Maine Association of Nonprofits is excited to welcome four new board members.
Jeannette Andre, Scott Krause, Heide Lester, and Charlene Virgilio have joined the MANP Board of Directors, which is made up of leaders from the nonprofit, philanthropic, and business sectors. They represent the broad diversity of MANP’s membership and contribute significant amounts of time, talent and energy to ensure the growing vitality of the nonprofit sector in Maine.
“We are very fortunate to have the support of such a robust pool of talent on our board of directors, and to further add to it as we welcome these four new members,” said Jennifer Hutchins, executive director of the Maine Association of Nonprofits. “Their experience in the nonprofit sector and beyond will be invaluable to MANP and our members.”
Andre has served as the president & CEO of Maine Philanthropy Center since 2019. As an experienced leader with over a decade of work in the nonprofit and philanthropy field, Andre brings a deep commitment to equity to her work. In her role at MPC, she is committed to centering humanity, cultivating authentic relationships, and advocating for a sector that leads with love. In addition to her role at MPC, Andre serves on the board of CEI, Inc. and the steering committee for the Maine Economic Development Strategy.
Krause is an account executive at United Insurance working with businesses on their insurance needs. He worked at the YMCA of Southern Maine from 1993-2023 with his last position as the district executive for the YMCA of Southern Maine Casco Bay Branch. In this role, Krause provided leadership resulting in organizational growth for fundraising, membership, staff development, community outreach, program development, and facility expansion. Previously, Krause served as the executive director for the Greater Portland Branch and was also instrumental in the development of the Pineland Branch in New Gloucester.
In their role as development director, Lester leads EqualityMaine’s fundraising efforts, securing support to protect and advance full equality for all LGBTQ+ Mainers. Prior to their tenure at EqualityMaine, they spent time in the tech sector working with a variety of nonprofits, focusing particularly on high-touch fundraising. Lester previously held fundraising positions at Maine Public, Tri-County Mental Health Services, and Bates College.
A citizen of the Penobscot Nation, Virgilio joined Four Directions Development Corporation in January 2019 as its first community development program manager. In 2020, she was promoted to the director of operations and was responsible for managing FDDC’s programs and operations, building organizational capacity, marketing, and portfolio growth. After retiring from her position as executive director, she served as the business development interim director before starting her own consulting practice. Prior to FDDC, Virgilio worked 37 years with International Business Machines, where she held several management roles and led transformational projects. She also served on the Penobscot Tribal Council for eight years.
Additionally, the board of directors elected the following officers: Shirar Patterson as president; Justin Strasburger as vice president; Peter Montano as treasurer; and Jason Parent as secretary.
MANP extends its gratitude to departing board members Jayne Giles and Marcia Sharp for their dedication to the organization.
Since 1994, Maine Association of Nonprofits has grown to become Maine’s go-to resource for the tools, knowledge, and connections nonprofits need to create change. With a growing statewide membership of more than 1,000 nonprofits and 150 community partners in all 16 counties, MANP is a vocal advocate for the work and worth of Maine nonprofits, championing their vital contribution to the economy and quality of life in our state. MANP builds the capacity of individual organizations through leadership and management training, online resources, and cost-saving member benefits. By weaving connections among new and seasoned nonprofit professionals and volunteers, MANP lifts up effective, innovative practices and fosters collaboration. MANP cultivates productive relationships across the nonprofit, business, government, and philanthropic sectors so together they can advance solutions to pressing issues and opportunities facing Maine.
