The talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono.
- Virtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information
Speaker: Samantha Horn, Director, Maine Office of Community Affairs
In 50 years, Maine has transitioned from a command and control model of regulation to a vast network of nimble organizations and individuals acting to address community needs, including the need for resilience in the face of the climate and housing crises. A key endeavor for state government and, in particular, the new Maine Office of Community Affairs (MOCA), is to develop systems to provide technical assistance and incentives in a way that creates a supportive framework rather than duplicating or suppressing the work of other organizations. An early step for the office is to understand and make visible the networks within which it is operating. Mapping those networks in a way that is useful on a practical level for managing the daily work of the office is an intriguing challenge. The Director of MOCA is seeking advice, and welcomes thoughts and models from communities involved in this work.
Governor Mills appointed Samantha Horn as Director of the Maine Office of Community Affairs in October 2024. Horn has three decades of experience in policy, planning and science, including consulting on public stakeholder engagement, policy work, and planning and siting for development projects. Prior to starting her consulting business, she was the director of science for The Nature Conservancy in Maine and worked in state natural resource agencies for nearly 20 years, including more than a decade in leadership roles at the Maine Land Use Planning Commission.
Horn has a Master’s Degree in the Human Dimensions of Fish and Wildlife Conservation from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a focus on conflict resolution in natural resources, and a Bachelor’s degree in biology and English literature from Washington University in St. Louis. Her interests include rural community capacity, renewable energy siting practice, and integrated policy development. Horn was formerly on the boards of directors of the Maine Association of Planners, GrowSmart Maine, and the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund.
