Staff

Betsy Smith, Executive Director since 2002, returned to Maine after serving for three years as executive director of a progressive political organization in Boston. EqualityMaine has flourished under Betsy’s leadership, growing from one staff to thirteen and from a budget of $75,000 to one of over one million. Also under her leadership, EqualityMaine has worked in coalition to win statewide trans-inclusive non-discrimination protections; health insurance, inheritance rights, next-of-kin status, guardian- and conservator-ship, and family medical leave for domestic partners; and marriage equality through the Legislature. She lives in Portland with her partner and two young sons.

Administration/Operations

Ariel Kernis, Deputy Director, joined EqualityMaine after serving as Operations Director for the Protect Maine Equality marriage campaign. She has experience in the public and private sectors as a law clerk, commercial litigator, and legal director for a domestic violence non-profit. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and the University of Chicago Law School, and currently serves on the Board of the Maine Women's Fund. She lives in Lewiston with her partner.

John McKenna, Office Manager, joined EqualityMaine in January 2007. John had recently relocated to Maine, where he spent several summers as a child. Before moving here, he lived in Portland, Oregon for six years, working in non-profit administration for two organizations: Outside In, an organization addressing homelessness; and the Northwest Children’s Theatre School.

Thomas Sumner, Bookkeeper, is the owner of Sumner Bookkeeping. He has been EqualityMaine's part-time bookkeeper since April 2002. He lives in Westbrook with his partner, John, and is the proud grandfather of three children.

Bridget Mancini, Volunteer Coordinator, joined EqualityMaine's staff after interning with us for a year. Originally from Connecticut, Bridget moved to Maine for graduate school and now has her Masters of Social Work fom the University of New England (UNE). She lives in Portland with her partner and their two cats. When not coordinating volunteers, Bridget likes to go hiking and explore her new home state.

Development

Kyle Bailey, Development Director, leads EqualityMaine’s development work. Kyle served as Development Director, Chief Operating Officer and then interim Executive Director for National Stonewall Democrats before coming to EqualityMaine. He has worked in development, operations, communications, and political and legislative affairs for pro-equality and LGBT community-driven organizations, including Georgia Equality, as well as campaigns.  He is from Hiawassee, Georgia in the Blue Ridge Mountains and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2005 with a degree in Political Science.

Matthew Stone, Development Associate, came to EqualityMaine in March 2011.  Matthew previously served as Eliot Cutler’s Lewiston-Auburn Field Organizer during the 2010 general election campaign for governor.  He also worked for state Senator Peter Mills (one of only two Republican state senators who voted for marriage equality in 2009) during the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary.  A native Mainer, he is proud to be working on issues close to his heart and in the state he loves.

Political/Field

Ali Vander Zanden, Political Director, came to EqualityMaine from the Maine People's Alliance, where she led the Health Care for America Now coalition that built widespread public support for federal health care reform. Ali also worked for health care reform at the state level and led the Brunswick area get-out-the-vote effort for the Protect Maine Equality campaign.  Originally from Southwest Harbor, Maine, Ali has a degree in Women and Gender Studies from Bates College and lives in Lewiston.

Amy Mello, Field Director, recently spent several years in Los Angeles serving as statewide Field Director for Equality California. She began working for equal rights for gay and lesbian couples when she joined MassEquality in 2004 and led field efforts to successfully defeat two anti-gay marriage ballot measures in that state. She also served as field director for Love Makes a Family Connecticut in the year prior to their Court decision granting marriage equality. She previously worked for pro-choice organizations, including Washington State NARAL. Originally from Rhode Island, she is happy to be back in New England where her nieces and nephew live.

Beth Allen, Field Organizer, Bangor/Brewer, Beth grew up in Eliot, Maine and found herself drawn north to Hancock County after high school.  She studied at the University of Maine in Orono. She worked for KidsPeace New England for 12 years. She is active in her community, as a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth and the Secretary of the Hancock County Democratic Committee. She was bitten by the political bug when she became involved in the 2009 Marriage Equality campaign. Beth and her partner Valerie are raising 2 daughters in Fletchers Landing Township. Beth is a graduate of Emerge Maine and is excited to be doing this important work at EqualityMaine in Penobscot and Hancock Counties. 

Kyran McCann, Field Organizer, Lewiston-Auburn, Kyran joined EqualityMaine in March 2011. A native of California, she has spent the last 3 years organizing at the local and state levels for both issue and candidate campaigns, including a campaign to repeal California's discriminatory Proposition 8. She is a graduate of Mills College in Oakland, CA, where she majored in Political, Legal and Economic Analysis and English Literature. 

Jacob Wolk, Field Organizer, York County, Jacob joined EqualityMaine after moving cross country from California. A native of New Jersey, he graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a degree in Political Communication. While living in Boston, Jacob worked with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Massachusetts State Council on several campaigns to ensure fair wages for at-home personal care attendants. The only way he could be happier to be living in Maine is if it wins marriage equality in 2012, which he really hopes it will.