About Western Mountains Alliance ...helping people shape the future of western Maine.
Comprising nearly 40% of the state’s geography and just 12% of its population, western Maine is traversed by the Appalachian Mountain range and includes the counties of Oxford, Franklin, Somerset and Piscataquis. Bound by their proximity to mountains, forests and waters and an economic history dominated by wood products and manufacturing industries, local communities continue to seek new economic development opportunities to offset a two-decade long exodus of manufacturing jobs from the region.
The Western Mountains Alliance was founded to help navigate that journey.
In 1987, a group of civic-minded individuals from across western Maine came together to seek a sustainable development strategy for a region struggling with long-term economic decline. Organized by the late philanthropist and industrialist H. King Cummings, this group solicited assistance from the MaineWatch Institute to conduct a regional economic survey and present its findings at a public forum at the Sunday River Inn in Bethel in September of that year.
In 1988, the Western Mountains Alliance (WMA) was formed.
WMA became an organization of civic-minded people brought together despite diverse interests, location and philosophy. Today, the organization continues as an advocate for change by promoting innovative and cooperative ways of solving problems, and partnering with dozens of other organizations to implement vital education, business, finance, environment, community development, public policy and health-related projects spanning the region.
A native of Colorado, Tanya has resided in Farmington since 1992. She has a background in public relations and journalism and a B.A. in political science from the University of Washington in Seattle. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Public Policy and Management from the Muskie School at USM. Swain served as the editor of the Irregular newspaper in Kingfield and the program administrator for the first Lead Western Maine program, a training and resource program designed to support emergent leaders who are working to improve their communities. Swain’s rural advocacy experiences include public relations coordinator for the Rural Schools for Equity Initiative, which sought to bring about changes to the school funding formula.
Kathy holds a BA from Vermont College at Norwich University, with a concentration in sociology and human ecology. She planted roots in Franklin County thirty years ago and built two homes with her master carpenter husband and the kindness of neighbors. She has one adult daughter. Her professional background includes community and leadership development, human services, and curricula development. She has been an advocate for positive change in systems that affect young children and families, our environment, and a broad scope of educational opportunities. Kathy is an accomplished facilitator and project manager. She brings 14 years of experience from her work at KVCAP in Somerset/Kennebec Counties, which included successful grant writing and evaluation projects for the early childhood division. She is a certified trainer for Cornell University and adjunct for UMA.
Tricia graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a BA in Women's Studies. Before coming to the Alliance, she worked in Adult Education for several years. Her focus was family literacy and advocacy. She remains connected to family support services by facilitating a parent education group for the Franklin County Children's Task Force. Originally from southern Maine, Tricia moved to northern Androscoggin county ten years ago. She lives in East Livermore with her husband, Kevin, where she enjoys Saturday morning putterings, reading, sewing and hiking the beautiful mountains of western Maine.
Heidi was born in Massachusetts and raised in southern Maine. She worked in the private sector until 1991 when she began working for the U.S. Probation Office as a Procurement Specialist. Heidi resigned her federal position in 2002 to pursue a career as an artist, forming her business, Wilde Accents. In 2004 Heidi and her partner, Phil Poirier, also an artist, moved to Livermore Falls to allow more time for their creative work. Heidi’s artwork focuses on “Reverse Painting on Glass” and she paints on reclaimed antique wooden windows. Each summer Heidi participates in selected art shows and in 2007 received several awards for her art work. Heidi is a member of Artworks, Upcountry Artists and Routes to Success (a program for entrepreneurs). She is on the board of Livermore Falls Downtown Betterment Group and has served on the board of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. Heidi's other interests include hiking, backpacking and gardening. Heidi has two grown sons who live in Portland, Maine and Astoria, NY.
Sustainability "Sustainability is a goal to which a community may purposely aspire, one which rests on three legs: (1) economic viability, (2) environmental integrity, and (3) community competence. Each of these three has its own requirements, of course; but the most critical is the last, which means the ability of a community to come together to identify important issues in common, to mobilize all the resources needed to address them, and to follow through to a satisfactory solution, upon which subsequent successes may be built."
Richard Barringer, Professor, University of Southern Maine, Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, WMA Founding Board of Directors.
Western Mountains Alliance . 109A Church Street, Church Street Commons . P.O. Box 29 Farmington, ME 04938
(207)778-3885 . Fax-(207)778-5095 .info@westernmountainsalliance.org
