Executive Director Transition

Dear Friends of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, 

As a friend and partner of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, we wanted you to know that Jay Espy has announced his intention to step down as Executive Director next June after 11 years of service.   Under Jay’s leadership as our first Executive Director, the Sewall Foundation has expanded its philanthropic support for important work across Maine.  In addition, he has helped the Foundation develop a clear mission, a strong set of values centered on equity, a dedicated and diverse Board of Directors and an extraordinarily capable staff.

With Jay’s leadership, the Sewall Foundation adopted its Healthy People Healthy Places Program aimed at improving the well-being of Maine people, communities and environment.  Under his watch, the Foundation enhanced its Animal Welfare program, providing support for animal shelter capacity statewide and increasing efforts to reduce Maine’s unwanted cat population. He has also led the Foundation’s exploration of mission related investing and its initial efforts in impact investing.

As Jay recently said, there is much important work to be done, and neither he nor the Board and staff will be resting in the months ahead.  On that score, we are continuing to refine our Healthy People Healthy Places program based on what we have learned over the past four years and will be providing further details and guidance for the 2019 grant making process on our website in early November.

We are grateful for Jay’s commitment to the Sewall Foundation and to a smooth leadership transition.  We are confident that a solid foundation has been prepared for our next level of learning and growth.  And we remain deeply committed to supporting our partners who work tirelessly every day to make Maine a more prosperous, resilient, healthy, inclusive and just place.

The Board has formed a transition committee and we will keep you informed over the coming months as our search for Jay’s successor unfolds.

With warm regards,

Margaret Sewall Barbour