Governor Mills Announces Director of Maine Office of New Americans

Tarlan Ahmadov, a seasoned workforce leader and former state refugee coordinator, will begin on January 21

Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has appointed Tarlan Ahmadov, a seasoned workforce development leader and former state refugee coordinator, as the first director of the Maine Office of New Americans (ONA).

Ahmadov has more than 20 years of experience in employment, immigration, refugee, health, and social services. He currently oversees statewide employment programs at the Maine Department of Labor. He will begin his new role at ONA, a division of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF), on January 21, 2025.

The Office of New Americans, approved by the Legislature, is charged (PDF) with making Maine a home of opportunity for all, strengthening Maine's workforce, enhancing the vibrancy of Maine's communities, and building a strong economy. With unemployment at record lows, and economic growth among the best in the nation, Maine faces a shortage of workers across regions, professions, and skill levels, especially in critical sectors such as health care, education, and construction.

Improving how Maine connects new Americans to employers is among several key strategies to addressing the state's workforce needs.

"Tarlan Ahmadov's deep experience helping new Mainers adjust, step into jobs, and contribute to our state has prepared him well to lead the Office of New Americans," said Governor Janet Mills. "Tarlan's leadership will ensure that our workforce and economy can fully benefit from the valuable skills, knowledge, and work ethic of new Americans who make their home in Maine."

"I am honored to lead Maine's Office of New Americans and grateful to Governor Mills for the opportunity to advance its mission," said Tarlan Ahmadov. "In this role, I will strengthen workforce integration, support immigrant entrepreneurs, and foster welcoming communities across the state. I look forward to collaborating with community leaders, employers, state and municipal agencies, nonprofit, foundations, and other partners to build a stronger, more inclusive Maine where everyone can succeed and contribute to our collective success."

"Tarlan Ahmadov is the right person to lead Maine's Office of New Americans," said Hannah Pingree, Director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. "His deep relationships with Maine immigrant communities and businesses, forged through his work coordinating refugee resettlement and partnering with employers to connect Maine residents to jobs, position him well for the work ahead. His leadership will be rooted in the feedback we solicited from hundreds of people across Maine's communities and businesses about the mission of this new office. We look forward to collaborating with the Legislature, immigrant leaders, communities, employers and our many other partners as we fully launch the Office of New Americans in January."

As director of the Division of Programs at MDOL's Bureau of Employment Services since 2022, Ahmadov has overseen statewide initiatives supporting business outreach, apprenticeships, veterans, and unemployed, laid off, and dislocated workers. Prior to joining DOL, he was Maine's state refugee coordinator with Catholic Charities Maine from March 2017 to July 2022. In that role, he administered Federal services to asylees and refugees, including employment, skills training, health care, and social services. He previously served as Catholic Charities director of refugee and immigration services overseeing refugee resettlement.

Prior to his immigration to the United States, Ahmadov worked in the education field in Baku, Azerbaijan, and later joined the non-profit sector. He has a master's degree in history and social sciences from Baku State University and is currently pursuing a PhD in public policy at the University of Southern Maine.

"I have worked closely with Tarlan Ahmadov in his role as Program Director in MDOL's Bureau of Employment Services. His deep understanding of the challenges facing new Mainers as well as the richness of knowledge and skills they bring to Maine makes him uniquely qualified for this new role leading the Office of New Americans," said Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman. "Tarlan's experience in both workforce development and social services will benefit new Mainers and Maine businesses."

"The Maine State Chamber looks forward to working with Tarlan Ahmadov as Maine's first director of the Office of New Americans," said Patrick Woodcock, President and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. "Recently authorized workers are key contributors to the Maine economy and this office can assist, connect, and help position new Americans and Maine employers alike for success. The Maine State Chamber congratulates Tarlan and looks forward to collaborating on the Office of New Americans' important work."

"Having known Tarlan for more than 20 years, I can't think of a better person to serve the State of Maine in this role," said Steve Letourneau, CEO of Catholic Charities Maine. "Tarlan's personal journey as a 'new American' makes him uniquely qualified and, as I saw in his time at Catholic Charities Maine, he relishes taking on new challenges and encouraging everyone he encounters on a path to success. I look forward to collaborating with his office and trust with Tarlan as Director, Maine's Office of New Americans will be well-positioned to welcome immigrants and cultivate their positive impact on our economy, workforce, and communities."

"Tarlan is a great choice for the director of the Office of New Americans," said Claude Rwaganje, Executive Director of Prosperity Maine. "He has been working hard for decades to support the new Mainer community and now at the helm of ONA he will continue to use his strengths and experience to welcome them into Maine's communities and economy. Congratulations to Tarlan, we look forward to working with him in this new capacity."

"ILAP is thrilled with the announcement that Tarlan Ahmadov will head Maine's new Office of New Americans," said Sue Roche, Executive Director at the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP). "Tarlan brings with him many years of invaluable experience serving Maine's immigrant communities and a deep understanding of the needs and issues that communities face. Our state is in need of the wealth of experience and knowledge that immigrants bring and ILAP looks forward to supporting ONA's work, which will be a tremendous benefit to all Maine people -- whether they have lived here for generations or are newly calling Maine home."

"Maine Community Colleges are thrilled to welcome Tarlan in this critical role," said Maine Community College System President David Daigler. "Tarlan's deep knowledge of Maine's employer and industry needs, his profound understanding of the realities and assets of our many immigrant communities, and his strong collaborative spirit make him ideal to lead this important work. Maine Community Colleges remain committed to helping realize the career and life goals of Maine's immigrant and refugee communities. Whether we are optimizing the integration of previously acquired skills of our internationally trained professionals or supporting the learning of new skills of so many here in Maine, MCCS will be at the forefront. Our State, our communities and our industries depend on it."

