From family well-being to housing stability, leaders are already working to address some of the biggest challenges Maine people face

Late last month, 10 leaders from across the state completed the John T. Gorman Fellowship, an intensive program designed to strengthen their ability – and that of their organizations – to make a difference in the lives of Maine people. With this fourth cohort, 42 Fellows have now gone through the program.

Over the last nine months, these high-level, cross-sector leaders received training in Results Based Leadership and applied those lessons in their work in real time. This model for systems change led Fellows to name a “result” – the ultimate outcome they are trying to achieve for Maine people – dig deeply into the data around their issues, identify strategies to make progress toward their goal, and, finally, execute their plans and move others within their organizations and networks to action. Achieving equitable outcomes for Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) was a major focus throughout the program.

The 2022 Fellows and their Results are listed below:

• Lisa Black, TRIO Student Support Services Director, Kennebec Valley Community College: All Maine community college students graduate
• Stephanie Eglinton, Executive Director, Maine Children’s Alliance: All Maine children and their families are healthy, safe, and experience well-being
• Melissa Hue, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, City of Lewiston: All Lewiston residents are thriving
• Katherine Johnston, Early Childhood Data and Policy Analyst, Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future: All Maine children enter kindergarten ready to succeed
• Kristen Miale, President, Good Shepherd Food Bank: All Mainers are food secure
• James Moorhead, Aging Services Manager, Maine Department of Health and Human Services: All older adults in Maine are healthy
• Chet Randall, Deputy Director, Pine Tree Legal Assistance: All Mainers have stable housing
• Charles Rudelitch, Executive Director, Sunrise County Economic Council: All Washington County and Passamaquoddy families raising children are able to meet their needs with dignity and independence
• Megan Walton, Chief Executive Officer, Southern Maine Agency on Aging: All older adults in Maine are healthy
• Charles Woodworth, Executive Director, Greater Franklin Development Council: All Franklin County families have high-quality childcare

In their final seminar, Fellows made presentations on their “Result Action Plans,” which included how data influenced their goals and strategies, the progress they have made so far on their results, and how they intend to continue that work over the next year.

The presentations covered a range of challenges facing Maine people – including mounting instability for Maine renters, social isolation among older adults, lack of access to quality childcare, low wages for working families, food insecurity, economic hardship for students, and disparities across these issues for BIPOC communities.

But, with the new skills they acquired during the Fellowship, leaders are already leveraging multiple strategies to address these barriers to success. From increasing childcare access to preserving housing to helping families earn higher wages, the Fellows are utilizing their roles to not only make their organizations more effective on these issues, but to align the efforts of others to move toward common objectives. In several cases, this includes powerful collaborations with Fellows who have already gone through the program.

“When the John T. Gorman Foundation created the Fellowship in 2015, this group of 42 leaders is exactly the kind of network we were hoping to develop. It is amazing to see the way they are connecting and collaborating to make real differences for our state,” said Foundation President & CEO Nicole Witherbee. “The latest cohort of Fellows make a wonderful addition to this network. The Foundation is so proud to be able to support their desire to make a positive impact on Maine people.”

If you are interested in future opportunities to apply for this program, please contact Lauralee Raymond, Manager, Special Initiatives.