Top 20 Most Influential People in Maine

You have heard it said that leadership is influence. To that end, let us consider some of the most influential people in Maine. Moreover, one of Maine’s most valuable assets is its people – the hardworking, creative, and entrepreneurial people who are proud to call Maine, home.

However, sometimes no amount of dedication or talent is enough to get someone to their goal. This is where the most influential people in Maine come in.

These influential people encourage those around them to succeed, and the pages that follow are filled with people encouraging their fellow Mainers to reach their full potential.

They teach immigrants and young people the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.

They are assisting our farmers and loggers in adapting to a changing economy. Also, they advise our entrepreneurs and connect them with resources to help them grow their businesses.

Maine’s future is brighter because of the people helped by each of these Mainers along the way.

If you are seriously surfing the web for information about the city of Main and the most influential people in Maine, you are on the right path.

We have done good research on the list of famous people to have come from the luxurious city of Maine.

But first, one may ask, why discuss about Maine? We will also have a look at that subject before we see the list properly.

Top 20 Most Influential People in Maine in 2023
Conclusion
References
Recommendations

Why Most Influential People in Maine?

Speaking about the population condition of Maine, it is originally made up of Yankees from English and Scot-Irish Protestant immigrants who were the notable early European settlements in Maine.

They exposed the relentless, taciturn industry and dry wit that characterize Maine legends and stories.

Their descendants dominated the political and economic life of the state during most of its development, and constitute the largest population group, especially in smaller communities and rural areas.

Contrary to popular impressions, Yankees are not the only residents of Maine. Two groups of French descent make up the second-largest ethnic bloc in the state.

Maine is a state in New England.

New England is a region located in the northeastern United States.

New England states include; Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

According to Britannica, New England was named by Capt. John Smith, who explored its shores for some London businessmen in 1614.

So, with this history about Maine, it is paramount we bring you up to speed with the most influential people in Maine.

This ranking will be based on the influence each person has had on Maine as a society and state.

The impact on society, social influence, political, educational, and economical influence will be the criteria for ranking.

Top 20 Most Influential People in Maine in 2023

#1. Betsy Biemann

Betsy Biemann believes that if you work hard enough, you should be able to make a good living.

She was named CEO of Coastal Enterprises in 2016, a community development investor that finances and advises small businesses that create jobs and strengthen communities in rural areas and small gateway cities.

She is among the influential people in Maine.

Since its inception, CEI has grown into a network of organizations that work in Maine, northern New England, and across the country.

Biemann oversees a variety of programs that coach women and immigrant entrepreneurs, use tax credits to redevelop historic buildings and finance large corporations and advocate for public policies that increase access to the internet, childcare, and affordable housing.

Social media handle: @besty_biemann(Twitter)

#2. Abdullahi Ali

When Abdullahi Ali was a child growing up in refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya, his parents instilled in him the value of charitable work, and he recalls assisting his neighbors in collecting water and firewood for cooking.

“I believe that giving back to those in need is the biggest way to express gratitude,” Ali says. “Even if it is just a smile.”

In 2014, he founded Gateway Community Services in Portland, Oregon, an organization that offers counseling to children and adults and youth empowerment services, focusing on immigrants and refugees.

Ali’s background enables him to understand the needs of immigrants. Ali is one of the most influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @abdullahi_ali_(Twitter)

#3. Kate Braestrup

Kate Braestrup’s husband was killed in a car accident while on duty as a Maine state trooper when she was 33 years old.

Braestrup found a way to channel her grief into useful leadership in 2001, five years after her husband’s death, when she became the chaplain of the Maine Warden Service.

“I understand the anguish that people feel when tragedy strikes, and I am honored to work with Maine game wardens to provide care and compassion,” Braestrup says.

As a chaplain, she provides pastoral care to game wardens and their families and serves search-and-rescue teams by comforting civilians whose loved ones have perished in the Maine woods—a job she considers a privilege.

She also travels the country instructing law enforcement officers on how to improve their care and comfort skills and instructing recruits at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy on how to give death notifications.

Her sacrifice and commitment to duty place her on the list of the most influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @Kate Braestrup(Facebook)

#4. Amanda Beal

Amanda Beal has fond memories of growing up on a dairy farm in Litchfield, but she also remembers the hard work required to be a farmer.

