Leadership – NEW
Our leadership team is a diverse group of professionals who bring a variety of talents, experiences, and expertise to the governance of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging.
Leadership Team
Megan Walton
Chief Executive Officer
Megan Walton leads the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, where she and her team are reimagining aging and delivering critical services through innovation, connection, and community. Since joining SMAA in 2019, Megan has spearheaded SMAA’s development to expand access to social care, volunteerism, and purpose for older adults statewide. She also leads AgeWise Maine, the Association of Agencies on Aging, helping to advance systems change and advocacy on behalf of older adults and family caregivers. Megan currently serves on the boards of AgeWise Maine, USAging, and Piper Shores, and committees of Avesta Housing and Maine Council on Aging. She is most energized by creating spaces—at work and in life—where people feel seen, valued, and part of something bigger. She loves spending time with friends and family, songwriting and music creation, and helping female leaders advance in their careers.
Renee Longarini
Chief Operations Officer
As Chief Operating Officer of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, Renee Longarini provides strategic and operational leadership across the agency’s three regional centers, ensuring programs and services reflect SMAA’s mission, values, and commitment to community. With more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Renee oversees operations, workforce development, and systems innovation that strengthen care and support for older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers. She leads through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens, ensuring services reach those with the greatest social and economic vulnerability. Deeply aligned with SMAA’s values, Renee finds great fulfillment in collaborating with such a dynamic, dedicated team that shares her passion for equity, innovation, and improving the lives of others. Renee also serves as a Board member for Great Bay Services and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts. Renee has resided in Eliot, with her family, for over 20 years.
Erin Rice
Chief Advancement Officer
Laurie Riedel
Chief Financial Officer
Laurie has more than 30 years of experience as a CFO for multiple early-stage companies from inception to exit, and as a senior financial executive for enterprise-level organizations. Her strategic finance and operational skills include Mergers & Acquisitions, complex financial modeling, raising capital, risk assessment and management, financial reporting, and audit and tax oversight. She has also led key areas across accounting operations, HR, and legal. Her industry expertise spans early-stage high-growth companies and established public and private equity organizations in the SaaS, communications equipment, manufacturing, and semiconductor industries. Laurie received her B.S. in Economics-Finance (Cum Laude) from Bentley College and her MBA from Northeastern University. She is married, has one college-age daughter and a bossy Corgi, and recently relocated to the coast of Maine from southern New Hampshire. She is very excited about being part of SMAA and the Southern Maine community.
Dan Knox
Director of Program Impact and Evaluation
An employee since 1992, Dan has had the pleasure of serving SMAA in a variety of capacities, including Care Manager, Community Services team lead, and IT Director to name a few. In his current role of Program Impact and Evaluation Director, Dan is excited to apply his passion for analytics and strategic thinking to maximizing and measuring the impact of SMAA’s services to Older Adults and their Caregivers. He currently serves as the staff liaison to SMAA’s Strategic Planning Committee. Dan is personally interested in researching and supporting issues around social connection and belonging. He grew up with six siblings in rural Eastern Maine and feels a deep connection to Maine and its people.
Meredith Anderson
Director of Community Outreach
Meredith Anderson is the Community Outreach Director at Southern Maine Agency on Aging and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Meredith received her bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University and an MSW from the University of Texas at Austin. She has always wanted to work with older adults, starting with delivering Meals on Wheels with her mom at 5 years-old. Meredith started at SMAA in 2014 supervising the Information & Referral, Outreach and Family Caregiver Support teams. These teams try to determine what matters most to older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers and connect them to those supports. Meredith helps the organization in its mission to reach under-represented communities through partnership development and outreach initiatives across York and Cumberland Counties. Meredith helps to coordinate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, continuing to work towards creating a place of belonging.
Ashley Perrone
Director of Community Impact
Ashley has been with Southern Maine Agency on Aging since March 2015. She started at SMAA as a Resource Specialist in the Community Services Department and then stepped into the role of Meals on Wheels Site Manager at the Biddeford Meal Site, where she spent 6 years overseeing Meals on Wheels and Congregate meal programming. In May 2022, she was promoted to Nutrition Program Manager, moved into the Healthy Living Director role in April 2023, and in November 2024 she was promoted again to the Community Impact Director role, overseeing SMAA’s Nutrition and Community Services teams. Prior to her time at SMAA, she worked in the Greater Portland area as a Mental Health Case Manager, providing support with community integration. Ashley has a deep passion for her community and helping those in need and is a proud member of the SMAA team.
Meg Barhite
Director of Volunteer Services
Meg joined SMAA in 2024 after contracting with the agency in various roles. With over 15 years in the nonprofit field serving older adults, she specializes in volunteer engagement, program development, and grant writing and management. Meg is deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a dedicated and passionate team, empowering a corps of volunteers who show us day in and day out what is means to care for our older neighbors, caregivers, and community. She is also incredibly proud of her work as a full-time parent just prior to starting at SMAA. Meg is a volunteer in her community, leading two local civic engagement groups, and she loves to ski and hike with her husband, goldendoodle, and kiddo.
2025-2026 Board of Directors
Anne Dalton, President
Steve Braverman, Vice President
Robert Hunter, Treasurer
Craig Lennon, Secretary
Herb Janick
Jim Clark
Bill Hall
Ann Hastings
Ben Jenkinson
Allison Kusel
Nancy C. Koglmeier
Julie Mascari
Representative Michele Meyer
Michael J. Tarpinian
Ellis Johnson, MD/MPH, FACP
Natalie King, MBA, MPA
Emily Christy
2025-2026 Advisory Council
Aarabi Balasubramanian
Lisa Becker
Shawna DellaMonica
Amanda Gilliam
Don Harden
Sheriff William King
Judy Methot
Ann C. Milliard
Candice Simeoni
Beverley Soule
Carl Toney, P.A.
Jodi Williams