Maine Justice Foundation's Staff

Michelle is responsible for overall management of MJF in order to maximize resources that support access to civil justice, including legal aid, pro bono legal services, and related law education.

Michelle Giard Draeger became the fifth Executive Director of the Foundation in May, 2020. A native of Maine, Ms. Draeger graduated from the University of Maine, School of Law. She began her legal career as a staff attorney at Pine Tree Legal Services, focusing on cases involving domestic violence.  Ms. Draeger then entered private practice at a litigation firm in Portland before moving to Washington, DC to join the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement where she worked for two years and then in the Commission’s Boston office for six years as a Senior Enforcement Counsel.  Upon Ms. Draeger's return to Maine with her family, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maine and later as an in-house counsel and compliance professional for a large healthcare entity.

Ms. Draeger has served on the Board of Trustees of the Falmouth Land Trust and has also served as Vice President and Chair of the Development Committee. Ms. Draeger was a member of the inaugural class of the New Girls Network and later served on the boards of the Maine Women’s Fund and the Maine Humanities Council.

Ms. Draeger is delighted to live, work and raise her two daughters in her native state of Maine with her husband, Scot and their best pal, Maple, their Vizsla.

Linsey serves critical fundraising and operations functions for the Maine Justice Foundation as Development & Programs Manager.

After earning her BA from Franklin Pierce University and her MS from Boston University, Linsey began her career in the Arts working with Broadway in Boston where she facilitated the attendance of 600,000 patrons to the theater during her 10-year tenure. She then transitioned to a role in Marketing Partnerships overseeing the sponsorship portfolio and events strategy for a large New England based auction house. Upon relocation to Maine in 2017, Linsey was a member of the inaugural staff that launched the new Maine Mariners ECHL expansion hockey team. Most recently Linsey worked as the Director of Group Marketing with Visit Portland, Maine’s largest Destination Marketing Organization.

Linsey serves on the Board of Directors for Maine Foodscapes and as an advisor for the Maine Sports Commission where she is a member of the Maine Girls and Women in Sports Committee and has previously served as a Board member. Linsey also volunteers with Friends of Feral Felines as an animal photographer and foster home when able. Linsey lives in Portland with her husband, Jared, and their three rescue cats. In her spare time, she can be found tending to a large vegetable garden as well as exploring new Maine hiking trails with her family.

Angela supports the fundraising efforts of Maine Justice Foundation and is primarily responsible for the management and oversight of the Campaign for Justice. Under her leadership, the Campaign has experienced nearly thirteen percent growth over the past two years.

Angela is an experienced development professional with a background in higher education: before joining the Foundation in 2020, her most recent experience was working on the Colby Fund as part of Colby College’s $756 million dollar Dare Northward campaign.

Angela is originally from Downeast Maine, graduating from Ellsworth High School and later earning a BS and MBA from Thomas College in Waterville, Maine. She lives in Vassalboro with four rescue animals.

In her free time Angela spends most her time reading, working out, boating and hiking with her partner, Wayne. Together, they are parents to three teenagers.

Joan performs accounting duties. She also serves as human resources coordinator and utility infielder addressing wide-ranging office needs. In consultation with the Executive Director, Joan oversees Maine’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts Program, Coffin Family Law Fellowship Program, Loan Repayment Assistance Program, and more.

Joan has worked for MJF since 2004. Previously, she provided executive/administrative support for a number of statewide associations – Maine Petroleum Association, Maine Trial Lawyers Association, Maine Association of Broadcasters and Associated General Contractors of Maine. In 1993, she worked as a senate stenographer at the Legislature.

In her spare time, Joan is an avid gardener and thoroughly enjoys riding her Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Sherri provides administrative support to the Foundation and its development efforts. She is responsible for maintaining Maine’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program database. She also serves as MJF’s receptionist.

Sherri is responsible for gift processing for the annual Campaign for Justice and maintains its donor database. She also provides administrative support to the Maine Civil Legal Services Fund Commission.

Prior to joining the Foundation in 2001, her background included working many years in the field of Customer Relations. She is married with two children and enjoys photography, camping, and traveling.