Board of Directors
2023-2024 League Leadership
Christine Babb, President
After moving to the Portland area and hearing about the organization through a social media post, Christine joined the Junior League of Portland, ME in 2014. She has served in a variety of League roles including President-Elect, Treasurer, Finance Council Chair, Assistant Chair of Leadership Development and Member Events (LDME), Assistant to the President, and Corresponding Secretary, and participated in the League's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force. As President-Elect last year, Christine led the ad-hoc committee tasked with developing the 2023-2026 JLP Strategic Plan with a focus on creating a sustainable business structure for the JLP that supports the Junior League mission to advance women's leadership for meaningful community impact.
Christine attended Arizona State University, where she majored in Computer information Systems. Professionally, she has worked in a wide variety of industries and roles for companies including FedEx, Opinion Research Corporation, Crum & Forster Insurance, Intel and Stonyfield Farm. Currently, Christine provides administrative support services to a local nonprofit organization and manages rental property in Portland. With her youngest off to college this year, she is looking forward to being able to spend more time traveling and visiting family in Arizona and Washington. In her spare time, she enjoys reading nonfiction, exploring the ever-changing Portland restaurant scene, cooking for people who love to eat, and mixing classic and modern cocktails for anyone willing to indulge her amateur bartending hobby.
Jenney received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Asian Studies from Colgate University and a Master of Arts degree in Diplomacy and Military Studies from Hawaii Pacific University. For the past 15 years, Jenney has worked as a Senior Knowledge Manager and Analyst supporting the U.S. Department of Defense. She currently volunteers at the Falmouth Food Pantry and serves as an Alumni Admission Representative for Colgate University.
Jenney enjoys traveling the world with her family and taking excessive amounts of pictures. Her latest obsession is learning to golf.
Alicia Roberts, Treasurer
Alicia Roberts joined the Junior League of Portland, Maine in 2021 and is currently serving as the 2023-2024 Treasurer. She most recently served as the Treasurer-Elect and Finance Council Chair.
Alicia currently works as a Business Intelligence Analyst with stakeholders in Finance, Operations, Marketing, and Product Development. A graduate of Iowa State University, Alicia earned her Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and International Business.
A native to Massachusetts, Alicia moved to Maine in 2021 after splitting her summers between an island in Casco Bay and an overnight camp in Raymond. In her free time, while covered in fur from her fluffy cat Olive, Alicia enjoys golfing, skiing, and dining out with friends.
Katie Clark, Recording Secretary
Katie joined the Junior League in 2011 and has enjoyed a variety of roles in the League including as the 2016-2017 League President. Katie was honored to receive the JLP Outstanding First Year Active Award in 2013. Katie has additional Board experience with the Falmouth Memorial Library, Episcopal Communicators, the Smith College Alumnae Admissions program, the Miss Maine Scholarship Program, and the Episcopal Church of St. Mary in Falmouth, Maine.
Professionally, Katie is currently the Canon for Communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, encompassing 58 year-round churches, 18 summer chapels, 4 non-food essentials pantries, and one summer camp, and Director of Communications for the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, encompassing 48 year-round churches and 9 summer chapels. She works directly with the Bishops of both states to craft messaging, maintains all media relations at the state and national levels to generate new press opportunities, works directly with Maine and New Hampshire faith communities counseling them on communications best practices, tools, techniques and technologies, and directs staff on all communications-related matters. She speaks at conferences about communications best practices and content management, and is involved at the national level with the Episcopal Church through the Episcopal Communicators and the Gathering of Leaders.
Katie has a background in nonprofit management and in corporate marketing and market research. She has worked in industries from fragrance to finance, from software to seafood, with clients including Disney, State Farm, Godiva Chocolate, Air New Zealand, and the Mayo Clinic, and she excels at finding efficiencies, building capacity, and fostering growth. Katie holds a B.A. from Smith College and a M.Phil. from Trinity College Dublin. She resides in Falmouth, Maine with her husband and identical twin daughters.
Ashley LeBlond, Vice President of Community Impact
Ashley joined the Junior League of Portland, ME in the fall of 2020 after moving to Maine to meet new people and find ways to get involved and volunteer in her new community.
Ashley is a second grade teacher in the South Portland Public Schools and just completed her 7th year of teaching. She attended University of Maine Orono with a double major in Elementary Education and Psychology with a minor in Disabilities Studies. While teaching, she earned her Master's in Special Education at Northeastern University and is currently working on a second Master's degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Ashley married her husband in the summer of 2022; they live with two rescue dogs that they love to take for walks on the beach. Ashley also enjoys baking and reading in her free time.
