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Board of Directors

President

Brandy Brown, LCSW
term ends 2022

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Brandy is the Program Manager for The Gender Clinic Program at Maine Medical Partners / The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. She provides assessment, therapy, coordination of medical and mental health services, and program development within a multidisciplinary setting. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry for Tufts University School of Medicine. Brandy received her MSW and BSW at the University of Southern Maine and is currently pursuing a DSW.

Brandy is an advocate for improving LGBTQ+ healthcare, with a clinical focus on best practices in transgender health within pediatrics, as well as improving overall systemic competency and functionality within a large healthcare system. Relevant memberships and affiliations include: NASW (President of the Maine Board of Directors and Chair of the NASW- Maine Chapter LGBTQ Advocacy committee), WPATH, MMC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee, MMC Equitable Care Workgroup, New England Transgender C.A.R.E. Consortium, & LGBTQ Youth Coalition (Maine).

She has worked within different systems of care, including psychiatric inpatient hospitalization, residential settings with vulnerable populations including homeless youth, severe psychiatric disorders, veterans and neuro-rehabilitation.

Brandy lives in Southern Maine where she prefers to stay close to the ocean with her family. She enjoys being outside at the beach or on a trail, hiking, camping, reading, and cooking.

1st Vice President

Julie Schirmer, LCSW
Term ends 2022

Julie Schirmer, LCSW is a behavioral health and curriculum consultant on a Preventative Medicine Enhancement for Maine (PrevME) HRSA grant with the Maine Medical Center (MMC) Department of Family Medicine. She recently retired from her 20+ year position as a behavioral science faculty at the MMC Family Medicine Residency Program and more recent position as Assistance Director of the Family Medicine Clerkship for Tufts School of Medicine/Maine Track Program.

She has taught, consulted and held academic leadership positions on regional, national and international levels, authoring multiple articles, chapters and an edited book " Behavioral Health is Primary Care: A Global Perspective. Julie has been actively involved with Maine Providers Stand Up for Health Care and believes that by collaborating with other like-minded individuals and policy makers, we can improve the health and well-being of our clients, our communities and ourselves.

She has been a member of NASW for over 40 years and was co-chair of the Committee on Women’s issues for the state prior to the birth of her 35 and 33-year-old daughters.

At-Large 1

Jenna Mehnert, MSW
Term ends 2022

Jenna Mehnert, MSW, serves as executive director of the Maine Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Responsible for guiding all program operations, Jenna also operates as the agency’s lobbyist and chief advocate. Having devoted the past 30 years worked in the fields of child welfare, juvenile justice, rape crisis, domestic violence, substance use, mental health and criminal justice, Jenna’s career has focused on building responsive services and more impactful systems for underserved populations.

Jenna has held three politically appointed positions and run two non-profit entities prior to starting with NAMI Maine in 2013. Immediately before returning home to Maine, Jenna spent six years running the Pennsylvania Chapter of NASW and seven years as adjunct social work faculty for Temple University.

Jenna is a graduate of Westtown School and the University of Southern Maine. In addition to holding an MSW degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Jenna is a results-based accountability fellow with the JT Gorman Foundation.

At-Large 2

(vacant; term years 2020-2023)

At-Large 3

(vacant; term years 2021-2024)

Mara Larkin, LCSW and a Certified Case Manager (CCM), currently works for Maine Medical Center where she leads a team of 18 MSWs within medical inpatient units. Mara has previous experience working with immigrants and refugees, managing Interpreter services and Cultural Competence Training.

Mara is passionate about advocating to advance social work practice within various settings.

Branches

Branch A

(York and Cumberland Counties)

Branch B

(Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Waldo Counties)

Branch C

(Androscoggin, Franklin, Oxford, and Somerset Counties)

Branch D

(Aroostook County)

Branch E

(Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Washington Counties)