Leadership Maine

10/08/2026

A shoutout to the dedicated and passionate leaders from across the state who are participating in Maine Development Foundation's Leadership Maine Harraseeket Class. They kicked off their 9-month experience recently with a 3-day opening retreat at Wavus Education, Inc. camps, supporting each other through the ropes course, deep discussions, and adventures that help form bonds that will last a life time. We are on belay for you all and walk beside you throughout the coming months. !

Special thanks to our partner in all things , Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, and to the businesses and organizations who send employees through the program. Special gratitude to participants' loved ones for managing family and other obligations so class members can immerse themselves in the experience.

Go get 'em, Harraseeket Class: Emily Babineau FAME Maine, Jennifer Boutin Business Development Center, Jordan Buzzel Dynamics - Bath Iron Works, Kevin Compher VC, Nadia Crockett-Current of Kennebunkport, Nathan DelGuidice , Sarah Delmar Maine Technology Institute, James Doherty Cianbro, Tricia Duchesneau of Bangor, Nora Fagan , Chris Gailey .L. Bean, Cecil Gardner County Economic Council, Jessica Giles Savings Bank, Britt Gleixner-Hyat, Stan Grunder of Bangor, Marty Hamre Maine Technology Institute, Rick Harbison Portland Council of Governments, Kristen Henry of Madawaska, Genevieve Hering Bank, Katie Jones Group, Janette Kirk, Karl Lagasse, Raynor Large Enterprises Inc., Craig Lincoln Maine Development Center, Maureen Littlefield , Noah Lundy Light, James Mattila County Federal Credit Union, Brandon McDonald Maine Development Center, Jenna Muzzy Maine Power, Greg Norton Group, Ariel Ricci, Kristin Ryan Snowe Leadership Institute, Tushima Griffin-Sims , Heather Smith Brown, Michelle Tupper Bank, Jake Vanidestine **o Biddeford Savings, Jane Whitley Housing, Dee Williams , Jonathan Wood Jackson Laboratory, Penny York

Julie Beane Jan Kearce Yellow Light Breen

09/04/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 LM Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award winner, Joy Barresi Saucier, Phi Class Alumna and Exec. Dir. of Aroostook Area Agency on Aging.

Help us celebrate all the ways Joy is putting those LM skills and models into practice to make meaningful community-wide impact, improve lives, and grow Maine's economy. Join us Friday, September 25th for MDF’s 48th Annual Meeting & Champion Awards and Maine Downtown Center Annual Awards. More info on the event and to register: https://www.mdf.org/event/mdfs-48th-annual-meeting-champion-awards-celebration/?&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=2026annualmeeting&utm_content=2026_annual_meeting&utm_term=openings

Thank you to The County Federal Credit Union for sponsoring this award.

And to our Event sponsors: Bangor Savings Bank and Maine Community Foundation.

Julie Beane Kristen Wells Yellow Light Breen Jan Kearce Rosie Vanadestine

08/13/2026

Calling all LM Alums and community-minded Mainers to join us for this special, FREE event at Theater in Damariscotta on Sunday, August 23, 7 PM.

For all LM Alums who joined us June 11 at Beach Retreat and Conference Center for our Leadership in Action Half-day Retreat: Communicating and Leading with Civility - this is the film we viewed and the community-building model we considered in our discussions! This is a chance to continue the peer learning.

Lukensmeyer is the woman in the film who designed the model and facilitated the discussions that ultimately led to the 9-11 Memorial at Ground Zero. She is the founder of the National Institute for Civil Discourse and the featured speaker for this event in Damariscotta.

Jan Kearce Rosie Vanadestine Yellow Light Breen Annie Graham Kristen Wells

SCREEN

08/03/2026

We're hiring! Could YOU be our next dynamic Leadership Maine (LM) facilitator? In this contracted position the successful candidate will be passionate about and . Working as part of a small team, this position will co-create curriculum design and delivery consistent with MDF’s brand, and the program will remain the premier leadership development tool focused on the Maine economy. !

For more information and to apply: https://www.mdf.org/about-us/employment-opportunities/...





Rosie Vanadestine Yellow Light Breen Jan Kearce David Pease Julie Beane

05/19/2026

It's award season! Who is the classmate or fellow alum who epitomizes the core principles of Leadership Maine? Who demonstrates exemplary leadership in leading teams, communites, industry, and/or regions to help increase equitable opportunity and grow Maine's overall economy? Nominate them TODAY for this year's Kenneth M. Curtis, Jr., Leadership Award: https://www.mdf.org/2026-kenneth-m-curtis-award/?&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=openings

The deadline for nominations is this Friday, May 22.

Pictured: Laura Reading, 2025 Kenneth M. Curtis Award winner, Director of Affordable Housing for 's Collaborative, and LM Eagle Class Alum.

Yellow Light Breen Julie Beane Jan Kearce

05/12/2026

Congratulations to the gifted leaders of MDF's Leadership Maine Gulf of Maine Class upon your graduation from the program! We can't wait to continue our work together and to see where you each take the skills and relationships you forged during the last 10 months. Welcome to the Alumni Network - we are on belay for you now and always. !

Special thanks to the class members who spoke during last Friday's graudation ceremony: Denise Cilley, Samuel Nahimana, and James Beaupre. What powerful wisdom each of you shared.

Thank you to the inimitable Leadership Maine Program Facilitator and leader of leaders Jan Kearce, and the beloved Julie Beane.

Thank you to Androscoggin Bank, key sponsor for the event, and to sponsors Savings Bank, L.L.Bean, and Support Professionals. Thank you to the staff at Lodge on Sebago Lake for creating an atmosphere like no other.

To the Gulf of Maine Class - we will see you soon for more Leadership Maine and leadership development experiences together:
Victoria Abbott Babineau Beaudoin Beaupre Benoit Brown, AICP, CC-P Carr Cilley J. Fisher, MPA, MSc Flatley Fuller, WCP, CPCU, AIDA, AIS, AIM Garrity Harrison Hayward Herr 2Katie Houser Jacobson Johnson Labbe, MBA LaFosse McKernan Morrison Muzzy Nahimana Neal Nickerson Noblin Pierce Percy Price D. Roper, SHRM-CP Rupert, MPHSM Anderson Schucker Seaney Snow Strout Curtis, CPC Wentworth Wetherbee Wise, AIA

04/13/2026

Congratulations to LM Alum, Phi Class Cianchette Maker on the success of under her leadership. The Leadership Maine & Maine Development Foundation family are proud of you and all that has accomplished: https://mainebiz.biz/article/focusmaine-reflects-on-on-decade-long-economic-development-effort/ MDF is proud to continue the work in support of SEA Maine (Seafood Economic Accelerator) includiing the Seafood Promotional Council.

Yellow Light Breen

03/18/2026

The curious, compassionate, and fierce members of Maine Development Foundation's Leadership Maine Gulf of Maine Class learning leadership in action in the midcoast region. Thank you to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Landing, LLC, , Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA), Maine Maritime Museum, Aviation, University of Maine at Augusta, and Maine Space 2030 Corporation for hosting us.

Special thanks to Jeffrey Jordan (MDF ICL Epsilon Class Alum!), Daniel Stevenson, Jaimie Logan, JD, IOM, Kelvin DeCato, Daniel Leclair, PhD, ATP, John Karp for leading the leaders and sharing your wisdom so generously.

Special shoutout to MDF's own Jan Kearce and Julie Beane who work tirelessly year round to make these community and leadership connection experiences possible.