
Leadership Maine
Help shape Maine’s future
Leadership Maine is a powerful, nine-month, outward journey that takes a leader beyond their day-to-day experience and expands their capacity to shape our state’s future.
The application deadline is Friday, April 28, 2023. If you have any questions, please email Jan Kearce.
View members of the current Leadership Maine class here.

Financial Information
MDF is dedicated to making the Leadership Maine experience accessible to all Mainers.

Leadership Maine Application
Ready to learn how to help shape Maine’s future? Apply to Leadership Maine.

Alumni Directory
Leadership Maine alumni all have one thing in common: a passion to help move Maine forward.
Through the program, leaders:
- Learn first-hand about critical issues facing our state by exploring Maine’s diverse regions, assets, economies, issues, and people through direct interaction
- Uncover and build upon their personal leadership strengths and opportunities for growth, and the skills to build effective teams through experience
- Gain an increased commitment to making a difference in Maine communities
- Develop important and lasting relationships with a diverse community of business, community, government and educational leaders.
The Leadership Maine curriculum is designed for leaders from all sectors. 2023-24 is the30th year of Leadership Maine, which has graduated over 1,100 leaders who are leading the way in driving economic growth throughout Maine.
Each Leadership Maine class is given real-life challenges to address. Participants work in teams to address the assigned issue, connect with key stakeholders, organizations and groups, and develop a solution-oriented path with the goal of improving the economy.
Leadership Bicentennial Blog

In celebration of Maine’s Bicentennial and 200 years of leadership that paved the way to make Maine “the way life should be,” members of Leadership Maine’s Baskahegan Class Team Gold interviewed leaders from around the state. With diverse backgrounds, industries and geographies, they each share deep interest and commitment to the state of Maine and its people. Click on the name below to read about their journeys, including who in Maine’s history has been an inspiration for them!
- Maulian Dana, Penobscot Nation Tribal Ambassador
- Claude Rwagnje, Exec. Dir. ProsperityME & Westbrook City Councilor
- Jen Fullmer, U.S. Air Force Colonel, Ret., & Board Chair, Boots2Roots
- Dr. Glenn Cummings, Pres., University of Southern Maine
- Bob Montgomery Rice, President & CEO, Bangor Savings Bank
- Travis Mills, Pres., Travis Mills Foundation
Jan Kearce, Director, MDF Leadership Programs, challenges the graduating Leadership Maine Allagash Class to be a living commitment to possibility
2019 Leadership Maine Graduation Keynote – Mike Gawtry, Fmr. Dir., Sporting Goods & Travel, L.L Bean & Tau Class Alum
How Leadership Maine Empowers Individuals and Teams to Capitalize Strengths
“Leadership Maine offered a comprehensive overview of the many critical facets of the Maine economy, which provided me a greater depth of knowledge and helped me in becoming a more effective decision maker.”
Robin Zinchuk, Executive Director, Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce