PORTLAND – This month, 10 leaders from across Maine completed the 2022 John T. Gorman Fellowship, an intensive program designed to strengthen their ability to make a measurable difference in the lives of Maine people. This is the fourth cohort of the program, which was established in 2015 and now includes 42 Fellows. John T. Gorman Fellows are established Maine leaders in a variety of fields – including education, government, and human services – who share the Foundation’s commitment to improving the lives of Mainers experiencing poverty.
Over the last nine months, these high-level, cross-sector leaders received training in Results Based Leadership practices, which leverage data, collaboration, and other strategies to make progress toward results at a regional or statewide level. Each Fellow identified a specific result — a concrete outcome they are working to achieve. The Fellows dug deep into the data around their issues, identified strategies to make progress toward their goals, and are now executing their plans to move others within their organizations and networks to action.
This year’s Fellows tackled a wide 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.
In their final seminar, Fellows made presentations on their “Result Action Plans,” in which they shared 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.
With the new skills they acquired during the Fellowship, these leaders are already leveraging multiple strategies to address these barriers to success. Working to increase childcare access, preserve housing, help families earn higher wages, and more, 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.”
The 2022 Fellows and their Results are listed below.
Lisa Black, TRIO Student Support Services Director, Kennebec Valley Community College
Result: All Maine community college students graduate.
Stephanie Eglinton, Executive Director, Maine Children’s Alliance
Result: All Maine children and their families are healthy, safe, and experience well-being.
Melissa Hue, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, City of Lewiston
Result: All Lewiston residents are thriving.
Katherine Johnston, Early Childhood Data and Policy Analyst, Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future
Result: All Maine children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.
Kristen Miale, President, Good Shepherd Food Bank
Result: All Mainers are food secure.
James Moorhead, Aging Services Manager, Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Result: All older adults in Maine are healthy.
Chet Randall, Deputy Director, Pine Tree Legal Assistance
Result: All Mainers have stable housing.
Charles Rudelitch, Executive Director, Sunrise County Economic Council
Result: 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
Result: All older adults in Maine are healthy.
Charles Woodworth, Executive Director, Greater Franklin Development Council
Result: All Franklin County families have high-quality childcare.
The John T. Gorman Foundation is an independent, statewide Foundation that advances and invests in innovative ideas and opportunities to improve the lives of Maine people. More information is available at www.jtgfoundation.org.
