Dear John,

Fourteen years ago, Beth Ahearn approached me with the idea of hiring her as a contract lobbyist for the Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC). Our organization was tiny at the time with three staff and a modest budget and I wasn’t sure how we would be able to raise an additional $15,000 for the contract.

MCA’s and MCV’s boards stepped up and, in one of the best decisions we ever made, we hired Beth as a contract lobbyist for the EPC. After two sessions and a transition from an environmentally-friendly administration to an openly hostile one, Beth joined MCA+MCV’s staff full time as Political and Legislative Director on January 1, 2012 and eventually became our first Director of Government Affairs.

In her position, Beth has been a force for the protection of our environment, climate, and democracy. She oversaw many of the EPC’s biggest victories like restoring alewives on the St. Croix Rover, passing the innovative Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging law, funding the Land for Maine’s Future program, and advancing a suite of climate change policies that established the Climate Council, ensures 80% renewable energy by 2030 with a goal of 100% by 2050, reduces carbon pollution by 80% by 2050, and jumpstarts responsible offshore wind development with a procurement schedule for 3 GW of installed offshore wind by 2040.

I love Beth. We’ve been through so much together - multiple gubernatorial and presidential administrations, congresses and legislatures, lobby visits, canvasses, RESIST trainings, conferences, election nights, farm visits, marches, cookie swaps and potlucks, scorecards, data walks, retreats, the pandemic, and what seemed like a million #ActOnClimate events. We’ve shed tears and picked each other up to keep our work moving forward. Beth has never seen a baby she didn’t want to hold or a wilderness adventure she didn’t want to pursue. Every December, she would bake everyone on staff braided sweet bread for St. Lucia’s Day.

Her combination of passion, humor, conviction, hard work, integrity, loyalty, and generous nature has endeared her to so many with whom she has worked.

That’s why it’s bittersweet to share the news that Beth will be retiring in June. Beth is irreplaceable and I will miss her deeply, but I’m so happy that she’ll have more time to enjoy what she loves - family, gardening, wildlife, travel, skiing, biking, reading.

We plan to throw a party for Beth in June (more on that later), but the most important way we’ll honor Beth’s legacy is by continuing her work to address the climate crisis, protect our environment, and ensure an intact and accessible democracy.

We have started the search for our next Director of Government Affairs and invite you to take a look at the job posting here.

I am incredibly grateful to Beth for her friendship and partnership over these many years. She will always be a part of MCA and MCV.

Maureen Drouin | she/her

Executive Director

Maine Conservation Voters

[email protected]

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