She later discovered how complicated and difficult ownership transitions can be for farmers when she began assisting in the development of a succession plan for her younger brother to take over the family farm.

Amanda’s contribution to her society has made her one of the most influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @amanda_rabeal(Instagram)

#5. Brian Beal

Since the 1980s, Brian F. Beal has played a critical role in enhancing Maine’s marine economy.

His work was instrumental in the establishment of Maine’s first lobster hatchery in 1986, and he assisted in the establishment of Maine’s first public clam hatchery in 1987.

Beal recently assisted in establishing the United State’s easternmost marine research laboratory and education center, on Great Wass Island in Beals.

Brian is one of the most famous people in Maine.

Beal is the Downeast Institute’s director of research and a professor of marine ecology at the University of Maine at Machias.

He shares his knowledge with a wide range of people, including teachers and their students (ranging from kindergarteners to high school seniors), as well as clammers, fishers, and fishery managers.

Social media handle: @Brianwbeal(Twitter)

#6. Meris J. Bickford

Meris Bickford fell in love the moment she set foot inside the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA).

In order to revitalize the organization and save the financially precarious shelter, Bickford says, “being here feels like a mission, as though all of my prior life experiences were merely preparation for what was needed here.”

Bickford, who joined the society in 2007 and assumed the role of CEO in 2011, has played a crucial role in the organization’s revival and ongoing success.

She brought in and developed core volunteer groups, including women who are detained at the Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center, also in Windham.

This was one significant change she made. Her selfless service to the community puts her on our list of the most influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @merisjbickford(Twitter)

#7. Donna Cassese

Next on our list of the most influential people in Maine is Donna Cassese.

She has been employed by the international wood products company Sappi North America for more than 40 years.

In 2008, she was appointed managing director of the Westbrook mill. Built-in 1854, the mill today provides 40% of the release paper required for the production of coated textiles and laminates used to make items like car seats, purses, and floors.

Cassese works with the FOR/Maine program to promote the addition of novel wood-based goods such as bioplastics, jet fuel, and chemicals to Maine’s traditional forest products.

Cassese expects that the sector will keep offering job possibilities to Maine’s recent high school graduates.

Social media handle: @Donna Cassese(Facebook)

More Read: 10 Most Expensive Private Jets in the World

#8. Reade Brower

If you can go with the flow, Reade Brower claims, “you come to the spot that you’re intended to be.”

Nothing about this was planned, By this, Brower means that he is the owner of more than 20 weekly magazines in addition to six of Maine’s seven daily newspapers.

Although Brower’s media company, Masthead Maine, has consolidated Maine’s newspapers to an unparalleled degree, he keeps a distance from the day-to-day management of his companies and refrains from participating in editorial choices.

In 2015, he approached Maine Today Media, publisher of the Portland Press Herald, the Kennebec Journal, and the Morning Sentinel, about printing some of their papers.

Instead, owner Donald Sussman advised him to purchase the papers. Brower is one of the most famous people in Maine.

Social media handle: @Reade Brower(Facebook)

You may be interested in Top 20 Most Influential People In Utah | Social Media Handles 2023

#9. Jim Brady

Jim Brady moved to Maine to work as a real estate developer eight years after winning a silver medal in sailing at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

Brady, as a professional sailor, would not only operate the boat; he would also hire naval architects and boat builders, as well as select race venues and crew.

“I discovered that those project-management skills were transferable into real estate development,” says Brady, who cofounded Fathom Companies, a real estate development firm specializing in historic renovations, in 2017.

Brady is a member of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, serves on the board of “SailMaine”, and is a trustee at Maine Preservation in addition to his role at Fathom Companies.

He is also among the most influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @jimbrady(Twitter)

More Read: Most Influential People In Tennessee

#10. Erd Cervone

In 2014, Erd Cervone returned to Maine to lead “Educate Maine”, a business-led nonprofit that advances education policies and practices to better develop Maine students for the labor force.

Cervone worked at the Maine Development Foundation for six years before leaving for an out-of-state position.

Erd ranks among the top influential people in Maine.

His organization is also well-known for its annual Education Indicators report, which assesses the performance of Maine’s entire educational system, from preschool enrollment to postsecondary credentials.

