Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I I I N O. X V I I A U G U S T 8 , 2 0 2 2 28 As a business leader, you know that the hardest climb isn't Denali or even Everest. It's the CEO's life long leadership journey. But you don't have to go it alone. You can travel with an experienced guide who knows the lay of the land and an elite team of peers who've got your back. And with that kind of support, the sky's the limit. When you're ready for the climb of a lifetime, the path starts here. Learn more • Contact George Casey • Vistage Chair 207-869-5491 • george.casey@vistagechair.com • vistage.com/chairs/george.casey Find out how you can go further and higher. Krystal Williams, founder of the Providentia Group, a Portland-based consultancy, and the nonprofit Alpha Legal Foundation Biggest change: After a period of near silent incubation, the Alpha Legal Foundation is relaunching. In the past year, Alpha Legal Foundation received its tax-exempt status, enabling it to operate as an independent 501(c)(3). We also received an AmeriCorps plan- ning grant, which gives us the necessary funding and support to start building our upper elementary to law school pro- gramming pipeline. We'll soon recruit for and launch a community advisory board to help shepherd this work. Goal: My main goal is to successfully relaunch Alpha Legal Foundation's fall reading and discussion series, "Legally Racist: How Laws and Legal Norms Perpetuate Systemic Discrimination & What it Takes to Change." We've revamped the structure to provide time for facilitated discussions and have opened participation to all community members. Heather Blease, founder and CEO, SaviLinx Biggest change: We have embraced a hybrid work model. Although we rejoice in the ability to meet face-to- face finally, we also know that we can work very effectively remotely. Goal: We have lofty goals for continued growth and are continuously refining our processes and investing in our team to support our growing business. Adilah Muhammad, president and executive director, the Third Place Biggest change: Name recogni- tion and network participation. Prior to last year, there were very few people who knew we existed. Now that we have become so vis- ible, our network participation within the BIPOC community has grown exponentially. Goal: Now that we have spent a year networking and organizing individuals within the BIPOC community, we will be spending the latter half of 2022 and 2023 doing networking events with local industry groups, businesses and other organizations. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Krystal Williams Heather Blease Adilah Muhammad Now that we have become so visible, our network participation within the BIPOC community has grown exponentially. — Adilah Muhammad The Third Place As Mainebiz inaugurates another group of inspiring Women to Watch in 2022, we checked in with some of last year's honorees about the biggest changes at their organizations in the past year and their goals for this year. Diversity, equity and inclusion is a common theme. B Y R E N E E B Y R E N E E C O R D E S C O R D E S O N T H E R E C O R D

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