PORTLAND — The Maine Sports Commission, a statewide, nonprofit organization that works to advance, elevate, and promote Maine as a four-season sports destination, has named Linsey MacDougall as its new board chair.
MacDougall is the director of development and operations at the Maine Justice Foundation, a statewide organization whose mission is to sustain, promote, and partner with legal aid providers and social justice organizations to inspire and support fairness and justice in Maine. She previously served as director of group marketing at Visit Portland, which boosts the region as a destination for tourism, meetings, conventions and events. In addition, she served as the inaugural director of sales for the Maine Mariners ECHL hockey team.
MacDougall has served on the Maine Sports Commission’s Board of Directors since 2021. She will replace the outgoing Chair, Russell Walters, who has held the position for 13 years. Walters will maintain a seat on the Board of Directors.
“Linsey’s service on our board, along with the incredible breadth and depth of her experience in marketing, tourism, and the nonprofit community, make her an ideal candidate to help steer Maine Sports Commission into the future,” said Sheila Brennan Nee, strategic director for Maine Sports Commission. “Russell Walters has done an outstanding job of guiding our team to where we are today. It’s exciting to have Linsey at the helm helping chart our future course in sports tourism.”
MacDougall said she is looking forward to taking on this leadership position.
“Sports have a unique power to connect people, strengthen communities, and create significant economic impact. That’s clear in Maine where year-round settings and passionate communities make our state a standout destination,” said MacDougall. “I am honored to help guide the Maine Sports Commission, to build on its success and continue to position our state as a premier destination for world-class events which fuel our local economy.”
Maine Sports Commission is a nonprofit organization that works to advance, elevate, and promote Maine as a four-season sports destination, strengthening the state through sports tourism, encouraging healthy active lifestyles for all. Sporting events contributed an estimated $155.6 million to the Maine economy and attracted approximately 253,071 out-of-state visitors in 2019, according to a study conducted by the University of Southern Maine’s Center for Business and Economic Research.
Portland, Maine was named the #1 minor league market by Sports Business Journal, October 2024.