Who We Are
Our Staff, Interns & Contractors
Eli Durand McDonnell
Contractor
Eli Durand McDonnell currently works as an intern at Maine Boys to Men. He has been especially involved with Youth Advisory Council, where he enjoys finding ways to support young leaders as they tackle issues of masculinity, healthy relationships, and violence prevention. He has also been working with the Men Connect for New Mainers program. He says, “I am particularly drawn to these programs because they center community-based approaches to gender-based violence prevention and help support direct stakeholders to create change within their own communities.” Outside of Maine Boys to Men, Eli is likely pulling weeds in the garden, paddling his canoe, or spending another luckless afternoon fly fishing.
Eli is a white cis man who uses he/him/his pronouns.
Megan Elliott
Development Manager
Megan has worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly twenty years, including in various development roles for several Maine organizations. On the Maine Boys to Men team, she has helped broaden funding opportunities that have enabled us to expand programming across the entire state. The results of Megan’s work is reflected on our funders page.
Megan lives with her family in Cumberland and spends much of her free time trying to keep up with her two kids. Megan uses she/her pronouns.
Email Megan at megan @ maineboystomen.org.
Kelsey Gillespie
Contractor
Kelsey (she/her) is currently a graduate student at the University of New England. Her internship at Maine Boys to Men is part of her master’s degree in social work. Kelsey is working with the Youth Advisory Council and their podcast “The Youth Take.” She is also learning how to co-facilitate workshops for middle and high school students.
Kelsey says, “The discussions at Youth Council are always thought-provoking and educational. I love hearing each student’s perspective on topics like masculinity, gender, and healthy relationships.”
When Kelsey is not in school, she holds a job in HR. She also enjoy swimming, doing yoga, and going on adventurous walks with my dog while listening to true crime podcasts.
Jordan Hebert, MSW
Contractor
Jordan Hebert first learned about Maine Boys to Men in 2019 when he participated in the Reducing Sexism and Violence Program (RSVP®) as a teacher and coach at Yarmouth High School. Realizing the magnitude and implications of unhealthy masculinity and gender constructs was a breakthrough moment for him. Jordan then joined the organization as an intern, facilitating virtual RSVP® with youth and youth-serving adults, and collaborating on program evaluations, marketing strategies, and professional development. He then became our Training Institute Program Manager, focused on forming partnerships that ultimately create more unified, supportive, and safer communities, and on training youth-serving adults to bring our curricula into local communities.
Jordan’s work in education and sports has fueled an ardent belief in empowering youth and seeing youth as whole people. Jordan is intensely passionate about illuminating the phenomena that lead to human suffering and violence, and to use those revelations as means to help guide those he serves on their journey of self-actualization. Jordan views human beings through a holistic, integrated lens, unconditionally respecting the subjective experience of each individual, and honoring their dignity and self-determination. He recently completed a masters degree in social work from the University of New England.
Jordan resides in Windham with his wife, Julia, and their three daughters, Marley, Neilia, and Penelope. He is a white cis male and uses he, him, his pronouns.
Email Jordan at jordan @ maineboystomen.org.
Chris Kelleher
Contractor
Chris began his work with the organization in 2015, leading the Boys Outdoor Leadership (BOLD) summer program. Chris says, “Working with MBTM has offered me the opportunity for continued personal growth and the chance to connect in deep and meaningful ways with communities all across Maine. I love working with groups and co-creating spaces where we feel safe showing up as our authentic selves, spaces where we can explore difficult topics while pushing our edges of vulnerability on the path to ending gender-based violence.”
Chris loves to find connection and adventure in the natural world; he travels deep into the mountains to find rocks to climb. In rock climbing, Chris finds “grounding and serenity so that I can show up as the best version of myself for the individuals and communities that we engage with.”
Chris graduated with a BS from the University of New Hampshire, majoring in outdoor education with a minor in therapeutic recreation. Chris lives in Freeport. He is a white cis male who uses he, him pronouns.
Danny Mejia
Program Director
Danny began working with Maine Boys to Men during a summer internship in 2016, conducting research on similar organizations and their successes with middle and high school programming around healthy masculinities. Upon graduation, he moved into the role of facilitator for the middle school Reducing Sexism and Violence Program (RSVP®); he also worked with the high school RSVP® program. Danny helped to develop our Educators and Coaches training. Currently, Danny is responsible for the development and management of our programs, as well as supporting the whole team.
Danny says, “I’ve seen firsthand the impact our programming has on young people, and remain committed to reducing gender-based violence in our community, specifically male-violence towards self and others. I believe that through a broader understanding of masculinity, we can encourage everyone to be whoever they choose to be and create safety for all.”
When Danny is not working on programs, he runs, hikes, and plays pickle ball at the Eastern Prom tennis courts. Danny graduated from Bowdoin College with a bachelor of arts in sociology. He currently resides in Portland. Danny identifies as an Hispanic cis man and uses he/him pronouns.
Email Danny at danny @ maineboystomen.org.
