Letter From The Executive Director

January 2023

Dear Friends of the Goldfarb Center,

In the U.S. Congress and the United Nations, at local school boards and throughout state legislatures, we face an array of daunting public policy challenges. War in Ukraine. Climate Change. School Curricula. Voting Rights. And the list goes on. From the global to the local, the outcomes of these public policy debates will impact generations to come.

As a college community, how can we advance conversations and find solutions to the challenges we face at the state, national, and global levels? We can do that by bringing world-renowned experts to campus, by helping to place Colby students at the center of the action in Washington, D.C., Augusta, and around the world, and by convening students, faculty, and staff in thoughtful explorations of ideas and reforms. The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs can be a catalyst for solving problems while expanding educational opportunities.

My name is Alison Beyea, and I’m the new executive director of the Goldfarb Center. I’m incredibly excited to join the ranks of the Colby community, a leading innovator in higher education.

For eight years, I was the executive director of the ACLU of Maine, where we fought for a more just and equitable society and tackled some of the toughest issues of the day. I was an adjunct professor at the University of Maine School of Law, focusing on juvenile law and policy, the admissions director at the school, and was the cofounder and an attorney at Kids Legal, a statewide legal services provider for low-income youth in Maine. For the past year, I’ve run Consulting in the Public Interest, a company that develops strategies to help businesses and nonprofits become more innovative and equitable.

Now, I’m thrilled to be able to put my energy and experience to work for the Goldfarb Center and the Colby community. I look forward to partnering with students, faculty, staff and supporters to build on the accomplishments of the past and expand the reach of the center into the future.

I am excited for an engaging and impactful year ahead.

All my best,
Alison

Executive Director
Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, Colby College