MDF Presents Champion Awards for Exemplary Leadership in Helping Make Maine a Magnet for Young Workers and their Families

Lewiston- September 24, 2024 - Maine Development Foundation (MDF), is thrilled to announce our 2024 Champion Award winners. These awards recognize exemplary leadership toward economic improvement and systemic change necessary for each Mainer to thrive and prosper. This year's awards focused on individuals, businesses, and organizations helping make Maine a magnet for young workers and their families.

"The winners of this year's awards are shining examples of innovative, inspiring ways to build long-term relationships, trust, and a sense of community that young workers and their families crave," says Yellow Light Breen, MDF's President and CEO. "Each of our awardees is leading actionable and scalable efforts that help Maine be a magnet by creating pathways where young workers can progress in their careers so they and their families can thrive and prosper."

MDF proudly bestowed the following awards during Magnetize: MDF's 46^th Annual Meeting & Champion Awards Celebration, held recently at the Franco Center in Lewiston:

2024 Champion of Education and Workforce Development to the FAME (Finance Authority of Maine) College Access and Financial Education (CAFE) Team for their steadfast, systematic approach to meeting each college-bound student and their families where they are and helping each navigate the financial aid application process during the last year, which was an extremely complicated and confusing year. As a result, the financial aid form completion rate for Maine high school seniors increased 9 full percentage points to 61%;

2023 Champion of Rural Economic Development to Deb Rountree, Executive Director of Rural Development Initiatives with Eastern Maine Community College and U-Maine-Augusta for her decades-long work to support displaced rural workers, adult learners, and young families in the Katahdin Region so they can pursue certifications, degrees, good-paying jobs, and further their careers. An example is the childcare center at Katahdin Higher Education Center in East Millinocket that Deb helped establish which has provided quality, affordable early childhood development for thousands of children, removing a major barrier to success for their parents and families;

2024 Dirigo Rising Young Professional Award to Samantha Burdick, Communications Director with Maine Education Association, for demonstrating exceptional leadership and dedication to strengthening the state's economy and her community with efforts to attract and retain young people. Sam serves on numerous boards, including the Waterville Homeless Shelter, United Way of Kennebec Valley, the Waterville Planning Board, and is in her 5^th year on the Steering Committee of KV Connect, one of seven regional chapters of MDF's Realize Maine Network.

This year's event is a breakfast festivity and served as a kickoff to the 2024 Magnetize Maine conference, hosted by Uplift LA in conjunction with MDF's Realize Maine Network.