“We now know where we are.” We know where the children are and where they should be.”

Social media handle: @Erd Cervone(Facebook)

#11. Patrisha McLean

After her ex-arrest husband for domestic abuse made international headlines, Patrisha McLean was taken aback when people around her—close friends and acquaintances alike—began whispering to her about domestic abuse in their own lives.

McLean is now using photography and audio to break the silence in Maine about domestic abuse.

Her photography skills made her one of the most famous people in Maine.

McLean is using photography to break the silence in Maine about domestic violence.

Finding Our Voices: Breaking the Silence of Domestic Abuse is a multimedia exhibition that features portraits of 21 women from all over Maine, all ages, and all walks of life, as well as audio of their voices telling their story of domestic abuse and their journey out of it.

Patrisha is among the top influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @FindingOurVoices(Twitter)

#12. Mufalo Chitam

Mufalo Chitam noticed a lack of black African women in leadership positions when she moved from Zambia to Maine with her husband and two-year-old daughter in 2002.

Chitam works as executive director of the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC) to make Maine a more diverse place for future generations of immigrant children.

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project founded MIRC, an immigrant-led nonprofit organization, in 2005.

She ranks among the most famous people in Maine.

Social media handle: @MChitam(Twitter)

#13. Greg Dufour

Greg Dufour often wonders how he can make a difference in the lives of others.

“As president and CEO of Camden National Bank, I aspire to bring that mindset to every aspect of our community efforts,” says Dufour.

He has worked for Camden National for 18 years and is skilled at managing his team as they safeguard the funds of their depositors.

Greg is a very notable figure and also among the top influential people in Maine.

Dufour oversaw the launch of Hope@Home, an ongoing program that donates $100 to a homeless shelter every time a customer uses the bank to finance a home purchase.

Employees have also been heavily involved in the Hope@Home mission.

Three years ago, they began collecting Hope Kits, which were packages containing toiletries and non-perishable food items to be donated to shelters.

Hope@Home has raised over $385,000 in four years.

Social media handle: @gregory_dufour(Instagram)

Check out: Top 17 Most Influential People In Oregon | Social Media Handles 2022

#14. Lois Dodd

Lois Dodd has sat on a canvas for more than 70 years, taking in the world around her and translating fragments of nature into painted works of art.

Dodd’s paintings have long been admired for their close-ups of flowers, tree trunks, and branches, and the perspective seen through various windows.

She ranks among the highly respected and famous people in Maine.

But now, Dodd is 92 and has been an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1998, an honor society comprised of 250 renowned artists, architects, writers, and composers from across the country.

Dodd also taught at Brooklyn College, Queens College, Wagner College, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture before retiring in 2011 after a nearly 50-year teaching career.

Dodd has inspired a lot through her art and has since gone on to become one of the most influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @Lois Dodd(Facebook)

#15. Charles Hewett

Charles Hewett was born in Lewiston and returned to Maine in 1983 with the goal of creating high-quality jobs for Mainers.

“Great job opportunities in Maine have been hard to come by,” Hewett says.

The school’s focus will be on training digital engineers in fields such as cyber-security and life sciences analysts in fields such as bioinformatics.

Prior to joining the graduate program, Hewett was the Jackson Laboratory’s executive vice president and chief operating officer for 15 years (JAX).

The nonprofit biomedical research organization based in Bar Harbor seeks genomic solutions to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, and other diseases.

Charles is among the very few influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @charleshewett(Instagram)

Check out: 10 Most Expensive Mercedes In The World

#16. Renee Fay-Leblanc

Renee Fay-LeBlanc believes that everyone has the right to high-quality, reasonably priced healthcare.

She has been the chief medical officer of Greater Portland Health, a nonprofit medical practice committed to providing care to patients regardless of their ability to pay, since 2014.

“I feel honored to do this work in my community and to try to improve people’s lives,” says Fay-LeBlanc, who grew up in Portland.

Her beliefs and sacrifices have put her among the most influential people in Maine.

The health center sees more than 100 new patients per month and has nine locations in Portland and South Portland, including one for people experiencing homelessness in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood.

Greater Portland Health also collaborates with other community organizations to provide high-quality medical services to Maine’s immigrants and refugees.

