Meet Anne

Anne Carney and her husband David Wennberg made Cape Elizabeth their home in 1988. Anne graduated from the University of Maine School of Law, cum laude, in 1990. After three busy years of law school, medical residency and parenthood, David completed a fellowship in Boston and they settled their young family in the Two Lights area in 1992. Anne received a B.A. from Haverford College, and has a Masters of Theological Studies from Harvard University.

Anne practiced employment, civil rights and municipal law at Norman, Hanson & DeTroy, LLC, for 16 years, representing businesses, individuals, cities and towns throughout Maine in state and federal court litigation. She then served as an In-House Volunteer Attorney with Pine Tree Legal Assistance for 8 years, providing pro bono legal representation to low-income Mainers, fighting for people who have no access to our legal system: women sexually assaulted at work, migrant farmworkers subject to terrible conditions, people who lost work because of their religion or because they were pregnant.  Anne received the Pine Tree Legal Assistance Award for Pro Bono Services in 2016.

Anne’s service as a volunteer lawyer for Mainers unable to afford legal representation influences her legislative work. “As an attorney, I would address some of the barriers that prevent people from getting jobs and provide access to justice in court. The high rates of coronavirus among people of color, the police violence and powerful protests, and other disparities require the Legislature to address systemic racism and inequities. In Augusta, as I work on the interconnected issues of health care, climate change, economic security, and education, I’ll be even more diligent in asking ‘Does this legislation address racism? Can it be improved to overcome the disparities in our state and country?’”

A dedicated volunteer, Anne served on the Thomas Memorial Library Board of Trustees, the Cape Elizabeth Personnel Appeals Board, and the Two Lights Road Bicycle Path Committee. She supported youth swimming in South Portland, Cape and Scarborough as a Coastal Maine Aquatics board member, swim meet Director, USA Swimming referee and as treasurer for the high school Swim Boosters.

An outdoor enthusiast her whole life, Anne took a leadership role in conservation in 2010 when she was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust (CELT). She served as Board President from 2014 to 2017, led the organization to national accreditation in February 2015, and completed her board service in 2018. Anne enjoys walking her dogs in parks and conservation lands throughout our community and bicycling from Bug Light to Prouts Neck to points beyond. A big supporter of local farmers and fishermen, Anne loves growing and canning produce and cooking with her family and friends.

Anne shares her plans for mitigating the pandemic’s impact by working together and passing meaningful laws