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).

Gabe is responsible for supporting, planning and advancing a program of economic development for CMGC and the City of Waterville. His work directly supports businesses, employment, and growing the tax base throughout the area while facilitating the implementation of both public and private investment. Gabe brings previous experience from his work as an Environmental Planner at the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments, where he served over 60 Maine communities providing technical assistance on environmental management and development programs. Gabe holds a dual bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Farmington in Outdoor Recreation & Business Administration as well as a Minor in Geography. His academic background is focused on sustainable development and the intersection of tourism, recreation, and environmental impacts in New England.

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.

Susan Ruhlin is the Managing Director of Dirigo Labs. As the operational lead for the accelerator she works with entrepreneurs, mentors, and stakeholders to ensure the successful execution of the program. Additionally, she provides preliminary startup consultation and facilitates connections between founders and resources such as economic development and investment opportunities. Most recently, Susan was the VP of Operations for Dynamic Grid a software company in Portland, Maine. Previously, she spent eight years working as the Program Manager of Top Gun, Maine’s first startup accelerator at the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs. Under Ruhlin’s management, Top Gun expanded to five locations across the state and has served more than 150 companies. Notable startups included VETRO Fiber Map, CourseStorm, Pika Energy, Bixby, R.E.D.D., and many more.

Emalee Hall is the Assistant Director of Innovation Programming & Partnerships at Dirigo Labs. Emalee is responsible for overseeing innovation initiatives and manages accelerator and incubator programs, providing strategic direction, operational management, and collaboration with external partners. Key responsibilities include curriculum development, program delivery, mentor recruitment, entrepreneurial support, stakeholder relationship management, and ensuring program compliance and effectiveness. Emalee previously served as an Associate Licensing Officer in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Technology Licensing Office, where she assisted stakeholders such as entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in executing on intellectual property agreements that sustained and bolstered business ventures.

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.