After a decade with Educate Maine, Jason Judd is leaving his role as executive director of the Portland-based nonprofit to take a post with a regional education foundation.
Deputy Director Kate Howell has been named interim director.
Judd, a former teacher, college and career counselor and director of academic studies and academic dean at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, joined Educate Maine in 2016 as the Project>Login program director and was named executive director in 2019.
He is leaving the organization to serve as Maine state director for the Quincy, Mass.-based Nellie Maine Education Foundation.
At Educate Maine, Judd is credited with scaling workforce development programming statewide with expansion of internships, pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships; launching the Maine Mobile Biolab and the Teach Maine Center to address students’ and educators’ need; and co-leading the MaineSpark coalition of employers, educators and nonprofit leaders.
“Educate Maine is about championing career readiness by increasing the educational attainment of Maine people,” he told Mainebiz in an “On the Record” interview published in 2024. “We want all Maine people to reach their greatest educational and economic potential.”
In Tuesday’s announcement, he said he looks forward to his new role, “where I will continue to help young people have access to excellent, rigorous and relevant educational experiences.”
Transition
Howell will lead Educate Maine on an interim basis as the organization embarks on a national search for Judd’s successor.
Howell joined Educate Maine in 2020. During her time with the organization, she has worked closely with program staff and external partners, building on her considerable experience in nonprofit, education and the private sectors, including in Maine’s biotech industry and earlier roles in New York and Washington.
“I’m honored to step into this role and continue the important work of Educate Maine during this transition. I look forward to building on our strong partnerships and advancing opportunities for learners at every stage.” Howell said.
Howell will oversee six large programs, including the Maine Teacher of the Year program, the Teach Maine Center, Project>Login, Education Leaders Experience, Maine Career Catalyst and the Maine Mobile Biolab.
Educate Maine has annual revenue of close to $2.2 million, according to the 2025 Mainebiz Giving Guide, which uses data from GuideStar by Candid as of July 28, 2025.
