Board Chair
Betsy Biemann, President, Maine Technology Institute
In 2005, Betsy was appointed by Governor John Baldacci to head the Maine Technology Institute. The Institute’s purpose is to support entrepreneurs in the State’s seven targeted technology sectors to bring new products and services to market and thereby create good jobs for Maine residents. Betsy joined the Maine Technology Institute after serving as Associate Director of the Working Communities program at The Rockefeller Foundation for nearly a decade. There she oversaw a five-year, $22 million grant and investment program expanding access to employment in low-income communities across the U.S.
Board Vice Chair
Martha E. Greene Partner, Brann & Isaacson, and Managing Director, JTG Foundation
Martha E. Greene, Esq. ("Meg") is a partner in the law firm of Brann & Isaacson, in Lewiston, where she has specialized in sophisticated estate planning for the past 22 years. She is also the Managing Director of the JTG Foundation, a private foundation established by Tom Gorman of Yarmouth, Maine. Meg graduated from Bowdoin College in 1976 and the University of Maine School of Law in 1983. She was a development officer at the Maine State Housing Authority between college and law school, which provided her the opportunity to travel throughout the State overseeing the development of subsidized housing for Maine's low income residents.
Board Secretary
Brigitte Kingsbury, Executive Director, Orchard Foundation
Previously Brigitte worked as a researcher for Bower, Rohr & Associates in Hanover, NH, an economic consulting firm specializing in regulated industries, and as an assistant editor for economics at Cambridge University Press in New York City. She served a six-year term as an elected representative to the Portland Water District Board of Trustees. She has also served on the boards of the Friends of Casco Bay, the Cape Elizabeth Recycling Committee, and the Fort Williams Charitable Foundation Study Committee. Currently she serves on the boards of the Natural Resources Council of Maine and the Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund.
Board Treasurer
Linda Roberts, Principal, Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker
Linda joined Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker in 1988, and is a member of the firm’s Not-for-Profit and Professional Services Industry Groups, where she provides audit, review, accounting, tax, and consulting services to a variety of housing, not-for-profit, and professional services clients. Her many years of accounting experience have given her a wealth of solutions to the unique problems of both non-profit organizations and professional service firms.
Wendy Ault, Executive Director, MELMAC Education Foundation
Wendy served as the Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Maine at Farmington for seventeen years. During her tenure at UMF, she was elected to four terms in the Maine House of Representatives representing part of Kennebec County from 1988 through 1996. She served all eight years as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, serving as its House Chair during her final term. In September 1999, she became President of the non-profit Maine Educational Loan Marketing Corporation (MELMAC). When MELMAC was sold to a for-profit corporation in 2001, the proceeds from that sale created the MELMAC Education Foundation, and Wendy was named as Executive Director.
Nancy Brain, Executive Director, Sam L. Cohen Foundation & Co-Director & Trustee, Frances Hollis Brain Foundation Nancy Brain has been the Executive Director of the Sam L. Cohen Foundation since 2003, and a trustee and Co-Director of the Frances Hollis Brain Foundation since its founding in 1993. Prior to that, she worked at UNUM as a system analyst and a systems liaison with the product development areas. Nancy is also currently serving on the boards of the National Center for Family Philanthropy and the Nine Wicket Foundation.
Michael R. Currie, President and Managing Director, H. M. Payson & Co.
Michael joined H.M. Payson & Co., a Maine Trust Company and Registered Investment Advisor with offices in Portland in 1997. Prior to that he was a partner in the law firm of Pierce Atwood. He received his undergraduate degree from Colby College, his law degree from The University of Maine School of Law, and an L.L.M. (Taxation) from Boston University School of Law. Michael is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a member of the American Bar Association and Maine State Bar Association. Michael is also currently serving on the Boards of the United Way of Greater Portland, the United Way Foundation, the Maine Cancer Foundation, the University of Maine School of Law Foundation, the Davis Family Foundation and the Rosamond Thaxter Foundation.
