Mary Ann Kristiansen, left, and Julianna Dodson (Photos: LinkedIn profiel photo/Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship website)
The board of directors of Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship in Keene and its founder and long-time Executive Director Mary Ann Kristiansen mutually agreed that Kristiansen would leave the organization as of Oct. 25. Julianna Dodson, the deputy executive director and director of Radically Rural, was appointed as the new executive director.
“On behalf of the board of directors, we extend our best wishes to Mary Ann and express our gratitude for her dedication and hard work in shaping The Hannah Grimes Center into what it is today,” states Deirdre Fitzgerald, board president in a press release. “The parties will not be sharing details but wish each other well.”
Fitzgerald went on to say, “Furthermore, the Board is delighted to share that Julianna Dodson, the Deputy Executive Director and Director of Radically Rural, will be stepping into the role of HGC’s Executive Director, bringing her passion and expertise to the organization.”
Dodson joined HGC in 2021 as the director of Radically Rural, a grassroots movement founded by HGC and the Keene Sentinel, created to amplify collective rural impact by connecting people and ideas from all over the country. Since then, she has expanded the annual conference to year-round programming and has grown its reach with attendees from 49 states, D.C., and Canada. In 2022, Dodson added deputy executive director to her responsibilities, overseeing human resources, finance, operations, and programming.
Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship was founded in 2006 and provides the space, tools, and connections to help entrepreneurs build their businesses in the Monadnock Region. HGC provides workshops, specialized educational and training programs, as well as peer networking and learning.