Meet the Team
Meet the clinicians and staff who support participants and families through coordinated, early psychosis care.
PIER and Resilience Team Members
The PIER and Resilience teams include clinicians and specialists with different roles, all working together to support participants and families. Team members may support therapy, care coordination, education and employment goals, family support, or psychiatric consultation. Not every participant works with every team member, but each role plays an important part in coordinated care.
Sarah Lynch, LCSW
Program ManagerMy name is Sarah Lynch and I am the Program Manager for the PIER and Resilience Teams. For the last two decades, I have dedicated my career to early intervention in psychosis and implementing team and family-based care. I graduated with a Master’s of Social Work from Columbia University and have been with PIER since 2003. Our treatment model includes a more creative approach to engagement involving family and peer support, cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis, multifamily groups, employment/education support, case management, medication management and ongoing community outreach and education. Prior to 2015, 1 was the Deputy Director for the RWJF-funded Early Detection and Intervention for the Prevention of Psychosis Program (EDIPPP) multisite study and the Clinical Team Leader of the PIER Program under Dr. William McFarlane.
Since 2005, I have provided national training and consultation to clinical teams in early detection and team-based care, Multifamily Group Psychoeducation, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp). Group work is a passion of mine – the more young people and families come together, the less alone they feel. It takes a community to reduce mental health stigma.
Rebecca Jaynes, LCPC
Program SupervisorMy name is Rebecca Jaynes and I am a supervisor and clinician on the team. I work with individuals, families and groups, and provide clinical supervision and program leadership. I hold a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from University of Colorado and Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Boston University (interestingly with Archaeology minor!). I joined the PIER Program in 2007 and have had multiple roles on the team over the years. I am passionate about the PIER Model of treatment, and, on a national level, I provide training, supervision and consultation in Community Outreach and Education, CBT for psychosis, Multifamily Groups and PIER model treatment through the PIER Training Institute as Training Director. Through this meaningful work, I have enjoyed bearing witness to the powerful personal changes that young people go through as they start to make sense of their life experiences. I also have grown tremendous respect for the whole PIER team, and especially appreciate the level of collaborative care and decision-making. When I am not working, I can be found at concerts, dancing like nobody is watching (hopefully), or hanging out with my two teenage sons, dog, cat and husband.
Amy Mayhew, MD
PsychiatristMy name is Amy Mayhew and I am the Psychiatrist on the team. I work with participants and families to provide medication management, diagnostic clarification and treatment planning. I graduated with a Master’s in Public Health from Tulane University and received my MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. I completed my psychiatry residency at Baylor University and my adolescent psychiatry fellowship with the Cambridge Health Alliance. I joined the PIER team in 2020 and was drawn to the program because I enjoy working with a team and with a family based approach to treatment. Outside of work, you can find me hiking, swimming and traveling with my family and friends or cooking and reading.
PIER Psychiatric NurseI graduated from UNE’s Nursing program in 2006 and worked in med/surg and emergency medicine settings before discovering my love for psychiatric nursing. I was drawn to PIER after working on an adult inpatient unit for 11 years and seeing the lifelong effects that psychotic illnesses can have on a person. I joined hoping for the opportunity to positively impact the trajectory of young peoples’ recovery in a new way. My own approach to mental health care aligns with the PIER model of early intervention, with emphasis on care coordination, family collaboration, curiosity, personal empowerment, and responsibility. I love working on a team and being in partnership with other team members as well as patients and loved ones. I spend my free time with family, friends, and my dog, Ghost, being active outdoors as much as possible. You’ll find us hiking, gardening, cross-country skiing, weight training, practicing yoga, watching women’s basketball, and always cooking something new.
Elias Pierce, BA
Peer Support PartnerI graduated with a BA from Bowdoin College. I joined the PIER/Resilience Program because I love working on a team, I’m passionate about the peer support role, and I’m drawn to the meaning that can be gleaned from examining the ways in which other people’s realities intersect with my own. I spend my free time climbing rocks and writing stories.