Tory Dietel Hopps, Senior Partner, Dietel Partners
Tory is a graduate of the Emma Willard School and the University of Vermont and lives in Cumberland, Maine. She has been in the nonprofit sector for over 20 years in fundraising and nonprofit management positions and currently works with her father and sister in a consulting group, providing multigenerational family to family philanthropic advising to private clients. Tory serves on the board of Riding To The Top in Windham, Maine and the Support Foundation for The Brain Mapping Medical Research Organization in Los Angeles, California. In addition to her nonprofit work, Tory is also a partner in RockHopp Partners LLC, a company that develops products for families and she recently co-authored Spintastik for the Family which has won four national book awards including a 2007 Teacher’s Choice Award from Learning Magazine.
Anne Dinsmore, Executive Director, Great Bay Foundation
Anne joined the Great Bay Foundation in 2008 as a member of the Grant Review Committee and became the Executive Director in January 2009. From 1980 to 2009 Anne worked at UNUM in various management roles and retiring in 1999 as Senior Vice-President, Disability Benefits Organization. While at UNUM she also served as a trustee on the UNUM Foundation. Since leaving UNUM Anne has served in multiple roles with non-profit organizations including serving as the Executive Director of Hospice of Southern Maine during its start-up phase. She currently serves as Chair of the Youth Alternatives Ingraham Board.
Jay Espy, Executive Director, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation
In January of 2008, Jay joined the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation as its first executive director. Mrs. Sewall’s legacy will continue to focus on conservation, animal welfare and social needs, primarily in Maine. For the prior two decades, Jay served as president of Maine Coast Heritage Trust, a statewide land conservation organization. During his tenure, Maine Coast Heritage Trust accelerated its land protection efforts along Maine’s entire coast, conserving more than 125,000 acres and establishing the Maine Land Trust Network, which helps build capacity of local land trusts throughout Maine. He also led the Trust’s successful Campaign for the Coast, raising more than $100 million for conservation and doubling the amount of protected land on Maine’s coast and islands. He serves on the board of Portland Time Banks and the Canadian Land Trust Alliance and is a former chair of the Land Trust Alliance, a national organization serving land trusts throughout the United States.
Carol Berg Geist, Trustee, Betterment Fund
Carol has served as a trustee of the Betterment Fund since 1997, and in that capacity has been actively involved in grant decisions. The Betterment Fund is a private foundation created under the Will of a former resident of Bethel, Maine. Ms. Geist is an attorney with Davidson, Dawson & Clark LLP, a law firm with offices in New York City and New Canaan, Connecticut, of which she has been a partner for over 20 years. Her law practice there primarily has entailed counseling not-for-profit entities and private business organizations in connection with their formation, governance and other affairs.
Bob Greene, Chair, Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity, USM
Upon retiring from a career in journalism, Bob returned to his native Portland area. His journalism career included working for a weekly newspaper in Kansas City, Missouri, as sports editor of the Leavenworth Kansas Times, and for the Associated Press in Missouri, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., Maine, and New York. In 1974, he turned his reportorial skills to sports, and in 1980 was named The AP Tennis Writer. He currently chairs the Steering Committee for the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine at the University of Southern Maine and is on the board of Visible Black History.
Meredith Jones, President, Maine Community Foundation
At the Maine Community Foundation Meredith is responsible for leading a team that awarded $16 million in grants to more than 3,500 non-profit organizations and individuals in 2005. She also helped create the Compact for Higher Education, a partnership with the Maine Development Foundation designed to increase the educational attainment level of Maine people. Prior to joining MCF, Meredith was associated with the Maine Health Care Association and Maine Development Foundation where she was responsible at various times for communication, education and training, leadership development, strategic planning, and program development.
John Kuropchak, President & CEO, United Way of Eastern Maine
In the fall of 2008, John moved to Maine to lead United Way of Eastern Maine. A native of Ohio, John is a graduate of Youngstown State University and Kent State University in Ohio. He has worked in the field of health and human services for 30 years. He was the administrator of various agencies and for the last 20 years has been associated with the United Way. He previously served as President of the United Way of Tuscarawas County in Ohio, worked as a Director of Small City Services and worked as Director of the National Corporate Leadership Program at the United Way of America in Alexandria Virginia. While in Ohio, John was active in the Lion’s Club for 18 years and served on local advisory boards for the Timken Foundation, Kent State University and the Ohio United Ways. John is a member of the Bangor Rotary and is active in the United Ways of Maine Association.