Allyson Hitte, Vice President of Fund Development
Allyson joined the Junior League in 2019 in the hopes of connecting with passionate and like-minded women and serving the local community. A native of Maryland, she was a member of the Junior League of Monterey County, California before moving to Maine and transferring to the JLP in 2021. She has served as New Member Chair, Fund Development Chair, and as a member of many committees and task forces.
By day, Allyson works as a fundraising professional at the Portland Museum of Art where she also seeks to serve the Portland community and connect like-minded people. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Classical Studies from Gettysburg College before going on to Florida State University to receive a Master’s in the History of Art and eventually to Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London for a Master’s in Art Business.
In her free time, Allyson can be found attempting to maintain her 18th century farmhouse in Wells Beach, reading in the sun, and traveling around the world.
Beta Eaton, Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Beta joined the JLP in 2021 upon returning to her home state of Maine in order to get involved in her community and meet new people. She currently serves as Vice President of the Marketing & Communications Council. Previously, Beta served on the Leadership Development and Member Events (LDME) Committee and was Assistant Chair of the Mentoring Committee.
Beta received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Colby College in Science, Technology & Society and her M.S.Ed. in School Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. For the past 13 years, she has worked in independent education and currently is the Director of Global and Experiential Learning at Kents Hill School. She volunteers at the Animal Refuge League and SailMaine, and serves as a Decade Chair with the alumni association for her high school, Tabor Academy.
Beta enjoys traveling with her friends and family, frequenting the tasty food scene in Portland, sailing the waters of Casco Bay, and spending time at home with her fiancé and their dog and bunny.
Jennifer Higy, Vice President of Membership
Jennifer joined the Junior League of Portland, ME in 2021 shortly after relocating from Texas in the hopes of finding a tribe of like-minded women and getting involved in her new community. She served her first Active year co-chairing the New Member Committee and was a co-recipient of the Outstanding First Year Active Member award. Jennifer also served on the Finance Council.
Jennifer received her Bachelor of Business Management in 2005 as the first degree recipient in her family. With a strong call to serve in healthcare, she spent six years working long hours in the Emergency Department. After a desire for more normal working hours (and life!), Jennifer moved to her current position as a Staffing Analyst for HealthChannels where she now manages a small team and leads the Women in Leadership EEG.
In her free time, Jennifer enjoys making plans to visit Disney, planning events that encompass all that Maine has to offer, golfing, and anything outdoors in the winter.
Natalie Kreckel, Vice President of Mentoring and Placement
Natalie joined the League in 2018 after relocating to Maine. Her mom was a former member of the Junior League of Greensboro, North Carolina, so Natalie knew joining the League would be a great way to meet friends, find volunteer opportunities to support the community, and develop leadership skills. Natalie served two years on the JLP Board of Directors as Recording Secretary and was a member of the Community Committee and Leadership Development and Membership Events (LDME) Committee.
Natalie is an attorney and works in Augusta. Originally from North Carolina, she graduated from the College of Charleston in South Carolina and received her JD from Fordham University School of Law. Natalie lives in Gray with her husband, Brendan; two dogs, Lucy and Hopper; and a cat, Ellie. Natalie loves reading, playing board games, and being outdoors, especially if that means adding a bird to her life list.
Beth joined the Junior League of Portland in 2009, looking for a way to volunteer in her community. She has been a member of the Community, New Member, and Placement committees, served as Corresponding Secretary, as well as a member of the Board of Directors as the Community Impact Vice President and Treasurer. Beth has just completed a three-year stint as an OLA (Olympia's Leaders' Advisor) through the Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute.
She works as a practice manager and paralegal at a Portland law firm, where she has worked for 16 years. Beth received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maine at Farmington, studying special education and psychology, as well as a Master of Arts from Springfield College, studying Sport Management.
Martha Sprague, Sustainer Co-Director
Martha joined the Junior League of Portland, ME in 2007. A native of Rochester, NY, Martha moved to Maine in 2006 after graduating college to do a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Martha had grown up with the Junior League of Rochester, where her mother was a long-time member, and was first introduced to the JLP when members came to her service site to do volunteer work. After completing her service, Martha decided to permanently stay in Maine and joined the JLP to meet other like-minded women and to get to know her new city more. Since being in the JLP, she has served in a variety of positions, including Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Vice President of Nominating and Mentoring.
Martha is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and works at a Spring Harbor Hospital. She lives in Gorham with her husband and daughter, who is already asking when she can join the Junior League. In her free time, Martha volunteers as her daughter’s Girl Scout troop leader, and enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and knitting. She graduated from Providence College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Community Service Studies, and has her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern Maine.
Photos taken by Justine Johnson Photography.