*05/13/16 Dana Eidsness, Dir. Maine North Atlantic Dev. Office

Posted by Bob Martin 
 
Dana joined the Maine International Trade Center in January 2014 to open and run the newly-formed Maine North Atlantic Development Office (MENADO). As Director, Dana works with MITC, Invest in Maine and other partners to develop trade and investment opportunities for Maine businesses in North Atlantic markets, including Northern Europe, Scandinavia and Eastern Canada. Additionally, Dana is a leader with the Arctic Council, the North Atlantic Ocean Cluster Alliance, and other Arctic and North Atlantic-related organizations, to represent Maine’s interests, and to ensure that the state is included in important discussions regarding North Atlantic resources, sustainable development and emerging trade routes.
 
Dana will share the significance of the upcoming Arctic Council meeting to be held in Portland this October. Secretary of State John Kerry will host the gathering of senior leaders from Council Members Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the U.S. High-level representatives will also attend from Observer states, which include China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the U.K.
 
Prior to rejoining MITC, Dana served as Director of International Business for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, managing their international program and Shanghai Office; she was Executive Director of the Forum on Democracy & Trade from 2009-2011, Vermont Director of International Trade, and Director of the Vermont Global Trade Partnership from 2005-2009. In her early career, she worked as a regional director for the Maine International Trade Center, and as an International Project Manager for the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce and National Institute of Standards and Technology. She also worked in the private sector as an international business development consultant.
 
Dana holds a B.A. in International Studies, with a minor in International Business and emphasis on Chinese language and culture from Dominican University in San Rafael, CA. She completed 2 years of study at World College West (now Presidio World College in San Francisco) in the International Service and Development Program.
 
Dana lives on Orr’s Island with her husband and two daughters.