The leader of a nationwide network of community foundations is the new head of one of the largest such organizations in Maine.

Maine Community Foundation said recently that Deborah Ellwood has been named its new chief executive officer. Ellwood has spent the last 12 years leading CFLeads, which works with foundations around the country.

Maine Community Foundation said Ellwood will be based in the organization's Ellsworth office and will start in June. Ellwood was the right candidate for the job because of her “national expertise and love of Maine,” said Gregg Collins, the chair of Maine Community Foundation's board of directors.

The group is the second-largest foundation in Maine and has assets of $775 million, representatives said in a statement. The foundation awarded $58 million in grants and scholarships last year, they said.