Portland, Maine 04101 United States
Where: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies at MECA&D’s Osher Hall, 522 Congress St. Portland, ME 04101 (Google Maps Link)
Parking: Street Parking
When: Friday July 24, 2026. Doors at 2:15PM, films begin at 2:30PM, panel begins at 3:30PM, session ends at 4:30PM Tickets: $17
Panel Info:
Gayle Bowness – Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Gayle Bowness leads the Community Climate Action team at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. We collaborate with and engage coastal communities to envision – and realize – a climate-resilient and thriving future through combining local knowledge and expertise with the best available scientific data. Together, we co-develop and deliver programming that supports knowledge-building, fosters relationships, and strengthens capacities to address climate impacts in Maine. Gayle joined the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in 2005 with a passion to meld science and education. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia and received a Master of Science degree from Lesley University, Massachusetts in Ecological Teaching and Learning. Gayle enjoys living near the coast, paddling during the summer and off-season beach walks with her pups.
Peter Dugas – Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Peter is the Maine State Coordinator for Citizens Climate Education / Citizens Climate Lobby, a nonpartisan grassroots organization focused on effective and equitable climate solutions. He serves as the liaison to the office of Senator Angus King (ME-I), is an EN-ROADS Climate Ambassador and a long-time advocate for finding climate change solutions. He earned a degree in Physics and Engineering from Brown University and lives and works in Portland, Maine.
Orion Breen – E2Tech
Orion Breen is the executive director of the Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine (E2Tech) and was born & raised in rural Maine on an organic farm. He graduated with a degree in Cinema-Television Production from the University of Southern California and has created multiple podcast and video series interviewing leaders in the energy, transportation, housing, nonprofit and political spheres. Orion has long been a champion for Maine businesses—he founded the Buy Local Bangor campaign and was recognized as South Portland’s Business Leader of the Year. He is a housing advocate who holistically connects energy, environment and climate with land use, transportation, affordability and social justice—he created the Yes To Housing podcast & resource center and as president of the South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Community Chamber of Commerce he organized community listening sessions on housing.
Mackenzie Feldman – Re:Wild Your Campus
Mackenzie Feldman is the founder and co-director of Re:wild Your Campus, an organization that works with institutions to eliminate pesticide use and support groundskeepers in the transition to organic, biodiverse landcare. Re:wild Your Campus has partnered with 100+ schools and trained 700+ students through its Advocacy Bootcamp. They have helped improve thousands of acres of campus landscapes, protecting over half a million students annually from toxic pesticide exposure. Mackenzie is a 2026 Forbes 30 U 30 honoree and a 2025 Obama Foundation USA Leader. She holds a MS from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and is the author of the cookbook Groundbakers.
Larissa Holland, ENV-SP, JustME for JustUS
A proud daughter of rural coastal Maine, Larissa works at the intersection of community development, sustainability, and civic engagement. The first in her family to attend college, she earned a degree in Environmental Science & Policy (ES&P) and Architecture from Smith College. Larissa is the Development Advisor for JustME for JustUS (JMJU), a nonprofit that supports young people in rural Maine as they lead climate and civic initiatives in their home communities. She serves as Board Chair of GrowSmart Maine, a statewide nonprofit that helps communities navigate change through smart growth principles. Professionally, Larissa is an aviation sustainability consultant with C&S Companies, where she brings expertise in stakeholder engagement, facilitation, and sustainable infrastructure planning to projects across the country. Outside of work, she enjoys biking, swimming in the ocean, writing, and spending time with her two cats, Robin and Raven.
This Event is Included in: All-Screening Pass Friends of MOFF Pass More info: Outside water is allowed.
AN OPTIMIST | 10.25 minutes | by Allison Silverstein | from: Maine | Short synopsis: Maine is both a climate haven and home to one of the fastest warming bodies of water on the planet. An Optimist. follows Mike, a climate scientist working to keep his chin up and passion alive to keep producing the data we need to track climate change from the bays of Maine.
NODULES | 19.13 minutes | by Jason Jaacks | from: United States | Short synopsis: Two marine scientists’ discoveries about bizarre deep-sea rocks illuminate a growing face-off between science and capitalism on Earth’s last great wilderness.
A FRAGILE VESSEL | 16.3 minutes | by Samuel Díaz Fernández | from: Texas | Short synopsis: The hottest summer on record left Austin scorched and terrified, a city where heat hits hardest in at-risk neighborhoods and communities of color. In the aftermath, the Castañón family walks into the woods, asking themselves: What is heat? At a city-run heat-mapping event, they trace invisible threats, cooling corridors, and exercise small acts of agency, exploring how everyday conversations—at home, with neighbors, with scientists and policymakers—shape the way we live in a world remade by heat.
HYPERSCALED | 19.6 minutes | by Maya Estrera | from: United States | New England Premiere | Short synopsis: Increased energy and water demands from the rapid development of large data centers driven by technological advancements like “AI”, are increasing threats to communities across the Southeast. HYPERSCALED unearths the real world cost of AI as residents fight to get answers about the costly impacts of this water and energy sucking industry. Much like a vampire, the proposed “Project Marvel” is projected to consume unprecedented amounts of water and energy from the backyards of concerned communities.
email moff@maineoutdoorfilmfestival.com with questions!