Falmouth woman to lead Maine Justice Foundation

The board of the Hallowell-based Maine Justice Foundation has unanimously selected Michelle Giard Draeger of Falmouth to serve as its new executive director.

Draeger succeeds Diana C. Scully, who has served as the Foundation’s executive director since May 2013 and will retire in May, when Draeger will begin her new position.

“She has the skills and abilities essential to leading the Foundation into the future and advancing our mission of ensuring access to justice to Mainers who are vulnerable and hurt by poverty,” Foundation President William S. Harwood said in praise of Draeger.

Draeger graduated from the University of Maine, School of Law in 1999. She began her legal career as a staff attorney at Pine Tree Legal Services, focusing on cases involving domestic violence. From 2001-03, she was an associate in the litigation practice of Friedman Gaythwaite Wolf & Leavitt in Portland.

Draeger joined the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement in 2004, first serving in Washington, D.C., for two years, and then in the Commission’s Boston office for six years as a senior enforcement counsel. From 2012-13, she served as an assistant United States attorney for the District of Maine.

Since 2016, Draeger has served on the Falmouth Land Trust Board of Trustees and on the boards of the Maine Women’s Fund and the Maine Humanities Council.

“It is the honor of my legal career to serve the Maine Justice Foundation in this capacity and support its mission of safeguarding access to justice for low-income and vulnerable Mainers,” Draeger said.

H. Lowell Brown, chairman of the Search Committee and the Foundation’s president-elect, said, “We are very impressed with Michelle’s commitment to service, her collegial management style, her effective courtroom presence and her calm and practical focus on mission.”

Hires, promotions, appointments

The AARP Maine State Office welcomed Bridget Quinn, who will serve in the position of associate state director for advocacy and outreach. She previously worked with AARP New Jersey.

Effective Aug. 1, Fr. John D. Dickinson has been appointed pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish in Cape Elizabeth, St. John & Holy Cross Parish in South Portland and St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Scarborough upon the retirement of Monsignor Paul F. Stefanko. The assignment is in addition to overseeing cases and trials that are brought to the Diocese of Portland’s Tribunal for adjudication as the judicial vicar for the Diocese.

Cynthia O’Rourke, of Cape Elizabeth, has been promoted to principal at Maine-based wealth management firm Spinnaker Trust. O’Rourke is also a board member of Make-a-Wish Maine and mentors high school girls through the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute. She is also on the Maine Medical Center Community Ambassador Council and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland Investment Committee.

 

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