How long does it take the be part of Biddeford?  For some, it takes being here for generations.  For Tammy, it was a matter of just walking down Main Street for the first time in 2004 and resulted in her playing a pivotal role in Biddeford’s downtown transformation.

An entrepreneur with a small graphic design business, she chose Biddeford as her new home.  It didn’t take long for her to be recruited to be an active participant in a cultural planning grant and the downtown master plan.  Her volunteer work led to being President of the Heart of Biddeford’s board.  She eventually founded the non-profit, Engine.  “I had seen through my travels and paying attention to other organizations that arts and culture helped infuse energy and vitality. A community’s growth started snowballing from there.” 

She helped organize a wide array of events from high-quality artist exhibitions to shows where anyone in the community were contributors. “It illustrated the power the arts have in community building and marketing Biddeford itself.”  

As Tammy’s personal situation leads her to relocate away from Biddeford, she offers the following guidance on how to impact change in a community with sensitivity, “… do it with an eye to the past and inclusivity.