Greg Field, Director of Finance & Operation

Greg joined MITA in March 2011, after serving for the last five years as Executive Vice President at Sustainable Harvest International in Surry. Greg has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of several nonprofits here in Maine and nationally. He received a B.A. from Duke University and a Ph.D. from the University of UMass-Amherst. Born and raised on the North Shore of Massachusetts, Greg and his family returned to coastal New England after his career took them to New Jersey and then Ann Arbor, Michigan. Greg and his wife Ginny have two grown daughters, and live in Yarmouth. They love that trips along the coast or to the mountains are both close by. Greg is an avid but not very accomplished x-c skier, an organic gardener, and tunes into Red Sox all season long on the radio.

Tom Franklin, Director of Special Projects

Prior to joining MITA Tom was a lawyer in the computer industry in Boston but after 40 years he still couldn’t get the hang of it and retired to Portland. He was a Loaned Executive to United Way of Greater Portland in 2003 and then was appointed MITA’s Director of Marketing & Membership. In Boston he was a volunteer at the Perkins School for the Blind, an Overseer of the Museum of Science and a Trustee of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Computer Museum. He is an active biker (over 6000 miles so far this century) and sailor (more than 15 Gulf Stream crossings) in the Carribbean, and everywhere he can get to in Maine on his 28' trawler Robin. Tom also is President of Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence and is a smitten grandfather. In 2010 he was pleasantly surprised to receive the Dave & Dorrie Getchell Spirit of MITA Award.

Peter Kenlan, Development Officer & Stewardship Manager

Peter came to MITA in the summer of 2007. He has a B.A. in Biology from Brandeis University and after college worked in molecular genetic research in Boston. Needing a change of pace, he went on to earn an M.S. in Forestry from the University of Maine where his thesis research focused on the effects of atmospheric pollution on the community ecology of understory plants. In addition to working at MITA, Peter is an Adjunct Instructor of Biology at Southern Maine Community College. In his spare time, he is an enthusiastic marathon runner, rock climber, and an avid sailor. He recently became a former sailboat owner but he has become a proud member of the 'Other People's Yacht Club'.

Brian Marcaurelle, Program Director

Brian started at MITA as an office volunteer in 2004 and now oversees all of MITA's Trail and Stewardship programs. He has a Masters degree in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and a BA in biology and environmental studies from Bowdoin College. Prior to settling in Maine he spent time working for the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center, the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, and for Yale Recycling. He lives in Portland with his wife Melissa and spends his free time playing ice hockey and baseball, hiking and making compost.

Emma Pope-Welch, Membership Manager

Emma joined MITA in October. Previously she was with United Way of Eastern Maine in Bangor where she gained valuable experience assisting with their communication, outreach and education efforts. She has a Masters in Communication from the University of Maine and is excited to engage current and new members in ensuring the future success of the Maine Island Trail. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and a Portland resident with a corgi, Kiwi, who gives out "high fives".

Doug Welch, Executive Director

Doug Welch joined MITA as its Executive Director in 2007. Previously he was a Vice President with Youth Alternatives in Portland. Before that he spent five years with the Island Alliance – a nonprofit organization charged with developing programs in the new Boston Harbor Islands National Park. Doug also has eight years of experience assisting nonprofit economic development programs. He has a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a BA from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He lives in Portland with his wife Caitlin and daughter Genevieve. Since joining MITA, Doug has proudly perfected the first 180 degrees of his Eskimo roll.

Rikka Wommack, Member Services Associate

Rikka joined MITA in December 2011. She grew up kayaking around the Maine islands, then departed to the Midwest for six years, during which time she earned a BA in religious studies from Carleton College. After graduating, she worked for two years in the publishing industry, editing and marketing environmentally-oriented children’s books. She returned to Portland after growing homesick for the Atlantic and is thrilled to be back in Maine, not least for the proximity to real ski mountains. She is also exceptionally good at owning a banjo, though not nearly as good at playing it.