Evan Dona

Evan is an Administrative Specialist CL3 at the University of Southern Maine’s Catherine Cutler Institute. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Policy, Planning, and Management at the Muskie School of Public Service. He has a BA in Criminology with a minor in Social Justice from USM and an AAS in Criminal Justice from Southern Maine Community College.

For the majority of his professional career, Evan worked with individuals struggling with substance use disorder at different programs across southern Maine and New Hampshire. His work included facilitating access to treatment scholarships for low-income clients and collaborating with multidisciplinary treatment teams and community partners to establish comprehensive and personalized care plans.

Evan is also a strong advocate for individuals with marginalized identities. Most recently, he worked with USM’s Office of Intercultural Student Affairs to develop the Queer Mentoring Program. The program matches LGBTQIA+ identifying students with LGBTQIA+ identifying faculty and staff mentors to encourage students to continue their education with the knowledge that they and their identities are represented across multiple disciplines. Monthly events are held for program participants to connect with each other through various activities and shared interests.