Mary Ross, MHRT-C
Care ManagerMy name is Mary Ross and I am the Care Manager on the PIER team. I support young people and families to build connections in the community and help young people be-come independent and confident young adults. I also support families by facilitating groups to help caregivers support each other. I attended Thomas College and I have a Mental Health Rehabilitation Certificate. I joined PIER in 2016 and I love the work that I get to do with my teammates, young people and families. I am energized everyday by the connections I get to make. When I am not working, you can find me among my small pet menagerie at home while crafting and laughing with my husband and two grown daughters.
Erick Schadler, OTR/L
Employment / Education SpecialistI graduated with a Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern Maine and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. I joined the PIER/Resilience Program because I enjoy working in the mental health field and helping individuals achieve meaningful employment, education, and community activities that contribute to their health and well-being. I spend my free time playing basketball, practicing dog training, cooking, and enjoying the company of my family, friends, and pets!
Liisa Sloat, CRC
Employment & Education SpecialistMy name is Liisa Sloat and I am the Education and Vocation Specialist on the team. I support young people with anything related to school, work or volunteering. I graduated with a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from Assumption College. I joined the PIER team in 2018 but have worked at Maine Medical Center in the same role since 2015. I enjoy being part of the PIER team and working with multiple providers to help participants and families get the best care they can. I love supporting young adults to reach their school and work goals. When I am not working, I am usually enjoying the outdoors with my husband and two young daughters.
Jennifer Wienckowski, A.A.S.
Program CoordinatorMy name is Jennifer Wienckowski and I am the Program Coordinator helping to make sure the team works efficiently together and technologically is up-to-date. I graduated from Southern Maine Technical College with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business and Information Technology. I joined PIER in 2020 and I find the support that the team lends to young people and families inspiring. In my free time you can find me cooking, laughing, and exploring the outdoors with my husband and two daughters.
Brian Jurca, LCPC
I received my MA in Clinical Psychology from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, in 2017. I joined the PIER/Resilience Program in 2025, drawn to its focus on early intervention and the lasting positive impact it can have on an individual’s life trajectory. In my free time, I enjoy exercising, reading, playing video and board games, and attempting to teach one of our five animals to help out with household chores.
Joan Elizabeth, M.Ed.
I graduated with an MEd from Wheelock College and joined the PIER/Resilience Program in 2025. I was drawn to the program through lived experience with my son and five years of family-to-family teaching. In my free time, I enjoy gardening, skiing, swimming, watching movies, and going for walks with friends. I’m also learning to knit and love all kinds of crafts.
Jess McKenzie
I joined the PIER/Resilience Program in 2022. I was drawn to the PIER/Resilience Program because I was looking for something mentally stimulating. I spend my free time reading, baking, and cleaning houses (I’m practically a Disney Princess).
Daniel Semukanya, BS
I graduated from Husson University with a bachelor’s in psychology and joined the PIER/Resilience program in 2023. I was drawn to the program by a desire to raise awareness and provide meaningful support to those who need it. Outside of work, I’m always looking to learn something new.
Eric Dodge, BSW, MHRT-C
Care Manager
My name is Eric Dodge; I joined PIER’s coordinated specialty care team in 2022 as a case manager. I graduated from the University of Southern Maine with my BA in Social Work and hold a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Certificate (MHRT-c) though the state of Maine. As a case manager I work closely with clients and families navigate the often-complex landscape of healthcare systems, insurance, and community resources. In my work I value meeting clients where they’re at and supporting them in ways that honor their self-determination and treatment goals. Since joining the team I’ve become a firm believer in the multidisciplinary, team-based care model on which our program is built. When not at work I enjoy hiking with my dog, sailing Casco bay in the warmer months, and reading by the woodstove in the colder months.
Haleema Shir, BA
My name is Haleema Shir, and I am a Peer Support Specialist. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Southern Maine. I joined this team because l am passionate about mental health, creating open conversations around it, and helping to reduce stigma. I deeply value teamwork and truly admire the collaborative spirit of this team. I was born and raised in Portland, Maine, and I am passionate about giving back to the community that helped shape who I am today. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, as well as writing.
