PORTLAND – Emerge Maine, an organization that helps Democratic women win elected office, has named Maine Attorney General Janet Mills of Farmington as its 2013 Woman of the Year.
“In every respect, Janet Mills is one of Maine’s most accomplished women leaders, a lifelong dedicated public servant and a true breaker of glass ceilings in both law and politics,” said Emerge Maine Executive Director Katie Mae Simpson. “Janet is respected and admired for her independence, her work ethic, and her commitment to the values of both the Democratic Party and Emerge Maine. She is well deserving of our fourth annual Woman of the Year honor.”
In 1980 at the age of 32, Mills was appointed by Governor Joe Brennan as the first woman district attorney in Maine. She was also the first woman DA in New England and one of the first in the country. After being elected four times to the Maine House of Representatives, she was named the first woman attorney general of Maine. She is the former vice-chair of the Maine Democratic Party and last year also returned to her state attorney general post making her the the second —as well as the first— woman to hold that office.
Mills was a founding member of the Maine Women’s Lobby and has served on a number of boards and commissions, including the Margaret Chase Smith Foundation Board. She is also a winner of the Maine Bar Association’s prestigious Glassman award for the advancement of women.
Emerge Maine will also be honoring Heidi Brooks of Lewiston as its 2013 Rising Star. Brooks, an alumna from the Emerge Maine Class of 2012, is the secretary of the Maine Democratic Party, and an active member of the Maine People’s Alliance, an advocacy organization dedicated to leadership development and grassroots organizing around issues important to their members, like healthcare and housing.
Emerge Maine recruits, trains, and inspires Democratic women to run for elected office. The goal of Emerge Maine is to increase the number of Democratic women in office.
In the 192 years since its statehood, Maine has elected a total of three women to the U.S. House of Representatives, three women to the U.S. Senate, and no women as Governor of Maine.
Currently, fewer than 30 percent of Maine State legislators are women.
The Woman of the Year celebration honoring Mills and Brooks will be held Thursday, June 20th, at the Senator Inn in Augusta. More information is available at www.emergemaine.org/events
Congratulations, Janet!
Congratulations Janet. There is no more deserving person than you for the award. You have been a inspiration to many young woman of what can be done if you try hard. We may not always agree on every subject, but I always respect your opinions and your thoughts on the issues at hand.
And this surprises anyone, how? Janet is the best over-achiever that the FHS Class of ’65 put out into this world, and she did a lot of it while lying in a body cast for a good part of her high school years. She’s a loyal Democrat (which I am allowed to conflict with occasionally while still loving her)! She’s a fierce fighter for women and those Mainers who need a champion! (Thank you, Janet!) She has maintained a wonderful (and cock-eyed sometimes) sense of humor which we always loved. She has a knack for making people work together. She has made both a career AND a wonderful family which endures today.
I’m really proud to have given out those roses to the 50-year class with her in June ’65. Nobody else needs to remember but Janet will!!! Way to go, GirlFriend!!!
See you in a month of so across the cove!! ;-)
Congratulations Janet! And thank you for serving again as our Attorney General!
As a member of the Board of Directors of Emerge Maine I am extremely happy that we are honoring a Franklin County resident as our Woman of the Year. AG Mills is a positive role model for women wanting to run for office at any level.
I hope those of you who know Janet will join us at the Senator on June 20 and help celebrate her success.
Marianne Stevens
Kingfield