Guy Mpoyi Tshitoko
Contractor
Guy Mpoyi Tshitoko is a contractor for Maine Boys to Men since 2019, facilitating violence-prevention groups of immigrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking men with the Men Connect for New Mainers program. This work involves discussing complex issues of masculinity, healthy relationships, self-care, and identity and draws on Guy’s extensive experience in community-based work.
Additionally, Guy serves as a transportation leader for the Mobility for All campaign of the Greater Portland Council of Government (GPCOG). In this role, Guy advocates for accessible transportation for the immigrant community, and serves as a member of the project advisory committee for “Connect 2045” and as a bus ambassador owner. He is a community garden assistant, helping to cultivate community works to give people with low income in access to food in the Portland area. Guy speaks and reads English, French, Lingala, and Swahili.
Fay O'Donnell
Summer 2022 Intern
Fay O’Donnell uses she/her/hers pronouns and was MBTM’s summer intern. Fay is from Maine: she grew up in the Augusta area and moved to Topsham for high school. During her time at Mt. Ararat High School, she was a leader of the school’s RSVP® chapter. Fay is entering her junior year at Bowdoin College where she has declared a major in history and a minor in gender, sexuality, and women’s studies.
Fay regards her internship as a chance to continue teaching Maine youth and educators how to facilitate conversations and create environments that value mental health, equality, and acceptance. Fay enjoyed the work with her peers and MBTM in high school and is grateful to be able to continue working on the mission now.
Heidi Randall
Executive Director
Heidi Randall was the program director of Maine Boys to Men from July 2017 to March 2021, when, after a nationwide search, she was chosen to be executive director. Heidi brings over 26 years of upper management experience within the for-profit and nonprofit sectors in Maine, having served in multiple gender-based violence organizations, with budgets of up to $1.5 million annually, as program director, associate director, and interim executive director. Heidi has gained extensive experience developing, delivering, and administering social change programming while working for Safe Voices, the Lower Hutt Domestic Violence Task Force, the Violence Against Women Act Measuring Effectiveness Initiative (VAWA MEI), and the Maine Youth Action Network, as well as Maine Boys to Men.
Heidi has worked in the fields of family violence, sexual assault and youth engagement in Vermont, Maine, and New Zealand. Before joining Maine Boys to Men, Heidi created a youth engagement program that spanned all of Maine, serving diverse communities and promoting adult and community partnerships with young people. In her work, Heidi facilitated youth-identified and youth-led social change projects.
Heidi says, “For me, among the best things about MBTM is collaboration. Our team and our board design and support the programs we create to end male violence. Our community of schools, parents, youth, and youth-serving adults bring the work into people’s lives and communities—and that’s where learning and change happen.”
Heidi resides in Cumberland with her husband, Mark, and their daughter, Dylan. She identifies as a white, cis female and uses she/her pronouns.
Email Heidi at heidi @ maineboystomen.org.
Dionne Smith
MSW Intern
Dionne is incredibly grateful to be given the opportunity to work with such an impactful organization as MBTM. He will spend the first weeks of his internship learning about the different programs that Maine Boys to Men has to offer and discovering where he’d like to play a more focused role. His particular interests are in the RSVP® programs for both high school and middle school, as well as the Training Institute; he also hopes to bring a new voice to our social media.
In his free time, Dionne is usually doing class work for his graduate degree, or learning how to draw, playing video games, doing photography, and cooking. Dionne uses he/him/his pronouns.
Taryn Walker
Contractor
Taryn Walker jumped right in, facilitating our high school programs around Southern Maine. She is excited to bring RSVP® to groups of young people ready to engage in the important conversations and learnings that the curriculum addresses.
Taryn says, “I love working with groups to create change.When I am not facilitating with Maine Boys to Men programming, I run an AirBNB in my home and have my own company, To Walk Your Talk Travel, where I create and lead cross-cultural trips around the world. I’m still not entirely sure what this will look like since COVID, but I am eager to find out. After a lifetime of moving and living all over the United States, I have found a place in Maine to put down roots.”
Taryn loves spending time in nature, by the ocean, and with her dog Tucker.
Austin Winchester
Program Manager
Austin is thrilled to join Maine Boys to Men as the Training Manager. He is currently a graduate student at Lesley University where he is studying for his masters of arts in clinical mental health counseling with a specialization in drama therapy. He has seven years experience facilitating for youth and young adults, most recently as an educator and mentor at Kieve Wavus Education (KWE) where he taught social–emotional learning for grades 1 through 8.
Throughout the years, Austin developed a keen interest in providing a space for youth to expand their understanding of themselves, their peers, and how to work through conflict in more creative, nonviolent ways. He is grateful for the opportunity to deepen this work at MBTM and to join a courageous and compassionate team dedicated to empowering youth and ending gender-based violence and self-harm. He also hopes to bring his expertise and love of the theater to the organization by providing creative arts-based activities as a means for youth to explore and expand perspectives of masculinity.
When Austin is not working, he enjoys working out, getting outside, playing music, writing poetry, and working on a more consistent meditation practice. Once a working actor in Atlanta and NYC, he now resides in Gorham with his two very good friends and their dog. Austin identifies as a white, cis man and uses he/him pronouns.
