PORTLAND - The Maine Civil Liberties Union has hired two new staffers who will expand the organization's work in the areas of legislative policy and marriage equality.

Alysia Melnick has been hired as Public Policy Counsel to work on policy issues and legislative communications. Melnick was previously employed at the Center for Prevention of Hate Violence and the Institute for Child and Family Policy at the Muskie School of Public Service where she conducted research on homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault policies. Additionally, she has worked for the Drug Policy Alliance, the Federal Defender's Office, the United Nations Assisted Khmer Rouge Tribunal, and as a case manager for a Court Appointed Special Advocate program. Melnick is an Honors graduate of Tufts University with a Master's Degree from the Muskie School of Public Service as well as a law degree from Northeastern University.

Also joining the ACLU of MAINE is Field Organizer Katy Jayne, who will develop educational and organizing strategies in the area of marriage equality, working to extend civil marriage rights to same-sex couples. Most recently, Jayne was an organizer for the Maine Democratic Party in Waldo County, where she recruited and trained an extensive volunteer network, and managed voter identification work. She is a graduate of Emmanuel College, where she was Class President her Senior Year, co-founded the Feminist Coalition, and was an honors student in history. She was also selected to serve on an advisory committee that guided the school in its transition to a co-educational institution.