AUGUSTA — TheMaine Development Foundation, a non-partisan, statewide driver of sustainable economic growth and prosperity in Maine, is pleased to announce the election of our 2025-2026 Board of Directors. MDF Member organizations, businesses, and individuals cast their votes during the recent “Ignite: Building Maine’s Workforce of Tomorrow 47th Annual Meeting and Champion Award Celebration” event. MDF’s Board is an engaged, critical advisor to our work across the state to connect people, decision-makers, and communities to stimulate new ideas, solve problems and improve lives.
Michael McKernan, director, government and community relations with The Jackson Laboratory, was elected board chair; Kendra Coates, senior vice president and chief financial officer with
MMG Insurance was elected vice chair; and Rick Leonard, director of finance & assistant treasurer with Cianbro Corporation was elected treasurer.
“It’s quite an honor to be elected chair, to follow in Linda Ball’s footsteps, and those of so many other leaders who have dedicated their careers to creating opportunity in Maine, says McKernan. “MDF is an organization that follows through and gets things done, as evidenced by the many organizations with whom they partner.”
MDF welcomes new board members Kelly Barton, president, MaineHealth Behavioral Health – Westbrook, and Didier Hakizimana, chief financial officer, CEI Capital Management.
MDF is grateful to our continuing board members: Linda Ball, president & CEO, Central Maine Power Company and immediate past president of the MDF Board; Lisa Sockabasin, co-CEO of Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness and citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikik;
Nellie Albright, vice president, Direct Channel and Customer Experience with L.L. Bean, Inc.; Theresa Cody, SVP, director of enterprise risk services & information security officer; Dayton Benway, chief regional officer – North America, HLB Int’l; Jenny Kordick, executive director, Maine Outdoor Brands; Catherine Wygant Fossett, executive director Institute for Family-Owned Business; and the Governor’s Appointed Ex-Officio Directors Carlos Mello, Finance Authority of Maine and Deborah Johnson, director, Office of Community Development at the Maine Dept. of Economic and Community Development.
“The MDF Board is a dedicated and thoughtful group of industry, nonprofit, and state agency leaders who are a critical guide in driving our mission, and steadfast supporters of both me and the MDF team,” says Yellow Light Breen, who will continue as president & CEO of MDF. “The Board helps shape all that we do and holds us accountable to the high standards set out for the organization in the 1978 state statute that created MDF. We are thrilled to continue our work together. I am grateful to Linda Ball for her wise counsel and encouragement in these recent, challenging times and look forward to working even more closely with Mike McKernan as our new chair.”
MDF owes special gratitude and recognition to our outgoing board members: Dr. Hannah Carter, dean, UMaine Cooperative Extension, University of Maine; Trampas Hutches, Mountain Region president for MaineHealth; and Adam Shub, partner, Preti Flaherty.
To find out more about the broad range of programs, coalitions, and initiatives MDF leads, go tomdf.org.