Initiatives

The Governor and I work with issues we feel make a difference in the lives of Maine families. I am a registered dietitian and an educator. The health and education of our citizens are important issues of mine, and there are some exciting things happening in our state in health care and education.

Educare is an exciting program that I have been working with which focuses on quality early care and education and family strengthening. A private/public partnership, Maine Educare will serve as a state-of-the-art professional development and resource center for child care professionals across the state, as well as a teaching lab for students seeking an early childhood degree in Maine. To learn more about Educare Central Maine Initiatives please visit the Children’s Cabinet website at: http://www.maine.gov/cabinet/educare/index.htm and/or the national Educare website at: http://www.educarecenters.org.

I also chair the Governor's Children Cabinet and the Task force on Early Childhood. I am Honorary Chair of the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign, Maine Reads, the Maine Alliance for Arts in Education, and Coordinated School Health Program (Healthy Kids/Healthy Schools) . I am a board member of Raising Readers. I am also actively involved with the Community Literacy Project, the Maine Youth Excellence in Arts Project, One Book: One Community, Adult and Family Literacy, A Capital Read, and Friends of the Blaine House.

I am an avid gardener and a supporter of our Maine farmers and the Get Real, Get Maine campaign. Additionally, I film an educational series called Focus on the Farm, which airs on Adelphia channel 9. This monthly series highlights Maine foods from Maine farms and connects the people of Maine with their rich agricultural heritage.

The Governor and I are proud of our state. We are grateful for the opportunity to help to make Maine a healthy, well-educated place to live, work, and raise a family.