Food Bank Board Chair Announces Planned Transition as Nationwide Search Begins
Kristen Miale has announced that she will step down as president of Good Shepherd Food Bank at the end of the organization’s fiscal year on June 30, 2023. Miale has led the Food Bank since 2012 and has guided the organization through transformational growth during her tenure. She will be exploring opportunities for the future while the Food Bank’s board of directors embarks on a nationwide search to fill the role.
“Good Shepherd Food Bank is incredibly fortunate to have had Kristen at the helm for such a long period of time,” said Ben Sprague, chair of the Food Bank’s board of directors. “Kristen and her leadership team have brought ending hunger to the forefront in Maine and have elevated the organization’s reach and impact in terms of closing Maine’s meal gap and addressing the root causes of hunger.”
Under Miale’s leadership, the Food Bank has grown its food distribution from 10.7 million meals in 2010 to 29 million meals last year, with a focus on improving access to nutritious and culturally relevant foods. In addition, the organization has expanded the network of organizations with which it partners, understanding that community organizations are best positioned to understand unique localized needs. In recent years, the Food Bank has expanded its advocacy platform and doubled down on its commitment to elevating the voices and experiences of those individuals and populations most impacted by hunger as a means of identifying solutions to address the root causes of the problem.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done over the past 10 years,” Miale says. “We have shifted the organization’s focus from simply distributing surplus food to improving access to nutritious and culturally relevant food and from talking about hunger as an individual issue to acknowledging that hunger is rooted in systemic inequities and injustices that cause and perpetuate poverty. I have learned so much from this experience and the people with whom I’ve had the privilege of working.”
Sprague says that the Food Bank’s board of directors has formed a committee to lead the search for a new president, which he anticipates will be a highly sought-after position.
“While it will be hard to see such a talented leader and passionate visionary leave the organization in June, we are excited for Kristen as she explores what is next for her career, and we have great confidence in the entire Good Shepherd Food Bank team to continue its impactful work,” remarked Sprague. “The talent of the team here and the exceptional partnerships we’ve established across the state and country will make this a very attractive position for a person who has a passion for ending hunger in Maine.”
Miale believes now is the right time for her to hand the reins of the Food Bank over to a new leader.
“The Food Bank has never been in a stronger position in terms of partners, resources, staff, and board leadership,” says Miale. “At the same time, the organization is in the midst of strategic planning for the future, and it’s the right time for a new leader to step in to join our team, partners, and communities and help guide the Food Bank as it continues its mission of ending hunger in Maine. There is much work to be done, and I’m excited to see how the organization continues to grow and partner with communities and Mainers statewide.”