Four people currently make up MMA’s State and Federal Relations staff, three Legislative Advocates and an Advocacy Associate. Municipal officials are encouraged to contact MMA’s SFR staff with any questions, suggestions or comments they may have with respect to state legislation or regulation, generally, or MMA’s advocacy program in particular. All MMA employees may be reached at the Association’s toll-free number 1-800-452-8786 or at the local number 207-623-8428.

Kate Dufour - telephone extension #2213. e-mail address kdufour@memun.org

Kate has worked for MMA since 1995 and served as the Director of the SFR Department since 2017. Kate received her BA degree and Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Maine. Kate serves her home town on both the Board of Assessors and the Ordinance Rewrite Committee. Kate’s advocacy is focused on the areas of taxation, education, labor and State appropriations. The joint standing legislative committees Kate works most closely with are:

• Appropriations & Financial Affairs
• Education & Cultural Affairs
• Health and Human Services
• Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement & Commerce
• Labor and Housing
• Taxation

Rebecca Graham - telephone extension #2201, e-mail address rgraham@memun.org

Rebecca is the newest addition to the SFR team starting in October 2017. Rebecca received her BA degree from the University of Southern Maine and Master of Laws, (LL.M) from the University of Ulster’s Transitional Justice Institute. Rebecca has worked in international election observation, and democratic governance evaluation, in former Soviet states, and serves as an election clerk in her home town. Rebecca’s areas of advocacy are criminal justice, environment and natural resources, agriculture and insurance. The joint standing legislative committees Rebecca will work most closely with are:

• Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry
• Criminal Justice & Public Safety
• Environment & Natural Resources
• Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
• Insurance & Financial Services
• Marine Resources
• Transportation

Laura Ellis - telephone extension #2207. e-mail address lellis@memun.org

Laura has worked for MMA since 1997. She has served as SFR’s Advocacy Associate since 2001. Laura provides an array of administrative services to the advocacy department, including conducting the LPC election every even-numbered year, providing the administrative work associated with noticing and conducting all LPC meetings, coordinating all staff schedules and SFR communications and tracking the progress of all municipally-related legislation throughout each legislative session. Laura is the person at SFR to contact with any questions about the Association’s Legislative Policy Committee or the current status of any legislation.  Laura is also the contact person if you would like any document or publication sent to you that was either created by SFR staff or referenced in any of the Department’s various publications or communications.