Our Board of Directors
Miles Archer
President
Vice President, Internal Audit at Unum
Falmouth, ME
Miles moved to Maine in 1997 to attend the University of Maine School of Law. After law school, Miles held several in-house counsel and management positions within the Unum law department prior to moving into his current role as vice president, internal audit, in 2015. In addition to his law degree, Miles holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Buffalo State and a certificate in executive management development from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He and his wife, Jennifer, a Maine district court judge, reside in Falmouth with their son and daughter.
Miles says, “I am inspired to work with MB2M because I’m committed to supporting gender equity. Our programming changes the hearts and minds of the people we touch. It helps shape the future of our youth and empowers them to create communities of equity and respect for all. My work with MB2M also creates a personal reward and has helped me become a better son, brother, husband, father, and person.”
Miles is a white, cis gender male who uses the pronouns he/him/his.
Kyle Burnett
Treasurer
AVP, Corporate Strategy & Development at UNUM
Kyle is pleased to bring his experience in finance and strategy to Maine Boys to Men. Kyle has consulted to executive teams across industries at both public and privately held companies. Additionally, he has a history of helping teams navigate new opportunities and solve complex problems. He is excited to use these skills to guide Maine Boys to Men as it expands its mission.
Michael Griswold
Board Member
Physical Education Teacher
Winthrop Public Schools
Michael Griswold is a seasoned leader who shares diverse experiences working in nonprofit leadership, municipalities, public schools, and outdoor and camping administration. Michael was first introduced to Maine Boys to Men in 2016 and immediately became involved with the organization, attending various adult workshops. He is currently a trained facilitator for the RSVP® program. Michael is always seeking new ways to broaden the reach and spread awareness of Maine Boys to Men within the communities he serves.
As a husband and a father to three children, Michael hopes to lead people in all walks of life in courageously engaging with and helping to change the narrative of masculine culture in today’s society. Michael currently resides in Winthrop, Maine.
Marty Hamre
Board Member
Marty has recently served as part of the community relations team at Bangor Savings Bank in Portland, collaborating with business partners and working with local nonprofits through the bank’s foundation and corporate giving program. She also has an extensive background in the nonprofit landscape, having worked with United Way of Greater Portland and Maine Cancer Foundation in corporate development, peer-to-peer fundraising, and events management. In addition, Marty has volunteered with several groups to advance their fundraising efforts. Marty raised her children in Yarmouth and now resides in Portland.
Ken Holmes
Board Member
Senior Manager, Digital Marketing and Communications
United Way of Southern Maine
Ken graduated from Binghamton University with a master’s degree in public administration and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management. Ken has worked in the nonprofit industry for his entire career, including at multiple United Ways, the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of NYS, the Rural Health Network of South Central NY, and the Binghamton Neighborhood Assemblies Project, where he co-founded the youth empowerment organization “Fresh Cycles.” Ken moved to Maine in 2014 with his partner, Angela. They now live in Portland with a daughter in preschool.
Ken says, “I watched a video clip at a recent MB2M training that showed elementary aged boys on a playground and the unbelievable amount of gender-related pressure that’s put on little kids to act a certain way. I’m inspired by a future where the playground is full of kids allowed to be their authentic selves, not pressured to act certain ways. And I’m inspired by the future for those kids too, able to grow up with a full range of empathy, better equipped to deal with the challenges of life.
Meghan Long
Secretary
Ariadne Labs
Meghan believes that male violence and self-harm is a significant public health issue. She was drawn to the work of MB2M for their innovative programming that helps improve the health, safety, and wellbeing of our communities. She says, “MB2M fosters safe spaces where people can learn, share, and grow. I am inspired by the MB2M mission and the impact on Maine communities and beyond.”
Nick Whiston
Vice President
Portland, ME
Nick Whiston (he/him/his) currently serves as the program director at The Telling Room, a creative writing nonprofit in Portland. He also works as a realtor in the greater Portland area. Prior to joining the board of Maine Boys to Men, Nick attended multiple trainings with the organization, and he has been a member of the program committee for over a year. As someone who has always been passionate about expanding the way we think about masculinity, Nick cares deeply about the work of Maine Boys to Men.
Barbara Wirth
Board Member
Retired Pediatrician and Health Policy Director
Portland, ME
Barbara Wirth joined Maine Boys to Men as a volunteer in 2018. She completed her medical degree at McGill University and practiced pediatrics in Connecticut and Maine. She then completed a master’s in health policy and management at the Muskie School of Public Service and worked at the National Academy for State Health Policy focusing on the needs of children and youth. Retired, she resides in Portland and, through her engagement in several non-profits, remains committed to supporting the health and welfare of children, youth, and their families.
Barbara believes in the importance of educating youth and youth-serving adults to develop future leaders who will take a stand against male violence in its multiple forms. Barbara was drawn to MB2M for its firm belief that all individuals, regardless of their gender, deserve the right to feel safe and valued, and to have a voice in our society. MB2M’s outreach and educational programming directly targets multiple gender-related issues that urgently need to be addressed.
Barbara’s pronouns are she-her-hers.