Barbara A. Leonard, MPH, Vice President for Programs, Maine Health Access Foundation
Barbara Leonard came to MeHAF in 2007 as Senior Program Officer and became Vice President for Programs in 2008. Prior to MeHAF she was president of The Leonard Group, a public health consulting organization, and worked with clients such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and the University of Southern Maine. Barbara has worked in public health since the late 1980s and has experience in program development, management and evaluation, with special interest in chronic diseases, women’s health and policy approaches to improving health. She was a Policy Fellow at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service 2006-2007 and currently serves as a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s program, Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities: Supporting Community Action to Prevent Childhood Obesity. Barbara is a graduate of Colby College and received her MPH from Yale University.
Andy Mayo, Director, Hannaford Foundation
Andy has served as a director of the Foundation since 2000. The Foundation distributes approximately $1 million annually to support capital projects for a broad range of nonprofit organizations in Hannaford's operating territory. Andy is the Vice President of Engineering at Hannaford and throughout his 25 years with the company, has demonstrated a talent for bringing people together and building consensus both within Hannaford and across all Delhaize banners. Andy's leadership has contributed to their competitive advantage in energy management and environmental initiatives including the most recent implementation of the Clynk recycling program. Andy serves on the board of Salvation Army and has been a United Way Campaign volunteer at Hannaford for 20 years, serving as the Leader's Circle coordinator for the past seven years.
Nancy J. Meagher, Market Manager, - Maine & New Hampshire, Bank of America
As Market Manager for Maine and New Hampshire, Nancy oversees the Bank of America Foundation’s philanthropic giving within these states. Bank of America's philanthropic budget is one of the largest in the nation, with charitable investments totaling $200 million in 2008, and a 10 year philanthropic goal of $2 billion. She’s a University of Toronto and Clarkson University graduate and her career began as a college professor teaching Economics & Finance, before transitioning into business. Nancy has served as a volunteer with the Kidney Foundation and Empower Lewiston.
Marcia Minter, Vice President Creative Director, L.L. Bean
Marcia is Vice President Creative Director of L.L.Bean Inc. where she is responsible for defining and driving the brand identity and creative strategy. With more than 20 years experience in graphic design and art direction, Marcia has executed and directed projects in many communication mediums: print advertising, direct mail, broadcast television, magazine publishing and interactive media. Marcia’s diverse experience across a range of business sectors include clients such as: Nordstrom, American Express, Mercedes Benz, Spiegel Inc., Microsoft Corp, Essence Magazine and a host of others. Marcia has served on the Maine advisory board of The Trust for Public Land and the board of PCA Great Performances. She also chairs the Center for Cultural Exchange Foundation - a grantmaking foundation that advances cultural understanding through arts and education programs in collaboration with diverse communities, artists and arts organizations. Marcia is married to artist Daniel Minter and has a 10 year old son.
Bo Norris, Director, Lennox Foundation
Bo was the Associate Director of Philanthropy for the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy from 2001 to 2005. He served as an economic development Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica, West Indies, from 1985 to 1987. Bo is active in his family’s foundation, The Lennox Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for GlobalQuest, an international experiential educational organization and on the Board of Directors for the Center for Cultural Exchange. In the past, he served on the Board of Advisors for Businesses for the Northern Forest, a 350-members advocacy group working to protect wildlands, improve forest stewardship, and foster sustainable economic development.
David J. Nutty, University Librarian and Director of Instructional Technology and Media Services (ITMS), University of Southern Maine.
David joined USM in 2003 and is responsible for three libraries and two offices of ITMS and is a member of the senior academic management group. David currently serves as Chair of the Board of Maine Info Net, a state-wide library consortium, is a member of the Board of the Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, and the Osher Library Associates Board. He is active in national professional library organizations and is currently a Committee Chair in the Library Information Technology Association (LITA). David’s career in higher education has included positions at Richmond American International University in London, England as Director of Information Resources (CIO), at George Washington University in Washington D.C. as the Associate University Librarian for User Services and Technology, and at Loyola University Chicago as the Assistant University Librarian.
