Experienced nonprofit and education leader will advance the organization’s mentoring mission across Cumberland and York counties.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine (BBBSSM) has appointed Mary Ellen Auriemma as its next Executive Director, effective August 3, 2026. Auriemma will lead the organization’s work to create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of young people throughout Cumberland and York counties.
“Mary Ellen stood out for her ability to translate a compelling mission into measurable results,” said Bill Williams, Chair of the BBBSSM Board of Directors. “She brings strategic leadership, operational discipline and a deep commitment to expanding opportunity for young people. The board is confident that she is the right leader to build on BBBSSM’s strong foundation and guide the organization into its next chapter.”
Auriemma was selected following a competitive search led by a committee of BBBSSM board members. The committee included members with extensive experience in national executive searches and evaluated candidates based on leadership experience, commitment to the mission and ability to guide the organization’s continued development and impact.
The board extends its appreciation to Eileen Veroneau Brown, BBBSSM’s Development Director, for serving as Interim Executive Director and providing steady leadership, continuity and support throughout the transition.
Auriemma brings more than 20 years of experience building and leading mission-driven initiatives. Most recently, she served as the inaugural Executive Director of Educating for American Democracy (EAD), hosted by the Adams Presidential Center in Quincy, Massachusetts. There, she led development of the initiative’s inaugural strategic plan and oversaw implementation and reporting for a major multiyear foundation grant.
Prior to EAD, Auriemma spent nearly two decades at the College Board, where she ultimately served as Executive Director of State and District Partnerships. She led a $99 million portfolio, built partnerships with education leaders across the country, helped scale a pilot initiative from 111 schools to more than 2 million students nationwide, and developed high-performing multidisciplinary teams while strengthening employee engagement and organizational culture.
Auriemma began her career as a high school social studies teacher and instructional leader in Missouri, where she designed inquiry-based curriculum, created immersive civic learning experiences, and developed a lifelong commitment to expanding opportunities for young people. Her classroom experience continues to shape her belief that consistent, trusted adult relationships help young people realize their full potential.
Her appointment comes as BBBSSM works to expand access to high-quality mentoring, strengthen community partnerships and ensure that more young people benefit from consistent, professionally supported mentoring relationships.
“I have seen throughout my career what becomes possible when young people are surrounded by caring adults who believe in them and help open doors,” Auriemma said. “BBBSSM has built an extraordinary network of mentors, staff, families and community partners. I am honored to join that community and look forward to listening, learning and working together to bring the power of mentoring to more young people across Southern Maine.”
Auriemma holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, magna cum laude, from Villanova University; a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Missouri–St. Louis; and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of St. Francis. She lives in Kennebunk and serves on the Leadership Committee for Blood Cancer United’s Student Visionaries of the Year campaign in Boston.
