Our Team
Ms. Harrington, MIIM, GPC, is the Owner and Chief Executive of MJH Grants, LLC. A seasoned grant professional with more than 25 years of non-profit development experience, Maura has worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations, nationally and internationally. In the 1990s, she worked overseas in the former Soviet country of Georgia for more than ten years in a variety of non-profit positions before returning to the US in 2006. After returning home, Maura entered the healthcare sector as a Senior Grant Writer at Boston Medical Center. In 2014, Maura moved to become the Director of Grants for Lahey Health Systems before departing to start her own firm in late 2015.
Maura has a master’s degree in International and Intercultural Management from the SIT Institute and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Boston University. In 2017, Maura obtained her Grant Professional Certification (GPC) from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute. She currently serves as the Chair of the Professional Education Core Committee of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA), a national organization dedicated to the advancement of grant professionals. Maura is also a GPA-Approved Trainer and teaches grant writing in the community.
Maura is happily married. She and her husband have four children and six grandchildren. In her spare time, Maura enjoys traveling with her family and open water swimming.
Lisa McAvoy: Lisa is the Administrative Manager at MJH Grants. She received her bachelor's degree in Spanish from the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Amherst. Early on in her career, she worked for 10 years in client support in the publishing, human resources, and logistics management industries, where she was able to use her Spanish language skills to assist Hispanic/Latinx clients.
After leaving the workforce to raise her three children, Lisa held many part-time and temporary administrative jobs and worked for 10 years in childcare. Lisa recently switched her focus back to administration and is delighted to use her client support experience, communication skills, and attention to detail to assist the team.
Lisa enjoys spending time with her family, going for long walks, and reading.
Kevin Dwyer: Kevin is a Grant Writer at MJH Grants who received his bachelor’s degree in Music with a concentration in Sound Recording Technology from UMass Lowell. He worked in the live music industry for years before becoming the Executive Director of an arts and culture nonprofit in Lowell, MA. It was there where he coordinated the Lowell Folk Festival, one of the largest and longest running free folk music festivals in the country. As Executive Director, he also developed many skills in fundraising, donor outreach, and grant writing.
Kevin is passionate about helping organizations succeed in their mission, which led him to MJH Grants. He is now using his experience to help MJH Grants' clients get the funding and guidance they need to succeed. Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, as well as reading, hiking, golfing, and playing guitar and bass.
Kimberly Devine-Tobias: Kim is a Grant Writer at MJH Grants who received her bachelor’s degree in History from Stonehill College, where she also pursued a strong interest in gender and sexuality studies and political science.
Since 2017, Kim has worked with a local organization that educates people about domestic violence and healthy relationships and provides resources to the Waltham community. With this group, she gained important insight into event planning, public speaking, and how to collaborate with different groups to effectively share vital information. These experiences contributed to her interest in grant writing and working to secure funding for various nonprofits.
Kim enjoys reading, spending time with her friends and family, and being outdoors.
Hannah Melendy: Hannah is an Associate Grant Writer and Marketing & Social Media Specialist at MJH Grants. Hannah received her bachelor’s degree in Marketing, with a minor in English from UMass, Amherst.
After her sister was diagnosed with Autism, Hannah became dedicated to educating herself and others about ASD. Working for a small Autism center, Hannah gained a newfound appreciation for societal differences and how communities can work together to support neurodivergent individuals. Taking this experience into the world of higher education, Hannah gained important skills in marketing and communications. She is excited to continue assisting communities by using her passion for writing to collaborate on work that supports, teaches, and benefits others.
Hannah enjoys reading historical fiction, drawing, and exploring new places.
Emma Lagno: Emma is a Grant Writer at MJH Grants who received her bachelor's degree in International Studies, Religious Studies, and French from the University of Miami. She went on to receive her master’s degree in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, where she studied the intersection of religion and social justice work.
As an intern at a small environmental organization, Emma gained a deep appreciation for the passion and work it takes to run a nonprofit organization. Her education and experience led her to MJH Grants, where she is excited to learn more about grant writing and help enable nonprofits to do their important work.
Emma enjoys reading, writing poetry and fiction, and watching live theatre.
Katharine Axon is an Associate Grant Writer at MJH Grants, who received her bachelor's degree in English from the UMass, Amherst, specializing in Creative Writing, Technical Writing, and Medieval Literature, with a minor in Sociology.
As an Intern at a food pantry in Western Mass, Katharine gained first-hand experience with the amount of work and resources needed to run a nonprofit. This experience, along with her love of writing in all forms, led her to MJH Grants. Katharine is excited to help nonprofits reach their funding goals through grant writing.
In her free time, Katharine loves to read, draw, and go rock climbing.