Educate Maine has announced interim leadership as Jason Judd, Ed.D. leaves to assume a new role at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
The prominent business-led education and workforce advocacy organization said this week that Deputy Director Kate Howell has been tapped as interim executive director while a regional leadership search is underway. In six years with Educate Maine, she has worked closely with program staff and external partners, building on her considerable experience in nonprofit, education and the private sectors, including in Maine’s biotech industry and earlier roles in New York and Washington.
“I’m honored to step into this role and continue the important work of Educate Maine during this transition. I look forward to building on our strong partnerships and advancing opportunities for learners at every stage.” Howell said.
Howell will oversee six large programs, including the Maine Teacher of the Year program, the Teach Maine Center, Project Login, Education Leaders Experience, Maine Career Catalyst, and the Maine Mobile BIOLAB.
Judd has served Educate Maine first as a program director and then in the top leadership position since 2016. After a decade of success, he is leaving the organization to become Maine state director for NMEF, New England’s largest philanthropic organization dedicated exclusively to education.
“Jason has grown our organization tremendously during his tenure, with signature achievements in advocacy and programming, including the growth of Maine Career Catalyst and development of the Maine Mobile BIOLAB and the Teach Maine Center,” said Tony DiMarco, PhD., Chair of the Educate Maine Board of Directors. “He’s encouraged his team to `think big’ in providing
support to educators and learners, and he’s worked closely with business leaders to help create
a future Maine economy where everyone can thrive; look no further than the organization’s broad array of workforce projects supporting internships, apprenticeships, and certification programs to see the impact of this work in Maine. With a solid team in place, Educate Maine will continue to advance their mission during this interim period.”
NMEF, headquartered in Quincy, Mass., funds programs and community-driven solutions across the six New England states that advance excellent student-centered public education. Judd’s role will be to lead these efforts in Maine.
During his tenure, Judd significantly grew the size and the impact of the organization; scaled workforce development programming statewide with expansion of internships, pre- apprenticeships and apprenticeships; launched the BIOLAB and the Teach Maine Center to address the needs of both students and educators; co-led the Maine Spark Coalition, which recently launched a new statewide goal for 2035, and notched major advocacy victories with the passage of legislation on school funding, teacher pay and higher education support.
Notably, under Judd’s leadership Educate Maine attracted important support from national organizations and statewide philanthropy, impacting a broad proportion of Mainers who benefit from the programs.
“As a Mainer, I’ve always been acutely aware of the tremendous opportunities our state provides, and the inherent inequities that sometimes stand in the way of all Maine people achieving,” Judd said. “My work at Educate Maine has been to seek and innovate solutions to those challenges. I look forward to my new role, where I will continue to help young people have access to excellent, rigorous, and relevant educational experiences.”
