Kristen McAuley, Senior Program Associate at the John T. Gorman Foundation, will spend four months working with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to support elements of the agency’s Lewiston response, including the new Maine Resiliency Center and supports in the broader community. Recently opened, the Maine Resiliency Center offers a place of healing and support to community members impacted by the mass shooting in Lewiston on October 25.

In response to the tragedy, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services quickly leveraged opportunities with community partners to ensure those impacted could get support. Having previously employed Kristen, the Department believed she would be able to step in quickly to assist with a coordinated response, including helping to make the Maine Resiliency Center a success over the weeks and months to come. Given the importance of this work in helping the community heal, the Foundation was more than happy to lend Kristen’s time to the cause.

“While we will miss Kristen’s valuable contributions to our team over the next few months, we know this is the right thing to do,” said Foundation President & CEO Nicole Witherbee.  “Her expertise is needed on the ground at this moment and we are honored to help support the important work being done at the Maine Resiliency Center.”

Kristen has extensive experience in public health. Before coming to the Foundation, she worked for DHHS, where she was instrumental in the state’s COVID-19 pandemic response.