, or at the beach.
​

Picture

​​​Hanlon Kelley
Waldo Community Justice Manager
​hanlon@rjpmidcoast.org
Hanlon had the pleasure of working at RJP for five years (2013–2018), first as the Volunteer Coordinator, then as the Waldo County Juvenile Program Coordinator and Training Coordinator. In 2018, she left the staff to seek adventure and to explore more deeply her purpose in the world.

After a two-month adventure in Northern Minnesota focused on eating off the land, she returned to Maine and sought opportunities to learn, grow, and practice in the field of restorative justice, including facilitating restorative processes as an independent contractor and co-facilitating online councils. She added depth and nuance to her understanding of what it means to be restorative in both professional and personal life, and also on a cultural and societal level.

She came to understand her life’s work to be transforming the cultural narratives that keep us in isolation, and nurturing instead the narratives of interconnection and mutual support. This led her right back to RJP, and she is delighted to have the opportunity to step into the role of Waldo County Community Justice Manager.

Her other passions include gardening, birding, animal tracking, canoeing, and basketry.

Picture

​
Joanna Crispe
Director of Programs
​joanna@rjpmidcoast.org​



​

​Joanna joined RJP Maine in June of 2022. She is responsible for managing and growing the team’s community-based restorative justice programming.  Joanna has gained extensive nonprofit project and program development experience throughout her 15+ year career working with a variety of organizations including the United Way of Greater Portland, the Maine Association of Nonprofits, and the Maine Development Foundation. These roles and others have given her a deep appreciation for inclusive community and organizational capacity building, and she is thrilled to have found an opportunity to apply her skills in the RJ field. Joanna grew up in Bass Harbor and has also spent time living and learning in New Orleans, London, and New York City. She is blessed to now reside in beautiful Bremen with her partner, their much-adored cat Basquiat, and many wonderful neighbors.

Picture

​
​Bob St. Peter
Waldo County Harm Repair Manager

bobst@rjpmidcoast.org

Community organizer, athletic director, sports coach, farmer, and farmworker are some of the roles Bob has filled during the last two decades. Guided by a desire to do the most good, he has collaborated with people around Maine, the U.S., and internationally on community-based solutions to the persistent problems of poverty, racial injustice, and rural exodus. When he's not in the office, Bob can most likely be found on a basketball court or track playing, coaching, and training for the Maine Senior Games. Bob lives in Sedgwick with his wife and two daughters. ​

​
Emma Hirst
Harm Repair Support

emma@rjpmidcoast.org

​

Picture
Emma is overjoyed to be a returning member of RJP after completing an internship in summer 2021. She comes from a background of working with people struggling with dual diagnosis, trauma and incarceration. Her goal is to transform retributive and traditional systems of justice towards more transformative, community-driven models. Her fervent belief in the healing potential of community connection, story-telling and restorative harm repair led her to receive her Masters in Restorative Justice from Vermont Law School in May 2022. Emma loves Maine for its abundant nature, where she surfs, bikes, gardens/farms, cooks and creates art.

​Restorative Justice Project Maine | Facebook
​Restorative Justice Project Maine
P.O. Box 141         39A Spring Street
​Belfast, ME 04915
207.338.2742
© 2022 by the 
Restorative Justice Project Maine 
All rights reserved.
  

The Restorative Justice Project Maine is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
  • Home
    • About RJP Maine
    • What is Restorative Justice?
  • Community Justice Hubs
    • Community Building Circles
    • Harm Repair Program >
      • Approaches to Harm Repair
    • Community Reentry >
      • The Open Table
      • Community Reentry Program
    • Policy & Advocacy
  • Learn With Us
    • Info sessions
    • Individual Training & Volunteering
    • Group Training & Support
    • Experience/Practice
    • Implementation Resources
  • Our People
    • Volunteers >
      • Interested in volunteering?
      • Volunteer Voices
    • Partner Organizations & Sponsors
    • Job Openings
    • COVID-19 Safety Protocol
  • Media
    • Circle Up Newsletters >
      • Circle Up Aug/Sept 2022
      • Circle Up June/July 2022
      • Circle Up April/May 2022
      • Circle Up Feb/March 2022
      • Circle Up Dec/Jan 2022
      • Circle Up Oct/November
      • Circle Up June/July 2021
      • Circle Up April/May 2021
      • January 2021 Newsletter
    • Annual Reports
    • Media Archive >
      • Efficacy Study
      • Call To Artists
      • RJP Maine BLOG
      • Past Community Events
      • Stories from the Community
      • Photo Gallery >
        • 10th Anniversary Photo Gallery
      • Black Lives Matter
      • More archives
  • Connect and Donate
    • Connect And Subscribe
    • Donate
  • Resources