Laurie G. Lachance

Laurie Gagnon Lachance is an American economist and college administrator. Since 2012, she has been the president of Thomas College in Waterville, Maine, and is the first woman to fill that post. She was previously the first woman Maine State Economist and the first woman president of the Maine Development Foundation. She was inducted into the Maine Women's Hall of Fame in 2014.

Early life and education Laurie Gagnon was born in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, the daughter of George V. Gagnon and Mattie Violette Gagnon. She has two sisters. While her father encouraged her to attend college, she did so without having any particular career in mind. Enrolling at Bowdoin College in 1979, she decided to major in economics "because I couldn't get the math course I wanted". for Central Maine Power while pursuing her business degree at Thomas College. In 2012 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. During this time, she also chaired the Maine State Revenue Forecasting Commission. She joined the board of trustees of Thomas College in 2010. In 2012, when Thomas College was conducting a search for a new president, someone asked if Lachance was also being considered and the search committee solicited her application. She is the first woman and first alumna to head the college in its 118-year history. and chair of Educare Central Maine, a Head Start program. She is a board member of Educate Maine and the Maine Economic Growth Council.

Personal She and her husband David Lachance, have two sons and live in Manchester.

Selected papers