Staff

Mechelle Given’s role in the housing counseling and education department at CEI focuses on budget and foreclosure prevention counseling for distressed borrowers and consumers throughout Maine. Mechelle provides HUD-approved and required HECM reverse mortgage counseling for seniors who may be considering a reverse mortgage as an option. In addition, she offers assistance to homeowners in the Maine Foreclosure Diversion Program and is certified to provide financial coaching to Mainers looking to achieve financial sustainability. Mechelle has also completed a certificate course in grant writing from the University of Southern Maine. In addition to her counseling duties, she provides grant-writing and fundraising assistance to the department. Mechelle earned her B.S. in management and political science from Russell Sage College.

Linda Lajoie has worked in the housing counseling industry for over 20 years. Since beginning her career, she has assisted hundreds of families purchase their first home through programs, such as USDA Rural Development and MaineHousing, in addition to many other first time homebuyer programs. She has been an active member of Maine hoMEworks, providing homebuyer education to potential homebuyers since its inception in 1997. She also taught homebuyer education classes for over 12 years. She was formerly a licensed real estate and designated broker, as well as a HUD-certified Housing Quality Standards Inspector. Linda currently works with homeowners throughout the state, not only helping them to avoid foreclosure but also continuing to assist potential homebuyers through housing, budget, and credit counseling as well. Linda earned an associate’s degree in business administration, Summa Cum Laude, from Kaplan University.

Jason Thomas currently oversees the financial development services department at CEI, focusing on budget and foreclosure-prevention counseling for distressed borrowers and consumers throughout the state of Maine. In addition to advising clients from first contact until resolution, Jason facilitates informational sessions for Maine’s Foreclosure Diversion Program. Jason provides HUD-approved and required HECM reverse mortgage counseling for seniors who may be considering a reverse mortgage as an option. Prior to joining CEI, Jason worked for Bank of America in various management and analyst roles. He holds a B.S. in communications and a B.S. in business administration from St. Joseph’s College.