Maine Huts & Trails hires state's tourism director
Photo / Amber Waterman
Carolann Ouellette, director of the Maine Office of Tourism, is leaving her post to become the new executive director of Maine Huts & Trails in January.
KINGFIELD — Maine Huts & Trails, a nonprofit that operates backcountry trails and eco-lodges in Maine’s western mountains, announced Tuesday that Carolann Ouellette will take over as executive director in January 2017.
“We are thrilled to welcome Carolann Ouellette to Maine Huts & Trails,” Maine Huts Chairman Bob Peixotto said in a statement announcing the hiring. “Carolann was recruited as part of an exhaustive selection process. I couldn’t be more pleased to say we found exactly what we were looking for in Carolann.”
As executive director, Ouellette will be the organization’s chief executive officer and will provide overall leadership and management of Maine Huts & Trails, balancing excellence in operations and development of trails, huts, organization, people and programming with financial and human resources.
Ouellette has served as director of the Maine Office of Tourism since 2011. Under her leadership, Maine has benefited from multiple years of consistent growth in tourism.
A graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, Ouellette was chef/owner of an award-winning Maine restaurant in Jackman and for a period managed the Sugarloaf Inn. She has a strong background in outdoor recreation as a Registered Maine Guide and former operations manager for New England Outdoor Center. In 2015, she was named by Maine Magazine as one of “50 Mainers Boldly Leading Our State.”
“I have had the incredible privilege of leading the Maine Office of Tourism for nearly six years working with a supportive administration, strong staff and exceptional tourism industry,” she said in a statement accompanying the announcement of her hiring. “The opportunity to join Maine Huts & Trails was especially appealing to me on both personal and professional levels. I am looking forward to building upon the start of a nationally significant outdoor recreation resource in the state I love, and stimulating economic development in western Maine. It’s a position where the goals of the organization closely align with my personal and professional goals, and I am excited to be joining a team that shares my passion for Maine.”
Ouellette is an avid traveler and resides in Hallowell and Jackman, where she enjoys skiing, fishing, hiking and paddling.
Peixotto characterized Ouellette as someone “uniquely well qualified” for leading Maine Huts & Trails.
“In her, we found a seasoned leader with a lifetime of experience in all aspects of nature-based tourism,” he said. “With a passion for western Maine, she has long been committed to contributing to the economy of the region by drawing visitors and providing them with high-quality experiences. Her deep experience marketing Maine to the rest of the country and the world will be invaluable as we move forward and work with like-minded organizations to promote inland Maine.”
Award-winning huts in western Maine
Maine Huts & Trails maintains 80 miles of free, public use, backcountry trails connecting Carrabassett Valley and West Forks, providing diverse opportunities for human-powered outdoor recreation, including groomed hut-to-hut skiing with side snowshoe and hiking trails; kayaking and canoeing; and mountain biking. It offers guided and self-guided adventures and operates a robust youth experiential education program emphasizing healthy outdoor activity and environmental stewardship.
Along the trail corridor, Maine Huts & Trails operates four award-winning huts. Its lodges serve as models of off-the-grid green energy, offering hot showers, energy-efficient lighting and radiant heat. Guests enjoy home-cooked meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients.
Now boasting nearly 10,000 bed nights per year, Maine Huts & Trails has welcomed 40,000 visitors from 43 states, eight Canadian provinces and 16 countries since opening in 2008.
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