Meet Our Staff
Ellen Wicklum, Executive Director
Ellen established the Tamarack program in Windsor County, Vermont, when she joined the Valley Court Diversion Programs team in 2015. Before she found her calling in the restorative justice world, Ellen’s quirky professional background included serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, editing academic books, and managing social services cases. Ellen grew up in Canada and lived in England for several years, where she earned her Ph.D. at the London School of Economics. She moved to the United States in 1995. In her free time, Ellen gardens (she is a Master Gardener apprentice), reads, and curls.
Email: ellen@vcdp.org
Mary Langille, Assistant Director, Vermont Family Court Diversion Case Manager
Mary joined VCDP after graduating in 2019 from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She enjoys working in restorative justice because she is able to witness first-hand the positive impact that this type of intervention has on individuals and the community. Mary appreciates that restorative justice offers opportunities to make lasting, positive impacts on our clients’ lives. Outside of work, Mary is an avid hockey fan and player and has just started skiing!
Email: mary@vcdp.org
Eli Hecht, Administrative Assistant
Eli joined our team in 2024. He studied Cognitive Science and Music at Dartmouth College, graduating in 2023. At VCDP, Eli is excited to support the important work being done to respond to crime in a just and compassionate way. Outside of VCDP, he teaches elementary music, plays bass, and enjoys making jewelry.
Email: eli@vcdp.org
Doug Hayden, Tamarack and Pretrial Services Coordinator
Doug joined our team in 2020. He retired in 2018 after a 30-year career of working in Corrections and Probation and Parole. Doug really enjoys guiding and assisting people in making positive changes in their life. Outside of VCDP, Doug likes spending time with his family and training Beagles.
Email: doug@vcdp.org
Susan Sam-Mensah, Windsor County Adult Court Diversion, YSASP Coordinator
Susan joined us in the fall of 2020 after completing her Master’s Degree in Restorative Justice at Vermont Law School. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science. Susan appreciates that Restorative Justice is a stark contrast to the legal system. She likes that people are given the opportunity to reflect and repair harm. Outside of VCDP Susan enjoys being creative and cooking.
Email: susan@vcdp.org
Christine Farrell, Balanced and Restorative Justice Program Coordinator
Christine is from Connecticut and has an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice. After working in various criminal justice and mental health roles, including as a Behavioral Health Tech and Early Responder, she is excited to join VCDP as BARJ Coordinator and forge meaningful relationships with youth and young adults in our community. In her free time, Christine likes to watch movies, ride her motorcycle, and cook, especially grill–and she loves rats!
Email: christine@vcdp.org
Natalia Lundin, Balanced and Restorative Justice Case Manager
Natalia joined VCDP in 2023. She graduated from Boston University in 2019 with Bachelor’s Degrees in Developmental Psychology and in Early Childhood Education. Living and working in Boston gave Natalia insight into the positive impact that restorative justice has on adolescents. She believes that no one action defines a person and that learning opportunities can arise from any situation. In her free time, Natalia enjoys skiing, yoga, and writing.
Email: natalia@vcdp.org
Lexus Jarvis, New Hampshire Court Diversion Program Coordinator
Lexus joined the VCDP team in 2022 after graduating from Norwich University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She found a passion for restorative justice during her senior year through volunteer work at a community justice center. She believes that there is always a way to repair the harm that has been done and that people can make positive changes in their lives. In her free time Lexus enjoys reading Stephen King, hanging out with animals, and spending time with her family and friends.
Email: lexus@vcdp.org
Lyndsay Porreca, RJ Consultant
Lyndsay has worked at VCDP since 2013. She graduated in 2009 with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a focus in Victimology. Lyndsay appreciates the ability to work in a system outside of the traditional criminal justice system where the goal is to reduce recidivism and repair harms. She truly enjoys working with our community volunteers as well, who facilitate a majority of our restorative processes. Lyndsay’s interests include kayaking and painting.
Email: lyndsay@vcdp.org