Dear UMA Community,
It is with some sadness that I share the news that I will be leaving UMA at the end of the summer to embark on a new professional journey as the CEO of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System. This is a unique and unexpected opportunity for me to return to public service in Maine state government in service to those who have served our state.
UMA is a vibrant and caring learning community and I will deeply miss being a part of it. Together we have accomplished a great deal, launching new baccalaureate degrees in pre-licensure Nursing, Data Science, Elementary Education, and Secondary Education. We also introduced our first graduate programs: a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and a graduate certificate in Substance Use Disorders. We reunited our eight regional learning centers under the UMA brand, including a new UMA Lewiston Center, and welcomed students to our first residential living community at the historic Stevens Commons. And together we stood up the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council to support strategic initiatives that will create, sustain, and enrich our institutional commitment to an inclusive, diverse, and equitable community. UMA has a bright future. You are in good hands with the leadership team, and have the best faculty and staff to carry UMA’s mission forward.
The Chancellor will soon be reaching out to you for input on identifying successor leadership for UMA. I hope you will turn out to make your voices heard on this important matter.
My heartfelt thanks for your support these past few years.
Best always,
