Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. X X I I I O C T O B E R 7 , 2 0 2 4 26 4 0 U N D E R 4 0 AWA R D nostalgia factor back. But my two favorite local shows are "Greenlight Maine" and "Welcome to Maine" — I am holding out for the crossover episode! Best way to recharge: I am the luckiest nerd in the world. My basement is a converted arcade and board game room, with a small recording studio for me to make acoustic guitar covers of video game renditions. For me, there is no better way to relax than watching my kids enjoy pinball with a backtrack of some lo-fi Nintendo music. At age 60: I will probably have a face tattoo of a bowl of poutine and a debilitating addiction to Bixby choco- lates. I'll be living in an Allagash house from Tiny Homes of Maine, somewhere on the St. John Valley border. Most likely, my wife and I will be trying to explain to our grandkids what a GameCube is. A documentarian shedding light on Maine artists Reed McLean, 28 Founder and co-director, Lights Out Gallery Significant professional accomplishment: Directing and editing 86 documentaries (and counting) on Maine art- ists, to raise the profile of these brilliant people living and working in one of our nation's more secluded states. Current state of mind: Focused and watchful. Passion project: A life lived in art is a life full of passion. Aside from that, I love to cook. 'Lightbulb' moment: When I was 19 I saw a dance per- formance on top of a hill in a field. The dancers were accompanied by a flock of sheep as well as herding dogs. As the sun set, the dancers moved through the field and the sheep wheeled about them. A woman in a long, red felt cape slowly walked through the performance and away into the dis- tance. As the dancers, the sheep, the dogs, the sun, the woman all moved together I could suddenly see the space between all of them. This understanding I use as an artist and a curator. Audacious goal: I have no great goals I am striving for in my life. I feel that kind of ambition is unsus- tainable, and I prefer instead to remain detached and relaxed. It is a state of unlimited possibility. Favorite quote: "You look ridiculous if you dance, you look ridiculous if you don't dance. So you might as well dance." — Gertrude Stein, "Three Lives" Influential book: Either "My Brilliant Friend," by Elena Ferrante, or "The Ice Palace," by Tarjei Vesaas Favorite movie, podcast or TV show: Recently I've been watching "Alone" in the evenings. I also love the doc- umentary "As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty," by Jonas Mekas. Best way to recharge: Reading, walk- ing, swimming, drawing, sleeping At age 60: Just getting started. This health care leader took inspiration early on Sandy Nesin, 36 CEO, Community Care Partnership of Maine; vice president of operations, St. Joseph Healthcare Significant professional accomplish- ment: I consider my past work as part of the team of leaders at Community Care Partnership of Maine and now CEO as my most significant professional accomplishment. It is a great source of pride to have played a role in expanding CCPM into a statewide Accountable Care Organization that unites over 20 not-for-profit health care organizations, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and community hospitals, serving nearly 250,000 patients annually. Our mission-focused model ensures equal representation for all member organizations. This approach has resulted in CCPM achieving over $60 million in Medicare savings, and the development of a network committed to improv- ing patient care and community health outcomes. Current state of mind: Cautiously optimistic, with a constant sense of urgency. I am inspired by the dedicated work of my colleagues in health care and energized by the increased focus on patient-centered, value-based care. However, I remain acutely aware of the significant challenges we face, including antiquated reimbursement models, workforce instability and inequitable access to care. I am grateful to work with collaborative leaders who seek out and support solutions to such challenges. Passion project: I enjoy partnering with my hus- band, Jason, to renovate and design homes. There's something incredibly satisfying about trans- forming a space and breathing new life into it, and I love the challenge of envisioning how a property will evolve. Recently, we had the opportunity to purchase and renovate a camp, built by my grandparents in the 1960s. It was a great way to honor my family's past while creating something new and beautiful. 'Lightbulb' moment: It was more of a grad- ual illumination, sparked by a childhood steeped in health care and community ser- vice. Growing up, I spent many Saturday morn- ings hanging in our local hospital's nursing station while my dad rounded and cared for patients. My parents chose to raise us in a small rural town in need of a family doctor, just as my grandfather had done. I witnessed first- hand the profound impact that family doctors, like my father and grandfather, could have on a small community. Their unwavering commit- ment to improving the lives of their patients and serving their communities ignited my desire to make a similar difference. I entered law school with aspirations of becoming a juvenile defense attorney, influenced by my experiences working in youth home- less shelters across the state. But dur- ing my first health care law class, and while externing at the Maine Medical Association, I realized I could combine my legal skills with my deep-rooted passion for health care. My career path became clear: to use my legal expertise and passion to drive positive change in health care, and make even a fraction of the difference I had seen my father and grandfather make in their communities. Audacious goal: I would love to deliver an impactful TED talk someday! Favorite quote: "Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it" — Rabbi Tarfon Influential book: My all-time most influential pick would be "Man's Search for Meaning," by Viktor E. Frankl. Two more recent influ- ential reads: "Four Thousand Weeks," by Oliver Burkeman, and "Compassionomics," by Stephen Trzeciak and Anthony Mazzarelli. Favorite podcasts: "This American Life," "Serial" and "The Next Big Idea" Best way to recharge: I recharge by spending time with my friends and family. Their support is incred- ibly important to me, and they keep me humble! I also love to read and spend time at the lake. At age 60: Spending my days traveling, read- ing, volunteering and surrounded by family and friends. Forging her own path in the financial services world Mackenzie H.T. Parsons, 37 Principal/financial planner, Cornerstone Financial Planning Significant professional accomplishment: First, becom- ing a Certified Financial Planner professional at a young age; this stemmed from finding a passion for my career in college and receiving support and encouragement. Second, navigating through business succession planning and the acquisition of Cornerstone Financial Planning. Current state of mind: Well, I just had a baby, our first, so my current state-of-mind is adjusting to the new role and trying to soak in as much of this time as possible. It's amazing how someone so little can change so many things, especially my perspective on what is important. Passion project: I've been interested in calligraphy for the past several years. I find it relaxing and a great way to unwind after a long day. I've also started to dabble in embroi- dery and stitching baby names onto little sweaters! 'Lightbulb' moment: The first one was when I was a freshman in college. I entered as "busi- ness-undecided," but when I took an introductor y finance class, I found the subject fas- cinating. I was hooked! I » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E P H O T O / S O U B A N H P H A N T H AY P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y

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