she/her
Alexandra Forrester
Program Developer, Child Care Business Lab
About Alexandra
Alexandra “Ally” Forrester is the Program Developer for the Child Care Business Lab at Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), a Maine-based community development financial institution with a mission to build just, vibrant and climate-resilient futures for people and communities in Maine and rural regions by integrating finance, business expertise and policy solutions in ways that make the economy work more equitably. Ally serves on the Board of the Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (MaineAEYC) and is a member of Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE).
As CEI’s Program Developer for the Child Care Business Lab, Ally leads Get Licensed, a cohort-based program that coaches individuals through the child care licensing process. She advises prospective and existing child care business owners as they develop business plans and financial forecasts. Ally facilitates expert panels and fosters peer learning among child care professionals.
Prior to joining CEI, Ally opened two elementary schools, one as a founding teacher and another as a school leader. After earning her undergraduate degree, she joined Teach for America and spent several years leading kindergarten classrooms. She has also owned and operated several restaurants, equipping her with valuable business acumen. In her role at CEI, Ally combines her passion for educational equity with her experience launching businesses and non-profit schools.
Education
- Wellesley College, B.A. in Economics, Art History
- Relay Graduate School of Education, M.A. in Teaching
Community Connections
- Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (MaineAEYC), Board of Directors
- Brunswick Youth Soccer League, Coach
Get To Know Alexandra
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation
If you had unlimited resources, where would you travel to?
The Moon!
What album do you return to again and again?
folklore by T.S.
