ICL - Institute for Civic Leadership

05/19/2026

It's award season! Who is the classmate or fellow alum who epitomizes the core principles of ICL ? Who demonstrates exemplary leadership in leading teams, and in connecting communites, industry, and entire regions to help increase equitable opportunity across Maine? Nominate them TODAY for this year's ICL Distinguished Alum Award: https://www.mdf.org/2026-icl-distinguished-alum-award/?&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=openings

The deadline for nominations is this Friday, May 22.

Pictured: Rwaganje, winner of the 2025 ICL Distinguished Alum Award, and Exec. Director of Maine.

Yellow Light Breen Jan Kearce

04/20/2026

Congratulations to Maine Development Foundation's ICL (Institute for Civic Leadership) Goose Eye Class upon your graduation from the program! Your compassion, curiosity, and courage will serve Maine well for years to come. Welcome to the ICL Alumni Family. We are on belay for you now and always. !

Special shoutout to Rwaganje, ICL Omega Class Alum, 2025 ICL Distinguished Alum Award winner, and Exec. Dir. of ProsperityME: The Center for Financial Education for an inspiring graduation keynote address, and to class speakers Laura Briggs, Dir. of Operations of Life Ministries and Leah Batt, Sen. Dir. of Marketing & Communications, Coastal Enterprises Inc..

Special gratitude and love to ICL's fearless facilitator and leadership guru Jan Kearce who continues to lead both the ICL and Leadership Maine programs at MDF. You inspire, energize, and lead the leaders, Jan!

And to Sophie Drew, who coordinates and manages the day-to-day for ICL and so many other MDF programs/iniatitives.

To all Goose Eye Class graduates - we can't wait to continue working with you and be part of all you will continue to accomplish in life, career, and community: Sarah Demers Maine State Department of Economic and Community Development, McKenzie Blanchard The Portland Symphony Orchestra, Kristen Card Batt, Coastal Enterprises Inc., Eileen Bader Hall The Nature Conservancy in Maine, Laura Briggs of Life, Inc., Carey, M.Ed Khanyisile Mncube , Tyler Cary of Southern Maine, Barry Dodd of Westbrook, Maine, Joy Fehl Library, Jade Hayden, Abigail Henry Landing School Maine, Leah Hitchcock, CPCU, WCP, MEMIC, Tam Thanh T. Huynh and Human Rights Education Center, Katherine Kelley, MCE, PE, Nicole Picard Central Maine Power, Ariel Ricci Permanent Commission on Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations, Dan Rogan Outdoor Sport Institute, Emily Sampson L.L.Bean, Izzy Siedman flyte new media Brennan Turner Baxter State Park and Kelly Watson

03/20/2026

Spring into Leadership with MDF's ICL experience! Apply, send an employee, or nominate a derserving colleague today.

Apply for the upcoming 2026-2027 classes today: https://www.mdf.org/leadership-development/application/?&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=openings

Alums, help us recruit and fill the upcoming class! If you know a colleague or friend who is ready to step up to the next level of leadership, ready to expand their contributions to their work and community, nominate them today: https://www.mdf.org/mdf-leadership-program-nomination-form/?&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=openings

Alums who nominate by April 13 could win a pass to the 2026 Maine HR Convention!

Jan Kearce Beane Light Breen Savings Bank Marketing and Design Jackson Laboratory Maine Power Company Community Foundation

03/05/2026

Join leaders from across the state for peer sharing and learning on a variety of topics of interest to business, government, and NGO communities.

Yellow Light Breen Jan Kearce

MDF is looking forward to learning and strategizing with partners from across the state at the upcoming ClimateWork Maine’s Summit.

Here's what organizers are inviting us all be part of: "This summit brings together business leaders, innovators, and decision-makers who are focused on what’s next for our state — and how we ensure Maine’s economy remains strong and sustainable. To stay competitive, we must be ready to seize emerging opportunities, adapt to change, and lead with innovation, resilience, and forward-thinking strategy."

