Economic Development Specialist, City of Brewer

Age: 30

Home: Holden

Where are you from originally?

I am from Hampden next to Bangor. I was raised there and went to school there from preschool until I graduated from Hampden Academy.

What did you do after high school?

After high school I went to Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where I majored in political science. I had an amazing internship opportunity at the state capital, where I interned for a state representative. I worked three jobs to put myself through college and was the first member of my family ever to go to college.

What did you do following college?

I went to work for a start-up telecommunications company called InfoNXX, which is now the worldís leading provider of enhanced directory assistance services for the wireless industry. I worked in operations management in Connecticut and then Tucson, Arizona.

At what point did you decide to return to Maine?

When my husband and I got engaged, we knew that we wanted to move back to Maine to start a family. Within a week of our engagement, we packed our bags and headed home.

You were part of the core team that created Fusion:Bangor, the young professionals group in Bangor. You are currently the chair. Why has there been so much energy around Fusion and why has the organization taken off?

I think part of the reason there is so much energy among the young professionals is that this met an unfilled need. We have all had the experience of going to meetings and being the youngest person in the room, so the idea of something by and for young people really appealed to a wide audience. The larger picture is that the community and business leaders recognize the importance of this generation to the success of our community. For that reason, we find some of our biggest cheerleaders are people outside the Fusion demographic who feel strongly that this will be a key part of our regionís future.

You were included in Mainebiz' NEXT List for 2006, which is another way of saying that you are what they call "a mover and a shaker." Discuss what it's like to experience professional success at a relatively early stage in your career in Maine.

I have been very fortunate to work with people who have believed in my abilities and given me the chance to succeed. I think a lot of what weíre doing with Fusion and with REALIZE is opening the doors for others to experience similar success in their respective fields by connecting them to others. What Iíve accomplished is proof that opportunities do lie here in Maine for young people. They just take a little bit of hard work and a lot of hand shaking.