UNE’s Aimee Vlachos named Maine’s Outdoor Industry Leader of the Year

Aimee Vlachos has built the University of New England's Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Business and Innovation program around a simple principle: experiential learning taught hand-in-hand with industry leaders isn't just part of the curriculum — it's the foundation. 

Vlachos, Ed.D., the teaching professor who directs the program in UNE's College of Business, constantly creates opportunities for business students to engage directly with outdoor industry leaders, test business concepts in real-world settings, and build professional networks before graduation. It’s the way Vlachos has designed one of the few college programs in the Northeast dedicated to bolstering regional outdoor economic development — and she’s done it in a state where eco-tourism is king. 

These are the reasons Vlachos was named the Outdoor Industry Leader of the Year at the Maine Outdoor Brands’ (MOB) 2026 Maine Outdoor Economic Summit on Jan. 21 in Portland, Maine’s “Forest City.”  

The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, a state agency that advises UNE on the Outdoor Business and Innovation curriculum, said Vlachos’ leadership in education helps to address workforce needs in a growing sector of the state's economy.  

MOB’s Outdoor Industry Leader of the Year recipient is selected from a pool of nominees across Maine’s vast outdoor recreation landscape — including business, education, nonprofit, and entrepreneurship enterprises, said Maine Outdoor Brands Executive Director Jenny Kordick. 

Vlachos’ selection, Kordick said, reflects the statewide impact her work has had on Maine’s outdoor industry, introducing a curriculum that bridges academia and industry, giving UNE students vital experience while strengthening Maine as a focal point for the next generation of outdoor leaders, Kordick explained. 

"Aimee Vlachos is the definition of an outdoor industry leader,” Kordick said. “Her leadership has reshaped how education, workforce development, and industry work together in Maine.  

“By building a program that connects students directly with outdoor businesses, entrepreneurs, and innovation opportunities, Aimee has strengthened Maine's talent pipeline and helped ensure the long-term vitality of our outdoor recreation economy," Kordick continued. 

Under Vlachos' leadership, UNE students connect with industry leaders through live sessions, travel to major outdoor industry events, and work on hands-on projects designing outdoor products in entrepreneurship classes. The program ties directly into Maine's 10-Year Outdoor Recreation Economy Roadmap. 

Her approach includes partnerships with organizations like MOB, which recently appointed two of her students to its Student Advisory Board, and collaborations with conservation organizations, nonprofits working on economic development, and even leaders from iconic outdoor brands.  

Guest speakers in her classes additionally have included a former owner of North Face and the director of Main Street Skowhegan, a nonprofit working to strengthen central Maine's outdoor economy. 

In the past, students in Vlachos’ program have pitched ideas for events in Northern New England to top executives at Patagonia and Bauer after receiving feedback from the two industry giants throughout the semester. 

This hands-on experience develops career-ready graduates while also motivating students through direct engagement with industry professionals, said Norm O’Reilly, dean of UNE’s College of Business.  

“Aimee’s approach to experiential education is quintessential UNE and a hallmark of the University’s College of Business,” O’Reilly remarked. “Growing outdoor networks as a way to inspire student growth, evolution, and, ultimately, success in the outdoor industry is an approach that’s in both UNE’s Vlachos’ DNA.”  

Before joining UNE, Vlachos founded Wahine Kai International, a nonprofit promoting amateur women's surfing that has grown to include 15 chapters nationwide and more than 500 members. It’s that background in sport management, outdoor recreation, and entrepreneurship, Kordick said, that lends credibility and vision to Vlachos’s work in academia. 

And Vlachos, who’s a Maine native, is committed to that work. 

"Innovation in the outdoor industry isn't just about new products — it's about people, place, and possibility," Vlachos said. "I'm grateful to work alongside Maine’s many outdoor brands and to help prepare the next generation of leaders through the Outdoor Business and Innovation program at the University of New England. 

“Together, we are building a sustainable, thriving future for Maine’s workforce and reinforcing Maine as the ultimate ‘Vacationland,’” she said.