For more information and to register: https://www.climateworkmaine.org/summit-2026

Featured speakers include many MDF Members and Alumni of our leadership development programs including Linda Ball, President & CEO, Maine Power Company, Andrea Tetzlaff, Publisher, Mainebiz, Kristina Egan, Executive Director, Greater Portland Council of Governments, Michael Duguay, Commissioner, Maine State Department of Economic and Community Development, and Alan Caron

Yellow Light Breen Martin Grohman

02/17/2026

Calling all business leaders and employers! Please lend your thoughts and perspective to the Maine Economic Vision 2035 Survey.

MDF is working with the Maine State Chamber of Commerce to gather your thoughts and perspectives on the state’s economic climate, challenges, and opportunities. We are asking business leaders and employers to please fill out the Maine Economic Vision 2035 Survey. It should take only about 10 minutes of your time: https://us1se.voxco.com/S2/8/MEV35/?mod=0&dlang=en

Your responses will directly inform the 2026 report (formerly known as Making Maine Work) and help ensure your voice is reflected in future decisions. Participation is confidential. Thank you!

Yellow Light Breen

12/04/2025

We love when ICL experience & network comes full circle in the course of a "regular" workday! Elephant Class members Anne Ball and Jeff Beaule ran into each other yesterday in Official City of Lewiston, Maine. Anne was there for a MDF Maine Downtown Center site visit tour with Downtown Lewiston Maine... and was thrilled when Jeff joined the group to talk about the City's monumental riverfront redevelopment project, which he is leading. The project was the subject of Jeff's stand and deliver ❤️. !

11/10/2025

Great to be with so many ICL Alums for this Leadership in Action workshop! Special thanks to Elephant Class Alums Dyer EJ Roach & Ball and Doubletop Class Alum Kathleen Shannon for lending your awesome facilitation skills at 4 locations across the state. !

Kearce Yellow Light Breen Vanadestine

10/17/2025

Maine Development Foundation's ICL Elephant Class members in the house and enjoying GrowSmart Maine Summit yesterday in Waterville.

EJ Roach and Anne Ball

09/29/2025

Congratulations to Rwanganje, ICL Omega Class, and Exec. Dir. & Founder, Maine on being named this year's ICL Distinguished Alum Awardee!

Join us this Friday, October 3, at L.L.Bean headquarters in Freeport to celebrate Rwaganje, Exec. Dir. and Founder of ProsperityME: The Center for Financial Education, and this year's ICL - Institute for Civic Leadership Distinguished Alum Award Winner! We have a full day program to inspire and engage you in igniting and building Maine's workforce of the future together! For more info and to Register: https://www.mdf.org/event/mdfs-47th-annual-meeting-champion-awards-celebration-ignite-building-maines-worforce-of-the-future/?&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=mdf_annual_meeting

Thank you to Maine Community Bank for sponsoring this award.

Thank you to our event partners MaineSpark and Educate Maine.

Thank you to our lead event sponsors: Bangor Savings Bank, The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, FAME Maine Maine Community Foundation and our Exclusive Business Media Sponsor, Mainebiz.

Light Breen Judd

09/29/2025

And they're off! Maine Development Foundation's ICL 2025-2026 Goose Eye Mountain Class braved the ropes and the rescue exercises recently during their Opening Retreat at Hurricane Island Outward Bound School's Wheeler Bay facility. The bonding and learning together is now well underway. We are thrilled to walk this leadership development path with you all! hashtag !

Thank you to our partner Hurricane Island Outward Bound School and Andrew Spofford for making it all possible!

Kearce Drew The Nature Conservancy in Maine Coastal Enterprises Inc. The Portland Symphony Orchestra of Life Ministries Health Border Regional Commission of Westbrook Memoral Library Landing School of Boatbuilding & Design MEMIC and Human Rights Center of Maine Avangrid Maine Power Company Portland Council of Governments Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigeneous, and Tribal Populations Sports Institute new media Baxter State Park Housing