Economic Development Specialist

Maxine Laszlo has over ten years of experience supporting communities, nonprofits, and Tribes with capacity-building, grant-writing, storytelling, and strategic planning.

Laszlo grew up in the Midwestern region of the United States until she moved to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in 2016. She served many roles in the CNMI, including Executive Director of the grassroots nonprofit CARE CNMI, Executive Director of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, and Small Business Advisor at the Northern Marianas College. Through her sole proprietorship, Max Impacts: Maxine Laszlo Consulting, she supported the CNMI Government and small businesses by conducting strategic plans, performing workforce surveys, and assisting entrepreneurs with applying for $3M in federal and local resources to grow and expand their operations. Since returning to the mainland and joining the Blue Stone team, Laszlo has supported over 15 Tribes with leadership alignment, comprehensive economic development strategies, grant research, and financial forecasting. Professionally, Maxine is interested in the economic outcomes caused by generational trauma, and especially how culturally appropriate programmatic interventions can provide healing for future generations.

Laszlo has a Master’s in Public Affairs from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, with concentrations in policy analysis and nonprofit management. She now resides in Northwest Indiana.