DACF Announces Senior Staff Appointments

April 2, 2019

For more information contact: Tom Gordon at: 207-287-4986

Maine Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry Amanda Beal has announced her appointment of Nancy McBrady as Director of the Bureau of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources, and Emily Horton as Director of Policy & Community Engagement.

Nancy McBrady has served as the Executive Director of the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine. She joined the Wild Blueberry Commission in 2015 and directed programs for marketing and promotion, research and development, and policy engagement. During her tenure, McBrady has overseen the launch of a national school foodservice program that has resulted in a 157% increase in purchases of frozen Maine wild blueberries by public schools.

McBrady, a Lewiston, Maine native, earned a B.A. at Williams College and began her career as a management consultant with AT Kearney in Chicago, before returning to Maine to attend the University of Maine School of Law. She went on to practice environmental, land use, and municipal law at one of the state's largest law firms. McBrady possesses a wealth of regulatory and policy experience, and a great enthusiasm for agriculture and its importance to Maine.

"We are very fortunate to have Nancy join us in this leadership role in the Bureau of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources. Nancys experience and creativity, along with her energy and passion for supporting farmers, will greatly benefit our work within the Department and our overall efforts to serve Maines diverse agricultural sector, says Commissioner Beal.

Emily Horton has worked as the Agriculture and Natural Resource Representative for Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. Horton has worked on natural resource-related policy issues at both the state and federal level for more than a decade. Through the 2018 Farm Bill, Horton worked to advance programs that support Maines resource-based economies, such as through broadband expansion, conservation and research funding, and value-added markets.

Horton grew up on a farm in Waldo County where her family ran a small woodlot and operated a diversified farm. She holds a B.S. degree in Environmental Studies from Lesley University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of New England. Previously, she worked at the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association and was the Health Promotion Manager at Central Maine Medical's Healthy Androscoggin Healthy Maine Partnership.

Beal added, Nancy and Emily are each talented, knowledgeable and well-respected individuals, and to welcome them both as they join us at the Department simultaneously is truly exciting."

Supporting documents

Nancy McBrady, Director of the Bureau of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources

Emily Horton, Director of Policy & Community Engagement