Renee is one of the most famous people in Maine.

Social media handle: @Renee Fay-Leblanc(Facebook)

#17. Tim Glidden

Tim Glidden has spent his entire career working to protect Maine’s natural resources, collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to safeguard irreplaceable assets.

“There’s really nothing like it if you care about Maine and Maine’s environment,” he says of the satisfaction that comes from conserving land.

“There’s a deep connection to the vast natural world,” he says, “that reminds me of my humble place in the universe and my responsibility to care for creation.”

He is one of the top influential people in Maine.

Glidden, president of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) since 2011, previously worked as the state’s Land for Maine’s Future program’s director, and as an environmental policy analyst for the Maine legislature.

One of his proudest accomplishments while working with the Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program was being part of the team that agreed with a paper company to conserve 50 miles of the Machias River and its tributaries.

Social media handle: @gliddentim(Twitter)

#18. Ayumi Horie

Ayumi Horie advocates for social change through her ceramic art.

She creates bowls, plates, cups, and other items in her Portland pottery studio, many of which are adorned with animal drawings.

According to Horie, these everyday objects serve as educational tools and are “ideal catalysts for social change and dialogue.”

Horie grew up in Lewiston-Auburn and credited her inspiration for becoming a potter to Maine’s rich craft heritage as well as her family, who taught her to fish and garden with her hands.

She has also used her artwork to raise funds for charitable causes. Ayumi deservedly ranks among the top influential people in Maine.

Horie started “Handmade for Japan” in 2011, a campaign that included an auction of artists’ works in order to raise over $100,000 for earthquake relief in Tohoku, Japan.

She also co-founded Portland Brick, a collaborative public art project in which stories from people’s lives were stamped into local clay and fired into bricks that repaired sidewalks on Portland’s India Street.

Social media handle: @ayumihorie(Instagram)

#19. Patrice McCarron

Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, says, “Maine’s lobstering communities are the economic backbone of our coast.”

McCarron, who has held the position since 2001, assists these communities on a variety of levels.

She ensures that any new regulations support the lobstering community’s continued success and do not jeopardize Maine’s lobstering culture and traditions.

McCarron also founded the Maine Lobster Leadership Institute, a program aimed at educating young people in the lobster industry about the issues they face and assisting them in finding their places as future leaders.

McCarron has also served on the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team for 13 years, representing Maine. she ranks as one of the most influential people in Maine.

Social media handle: @Patrice McCaron(Facebook)

#20. Charlotte Mace

Charlotte Mace has been working to expand Maine’s bio-economy—businesses that use the state’s renewable biological resources—for the past five years.

Mace is among the top influential people in Maine.

Mace, who has been the executive director of Biobased Maine for the past four years, has recently been appointed to the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development as the director of business development.

Her new position enables her to facilitate growth in all business sectors, including aquaculture, life sciences, forestry, and logging.

Mace sees particular promise in Maine’s manufacturing industry. Mace is a visionary leader and among the very important people in Maine.

Social media handle: @charlottemace9(Twitter)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the most famous person in Maine?

The most famous person in Maine now is Besty Niemann

Who is the most famous Tiktoker from Maine?

Dmitry pepper is the most famous Tiktoker in Maine with over 17 million followers.

What is Maine known for?

Maine is well-known for its rocky coastline, pristine forests, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Maine is also famous for its numerous lighthouses, fresh lobster, and rugged individualism.

What is living in Maine like?

Compared to its neighboring states, Maine has more affordable housing and a lower cost of living. Additionally, it has some of the lowest rates of crime in the nation. US News & World Report named Maine the safest state to live in.

Are the people in Maine friendly?

The truth is, people who live in Maine are friendly and welcoming.
Residents are proud of their status. Also, the people are open and friendly, which makes for a great place to move.

Conclusion

Those who have had a significant impact on the state through their work in politics, business, or philanthropy are considered the most influential people in Maine.

These people have helped shape Maine into what it is today and will continue to be a driving force in the state’s future.

So, if you are from Maine, I guess you would love to join this list someday.

References

Themainemag.com – Most Influential People from Maine.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org – List of people from Maine.

Top 20 Most Influential People in Maine | Social Media Handles

Table of contents