Jason joined Educate Maine in 2016 as the Project>Login Program Director and took on a variety of roles until he was named Executive Director in 2019. Jason worked as a teacher, college and career counselor, director of studies, and academic dean at Maine Central Institute (MCI) prior to joining Educate Maine. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Farmington in secondary education English, a master’s degree from the University of Southern Maine in educational leadership, and a doctorate in organizational leadership studies from Northeastern University. His dissertation focused on how leaders foster and support innovation at their schools. Jason is the past chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, and currently serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of Maine at Farmington. Jason serves as a board member for the Maine 4-H Foundation, Maine Space Grant Consortium, Rural Youth Institute, Maine State Workforce Board, and Live and Work in Maine.
James has worked in and around education in many roles throughout the country. Prior to returning to Maine, he worked with AchieveMpls to raise funds to support the strategic priorities of Minneapolis Public Schools. James also lived and worked in Washington, DC, for nearly a decade, managing various programs at the Points of Light Institute and later working in the community relations department at Booz Allen Hamilton, an international consulting firm. Prior to that, James taught high school social studies as a Teach for America corps member in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. James holds bachelor degrees from Boston University and a Master's in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota. James and his family live in Portland, where his children attend Portland Public Schools.
Amanda handles the organization’s financial, human resources and operational functions, and provides programmatic and event planning assistance. She earned her undergraduate degree from Wheaton College, and a Master’s in Public Administration, with a focus on nonprofit management, from the University of Southern California. Amanda enjoys the Maine outdoors with her husband and family.
As Deputy Director, Kate supports Educate Maine’s portfolio of programs across the education continuum and leads the organization’s talent development efforts. She works closely with our dedicated team of directors and partners to build connections between classrooms and careers, helping shape policies and practices that support educators and lifelong, student-centered learning. Kate’s background spans the nonprofit, education, and private sectors, including human resources leadership in Maine’s biotech industry and earlier roles in New York City and Washington, D.C. These experiences continue to inform her commitment to equity, access, and opportunity for all learners. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Syracuse University and is a Senior Certified Professional (SCP) through the Society for Human Resource Management. Kate lives in Kennebunkport with her family and enjoys being actively engaged in her local community.
As Manager of Workforce Partnerships, Hannah strategically leads Educate Maine's workforce development and experiential learning initiatives including the organization's sponsored registered apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, the flagship summer internship program, and related projects. Hannah also leads the Education Leaders Experience program to connect education leaders statewide with organizations and industries that offer promising opportunities for Maine students. Hannah brings ample experience in the non-profit sector working on projects related to education and community development. Prior to joining the Educate Maine team, Hannah was a Fellow at the Island Institute and worked in the education program at Downeast Institute. Hannah also sits on the Maine State Apprenticeship Council. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Wheaton College. Hannah brings extensive familiarity living and working within communities along the coast of Maine and enjoys reading, nature walks, and exploring.
An educator, program coordinator, and community developer throughout his career both locally in Maine and internationally in Morocco, Jon previously served as a workforce development specialist for Maine Career Catalyst. Before joining Educate Maine, Jonathan worked at Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, teaching American Studies and also serving as the Community Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator. In between two different stints teaching History at Edward Little High School in Auburn, ME, Jonathan served in Peace Corps Morocco from 2016-2018 as a Youth Asset Builder. Jonathan holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Maine at Farmington in Secondary Education - Social Sciences and a Master of Science in Education: Teacher Leadership degree from the University of Southern Maine. In his free time, he loves to read, play soccer, follow the Premier League (go Spurs), and travel.
As a Workforce Development Specialist, Meg is a part of the Maine Career Catalyst team where she partners with businesses across industries to design and support registered apprenticeship programs and enhance internship experiences statewide. In her first year, Meg coordinated the launch of the Maine Mobile BIOLAB and now applies that experience to her growing focus on workforce development and policy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Educational Studies from Bates College.Meg brings hands-on experience in education, ranging from community-based work in Lewiston, Maine, to teaching English in Dresden, Germany, and outdoor education in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Meg is based in Portland, Maine, where she loves spending time outside on a bike or in the ocean.
Angela brings a wealth of workforce experience and relationships to her role directing the Project>Login and Maine Mobile BioLab programs. She leads statewide computer science education expansion efforts and CS teacher professional development, and has been honing her own skills in project management and strategic leadership over the last nine years at the organization. With a background in economic and workforce development and hands-on experience with federal jobs-related grants, Angela offers a unique perspective and skill set. She is passionate about matching students and adults to STEM Pathways (educational programs and quality job opportunities) in Maine. Angela earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Maine at Augusta and her Master’s in Organizational Communication and Leadership from MSU. Angela is a member of Maine Technology Institute's IT Tech Board and a Microsoft TechSpark Fellow. She enjoys hiking, camping and kayaking across Maine.
Jodi has more than 20 years of experience working in Maine schools as a K-8 teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent in the communities of Gorham, South Portland, and Westbrook. She is professionally certified in Maine as a K-8 teacher and superintendent. Her bachelor's degree in communications and master's degree in educational leadership are both from the University of Southern Maine.
Kim Russell , who joined Educate Maine in August 2024, has more than 25 years of experience in state and federal policy issues, with a focus on early childhood care and education. She brings with her three advocacy organizations: Fight Crime: Invest In Kids (law enforcement leaders), ReadyNation (business leaders), and Mission: Readiness (retired military leaders).
Kim currently co-leads Maine's Right from the Start Coalition, is a member of the Maine Children's Trust Board of Directors and is a former trustee of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. She was a founding board member of the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute.
Kim has worked for a Maine governor, and in both branches of the Maine legislature. She was a staffer on Sen. Olympia Snowe's 1994 and 2000 campaigns. She also worked in development for one of Maine's largest mental health agencies and the University of Southern Maine. She is a graduate of Indiana University with degrees in journalism and political science.
Susan Friedburg joined the organization in 2023 with diverse not-for-profit financial management experience in health care, education, physician practice and social work organizations. In addition to her work with Educate Maine, she consults with the New Hampshire Writers' Project, applying her finance and event organization skills in support of their mission. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and her MBA in Healthcare Administration from Boston University. Susan resides in Bedford, NH with her husband and son.
Heather is an experienced scientist and educator, with deep background in life sciences including work at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory and the Jackson Laboratory, and hands-on teaching experience in grades K-12. Most recently she taught at George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill and the Sumner Learning Campus in Sullivan, Maine.
“I am passionate about creating student-focused and hands-on experiences that connect science to real world settings,” Heather said. A molecular biologist by training, Heather holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is pursuing a Masters of Instructional Technology degree from the University of Maine.
Anna has a background in experience-focused environmental and outdoor education. She worked in the Conservation Department at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for numerous seasons, with both youth and adult participants. There she served as the Environmental Education Coordinator, developed and facilitated backcountry programming, led science education treks for youth participants, and worked in conservation forestry. Anna earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Biology in 2020 from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. While at DePauw, she was a member of the Environmental Fellows Program and interned at the campus farm, where she established campus honeybee hives and led pollinator awareness efforts.
