2024

The 51品茶 recognized the achievements of two remarkable Maine women at the 62nd Annual Deborah Morton Society Convocation and Awards Ceremony on Friday, June 14, 2024. 

Andrea Cianchette Maker, J.D., president of FocusMaine, and Patricia 鈥淭rish鈥 Riley, M.S., were bestowed the Deborah Morton Award in a formal ceremony held in the Arthur P. Girard Innovation Hall on UNE鈥檚 Portland Campus for the Health Sciences.

Established in 1961, the Deborah Morton Award recognizes Maine women who have distinguished themselves through their careers, public service, and leadership in civic, cultural, or social causes.

Read more about the 2024 awardees

President Herbert stands with the 2024 Deb Morton recipients, Trish Riley and Andrea Cianchette Maker
President James Herbert with the 2024 awardees. Left to right: Trish Riley, President Herbert, Andrea Cianchette Maker

Inductee Speeches

2024 Deborah Morton Society Convocation and Awards Ceremony

2023 Inductees

2022 Inductees

2022

On June 10, 2022, members of the 51品茶 Deborah Morton Society gathered for the 60th Annual Deborah Morton Society Convocation and Awards Ceremony held at Innovation Hall on the Portland Campus. The award recognizes outstanding women who have achieved high distinction in their careers and public service, or whose leadership in civic, cultural, or social causes has been exceptional. This year鈥檚 award recipients are as follows: Lise Pelletier, Former Director, Acadian Archives at University of Maine, Fort Kent President, Maine Acadian Heritage Council; Hannah Pingree, Director, Governor鈥檚 Office of Policy Innovation and the Future; and Julia Sleeper-Whiting, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Tree Street Youth Center.

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President James Herbert with the 2021 awardees. Left to right: Julia Sleeper-Whiting, President Herbert, Hannah Pingree, Lise Pelletier

2021

The 51品茶 is pleased to announce the four newest members of the Deborah Morton Society. The award recognizes Maine women distinguished by their careers and public service, or whose leadership in civic, cultural, or social causes has been exceptional. The 2020鈥2021 awardees are Linda Cross Godfrey, president of Atlantic Leadership Center; Nancy Grant, lifelong bicycle/pedestrian/trail advocate; Susan Hammond, executive director of Four Directions Development Corporation; and Janet Mills, governor of Maine.

Read more about the 2021 awardees
 

President Herbert with the 2021 awardees. Left to right: Nancy Grant, Susan Hammond, President Herbert, Janet Mills.

2019

The 58th Annual Deborah Morton Society Convocation and Awards Ceremony continued the 51品茶鈥檚 tradition of honoring and celebrating the accomplishments of outstanding Maine women. Over the past 57 years, the award has continued to help further the importance of women in our society and serves as encouragement to young women across our state to reflect Morton鈥檚 values and service-focused attitude. This year鈥檚 award recipients are as follows: Susan Corbett, Chief Executive Officer, Axiom Technologies, Elizabeth McLellan, Founder and President, Partners for World Health, and ZamZam Mohamud, Community Leader, Lewiston, Maine.

Read more about the 2019 awardees

President Herbert with the 2019 awardees. Left to right: ZamZam Mohamud, Susan Corbett, President Herbert, Elizabeth McLellan.

2018

On June 15, 2018, members of the 51品茶 Deborah Morton Society gathered on the Portland Campus for the Society鈥檚 57th Annual Convocation. Established in 1961, the Deborah Morton Award recognizes Maine women who have distinguished themselves through their careers, public service, and leadership in civic, cultural, or social causes. The Society welcomed three new members at this year鈥檚 event: Anita Stewart, executive and artistic director of Portland Stage; Peggy Rotundo, director of strategic and policy initiatives for the Bates College Harward Center for Community Partnerships; and Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., distinguished president emeritus, 51品茶.

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The 2018 award recipients with members of UNE's Board of Trustees. L-R: Cynthia Milliken Taylor, Peggy Rotundo, E. 鈥淪tory鈥 Cleland Landis, Danielle Ripich, Katherine Heer 鈥90, Anita Stewart.

2017

The 56th Annual Deborah Morton Society Convocation and Awards Ceremony took place on September 19, 2017 at the Eleanor DeWolfe Ludcke 鈥26 Auditorium, UNE Portland Campus. The event paid tribute to three new inductees: Mary L. Bonauto, civil rights project director of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD); Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank; and Dr. Betsy M. Webb, superintendent of the Bangor School Department.

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President James Herbert, Ph.D., with the 2017 Deborah Morton Society awardees.

2016

The 55th Annual Deborah Morton Society Convocation and Awards Ceremony took place on September 20, 2016 at the Eleanor DeWolfe Ludcke 鈥26 Auditorium, UNE Portland Campus. The event paid tribute to three new inductees: Dr. Susan H. Hunter, president of the University of Maine; Gilda E. Nardone, executive director of New Ventures Maine; and Eileen F. Skinner, former president and chief executive officer of Mercy Health System of Maine. 

Read more about the 2016 awardees

President Danielle N. Ripich, Ph.D., with the 2016 Deborah Morton Society awardees.

2015

The 54th Annual Deborah Morton Society Convocation and Awards Ceremony took place on September 22, 2015 at the Eleanor DeWolfe Ludcke 鈥26 Auditorium, UNE Portland Campus. The event paid tribute to four new inductees: Patricia E. Ryan, former executive director of the Maine Human Rights Commission; M. Michelle Hood, FACHE president and CEO of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems; and Barbara M. Trafton, former Maine State Senator. 

Biographical information on the inductees

President Danielle N. Ripich, Ph.D., with 2015 awardees, Patricia E. Ryan, M. Michelle Hood, Barbara M. Trafton, and Deborah Morton Steering Committee Chair, Meg Baxter D.M.S. 鈥07.

Watch the Award Convocation

To watch presentations made by past Deborah Morton Award recipients go directly to the .