Staff Members

Kim was part of the advocacy team through the Mid-Maine Chamber in 2001 that took the lead along with area municipalities and KVCOG to create the Central Maine Growth Council.  Since that time, she has served its mission in one form or another, initially as a member of its board, and more recently as its executive director. A marketing management graduate of Thomas College, Kim’s love for the region and its citizenry are best embodied in her dedication to growing the business community in a thoughtful and sustainable manner.  She is a big believer in teamwork and partnering to move the region and the economy forward.

Garvan manages Central Maine Growth Council’s regional economic development initiatives and networks. This includes city planning and policy analysis, regional projects, grants, business expansion/retention, enterprise growth, and entrepreneurial development. Along with these key roles, Garvan administers the growth and development of the City of Waterville’s federal U.S. Foreign Trade Zone program (FTZ 186), a regional effort to cultivate global trade and outreach in the State of Maine. The Maine native earned his B.A. from Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, FL in 2008, graduating with a double major in Political Science and Environmental Sciences, earned a M.A. (MCPD) in Community Planning and Development from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine, and holds a Maritime Port Manager (MPM) certificate from the Loeb-Sullivan Graduate School of International Business & Logistics, at Maine Maritime Academy and the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives (IAMPE).

Nicole is responsible for overseeing CMGC’s granting efforts, which include optimizing the grant administration process, preparing financial reports, and ensuring compliance with grant regulations. Nicole’s work will directly support CMGC’s existing funding landscape in addition to being responsible for overseeing CMGC’s Economic Recovery Implementation Hub activities throughout Kennebec and Somerset Counties. Nicole brings previous experience as the Director of Finance at Care & Comfort, where she oversaw all aspects of the finance department, including managing staff, billing, accounts receivable and payable, payroll, and reconciling the general ledger. Her experience monitoring fee schedules to ensure compliance with various provider contracts and funding sources demonstrates Nicole’s familiarity with financial management. Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Orono in Mass Communications.

Kaitlyn supports CMGC’s efforts to grow Central Maine’s innovation economy through programs like Dirigo Labs and federal funding initiatives. She brings extensive experience in municipal finance, operations, and strategic planning, with a strong track record of fostering community partnerships and economic development. At CMGC, she works closely with entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and regional leaders to create opportunities for business growth and investment. Kaitlyn is passionate about strengthening Maine’s economy by connecting people, ideas, and resources.

Jeff Frank is the Program Manager for Dirigo Labs, where he oversees the Dirigo Launch incubator, Dirigo Raise accelerator, and Dirigo Model financial-readiness course while working directly with entrepreneurs to coordinate curriculum, guide mentor engagement, and strengthen Maine’s innovation network. With experience spanning private-sector innovation, public policy, and community development, Jeff has co-founded hearforward (acquired 2012) and held roles at Hoana Medical, Smart Yields, Oceanit Labs, and Elemental Excelerator, in addition to serving in senior staff positions for two U.S. Senators, conducting research at the Brookings Institution, and spending two years in the U.S. Peace Corps supporting small-business development. He is committed to helping Maine founders compete nationally and advancing CMGC’s mission to grow the region’s innovation-driven economy.

Mufaddal is the Project Management Specialist for Dirigo Labs. Mufaddal is responsible for tracking outcome and impact metrics for Dirigo Labs cohort companies, monitoring and assessing the impact of entrepreneurial activities, and employing effective strategies to track and measure key outcome metrics. Identifying growth opportunities and challenges for the accelerator program, Mufaddal provides valuable input to steer startups towards success while facilitating optimal mentor-entrepreneur pairings for mutually beneficial outcomes. A 2021 graduate of Colby College, Mufaddal serves as a liaison with Colby College and the Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship, fostering collaborative programming and projects. This partnership strengthens our ties with educational institutions and enriches the entrepreneurial ecosystem.