Executive Director New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits Phone: (603) 225-1947 Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Mary Ellen assumed the leadership role as the Executive Director for NHCN in June 2005 and brought to the position more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership and management experience. In the past, Mary Ellen served as Executive Director for Familystrength, a statewide nonprofit providing a range of behavioral health home-based services for children and families. Prior to this position she directed The HUB Family Resource Center of Strafford County which provides a variety of early literacy and family support programs.  Mary Ellen also was past coordinator of a tri-county peer leadership and mediation program for schools in southern NH and previously was a program manager and grant writer for Seacoast Mental Health Center. In addition she has served as adjunct professor of nonprofit grant writing at the Thompson School at UNH. In 2001 Mary Ellen was awarded the Douglass Eldridge Leadership Award from the Greater Seacoast United Way. She has served on the board of The Dover Rotary Club, The Strafford County Network and The United Way of the Greater Seacoast.

Mary Ellen holds a Bachelors Degree in Journalism and Psychology from UNH and a Masters Degree in Organizational Management from New England College and is a certified professional career coach and certified marital mediator.

Assistant Director New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits Phone: (603) 225-1947 Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Laurette manages office operations and provides administrative support to the Executive Director, Board and programs. Prior to joining NHCN, Laurette provided operational oversight and support to a statewide human service agency. Laurette also brings a broad range of experience from her background as a legal assistant, manager of a financial planning and employee benefit firm, and as a life and medical claims analyst at a life insurance company. She lives in Concord with her husband and son.

Platform Project Director New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits Phone: (603) 225-1947 Email:

Ellen joined the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits in December of 2010, with 30 years of nonprofit experience. Most recently, she served as Director of Development for Canterbury Shaker Village. Prior to that, she spent 10 years at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation managing grantmaking in the Lakes and Capital regions, and was lead staff for the Corporate Fund, the Walker Fund, and the e-cares initiative. One of her favorite projects was working with other funders to strengthen the NH Center for Nonprofits. Prior to that, she spent 12 years as Co-Executive Director of Granite State Independent Living, a large nonprofit serving adults with disabilities, and started her career as a sign language interpreter.

Ellen really enjoys board work, and has served on numerous boards, including Leadership NH, the Greater Concord Leadership Program, The Concord Trust for the Enhancement of Public Education and the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits. She is a graduate of several leadership programs, including the Greater Concord Leadership Program, Leadership Lakes, and Leadership Lakes. Ellen has also served as a host for the monthly cable access TV program, "Nonprofit Connection."

Ellen holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and a master's degree from Northeastern University. She lives in Concord with her husband and daughter, and her two college-age sons who drop in from time to time.

Advocacy Director New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits Phone: (603) 225-1947 Email:

Michelline Dufort brings to the NH Center for Nonprofits experience in the nonprofit sector, association management and public policy work. While most recently working in philanthropy for New England College, she previously served as the President of the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association. During that time, she was responsible for directing all initiatives, programs and public policy activities for the organization. Before moving to New Hampshire in 2005, Ms. Dufort was the Executive Director of the Spinazzola Foundation, a private foundation in the greater Boston community whose mission was hunger and homelessness relief, as well as scholarship assistance for underprivileged culinary students.

Ms. Dufort was appointed by Governor John H. Lynch as a member the Gaming Study Commission in 2009, as well as to the Advisory Board for the NH Division of Travel and Tourism. Among other accolades, Ms. Dufort was named to the "Women of Influence in the Food Service Industry" list from Yankee Food Publishing in 2006, the Boston Event Guide’s "30 Extraordinary Bostonians" list in 2004, Boston Business Journal’s "40 Under 40" list in 2002, and Boston Magazine’s "Power 100 List" in 2001. She is currently an associate in the Leadership NH Class of 2011.

Dufort received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English/Communications from Le Moyne College in Syracuse and her Master of Arts degree in Public Relations and Business Communications from Emerson College in Boston. She currently resides in Concord, New Hampshire with her husband and two daughters.

Information and Technology Director New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits Phone: (603) 225-1947 Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Deborah is the Information & Technology Director for the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits. Deborah previously worked at Familystrength and has experience as both a direct service worker and in a supervisory capacity. Deborah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of NH and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Antioch New England University. Most recently she received an additional Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Granite State College.