Main Street Skowhegan leader steps into White House spotlight

Photo / Courtesy USDA Rural Development From left, Basil Gooden, Kristina Cannon and Rhiannon Hampson.

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Kristina Cannon has been plenty busy with her work to revitalize the Somerset County town of Skowhegan.

Her work is getting plenty of attention, too. Cannon was recognized as a 2024 Mainebiz Women to Watch honoree, as she leads the town through a revitalization that includes more than $650 million in investment underway.

Last year, Maine Outdoor Brands, a trade group that promotes the state's outdoor recreation economy, honored Cannon and others in the 2023 Trailblazer Awards.

Last week, she stepped into the national spotlight when she traveled to the White House as one of 14 “rural innovators” to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program.

Basil Gooden, U.S. Under Secretary for Rural Development, led the commemorative event, which was attended by Rhiannon Hampson, USDA Rural Development’s Maine state director.

Public nominations for the awards began in May and were announced this fall. Hampson nominated Cannon for the award.

“Kristina Cannon is a trailblazer who has revolutionized the way Skowhegan approaches revitalization — through asset-based, community-led initiatives — leveraging outdoor recreation, local agriculture and entrepreneurship as powerful tools for economic development,” Hampson wrote.

She added, “Kristina has built trust locally, regionally and nationally by partnering and collaborating with dozens of organizations, state and federal government agencies and businesses.”

Founded in 2005, Main Street Skowhegan is a nonprofit that works to revitalize Skowhegan and improve the quality of life for area residents. The work is focused on implementing impactful economic development initiatives, including entrepreneurial and business support programs, to promote the region.

Cannon joined the organization in 2015. The work has included supporting the growth of regional agriculture and the local food hub, as well as opportunities for outdoor recreation, including development of a commercial kitchen incubator, redevelopment of the downtown riverfront into a promenade, project management and fundraising for a future park and collaboration with partners on other projects.

“In rural communities, it’s never just one person doing the work; this recognition belongs to our steadfast partners, supporters, volunteers and my amazing team who are working tirelessly every day to ensure Skowhegan and central Maine realize their ultimate potential as a thriving and resilient rural region,” Cannon said after the White House gathering.

Gooden recently he traveled to Maine, attending the GrowSmart Maine Annual Summit in Waterville in October.

“Don’t ever underestimate the power you have when you collaborate,” he said in his keynote speech at the summit.

At Main Street Skowhegan, Cannon has led an effort to raise more than $10 million for revitalization initiatives. Under her leadership, the organization has become a major player in regional economic development, spearheading a comprehensive approach to community transformation through outdoor recreation. The organization also provides business planning support and programming as part of a regional hub-and-spoke entrepreneurial ecosystem partnership.

Under Cannon’s leadership, Main Street Skowhegan has grown from 1.5 employees and a $120,000 budget in 2015 to an expected 14 full-time employees with an operating budget of more than $1 million for 2025.

Cannon and her team have secured nearly $7.9 million in federal funding for projects that include $99,000 from the USDDA Rural Development for the creation of a shared commercial kitchen incubator, which is expected to empower local food startups and strengthen the region’s food economy.

The future commercial kitchen incubator will offer low-barrier-to-entry opportunities for regional entrepreneurs to start and grow their food-based businesses. In addition, the facility will offer free workforce development trainings for local residents interested pursuing a career in the culinary arts.

Main Street Skowhegan’s programs and projects prioritize inclusivity and access for all of Skowhegan’s underserved, rural residents. The team offers events, outdoor programs and gear, and entrepreneurship trainings.

Cannon’s development of the Skowhegan Outdoors AmeriCorps Program and Skowhegan Outdoors Basecamp gear lending library has created equitable access to outdoor recreation, engaging residents and visitors.