Meet Devan Arnold

I didn't take a straight path to where I am today — and I think that's exactly why I'm running.

I grew up in rural Maine, and like a lot of people here, I figured out early that getting ahead meant working hard and asking for help when you needed it. I dropped out of college, started a family, and spent years working in auto parts trying to make ends meet.

What changed things for me was the community college system in Maine. I enrolled at Southern Maine Community College while working second shift at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick. Without that, I would be stuck spinning my wheels. When I ran out of classes to take at SMCC, my family made the decision together to move to Orono so I could finish what I started. I completed my Bachelor’s in Financial Economics at UMaine in 2021 and my Master's in Economics in 2024. I worked hard to get there, but I also know that I didn't do it alone.

I now work as a research assistant at education non-profit, conducting education research around topics such as energy, community, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) integration. I get to think hard about how systems work — and more importantly, about how they can work better for the people who depend on them.

I live in Milford with my family. I volunteer at our local school, serve on the PTO, and even had the chance to coach the middle school chess team. I'm involved because this is my community, and I think you show up for the place you call home.

I'm running for the Maine House because I've lived the kinds of problems that end up on legislators' desks, and I've spent years building the skills to do something about them. If you're wondering whether your representative understands what it actually costs to raise a family in rural Maine, to stretch a paycheck, or to try to get ahead without a lot of margin for error — I do. And I'll bring that understanding with me to Augusta every single day