| Margo Beland | finance manager | Joining the Foundation in 2003, Margo is responsible for MDF finances, operations, corporator services and annual meeting. Margo also provides staff support to the MDF Board of Directors and coordinates technical support for the office computer system. Prior to joining the Foundation, Margo worked for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce for 13 years. Margo has an Associate’s Degree from Thomas College. |
| Kristen Cady | program director | Kristen Cady joined MDF in 2007 as program director for the Maine Downtown Center and REALIZE!Maine, the statewide initiative to connect young people age 20-40. Prior to joining MDF, she held jobs in the communications and tourism fields; from marketing director at the Sun Journal to marketing manager at the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. Her volunteer activities is what initially brought her to MDF, as she served on the Board of Gardiner Main Street and chaired the Economic Restructuring Committee, and also served on the REALIZE!Maine Steering Committee and chaired the Communications Committee. Kristen holds a BA from the University of Maine at Orono. |
| Ed Cervone | program director | Ed Cervone joined MDF in 2007 as the program director for the Maine Economic Growth Council. Ed also works with the Capitol Riverfront Investment District (CRID), a partnership between the City of Augusta and the State of Maine. Prior to joining MDF, Ed worked as policy analyst for the Maine Center for Economic Policy, involved in research and outreach. Additionally, Ed has worked in the private sector as a manager for sales and manufacturing companies. Ed received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his Master’s from the University of Maine at Orono. |
| Patricia Hart | senior program director | Patricia joined MDF in 2008 as the senior program director of the Maine Employers Initiative, an initiative to increase educational attainment among Maine’s adult workforce. Prior to joining MDF, she operated her own consulting practice for 10 years providing economic analysis, program evaluation and research consulting to clients in energy, economic development, health, education and social service fields. Patricia has a B.A. in Economics and Classical Studies from the College of William and Mary and an M.S. in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts. |
| Dianne Heino | program assistant | With the Foundation since 1998, Dianne supports the Leadership Maine alumni program, the Compact for Higher Education, Maine Employers Initiative, and is the office database specialist. Dianne previously worked for MDF for a total of ten years as bookkeeper and an administrative assistant. She has an Associates Degree from the University of Maine at Augusta. Prior to returning to MDF, Dianne was employed by the Maine Health Care Association. |
| Laurie Lachance | president | Laurie joined MDF in the fall of 2004 as the President & CEO and is responsible for overseeing all the activities of the Foundation. Prior to coming to MDF, Laurie served as the Maine State Economist for eleven years. She holds an undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College and an MBA from Thomas College. |
| Lisa Merrill | program assistant | Joining the Foundation in 2006, Lisa supports the Maine Economic Growth Council, Maine Downtown Center, CRID, and New Program Development. Lisa previously worked at Economic Management Services for five years as the Assistant to the Administrator for the Economic Development Council of Maine (EDCM). |
| Cheryl Miller | senior program director | Joining the Foundation in 2000, Cheryl is program director for Leadership Maine. Cheryl's experience ranges from running her own small business to directing a large YWCA in Erie, PA.Since moving to Maine in 1988 she has worked as director of volunteer services for CMMC in Lewiston, and is past executive director of the National Kidney Foundation of Maine. She is a Leadership Maine alumnus (Epsilon class). and holds a Bachelor's Degree from Lake Erie College for Women in philosophy and religion, with post graduate credits in mental health counseling and business and accounting. |
| Amanda Roggio | program assistant | Joining the Foundation in 2003, Amanda supports REALIZE!Maine and Leadership Maine. Amanda previously worked for the Foundation for a total of three years as an administrative assistant and served in the Maine Army National Guard and the Army. |
