Governor Mills Announces Departure of Hannah Pingree, Director of Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future

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Governor Mills Announces Departure of Hannah Pingree, Director of Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future

May 15, 2025

Under Pingree's leadership, GOPIF drove Administration efforts on climate, housing, and economic policy to benefit Maine people and communities

Governor Janet Mills announced today that Hannah Pingree, Director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, will depart the Administration on Friday, May 16, 2025. A former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, Pingree has led the governor's policy office since January 2019.

Governor Mills proposed her unique "Office of the Future" in her first inaugural address in 2019 to work in partnership with people, businesses, and communities to pursue common-sense solutions to long-term issues facing Maine. Under Pingree's leadership, GOPIF drove Administration efforts to address climate change, increase the supply and affordability of housing, strengthen the economy and workforce, improve early childhood education and expand child care options, and support Maine people as they age.

"Over the past six years, Hannah Pingree has been unafraid to take on big challenges and get things done for Maine people -- from addressing energy efficiency and climate issues, to rebuilding working waterfronts, to creating a Cabinet on Aging, to tackling the housing crisis, to reinvigorating the Children's Cabinet, and working to build a stronger economy and workforce for Maine. I have been so impressed, but not surprised, at the results she has driven for Maine in each initiative she has undertaken, and I will miss her vision and leadership in my Administration," said Governor Mills.

"When I proposed an 'Office of the Future' in 2019, I asked Hannah to lead its creation because with her background as a local school board chair, a legislator, member of the Appropriations Committee, and House Speaker, I knew Hannah had the ability to bring people together and the imagination to develop innovative solutions to the most pressing problems facing our state," added Governor Mills. "She and her team at GOPIF have exceeded my expectations at every step, and I look forward to watching her do great things for Maine in the years to come."

"It's been an extraordinary honor to serve as the first Director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future over the last six and a half years," said Hannah Pingree. "I'm so grateful to Governor Mills for the tremendous opportunity she gave me to dive into Maine's biggest challenges and lead work across her Administration to chart a path to solutions. She made this office her priority from day one, and Maine is better for it. In partnership with communities and businesses and with the support of my amazing team, we've helped build a more resilient, healthy, and thriving future. As I explore new opportunities, I will remain relentlessly focused on the future of the state we all love."

Tackling Climate Change

Under Pingree's leadership, GOPIF advanced bipartisan legislation in Maine to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create the Maine Climate Council, an assembly of scientists, industry leaders, bipartisan local and state officials, and citizens charged with developing a plan to address the impacts of climate change on Maine, meet statutory targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and support investments in communities and infrastructure.

As Council co-chair, Pingree led its development of Maine's common-sense plan for climate action, Maine Won't Wait, which spurred action to curb emissions, including the installation of more than 100,000 heat pumps two years ahead of schedule, expanding programs to make homes more energy efficient, reducing Maine's dependence on heating oil, growing the clean energy economy and workforce, and investing in making communities more resilient.

After severe storms in December 2023 and January 2024 that caused unprecedented damage across Maine, GOPIF designed a $60 million relief package for Maine homes, businesses, and communities -- the single largest investment in storm recovery by any Administration in Maine history.

GOPIF also developed the Governor's Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission to prepare Maine's first comprehensive plan for strengthening infrastructure resiliency to climate effects such as extreme storms, increased storm surge, flooding, and rising sea levels. The Commission delivered its final report on May 7, 2025.

Based on the Commission's early work, GOPIF developed this year's LD 1, bipartisan legislation to enhance emergency planning at all levels of government, prepare communities and infrastructure for severe weather, and reduce long-term storm-related risks and costs for Maine homeowners and businesses. Governor Mills signed LD 1 into law on April 22.

"Hannah Pingree has been a driving force and successful problem-solver in protecting people's health, building Maine's economy, and safeguarding clean air, land, and water resources for future generations," said Maureen Drouin, Executive Director of Maine Conservation Voters and a member of the Climate Council's Natural and Working Lands working group. "I'm grateful for Hannah's effective leadership in bringing people from different backgrounds together around common sense solutions to build a healthier, more livable, and more prosperous future for all."

"Hannah has been an outstanding leader, motivator, and champion for Maine's successful statewide efforts to address climate change and promote clean energy solutions that will benefit Maine people and our economy," said Pete Didisheim, Advocacy Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine. "Under her guidance, the Maine Climate Council crafted a comprehensive and impressive climate action plan based on input from multiple working groups, business and community leaders, policy experts and scientists, and thousands of Maine people. Hannah is a skilled policy leader and the State has been fortunate to have had her serve as Director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future."

"As a leader in a community home to one of the state's largest working waterfronts, I've directly experienced how deeply Hannah listens to the needs of Maine communities and galvanizes people to tackle big challenges," said Linda Nelson, director of Economic & Community Development for the Town of Stonington and co-chair of the Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission. "Her skilled, practical leadership has put Maine at the vanguard of response and recovery to extreme weather. From securing $60 million in unprecedented storm recovery funds in 2024 to the very recent passage of LD 1, Hannah has worked tirelessly and successfully to prepare Maine for a more resilient future, and I look forward to her next steps.

"It has been a privilege to work with Hannah Pingree in her role in the Governor's Office," said Noël Bonam, AARP Maine State Director. "Hannah has been a skillful collaborator, and she is dedicated to ensuring that all voices are heard and valued. AARP Maine commends Hannah for her leadership and steadfast commitment to initiating solutions to address long-term challenges for Maine residents."

