MANP Connects: State Coordination That Benefits Nonprofits
Zoom
Event Details
As Maine communities navigate overlapping challenges including housing pressures, volunteer shortages, climate change, and declining federal support, the state is evolving its approach to working with local partners in order to respond more effectively.
This MANP Connects session will highlight how two key state offices, now operating together within the newly formed Maine Office of Community Affairs (MOCA), are enhancing coordination, streamlining support, and helping communities build resilience from the ground up.
Whether you are new to these offices or already working alongside them, this is an opportunity to learn how state government is adapting and how nonprofits can stay connected, informed, and ready to collaborate.
Cost + Registration
- Free to attend and all are welcome!
- Register to receive access to the live event
- Registrants will receive a confirmation email as well as a reminder email that will be sent one day prior to the event.
- This MANP-hosted webinar will be hosted in Zoom Meeting and we ask participants turn off their cameras and mute themselves when joining.
- Watch previous MANP Connects on our Youtube Channel!
About the Panelists
Brian Ambrette is the Director of the State Resilience Office, where he leads the development and implementation of resilience policies and programs across Maine. He works closely with state agency partners, municipalities, regional councils, and nonprofit and private sector stakeholders to strengthen Maine’s preparedness for climate and infrastructure challenges. Brian supports staff teams for the Community Resilience Partnership, the Floodplain Management Program, and the Flood Ready Maine initiative, and coordinates with partners around the state’s NOAA Climate Resilience grant award. He holds a Master of Environmental Management and a Professional Certificate in Financing and Deploying Clean Energy.
Brian brings expertise in program design and development, stakeholder engagement, and grant administration, with a strong understanding of climate and infrastructure resilience principles, clean energy, and energy efficiency. He is eager to deepen his knowledge of Maine’s financial and administrative processes and continually seeks out new innovations in resilience and clean energy from Maine and beyond. Outside of work, Brian enjoys training for and competing in triathlons, cooking and eating, updating his 100-year-old house, and adventuring with his wife and their dog.
Britt Gleixner-Hayat is a public service leader with more than 15 years of experience designing and managing federally funded programs that promote civic engagement, volunteerism, and community resilience. Britt has led large-scale initiatives in complex environments, including a $50 million USAID program in Ethiopia that provided over 400 sub-grants to community organizations working to increase civic dialogue and volunteer-led change. In Yemen, she managed an $80 million program that supported local partners advancing youth engagement, volunteer leadership, and inclusive governance during a period of political transition. Her work has also taken her to Myanmar, India, Lebanon, Jordan, and Washington D.C., where she has trained staff and volunteers, facilitated cross-sector partnerships, and developed adaptive strategies for community-based service delivery.
Britt has coordinated volunteer teams and civic action campaigns, including voter protection and public engagement efforts. Her work consistently focuses on connecting people to purpose, whether through formal service programs or grassroots civic action. In addition to her professional experience, Britt has served as a mentor and trainer, supporting new leaders in the service sector and advancing a culture of responsive, community-centered engagement. She holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College. Now based in Maine, she brings a strong sense of public mission and collaborative leadership to her role, helping communities thrive through service.