After nine years of service each, MMSA will be bidding farewell to three stalwart board members.
Jeff Hecker, a UMaine professor and administrator who served as board chair, vice chair, and finance committee member, was the first of the three outgoing board members who were asked to join a decade ago. Reflecting on his decision to join the board, he said, “I was inspired by Ruth’s leadership capacity and saw MMSA as a possible ally for the university,” adding that “It’s been great to see MMSA grow.”
Kevin London, who was instrumental in MMSA’s founding over 30 years ago, was key to jump-starting MMSA’s current success. He echoed Jeff’s sentiment that it was gratifying to see MMSA’s growth, but also said that, “One thing I hadn’t counted on was gaining an appreciation for all the people I learned from along the way. I’m grateful for all the people who have worked at MMSA.”
Margo Murphy reflected on her long relationship with MMSA as an educator in remarks about her comparatively shorter tenure as a board member. “MMSA is an organization that focuses not only on current needs, but also what needs will be in the future.” She praised the tenacity of the staff and their sensitivity to the needs of classroom teachers and educators statewide and beyond. “It’s a great time to bring people forward into a great organization,” she said.
Although the three long-time board members are departing due to term limits, MMSA is welcoming three new members with diverse experience and welcome perspectives stemming from their various specialities:
- Andrew Forbes, a longtime Human Resources leader who had previously worked with Kevin London for 15 years
- Glen Widmer, a former teacher and now administrator with an interest in hands-on, real-world educational experiences
- Stu Rich, a retired tech company founder and registered Maine Guide who is active in experiential education and youth mentoring
To view all of MMSA’s current board members including their full bios, take a look at the board page.
