Speakers

Speakers:

Nick Spitzer, Valuing Culture from Louisiana to Maine - the producer and host of American Routes, is a folklorist and a professor of American studies and communication at Tulane University. Nick specializes in American music and the cultures of the Gulf South, and received a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Texas in 1986 with his dissertation on zydeco music and Afro-French Louisiana culture and identities.  American Routes, which is distributed by American Public Media, reaches nearly a million listeners each week on over 225 stations and XM Satellite Radio.from public radio's American Routes will kick-off the two-day conference. Spitzer is the producer and host of the radio show American Routes, a weekly program devoted to vernacular music and culture, reaching over half a million  listeners on over 200 stations nationwide. A folklorist and professor of American studies at Tulane University, Spitzer was recognized as Louisiana Humanist of the Year in 2006 and has been a regular guest on Nightline, BBC, and ABC News, regarding his work to help rebuild communities along the Gulf Coast. Spitzer has produced over a dozen LP/CD recordings of American music.

Doug Hall, Doug Hall Doug began his inventing career at age 12, inventing and selling a line of magic and juggling kits. After earning a chemical engineering degree from the University of Maine he joined Procter & Gamble where he rose to the rank of Master Marketing Inventor - inventing and shipping a record 9 innovations in 12 months using a disciplined system for thinking smarter & more creatively about growth. Doug’s the founder and CEO of the Eureka! Ranch located in Cincinnati with offices in London, UK and Monterrey, Mexico. The Ranch is an “invention & research think tank” that specializes in helping corporate leaders and real world entrepreneurs develop Measurably Smarter choices for growth. Corporate clients include American Express, Ford, Nike and Walt Disney.

Liz Lerman, Hiking the Horizontal: Making Rules Breaking Rules - Liz Lerman is a choreographer, performer, writer, educator, and speaker; described by The Washington Post as “the source of an epochal revolution in the scope and purposes of dance art,” her dance/theater works have been seen throughout the United States and abroad. She founded Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in 1976 and has cultivated the company’s unique multi-generational ensemble into a leading force in contemporary dance. Liz has been the recipient of numerous honors, including, in 2002, a MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship, and her work has been commissioned by Lincoln Center, American Dance Festival, BalletMet, and the Kennedy Center, among many others.

Joe Lstiburek, Innovations & Implications of Renovation - Joseph Lstiburek, B.A.Sc., M.Eng., Ph.D., P.Eng., is a principal of Building Science Corporation. He is a building scientist who investigates building failures and is internationally recognized as an authority on moisture related building problems and indoor air quality. He is a member of ASTM and the past chairman of ASTM E241 – Increasing the Durability of Building Assemblies from Moisture Induced Damage. He is a contributor and reviewer of Chapters 21 and 22 of ASHRAE Fundamentals. Dr. Lstiburek is an ASHRAE fellow and a voting member of ASHRAE Standard 62 – Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. He is also a voting member of both the ASHRAE Technical Committee 4.3 Ventilation Requirements and Infiltration and ASHRAE Technical Committee 4.4 Building Materials and Building Envelope Performance.  Dr. Lstiburek is an acclaimed public speaker and lecturer in building science. His seminars and presentations on building durability issues are attended by hundreds of architects, engineers, builders, and property managers in the United States each year.  Dr. Lstiburek received an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto, a masters degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Doctorate in Building Science at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lstiburek has been a licensed Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario since 1982.

Marci Rossell, Creative Economy; Re-forming Business, Government &
 Personal Finance - Former Economist for CNBC - Marci Rossell electrifies audiences nationwide, speaking on the nexus of economics, politics, culture and the media. Her animated style was honed when she served as the popular, lively Chief Economist for CNBC in the months immediately following September 11th.  Prior to her career in broadcast journalism, Marci served as Corporate Economist and Investment Spokesperson for OppenheimerFunds, one of the nation's largest mutual fund companies. Before moving to Wall Street, she was an expert witness for Deloitte and Touche in court cases involving economic issues. Marci began her career as an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.  She brings a world of experience--from Main Street to Wall Street--when discussing the U.S. economy, international events and movements in capital markets.

Special Guests:

Governor John Baldacci, Governor of Maine - JOHN ELIAS BALDACCI is serving his second four-year term as Maine’s Governor.  Born and raised in Bangor, Governor Baldacci was first elected to public office in 1978, earning a seat on the Bangor City Council at the age of 23. In 1982, he was elected to the Maine State Senate, where he served for twelve years. John Baldacci was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994.  He was re-elected to Congress by wide margins in 1996, 1998, and 2000.
John Elias Baldacci was first elected Governor of the State of Maine in 2002.  In his first term as Governor, Baldacci won approval for major initiatives including Dirigo Health, the Community College System, and Pine Tree Zones. Governor Baldacci, in his second term, is building on the foundation he created in his first four years in office.  He is working to increase Maine's competitiveness in the global economy; streamline government services; attract good paying jobs; and ensure all Mainers have access to quality education, workforce training, and health care. Governor Baldacci was born on January 30, 1955.  He is a graduate of the University of Maine in Orono.  The Governor resides with his wife, Karen, and son, Jack, at the Blaine House in Augusta.

Carol Colson - Director of Community Relations and Communication, Bangor Savings Bank

Donna McNeil, Director of the Maine Arts Commission - As Director of the Maine Arts Commission, Donna McNeil is responsible for overseeing the cultural well being of the State of Maine through support for artists and arts organizations. She joined the Maine Arts Commission staff in 2003 as Contemporary Art and Public Art Associate where she oversaw the advancement of artists through advocacy, grants, professional development and the percent for art program. Donna sits on the board of the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Maine Film Commission, the Maine-Aomori Sister City Council and the Governors Quality of Place Council. She has served as a juror for the National Endowment for the Arts and worked extensively with Creative Capital Foundation. She holds a BFA in Painting from Syracuse University and a MLA in Art History from Harvard University. Donna has devoted a lifetime to the arts in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, holding directorial and curatorial positions in galleries, museums and the performing arts.

Dr. Catherine Renault - Maine's Innovation Investment Strategy - Office of Innovation - Catherine S. Renault serves as the Director, Office of Innovation in the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and as Science Advisor to the Governor. The Office oversees and evaluates all programs that receive state funding for research and development, coordinates efforts between and among the state’s educational, non-profit and for profit research-intensive organizations and develops and implements a science and technology plan for the state consistent with Maine’s overall economic development strategy. The Office manages the budgets for the Maine Technology Institute and the Technology Centers as well as the annual Comprehensive R&D Evaluation.

John Richardson, Maine Community Development Commissioner - John Richardson was appointed by Governor John Baldacci in January 2007. In this role, Richardson oversees the Office of Tourism, Office of Business Development, Office of Innovation and Office of Community Development. He is also responsible for many programs that help Maine businesses, including Maine Business Answers; Maine Small Business Development Centers; Maine International Trade Center; Maine Technology Institute; the Maine Products Marketing Program; and the Pine Tree Zone Program.Before his appointment to DECD, Richardson served as Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.

Performers:

Annarudda Knight - Multicultural Influence ... Learn more on the performer page

Liz Lerman Dance Exchange- Hiking the Horizontal: Making Rules Breaking Rules
 ... Learn more on the performer page