FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information:
June 22, 2010 Jay Finegan, 287-1445
Rep. Knapp Accepted to New Class of Leadership Maine

AUGUSTA – State Rep. Jane Knapp has been accepted for the new class of Leadership Maine, a program designed to build a pool of talented leaders to shape the state’s future. The program is run by the Maine Development Foundation, a private, non-partisan corporation that focuses on economic issues.

Leadership Maine accepts 40 to 45 people each year, who meet over 14 days spaced throughout the year. It begins in June with orientation and concludes the following May with a closing retreat and graduation. Applicants are chosen based on their leadership capacities, talents and life experiences. All share a core commitment to making Maine a better place in which to live.

“I am excited and humbled to be taking part in this excellent program,” said Rep. Knapp (R-Gorham), a retired biology teacher serving her first term in the Legislature. “We’ll be learning first-hand about the critical issues facing our state and working on real solutions, with an emphasis on the leadership skills required to address those issues. I’m very grateful for this opportunity.”

Each Leadership Maine class is divided into five or six teams, which are asked to explore specific topics throughout the year. Topics run the gamut of economic issues, such as infrastructure needs, health care, education and entrepreneurial development. Team members experience the process of working with a diverse group of leaders from different sectors and regions of the state.

The program was established in 1993 with the goal of supporting a group of leaders capable of taking actions to bring about change in Maine. Class members learn about their own personal strength and opportunities for growth and examine the leadership styles of government, non-profit, corporate and educational leadership. More than 600 Mainers are graduates of Leadership Maine

The Maine Development Foundation, the sponsoring organization, was created in 1978 by the governor and Legislature with a broad mandate to promote the state’s economy. It is funded by private contributions, membership, foundations and state government contracts.

###