Christine Hastedt and Mary Henderson are lifelong advocates whose combined work has shaped Maine’s legal, policy, and public benefits landscape for more than five decades. Together, they exemplify an unwavering commitment to justice for people with low income, pairing deep legal expertise with a steadfast belief in the power of systemic change.

Christine Hastedt graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 1968 and has spent over 50 years advancing economic justice. She began her career at Pine Tree Legal Assistance as a VISTA volunteer in 1971, where she spent 25 years advocating for individual clients and later representing low-income Mainers in systemic poverty law matters before the Legislature and administrative agencies. In 1996, Christine co-founded Maine Equal Justice Partners and the Maine Equal Justice Project, where she served as Public Policy Director until her retirement in 2024. Her work has focused extensively on public benefits law, including Medicaid, TANF, SNAP, unemployment insurance, and education and workforce programs. Even after retirement, Christine has continued her advocacy, partnering with Mary Henderson to support the Peer Workforce Navigator Project, providing legal education and advocacy for unemployed and underemployed Maine workers. Her distinguished career has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Kutak-Dodds Award, the Bernard Lown Humanitarian Award, the Francis Perkins Center’s Steadfast Award, and the Maine State Bar Association’s John W. Ballou Award.

Mary Henderson’s career has been deeply rooted in direct client advocacy and systemic reform. After earning her JD from the University of Connecticut in 1984, she joined Pine Tree Legal Assistance as a staff attorney in the Augusta office, where she developed expertise in public benefits, child support enforcement, and complex litigation, including class actions and appellate litigation. In 1994, Mary joined Christine in Pine Tree’s Legislative Unit, learning the legislative process alongside her longtime collaborator. When federal restrictions in 1996 curtailed Pine Tree’s ability to engage in legislative and class action advocacy, Mary and Christine co-founded Maine Equal Justice to ensure this vital work could continue. As Executive Director, Mary guided the organization’s growth and sustainability while continuing to advocate daily for low-income Mainers. After stepping down in 2006, she brought her experience to impactful roles with the Maine Department of Labor, MaineCare Services, the National Academy for State Health Policy, Maine Children’s Alliance, and Preble Street. In retirement, Mary has returned—both professionally and joyfully—to collaborative work with Christine at Maine Equal Justice, once again advancing justice for low-wage workers.

Together, Christine Hastedt and Mary Henderson embody the highest ideals of access to justice. Their decades-long partnership has transformed the lives of countless low-income Mainers—not only through direct advocacy, but by shaping the laws, policies, and systems that govern opportunity and fairness across the state. By building enduring institutions, mentoring generations of advocates, and advancing bold, principled solutions to poverty and inequality, they have carried forward a legacy rooted in dignity, compassion, and public service. Their work stands as a testament to what sustained, collaborative leadership can achieve in the pursuit of justice for all.