[3] She traveled to Austria between her junior and senior years as an American Field Service Intercultural Programs student.
[3] She credits her stay in Austria and her experience living at Bowdoin College as broadening her outlook beyond her small-town upbringing.
[4] After graduation, she began working as an economic analyst and, later, corporate economist[5] for Central Maine Power while pursuing her business degree at Thomas College.
[6] In October 2004[4] Lachance was named President and CEO of the Maine Development Foundation, a state-chartered non-profit membership organization.
[8][7] As part of her job, she began researching higher education and decided to join several college and university boards.
[8] One of her first undertakings as president was a $12 million capital campaign for new campus buildings, which was successfully completed one year ahead of schedule.