Maine needs someone who cares about the prosperity of all Mainers. Someone with tested leadership and business acumen and the ability to represent. To show up for Mainer's when it matters. The time is now to bring that leadership to Maine's seat currently occupied by Susan Collins.

Senator Collins votes practically in lock step with her GOP colleagues, not in the interests of Mainers and their hopes and dreams. She has not stood up to the onslaught of hate that the Trump administration has ushered in. She did not stand up for the 95,000 Mainers who will lose their health insurance if/when the ACA is repealed. This needs to stop, and Maine needs fresh leadership in Washington.

Dr. P has created a successful business in Maine and knows what it means to sweat the details. She helps food companies be resilient in the face of changing regulations and consumer desires. Her company, Dirigo Food Safety, is a leader in the industry and not afraid to tackle hard problems and seek solutions.

Dr. P will bring her message of prosperity and hope to all of Maine and help Mainers build resilient local economies and thrive.

Here's the nitty gritty of who I am....

Michele Tidd Pfannenstiel DVM

207-826-8429

62 Blackberry Lane

Cumberland Center, Maine 04021

Dirigo Food Safety LLC Oct 2012- present

Founder and CEO

Create and implement safety and quality programs for food producers and processors across the spectrum of food products. Write HACCP plans, prerequisite programs, and SOPs that comply with current FDA/USDA regulations and industry standards, including GAP, cGMP and GFSI. Build food safety systems to create a culture of food safety for clients. Integrate new processes and products into safety and quality systems. Perform validation testing of new equipment. Write environmental monitoring programs to test for microbial hazards. International HACCP Alliance certified trainer providing accredited HACCP training. ASQ Certified HACCP Auditor. Clients include a wide variety of for profit and not for profit companies seeking to implement and improve food safety systems.

MTPDVM LLC June 2006-June 2012

Veterinarian

Provide consulting services in public health, regulatory and lab animal medicine. Ensure clients conform to all applicable regulatory standards. Provide medical and surgical animal care.

Captain, US Army Veterinary Command June 2006-June 2009

Branch Chief Fort Monmouth and West Point Branches

Manage food inspection and operations at Fort Monmouth New Jersey and West Point New York Branches encompassing a geographic area from Saratoga Springs New York to the Central New Jersey shore; supervise 21 military personnel and 2 civilian employees; oversee all medical and financial operations of 2 veterinary clinics with $300,000 in annual budgets and 3000 patients; provide all aspects of medical care to 30 working dogs and 30 government owned equids including the West Point Mascot Mules. Inspect 50+ facilities for compliance with DOD, FDA and USDA standards including the PMO. Codex Alimentarius, food defense and biosecurity protocols. Maintain and update SOPs, medical records, and personnel files to comply with Congressional mandates. Updated clinic vaccine protocols to reflect AAFP and AAHA Canine Working Group protocols.

Education

June 1996 BA Wellesley College: Majored in Economics and Geology

June 2006 DVM University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine concentration in public health

Honors and Awards

Health Services Professional Scholar: United States Army

Chosen as an Emerging Leader of the AVMA for the Veterinary Leadership Conference Jan 2011 and 2015

EBV Foundation business planning awards March 2014 and Oct 2014

Bibliography

Helicobacter anseris sp. nov. and Helicobacter brantae sp. nov., isolated from feces of resident Canada geese in the greater Boston area.

Fox JG, Taylor NS, Howe S, Tidd M, Xu S, Paster BJ, Dewhirst FE. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2006 Jul;72(7):4633-7.


Show your support for this campaign by endorsing it and sharing why!

  • endorsed

    “I endorse Michele Pfannenstiel because I want to see change that is for a better future in this country, not to chase a long ago whimsical past.”

  • endorsed

    “Michele is a fighter, a woman with a very clear vision who puts others first, and who will bring integrity, intelligence, and action to Washington, DC. I wished I lived in Maine so I could vote for her!”

  • endorsed

    “To an incredibly smart, motivated, and capable candidate who will cut through the garbage and fight for the basic and common goals! Michele is the real deal!”

  • endorsed

    “I'm supporting this candidate because I believe we need more progressives in the Senate and House. We need people who truly care about others. Go get it, Michele.”

  • endorsed

    “My Friend Michele is running! She is good people and one smart cookie that takes no crap!”

April 6, 2017

The nuclear option and the future of the Senate

Today, Susan Collins showed who she really is.  Not a moderate.  Not someone who understands that the Senate isn't supposed to be the free for all that the House is.  Nope.  She showed herself to be the party hack that all us progessives have pretty much known her to be. 

She voted to end the filibuster.

She voted party first, country second and Maine a REALLY distant third.

She supported the GOP when they engaged in the biggest filibuster of them all, not letting Merrick Garland even come up for a vote.   

It is time for a change.  It is time for someone who shows real Maine values.  Real Leadership and really understand how to work with all sorts of people to go to DC for all Mainers. 

Support my candidacy by pledging, writing an endorsement, or sharing this page.

Follow my thoughts on current events at the FaceBook page.

Make your voice heard and send Dr. P to the Senate in 2020 to replace Susan Collins.

February 12, 2017

Getting Organized

We are in the middle of 3 straight days of snow here in Maine. Being housebound in the woods means plenty of time to think while clearing the driveway and raking the roof. I spent some of that time creating a FaceBook page for my candidacy. Say what you will about the environment of FaceBook, they made putting up a candidate page pretty easy.

I've listed my positions on a variety of issues from guns (smart regulations, but no, we are not repealing the 2nd amendment) to taxes (we need big tax breaks for micro-enterprise).

I also spent time reading the FaceBook pages of various activist groups here in Maine, and I am coming up with a plan for visiting all the counties. There are 39 months between now and the Democratic Primary. There are 16 counties in Maine. I am going to visit each twice between now and the primary. These visits will include listening sessions where I show up and listen to the concerns of Maine. We are reasonable, smart and resourceful here in Maine, and there are few problems that we can't solve together. My first trip will be to Bangor and Penobscot County. Now I just need a venue to meet people!

I encourage you to follow my candidacy, like my page and stay tuned for updates!

February 11, 2017

Listening

We are now 3 weeks into the Trump administration and only ONE of Maine's senators is listening to Mainers.

Mainers throughout both districts have repeatedly asked to meet with Senator Collins. She does not do town hall meetings. OK then, how does she find out what her constituents are saying? Because we sure aren't getting in on the phones.

As our campaign swings into gear, I am planning on going to communities to listen to the concerns of Mainers so I can work on their behalf in Washington DC.

Want to hold a listening session at your house? Contact me at 207-829-8429. If I don't pick up, my husband will and he'll take your info. You can chat with him too! He's a great guy.

Stay warm out there my friends, the weather is tough this weekend.


Dirigo!

Michele

Campaign created!

Show your support for this campaign by endorsing it and sharing why!

  • endorsed

  • endorsed

    “I endorse Michele Pfannenstiel because I want to see change that is for a better future in this country, not to chase a long ago whimsical past.”

  • endorsed

    “Michele is a fighter, a woman with a very clear vision who puts others first, and who will bring integrity, intelligence, and action to Washington, DC. I wished I lived in Maine so I could vote for her!”

  • endorsed

    “To an incredibly smart, motivated, and capable candidate who will cut through the garbage and fight for the basic and common goals! Michele is the real deal!”

  • endorsed

  • endorsed

    “I'm supporting this candidate because I believe we need more progressives in the Senate and House. We need people who truly care about others. Go get it, Michele.”

  • endorsed

    “My Friend Michele is running! She is good people and one smart cookie that takes no crap!”

  • endorsed