Joe Pratt, President, Bar Harbor Trust Services
Joe is the Managing Director of Bar Harbor Trust Services and has been with the company since 2000. He specializes in endowment management, planned giving, and charitable estate planning. He is the founding President of the Maine Planned Giving Council (1995), and the founding Chair of Maine's "Leave A Legacy" program (1997). Joe lives in Bangor with his wife and twin daughters and is involved with nonprofit organizations throughout Maine.
Michael Rayder, Jr., Foundation Manager, TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation
Michael is Senior Vice President, Foundation Manager and Community Development Manager for Maine. In his capacity as foundation manager, he will work with trustees this year to oversee an anticipated $13 million in grants across the 12 states and the District of Columbia where the bank operates. Foundation activities are focused on the areas of economic empowerment, youth development and community suppor. Michael moved to Maine after 15 years in the New York banking community. He served on the board of Greater Portland Landmarks from 2000-2006 and was named to the board of the Cumberland County YMCA in 2007.
Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, JD, CTFA, Senior Consultant, Planning for Good
Prior to founding Planning for Good, which provides expertise and support to organizations planned giving programs, Sarah was V.P. and Sr. Administrative Trust Officer at Union Trust in Camden and Ellsworth. Previously, Sarah was responsible for the Portland office of the Maine Community Foundation - during which time she served on the board of MPC - and prior to that had practiced law in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Portland. She has extensive knowledge and experience in planned giving and endowment management, and has facilitated many seven-figure and larger charitable gifts. Sarah currently serves on the boards of the Maine Bar Foundation, Georges River Land Trust, Atlantic Challenge Foundation, Camden Conference and the Spannocchia Foundation.
Barry M. Sturgeon, Trustee, Davenport Trust Fund
Barry is a lifelong resident of Bath, Maine. He has been a trustee for 14 years with the Davenport Trust Fund, one of Maine's oldest private foundations established in 1927. In 2003 Barry also assumed the additional duties of Office Manager of the Trust. He was a long-time employee of the County of Sagadahoc, serving 25 years before retiring in 2003 from the position of County Clerk. Prior to joining MPC’s board, Barry served on our Common Grant Application Committee and the Accountability and Effectiveness Advisory Committee.
Janet C. Taylor, Philanthropic Advisor, and Trustee, C.F. Adams Charitable Trust
Janet joined the law firm of Ropes & Gray in 2001, bringing with her over 30 years of experience working with private foundations, corporate giving programs, and family philanthropy. She has extensive knowledge of charitable institutions and has developed creative strategies for leveraging philanthropic resources. In her role as Philanthropic Advisor, she assists clients and their families in making their charitable giving more fulfilling and effective. Janet's background includes 14 years with Raytheon Company, where she was responsible for the corporate-wide community relations and contributions program; the scholarship program for children of employees; and the United Way campaign. She also served for 9 years as President of Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts, a fellow regional association of MPC that promotes professionalism and collaboration among donors and non-profit organizations.
Janet Henry, President
Janet Henry is a native of Arkansas, escaping in 1970 to launch her trek to Maine with stops in Kentucky, Tennessee & Ohio. She began her philanthropy career at a community foundation in Dayton, Ohio, one of the oldest and largest in the country. Her 13 years in Maine have included work with the University of Maine Foundation as a planned giving officer, the establishment of the Portland office of the statewide Maine Community Foundation and capital campaign work for the University of New England. A resident of Kennebunkport, Janet has served on the Brick Store Museum Board of Directors and the Maine Initiatives Advisory Committee. In 2001, she became the President of the Maine Philanthropy Center in Portland, Maine, an organization she helped to create while at the Maine Community Foundation.
Mari Jones, Assistant Director
Stephanie Cox, Program Assistant
Andrea Perry, Environmental Funders Network Coordinator
Christina Foster, Special Projects |
