As a community and economic development leader, Shanna has seen what works — and what doesn’t. She supports approaches that:

• Help stabilize housing costs and expand safe, affordable options
• Reduce pressure on household budgets, including energy and utility costs
• Support access to affordable childcare so parents can work and plan
• Strengthen wages and workforce opportunities tied to local jobs

Shanna believes affordability solutions should be clear, fair, and responsive to the realities people face every day.

Shanna knows firsthand that affordability isn’t just about income — it’s about unpredictability. When rent spikes, when heating costs rise, or when childcare falls through, even a small disruption can throw a household into crisis.

Her lived experience and professional work have shaped a clear belief: systems should help people weather hard moments, not make them harder. Policies must be designed with real families in mind — especially those balancing work, caregiving, and rising costs.

As a community and economic development leader, Shanna has helped navigate moments of crisis and recovery. She understands that in difficult times, people need clear communication, coordination across sectors, and leaders who act with care and restraint.

Shanna believes leadership matters most when the stakes are high. She is committed to listening to community voices, explaining decisions clearly, and working across differences to help communities regain stability and move forward.

Community safety is closely tied to how we respond to people experiencing crisis — including mental health challenges, substance use, and homelessness. When individuals don’t have access to care, housing, or support, instability grows, and everyone feels the impact.

Shanna believes communities are strongest when systems work together to support people before situations escalate. That means investing in behavioral health, expanding access to services, and ensuring that responses are humane, coordinated, and effective.

Shanna believes addressing violence requires a thoughtful, balanced approach — one that prioritizes prevention, accountability, and community trust. Safety policies must be grounded in real data, informed by local experience, and focused on reducing harm before it happens.

She supports efforts that strengthen prevention, improve coordination across systems, and ensure that responses to violence are effective, measured, and rooted in the needs of the community.

Shanna believes government should be a partner to small businesses, not an obstacle. That means clear rules, reasonable expectations, and a willingness to adjust when policies aren’t working as intended.

She supports approaches that reduce unnecessary burdens, encourage entrepreneurship, and keep local businesses competitive — while still protecting workers, consumers, and communities.

Supporting small businesses is also about supporting workers. Good jobs with fair pay, predictable schedules, and opportunities to grow are essential to economic stability for families.

Shanna supports efforts that strengthen the local workforce, connect people to training and opportunity, and help businesses hire and retain employees. She believes workers and employers succeed together — and policies should reflect that shared interest.

Housing and community safety are closely connected. Today, one of the most visible challenges facing neighborhoods is homelessness — and the lack of safe, appropriate places for people to go.

Shanna believes addressing this requires compassion, coordination, and practical solutions. With new shelter capacity coming online and continued investment in supportive services, communities can respond in ways that improve safety and stability for everyone.

Despite progress, Lewiston faces new challenges. Employers need their workforce to be safely housed, families need affordable places to live, and the housing supply hasn’t kept pace with demand. That means continuing to build more housing — of all types — so people can live near where they work and put down roots in the community.

Shanna supports smart, balanced housing growth that strengthens neighborhoods, supports economic development, and ensures communities remain welcoming and livable for current residents and new neighbors alike.

Shanna was involved in housing advocacy and policy efforts at a time when conditions were far worse. Those efforts helped improve safety standards, reduce lead exposure, and bring accountability and investment back into neighborhoods.

Today, those changes are making a difference. Lead poisoning rates are trending downward, housing conditions have improved, and neighborhoods are seeing renewed attention, investment, and care. Shanna believes good policy should be honest about success — and focused on sustaining it.

Healthcare decisions are deeply personal. Shanna believes those decisions should be made between patients and their doctors — with dignity, privacy, and respect.

She supports protecting personal freedom in healthcare, including access to reproductive care, and believes medical decisions should never be dictated by politics or ideology.

Healthcare costs can be unpredictable and overwhelming, especially for working families balancing rent, childcare, and everyday expenses. Even small gaps in coverage or sudden medical needs can create financial hardship.

Shanna believes healthcare policy should reduce financial stress, protect families from catastrophic costs, and help people plan for the future with confidence.

For many Mainers, access to healthcare depends on where they live, what they earn, or whether providers are available. Rural access, workforce shortages, and long wait times create real barriers — even for people who are insured.

Shanna supports efforts to strengthen healthcare access across Maine by supporting providers, expanding capacity, and ensuring systems are designed around patients — not paperwork.

Lewiston voices are clear: medical decisions should be made by patients and their doctors — not politicians. Trust in that relationship is essential to good care, better outcomes, and personal freedom.

Shanna believes healthcare policy should protect that trust and ensure decisions remain where they belong: in exam rooms, guided by medical expertise and individual circumstances.