What We Do

• Encourage and mentor Maine's youth to embrace a life of character.
• Create a program of specific activities targeting middle school students to provide them the opportunities to develop their unique character potential.
• Establish a financially viable scholarship endowment that will self-perpetuate.
• Bring together parents, educators, scholarship recipients, board members and advisory board members to promote, build and maintain a significant statewide program.

Board Members

Judy Katzel

Judy is president of Burgess Advertising – provides leadership and manages day-to-day operations, directs new business development and provides strategic planning and account supervision for agency’s top accounts—including Efficiency Maine and Mercy Hospital.  She currently serves as President of Mainely Character, on the President’s Advisory Council for Southern Maine Community College, and is Treasurer of The New England Society of Health Care Communicators and is a past president of the Maine Public Relations Council. She was recently appointed to serve on the Maine Governor’s Council on Physical Activity.

Curtis Milder

Curtis Mildner is President and owner of Market Decisions a survey research firm that specializes in research for health care, public policy and business.  He has served in senior management positions at a Fortune 500 utility, an architectural products company, and a communications service business. He has an MBA from the University of Virginia and a Bachelors of Science degree from Rutgers University.  With one son a recent college graduate and another son in college, he understands both the importance of a college degree and the difficulty in paying for it. 

Annalee Rosenblatt

Annalee Rosenblatt, Labor Relations/Human Resources Consultant for over 30 years in Maine. Member and former chair of the Scarborough Board of Education, Chair of the Scarborough 350th Anniversary Celebration Committee. Former Chair of Mainely Character Board. "Mainely Character" offers students an opportunity to be recognized for their civic contribution to their school, Town, state or country which makes participation an attractive and worthwhile way to spend my time and energy. Seeing the wonderful qualities of our young people during the scholarship awarding process makes the time so very worthwhile.

Mary Lynn Engel

Mary Lynn has 30 years in the marketing and communications industry, including development of brand positioning for a Fortune 50 Company and brand positioning for Case Western Reserve University 's largest college and library.  Mary Lynn is currently handling the marketing communications for the Institute for Civic Leadership and is an adjunct professor of marketing and communications at Southern Maine Community College, University of Southern Maine and St. Joseph's College.

Robert Caswell

As executive director of public affairs, Bob Caswell is responsible for the University of Southern Maine’s communications, community relations, and legislative advocacy. He is a former president of the Maine Public Relations Council, and was named the recipient of the Council’s Edward L. Bernays Award for outstanding achievements in public relations.  Bob, a 1974 USM graduate, currently is a member of the Maine Press Association Board of Directors, and chairs the association’s Hall of Fame Committee.   He and his wife, Diane, are residents of Gorham.

Peter DeWitt

Pete serves as the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Time Warner Cable’s New England Division headquartered in Portland, Maine. He’s a 1993 graduate of the University of Maine Orono with a BA in Secondary Education, a BS in Political Science and a Masters in Public Administration. Pete currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Maine Lakes Conservancy Institute and the Maine Public Relations Council. He shares his home with his wife, Cathie and three girls under the age of 10 – Madeleine, Grace and Mary. He has become a local expert in all things Hannah Montana and knows all the stores in the southern Maine area that carry Webkinz.

Patrick Dooley

Patrick is the owner of Dooley New Media, an idea shop primarily focused on producing quality web sites. He has eight years experience producing successful web sites, leading to long term mutually beneficial relationships. He enjoys the opportunity to work with inspiring individuals such as the Mainely Character Scholarship Program, Global Children United, and the Ever After Mustang Rescue Ranch.