Dear Friend,
As we circled up for our October staff meeting, we had to pull more chairs into our circle. This fall, we’ve welcomed seven new members to our team (meet them below!), and seeing everyone together really drove home all the ways we’re growing—serving new counties, launching new programs, partnering with new communities, and bringing new ideas and talents into the room.
To live into our mission—to promote justice that is community-based, repairs harm and creates safety and wellbeing for all—we need to widen our circles.
Growth is always a challenge, and always a stretch. We are able to grow and stretch only thanks to the support of our community. Thank you for being a part of our supportive community, and for giving us the confidence to keep growing.
With gratitude,
Kathy
Kathy Durgin-Leighton
Executive Director
Abbagadassett Foundation Grant
Restorative Justice Internship Grant Awarded for Second Year
We are proud to announce RJP Maine has been awarded the Abbagadassett Grant for a second consecutive year, to fund a one-year paid internship with a justice system-impacted individual.
Our pilot internship, with Norman Hightower, has been a great success, and we are excited that Norman has accepted a full-time, salaried position on our team to begin in 2026.
Norman reflects: “I hope this can be as life changing for whoever we find to fill this internship as it has been for me. This really is the foot in the door type of opportunity that makes all the difference in a justice-impacted individual’s life… My position with this organization is unlike any employment I’ve ever had before in that it helps to give me a sense of purpose that allows me to face my struggles daily, knowing that I have the support of this entire organization behind me.”
Emma Hirst, Norman’s office mate in Belfast, shares: “Norman has become a leader at Restorative Justice Project Maine by being an accredited advocate with lived experience… He uplifts and propels restorative services at both the Maine Coastal Regional Reentry Center and the Knox County Treatment Court, in addition to being a devoted ally and contributor to adult harm repair cases, the recovery community, and so much more.”
Help us to find our next intern! Please share our Internship Opportunity widely. Individuals who have been incarcerated (or are currently incarcerated with a predetermined release date) are eligible to apply. Applications will be received through December 5th, 2025.
Meet Our New Staff
As part of our juvenile services expansion with the Department of Corrections, as well as our new Treatment Court programs, we have added to our team!
Restorative Justice Managers & the areas they will be serving youth
Amanda Brown, she/her
York, Southern Cumberland, and Southern Oxford Counties
A graduate of NYU’s Gallatin School, Amanda built her studies around trauma, crime, and why people may commit crimes. Before joining us, Amanda had been working with diverting youth in the Sanford area.
Becca May, she/they
Northern York and Cumberland Counties
Becca spent more than a decade working across education, public health, grassroots organizing, and restorative justice. Becca most recently coordinated statewide public health programs with the Maine AHEC team at the University of New England, managing initiatives that connect directly with justice and equity work.
Dunkins Pierre, he/him
Androscoggin, Northern Oxford, and Cumberland Counties
Dunkins’ work has been centered around working with youth in Southern Maine, primarily in the Lewiston-Auburn area. He has drawn on his lived experience to build trusting relationships with young people navigating serious challenges, helping them find stability and purpose in their lives.
Olamiposi Ajao, she/her
Franklin, Kennebec, and Androscoggin County
A recent graduate of Amherst College, Olamiposi served as an intern at the college’s Center for Restorative Practices, co-facilitating circles and other restorative processes. Most recently, she was a counselor at Seeds of Peace Camp.
Taylor Lovering, they/them
Androscoggin, Cumberland, & Kennebec Counties
Taylor brings with them experience as a Restorative Justice Practitioner and Social Emotional Learning Teacher at Lewiston High School, developing a safe space for students to learn while holding them accountable for their actions, and assisting students with difficult conversations between them and their teachers.
Training & Capacity Building
Sarah Dyer has moved into to a new position as our Director of Treatment Court Relations and Education, creating an opening on our Training Team.
Tracey Daniels-Kenney, she/her
Tracey has years of experience in restorative justice, having worked at the Restorative Justice Institute of Maine. Witnessing the transformative power of restorative justice—both in community settings and through individual stories—has strengthened her commitment to advancing this vital work.
Advancement & Communications
Emily Parker, she/her
Emily is serving as our first-ever Director of Advancement and Communications, helping us to spread the word about restorative justice! A graduate of Public Theology at Wesley Theological Seminary, Emily has practiced public theology while organizing for criminal justice reform, offering community chaplaincy, crafting supporter outreach, and preaching on social justice.
Thank you for reading!