"The success of American Roots is a testament to what Maine can accomplish by welcoming new Americans into our communities and businesses," said Ben Waxman, CEO and Co-Founder of American Roots in Westbrook. "The new Americans who have joined and built this company are making high-quality clothing in the state we love and demonstrating that the American dream is possible. We congratulate Tarlan Ahmadov on his appointment and look forward to his leadership of this important office."

"We are delighted that Tarlan Ahmadov, a respected leader in the state's workforce development and refugee sectors, will be the first director of the Maine Office of new Americans," said Betsy Biemann, CEO, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. "His deep understanding of Maine's economy and communities as well as his ability to listen to and build connections across stakeholders will be invaluable in this important role."

"The hiring of Tarlan Ahmadov as Director of ONA is another step in the right direction," said Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director of Maine Immigrants Rights Coalition. "I am looking forward to continue working with him in this new role to create policies that advance immigrant families in Maine."

"I am thrilled that Governor Mills has appointed Tarlan Ahmadov to lead the Office of New Americans," said Marpheen Chann, Executive Director of Khmer Maine and project lead for Maine's first Asian American Community Center. "Tarlan is collaborative by nature and understands the hard work needed to build community buy-in and consensus."

"I am overjoyed to congratulate Tarlan Ahmadov on his well-deserved appointment as Director of the Office of New Americans," said Zoe Sahloul, Executive Director, New England Arab American Organization. "This is a reflection of the years of tireless dedication, compassion, and deep understanding Tarlan has shown to Maine's immigrant communities. His leadership, insight, and passion have already left a lasting mark, and I have no doubt that in this new role, his impact will only grow stronger. At a time when Maine needs the diverse knowledge, resilience, and contributions of its immigrant communities more than ever, Tarlan's appointment brings hope, vision, and a promise of progress."

"I simply couldn't be happier that Tarlan has been chosen to be at the helm of this joyful, necessary and vital task," said Kerem Durdag, CEO of GWI and Managing Founder/Partner of Indus Fund. "Immigrants are a vibrant, indelible and integrative part of Maine society. Like all citizens, we contribute to the greater good, serve as leaders, contribute to the relevance of our economy at a regional and national scale, support our families, and share in humanity at large. Tarlan and ONA are a starting manifestation of our collective commitment to Maine society. As we say in Turkish, 'may all our roads be open.'"

"We are thrilled that Tarlan Ahmadov has been selected to serve as the Director of Maine's Office of New Americans," said Melissa Skahan, Vice President, Mission Integration and Support Services of Northern Light Mercy Hospital. "With his depth of experience and proven leadership, Tarlan will undoubtedly create new opportunities to strengthen language acquisition efforts in Maine and advance our diverse workforce. We look forward to working closely with him."

Governor Mills signed an Executive Order in August 2023 directing GOPIF to create a plan for establishing an Office of New Americans in Maine.

Throughout the fall of 2023, GOPIF undertook an extensive stakeholder outreach effort to solicit input on the ONA plan, which included over 100 meetings with more than 800 individuals from every county in Maine representing municipalities, schools and colleges, employers, chambers of commerce, community-based organizations, and immigrant communities. Governor Mills unveiled the plan to establish the ONA in January 2024.

Representative Deqa Dhalac of South Portland introduced legislation on behalf of the Governor to create the Office of New Americans, consistent with the plan, and the most recent supplemental budget funded two positions within ONA.

"Tarlan Ahmadov has dedicated his career to serving Maine's immigrant communities and partnering with employers to strengthen Maine's economy," said Representative Deqa Dhalac. "I am confident that under his leadership, the Office of New Americans will unlock more economic potential for our state by supporting new immigrants to become engaged and self-sufficient members of our communities through innovation and entrepreneurship."

The plan proposes that ONA focuses on strengthening English-language acquisition opportunities, building workforce pathways and support for entrepreneurs, improving coordination of organizations and entities that support immigrants, including communities, schools, and employers, engaging in federal immigration policies to benefit Maine, and improving Maine's data about its immigrant populations. The plan also calls for the creation of a 19-member advisory council to advise ONA on matters related to the long-term economic and civic integration of immigrants in Maine. GOPIF will provide further information about the advisory council membership in mid-January, as part of ONA's launch.

With the establishment of an ONA, Maine became the 19th state in the country to join the Office of New Americans State Network, a consortium of U.S. states with dedicated offices or staff for coordinating immigrant integration. The Network, which has since grown to 22 states, is coordinated by a partnership of two organizations, World Education Services and the American Immigration Council. Through the Network, the State will access expertise, experiences, and best practices from states across the country on developing policy approaches to support the successful economic, social, and civic integration of immigrants.

Given Federal constraints in immigration law, Governor Mills, in partnership with members of Maine's Congressional Delegation, has consistently called on the Federal government to expedite work authorization for individuals seeking asylum. Earlier this month, responding to advocacy from Governor Mills, U.S. Senator Angus King, and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, the Department of Homeland Security permanently increased the automatic extension to expiring work authorizations for immigrants and asylum seekers from 180 days to up to 540 days. Governor Mills remains committed to working with the incoming federal Administration and colleagues in Congress to advance comprehensive immigration reforms that reflect Maine's values, strengthen its economy, and meet the needs of Maine's communities.

To download the Office of New American Plan in English, or translations of the plan's Executive Summary in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Somali, Lingala, or Arabic, please visit http://www.maine.gov/future/ona.