Emerge Maine Profiles

Diane Russell was surprised by her recent honor as Most Valuable State Representative in 2011 given by The Nation magazine. “I didn’t believe it,” says Russell, a Democrat representing Portland’s Munjoy Hill neighborhood. “I was tagged in an article by a local blogger and thought ‘how nice of her to mention me.’ It wasn’t until I clicked further and further into the article that I realized that it was a national honor given by The Nation, and not just a mention by a Maine blogger.”

This Winner Finds Support in Unlikely Places

November 2010 wasn’t looking so good for Emerge Maine alumna Shelby Wright (Class of 2009) of Hampden.

She had made a run for the state legislature to represent House District 39 and lost in a three-way race by a thousand votes. Moreover, she had no way of knowing at the time that she would have to work closely with one of her opponents again ----- and fairly soon.

Starting Over

After a 35 year career as a professional oboist and teacher, Sara Lambert Bloom, a South Portland resident, took an abrupt “left turn” eight years ago and decided to explore the world of finance. That journey first took her to MBNA where after on-the-job training she walked away two and a half years later as a senior credit analyst. She landed at Flagstar Bank as a senior loan officer in 2009 because she became interested in mortgage lending. Bloom looked at the faltering economy and decided that since mortgages were the major make-or-break item in every family budget the work would be challenging.

In Their Own Words - the Class of 2011

In Their Own Words

This month we profile the Class of 2011!

It’s a diverse group and it will be interesting to see where these emerging women leaders land in the political universe.

A Loud Voice

“My voice will be loud.” That’s what singer-songwriter, recording artist and Emerge alumna (class of 2010) Cindy Bullens says when reflecting upon her political future.

Bullens, who lives in Cumberland and on North Haven, started thinking about entering politics in 2008 when she was working on Tom Allen’s Senate campaign. A member of Allen’s campaign staff asked the two-time Grammy nominee if she had ever thought about running for office.

Emerge Alum Finds Challenges on Portland Board of Public Education

One never knows what can happen when they go to college three thousand miles away from home.

Twenty-six year old Jenna Vendil moved to Maine eight years ago from San Francisco to attend Bates College. This second generation Filipino-American grew up in an apolitical family but majored in political science and American cultural studies. While at Bates, Jenna spent her summers coordinating anti-war demonstrations on campus and working with the Maine Peoples Alliance on affordable housing issues in Lewiston.

Representatives Bobbi Beavers and Anne Graham

Two Freshman Legislators Third Time Lucky

Rep. Anne Graham (House District #109, Gray and parts of North Yarmouth and Pownal) and Rep. Bobbi Beavers (House District #148, Eliot and part of South Berwick) have a lot in common. They are both Democrats and both very persistent. Each woman ran for the state legislature three times in the last six years before being elected in 2010.

Amy Watson Saxton

Six Generations.

That’s how long Amy Watson Saxton’s family has been in Cundy’s Harbor. To be precise, her foreparents set up a general store and began commercial fishing over 150 years ago and have occupied and worked the same plot of land ever since.

Amy’s roots in Harpswell run deep, as do her roots in the commercial fishing industry. In fact, it is how she became involved in the seemingly unrelated world of the Maine Legislature, where she works in the House Majority Office as a Senior Legislative Aide.

Representatives Bobbi Beavers and Anne Graham

Two Freshman Legislators Third Time Lucky

Shelby Wright

As a Grassroots Organizer working exclusively in “the other Maine,” Shelby Wright sees first-hand the power of building connections and coalitions to make a difference in the lives of Mainers.

Shelby facilitates community and volunteer activity throughout eastern, central, and northern Maine. She organizes community volunteers and activists around federal policy issues in ten counties. Yes, ten. From Knox County to Franklin County, to Kennebec, to Aroostook to Washington.

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