Gov. Mills, Girl Scouts of Maine, and CMP Promote Women in STEM and Trades
April 16, 2024
CMP and Girl Scouts of Maine hold their first “Girl Scouts Unplugged” event attended by Governor Janet Mills and Girl Scouts of Maine CEO, Mara Robinov-Moorhead
Augusta, ME—On Tuesday, 50 Girl Scouts from Girl Scouts of Maine took part in a hands-on career open house at Central Maine Power (CMP) headquarters in Augusta, Maine, and the CMP Lineworker Training Facility in Farmingdale, Maine.
The all-day event called “Girl Scouts Unplugged” was a first-of-its-kind partnership between Girl Scouts of Maine and CMP, and featured a demonstration of lineworker skills, an opportunity for Girl Scouts to go up in a utility truck bucket, a tour of CMP’s Energy Control Center, and a seed sorting activity centered around biodiversity.
The Girl Scouts, who were selected to attend by lottery, were also able to ask questions of CMP women leaders during a special Q&A panel discussion that included Maine Governor Janet Mills. The discussion was moderated by Girl Scouts of Maine CEO, Mara Robinov-Moorhead.
Panelists included:
- Katie Manende: Manager, Vegetation Management, CMP
- Katie Yates, Manager, Community Relations, CMP
- Samantha Gray, Second Class Lineworker, CMP
“Today’s event showed the next generation of Maine women leaders that they can succeed in construction, engineering, utilities, the trades, and other fields once dominated by men,” said Governor Janet Mills. “No matter what these girls decide to set their minds to, I want them to know that there are rewarding career opportunities for them right here in Maine, that we need and want them to succeed, and that we will do all we can to support them as they work hard to achieve that success and happiness in their lives.”
“Avangrid is very proud to be a utility industry leader in hiring women into its workforce and into leadership positions,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “We will continue to commit to pursuing equality in the makeup of our employees, and today’s event was the perfect opportunity to showcase this concerted work.”
“We're excited to offer Girl Scouts a dynamic learning experience with CMP, rooted in one of our four key pillars—STEM,” said Mara Robinov-Moorhead, Girl Scouts of Maine CEO. “Together, we have created a program for girls in our community that opens doors to career paths in the energy sector. The panel discussion with CMP's women leaders inspired our girls, showing them possibilities for their futures and nurturing their dreams.”
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, women make-up 26% of the energy workforce, and the International Energy Agency reports that only 13% of women in the industry hold senior management roles. At CMP, 26.2% of employees are women, while approximately half of CMP’s leadership team is female.
Below are links to downloadable b/roll video that news media have rights-free permission to use of Tuesday’s event.
B/Roll Sequence of Tours and Panel Discussion: B/Roll 4.16 CMP and Girls Scouts Activities - CMP ECC, Bucket Trucks, Seed Sorting, Safety Demos on Vimeo
B/Roll Sequence of Gov. Mills Lunchtime Visit: Girls Scouts Panel with Gov. Mills - B/roll on Vimeo
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About Central Maine Power: Central Maine Power Company (CMP), a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc., is Maine’s largest electricity transmission and distribution utility. Established in 1899 and based in Augusta, Maine, CMP serves approximately 646,000 customers across 346 communities in central and southern Maine. It operates approximately 23,500 miles of distribution lines and 2,900 miles of transmission lines. Over the last decade, the company has invested approximately $3.5 billion in Maine system infrastructure. For more information, visit www.cmpco.com.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $44 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About Girl Scouts of Maine: Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs across the state of Maine and beyond, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsofmaine.org. For the latest updates follow us on Facebook @GirlScoutsofMaine and Instagram @girlscoutsofmaine.
