Leadership

Michelle Ferris, LCSW, is Chief Operations Officer. She oversees AMHC’s day-to-day operations across all services and sites in partnership with the senior leadership team. Michelle joined AMHC in 2006 and assumed increasing roles of responsibility primarily in emergency services. She joined the senior leadership team in 2019 as the Program Director of Emergency Services in Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties. Michelle is a graduate of Columbia University School of Social Work in the City of New York. A native of Michigan, she resides in Presque Isle with her family.

Christine Brown is a Program Director with oversight of Community Integration services across AMHC’s service area.  She began her career at AMHC in 1999 as the Office Director for Caribou Outpatient Office, where she held that position for 5 years.  When AMHC implemented the High Performance Teamwork model, Christine was one of the first trainers and coaches to work with teams and was very actively involved with trainings and coaching for the first 6 years of implementation.  Christine transitioned to the Quality Department in 2006 and then in 2008 was hired as the Program Director for Community Integration, her current position.  She continued to step in to provide HPT trainings as needed.

Christine moved to Caribou from Boston, MA where she previously worked at Uphams Corner Health Center, located in Dorchester, MA as the Director of Guidance and Counseling Department.  Prior to Boston, Christine lived in Geneva, Switzerland for a number of years.  She is a graduate of the School of Social Work in Geneva and was employed at a psychiatric clinic there for 7 years.  While working, Christine also completed a 3-year program in international development at Geneva University Institute for Development Studies.  During her time in Switzerland, she became interested in health and wellness.  She pursued her interest in wellness once back in the States and living in Boston by attending numerous trainings and workshops, notably a stress reduction program with Jon Kabat-Zinn and externship in behavioral medicine with Dr. Dan Brown.  She is a graduate of The Polarity Institute, Watertown, MA – a 3-year training program in an energy system for healing and wellness.  She has maintained her certification as a Registered Polarity Practitioner.

Clem Deveau is AMHC’s Program Director of Behavioral Health and Integration. His primary role is the development and implementation of Mental Health and Substance Use treatment and support services in these two counties. Clem began with AMHC in the late 1980s at the Helpline and Skyhaven. He has maintained a long term commitment to the agency in both undergraduate and postgraduate roles. Clem has been involved in the development and expansion of new substance treatment programs such as Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) in these counties. Clem has also been highly involved in the redesign of children’s services, particularly in Washington County children’s residential services. Clem enjoys his role in partnering with other organizations and identifying collaborative projects. This has included other behavioral health organizations, primary health as well as prevention. Clem has maintained his career with AMHC except for 10 years while he and his wife Brenda served in Africa as Peace Corps volunteers and for 7 of those years working in technical program development and implementation reducing HIV among high-risk substance using populations. Clem and his wife have enjoyed their return back to the US and now living in Washington County.

Sarah Wright, MHRT-CSP, is the Director of Emergency Support Services. Her primary role is the oversight of Mobile Crisis Services in Aroostook, Hancock, and Washington Counties as well as Adult and Children’s Crisis Stabilization Units in Aroostook. Sarah has fifteen years of behavioral health experience. She joined AMHC in 2015 as an Emergency Services Specialist and, after a brief hiatus, rejoined the agency in 2019 as the Supervisor for the Mobile Crisis Team for Aroostook County. Wright is currently pursuing her Masters of Social Work. She lives in southern Aroostook with her family.

Julia Miller is AMHC’s Program Director of Prevention and Sexual Assault Services.  She oversees youth prevention and leadership initiatives provided by Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp (ATLC) and in partnership with Maine Youth Action Network (MYAN). She is also the program director for Sexual Assault Services in Aroostook, Hancock, and Washington Counties, including the Children’s Advocacy Centers, which are committed to minimizing trauma and promoting healing for children and their families following the allegation of sexual abuse.  Julia served the Aroostook Band of Micmacs for 25 years including as Tribal Clerk and most recently as Tribal Administrator. She is a trained advocate in both sexual assault and domestic violence and serves as a board member for the Wabanaki Women’s Coalition (WWC) which she helped create in 2012. Julia received her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, graduating cum laude.  She has experience in youth, suicide, and methamphetamine prevention efforts. In addition, she completed an intensive program with Praxis International, Advocacy Learning Center, an 18-month distance learning that teaches advocacy on all levels from victim to offender to collaboration within systems.  In 2014, Julia and other colleagues were honored by the Office of the United States Attorney District of Maine for work in developing WWC and in 2016 by Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) for her work in building bridges between programs.  Born and raised in the county, Julia is a fully trained Reiki Master, which has assisted in grounding her in life and work.

Shannon Gove, LSW, MHRT-C, OQMHP, is Director of Residential/Crisis Units in Washington County. She oversees the residential programs in Calais including children’s residential, and both the children and adult crisis stabilization units. Shannon has fifteen years of behavioral health experience. She joined AMHC in 2014 as a Targeted Case Manager/Outpatient Site Coordinator in Calais. In 2019, she was appointed the Children’s Services Manager for Washington and Hancock counties. Shannon received her Bachelor’s in Behavioral Science from the University of Maine Machias. She lives with her family in Dennysville.

Brittany Ballard is AMHC’s Director of Human Resources. She joined AMHC in 2008 and has been part of the human resources team for seven years, serving the last five as HR Manager. Before that, she worked as a crisis counselor in Emergency Services. Ballard is an active member of the Society of Human Resources Management. She resides in Caribou with her family.

Debra L. Jacques is the Director of Marketing and Development. She is responsible for the agency’s marketing, planning and development activities. With more than 25 years of experience, the majority of Deb’s career has been in non-profit work, serving as the Business Development Director for Eastern Maine HomeCare (now Northern Light Home Care & Hospice) and as Resource Developer for Aroostook County Action Program. Active in her community, Deb is involved in a variety of activities with United Baptist Church of Littleton, is the current chair for the Greater Houlton Christian Academy (GHCA) Bike-a-thon, as well as a past board member of GHCA. She lives in Littleton with her family.