Under Pingree, GOPIF launched the Community Resilience Partnership in 2021 to award grants to communities around the state to make local investments in climate resilience, clean energy, and energy efficiency. To date, the Partnership has grown to include 263 participating communities representing 76 percent of Maine's population, and has awarded $18.8 million in grants to Maine towns, cities, tribal governments, and regional planning, economic development, and community organizations.

Based on the success of the Partnership, GOPIF guided the establishment of the Maine Office of Community Affairs, a one-stop shop within State government that will provide coordinated and efficient planning, technical assistance, and financial support to towns, cities, Tribal governments and regional entities, to help them better plan for common challenges, pursue solutions and create stronger, more resilient communities.

"From day one, Hannah Pingree made it clear that municipal leaders had her attention," stated Kate Dufour, Director of Advocacy & Communications at the Maine Municipal Association. "From weekly calls during the height of the pandemic to discuss municipal needs and concerns, discussions on how best to involve municipal governments in Governor Mills' climate-related work, including the Community Resilience Partnership, to her willingness to research and respond to one-off questions, Hannah was an asset to the Association and its members. It has been a pleasure to work with Hannah, and on behalf of municipal leaders across Maine, MMA wishes her the best."

Expanding Housing Investments and Supply

GOPIF led State efforts to expand the housing supply in Maine, which resulted in $300 million dedicated for affordable housing production in recent years through direct investments and powerful incentives, such as bipartisan legislation to establish the Maine Affordable Tax Credit Housing Program.

GOPIF designed innovative programs to build new housing, such as the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program, which created 366 new units in 20 communities across Maine, and the Affordable Homeownership Program, which has invested in 325 new single-family homes in 21 communities.

Further housing initiatives designed under GOPIF include innovative financing measures to protect vulnerable affordable housing developments and mobile home parks and expanding permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness.

"As a key member of Governor Mills' Administration, Hannah's leadership in preserving existing affordable housing while advancing efforts to create more homes has delivered lasting benefits for people across Maine," said Liza-Fleming Ives, Executive Director of Genesis Community Loan Fund. "From supporting resident-owned mobile home communities to preserving affordable rental housing in rural towns, her work has expanded opportunities and strengthened economic security statewide. Lives are better because of these efforts, and we're grateful for Hannah's leadership, innovation, and vision."

"Hannah's leadership has moved Maine forward in expanding access to safe and affordable housing," said Rebecca Hatfield, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Hancock Lumber and former CEO of Avesta Housing. "Her office has developed and advanced investments in housing for Maine's workforce and zoning changes that have helped Maine's housing supply better meet the growing demand."

Strengthening Maine's Economy and Workforce

GOPIF continues to oversee implementation of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, Governor Mills' plan, as approved by the Legislature, to invest a historic $1 billion allocation of Federal funds to Maine from the American Rescue Plan to spur the state's economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic.

The Governor's Jobs Plan reflected priorities from the Governor's Economic Recovery Committee, which GOPIF facilitated, and led to bipartisan legislation to enact the Jobs Plan in 2021. Maine was among the first states to invest its funds and ranks first in New England for putting federal recovery funds to work.

Jobs Plan initiatives have invested more than $211 million directly in Maine businesses, created workforce training opportunities for 26,000 Maine people through new and enhanced apprenticeship, career and educational programs and investments, and supported more than 700 job-creating infrastructure projects around the state.

This includes $35 million to the Maine Community College System for free and low-cost vocational training, $20 million to help schools build out new career and technical education facilities or job training equipment, helping parents through $25 million to create over 4,850 child care and pre-kindergarten slots, and $5 million to connect workers and employers with better transportation.

"Hannah's leadership at GOPIF has been transformative for the state's economy and workforce, and I'm grateful that Maine's community colleges are part of this important work," said Maine Community College System President David Daigler. "Hannah's been a strong thought partner, focusing in on real-world challenges and encouraging effective and innovative workforce solutions that had immediate impact and will continue to grow Maine's skilled workforce into the future. We'll miss her in this role and wish her well in her next act."

"We are grateful for Hannah's service as the director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future," said Keith Bisson, President of Coastal Enterprises, Inc. "Her office has kept a laser focus on child care through the Children's Cabinet, supporting the providers we work with and enabling working parents to get and stay in the workforce. GOPIF's leadership of Maine Won't Wait recognizes the impact of changing environmental conditions, including disruptive weather events, on our natural resource-based businesses, from farm and food processing to shellfish and seaweed farmers and processors, to forest products companies. We wish her all the best as she moves on."

In addition to climate, housing, and economic initiatives, current GOPIF projects include Maine's response to the opioid crisis; directing the Governor's Task Force on Artificial Intelligence; overseeing the Children's Cabinet, Cabinet on Aging, the Office of New Americans, the Ending Hunger in Maine Initiative; and the Maine Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub.

Governor Mills has named Sarah Curran to succeed Pingree as Director of GOPIF. Curran has served in GOPIF since its establishment and as deputy director since 2021, during which time she has led its climate planning and community partnership programs.

Prior to becoming deputy, Curran led planning for Maine Won't Wait and supported planning for Maine's 10-Year Economic Strategy, in collaboration with the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.