Staff

Mechelle Given’s role in CEI’s Financial Development Services focuses on HUD-approved and required HECM reverse mortgage counseling for seniors who may be considering a reverse mortgage as an option. In addition, she is the primary Financial Capability coach for Maine’s Resident-Owned Manufactured Housing Communities, spread throughout Maine from Veazie to Arundel. She assists these clients in developing and reaching goals, connecting them to potential resources, and help them work towards being more financially secure. Mechelle has also completed both a certificate course in grant writing from the University of Southern Maine and a certificate in Non-Profit Management. 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 and financial counseling industry for over 20 years. Since beginning her career, she has assisted thousands 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 was formerly a licensed real estate and designated broker, as well as a HUD-certified Housing Quality Standards Inspector. Linda currently is FDS’s primary homeownership counseling and homebuyer education provider. In addition to teaching over 20 homebuyer education classes per year, Linda also conducts pre-purchase homeownership counseling, administers CEI’s online homeownership education, and coordinates with Maine’s housing finance agency, MaineHousing. Linda earned an associate degree in business administration, Summa Cum Laude, from Kaplan University.

Jason Thomas currently oversees Financial Development Services at CEI and provides direct counseling services, focusing on 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. 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. He also holds a certificate in Homeownership and Residential Lending from NeighborWorks America, certifications in student loan counseling and financial capability, and is a certified reverse mortgage counselor.