Four people 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.
Geoff Herman [telephone extension #2201. e-mail address gherman@memun.org] Geoff has worked for MMA since 1988 and served as the Director of the SFR Department since 1997. Geoff received his BA degree from Bowdoin College and has served his home town from time to time as a member of the Board of Selectmen, Budget Committee, Comprehensive Planning Committee, Planning Board, and Board of Assessment Review. Geoff’s advocacy is focused in the areas of taxation, education and state appropriations. The legislative committees Geoff works most closely with are:
Jeff Austin [telephone extension #2208. e-mail address jaustin@memun.org] Jeff began his work as a Legislative Advocate for MMA in 2003. Jeff received his BA degree from Notre Dame University and his law degree from the Boston College School of Law. He is a member of the Maine bar. Before joining MMA, Jeff worked as the Director of Tax Policy in the Assessor’s Office in Boston, Massachusetts. At MMA, Jeff’s areas of focus are environmental regulation, utility regulation, labor law and economic development. The seven joint standing committees of the Legislature that Jeff works most closely with are:
Business, Research & Economic Development
Insurance and Financial Services
Judiciary
Labor
Marine Resources
Natural Resources
Utilities and Energy
Kate Dufour [telephone extension #2213. e-mail address kdufour@memun.org] Kate has worked for MMA since 1995 and has been a Legislative Advocate in the SFR Department since 1997. Kate received her BA degree and Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Maine. Kate’s advocacy is focused on the areas of transportation, corrections, intergovernmental relations and elections. The joint standing legislative committees Kate works most closely with are:
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Health and Human Services
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Legal and Veterans Affairs
State and Local Government
Transportation
Laura Veilleux [telephone extension #2207. e-mail address lveilleux@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.
