Amanda Rector is the State Economist for Maine. In this capacity, she conducts ongoing analysis of Maine's economic and demographic conditions to help inform policy decisions. Amanda is a member of the State of Maine’s Revenue Forecasting Committee and serves as the Governor’s liaison to the U. S. Census Bureau. She started working for the state in 2004 and has been State Economist since 2011.
She earned a BA in Economics from Wellesley College and her Master's in Public Policy and Management from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine. Amanda is originally from mid-coast Maine and now lives in Union with her family.
Laura Yeitz serves as Data Communication Specialist for the Office of the State Economist (OSE). In this capacity, she collaborates closely with the State Economist to facilitate the accessibility of economic and demographic data, analysis, visualizations, and trends to a diverse audience, with a specific emphasis on expanding public access to demographic data. Her role includes website maintenance for the OSE, the creation of data visualizations and communications tailored for both internal and external audiences, and active involvement in advising senior executive leadership on research findings and analytical outcomes for informed policy development.
Prior to joining the OSE, Laura worked at the Maine Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Southern Maine where she spent over six years providing applied research and technical assistance to a variety of private and public sector organizations across the state addressing economic development and workforce challenges.
Laura holds a Master’s in Policy, Planning, and Management and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Geographic Information Systems from the University of Southern Maine and a BS in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University.
Denise St. Peter serves as Economic Analyst for the Office of the State Economist in the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services. In this role, she leads the Maine State Data Center and tracks and analyzes state, regional, and national economic and demographic trends.
Before joining the State of Maine, Denise worked in the Maine nonprofit sector for nine years, focusing on economic and community development, housing, access to finance, and conservation.
Denise has a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Tufts University and a master’s degree in African Studies from Stanford University.
Megan Bailey serves as Senior Economic Analyst in the Maine Office of the State Economist. In this role, she works closely with the State Economist to conduct ongoing analysis of Maine’s economic and demographic conditions to help inform policy decisions. She also provides staff support to the State of Maine’s Consensus Economic Forecasting Commission.
Prior to joining Maine state government, she worked as an economist with NOAA Fisheries and in community and economic development at the Island Institute. Most recently she oversaw research in regional economics at the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center. She received her BA in Economics and MS in Economics and Policy from the University of Maine.
Megan is originally from central Maine and now lives with her husband in Mount Desert.