“Garrett Martin has the vision, expertise and management skills the Board sought in the person taking the reins of MECEP and building on the strong foundation established by Christopher St. John in his tenure as MECEP’s founding Executive Director,” Board Chairman Steve Ward said. “As Maine and the nation face economic challenges unprecedented since the 1930s, MECEP must continue to provide the high-caliber and evidence-based analysis that has been the organization’s hallmark for more than 16 years. After an exhaustive search, the Board became convinced that without question Garrett is the person most qualified to provide the leadership MECEP needs to continue to fight for economic equality and shared prosperity for all Maine families.”
Before joining the staff in February 2009, Martin served on the MECEP Board of Directors. He has worked as Director of Program Strategy at the Maine Community Foundation and as Associate Director at the Genesis Community Loan Fund. Martin has extensive experience in community economic development including work in the Mississippi Delta, India and Ecuador and as an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Southern Maine, taught a graduate level course in community economic development. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s degree in public affairs (economics and public policy concentration) from Princeton University. Martin currently serves on the Community Development Advisory Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
“I am humbled and honored to be chosen as MECEP’s next executive director,” Martin said. “Our work on behalf of Maine people is more important than ever before and I am committed to making sure that we continue to advance solutions that result in broadly shared prosperity.”
“I am grateful to MECEP’s Board for the time and care they put into an extensive review of many highly qualified candidates.” retiring MECEP Executive Director Christopher St. John said. “I am delighted that the Board agreed that Garrett Martin will bring the right skills, experience, and judgment to lead MECEP to new successes in years to come.”
Martin will formally assume the Executive Director position on October 18.
