Brian Hinrichs Selected as Executive Director of Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters

Brian Hinrichs Selected as Executive Director of Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters

Today, the Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters Board of Directors is pleased to announce the selection of Brian Hinrichs to serve as the organization’s next Executive Director.

Brian brings 15 years of non-profit management experience, most recently as the Executive Director of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra where he oversaw growth in the annual budget and reserves, operations and endowment fundraising, and community programming.

“Brian has impressed staff and board with his skillset and success as an Executive Director. Recognizing his management experience, passion for our mission, and care for relationships, we are thrilled to welcome him as the next leader of Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters,” said Molly Ross, Chair of the Board of Directors.


Brian Hinrichs with his son in a backpack in the Maine woods

On a family-favorite trail in Bangor City Forest. Credit: Alexandra Hinrichs


Brian joins Friends at a key moment in its growth. The organization has a membership of nearly 1,000 people, a collaborative network that includes dozens of organizations, a 13-person board of directors, and a seven-person full-time staff with seasonal support.

“It is an honor to be stepping into this role with Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters at such an exciting time, and I thank the board and staff for their trust. The mission of Friends is one that resonates deeply and personally for me,” said Hinrichs.

In 2023, the organization has three priorities: completing an inaugural capital campaign, operating the youth program Katahdin Learning Project, and supporting National Park Service priorities including improved access to the national monument.

“I look forward to working alongside the National Park Service, with Wabanaki partners, and in the Katahdin Region to help ensure the monument and surrounding communities thrive for the benefit of present and future generations,” Brian continued.

Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters is an official philanthropic partner of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, part of the National Park System. The organization also partners with the National Park Service through an education agreement.

“I look forward to working with Brian and building upon the foundation that Sam Deeran and the Friends staff have established over the years,” said Mark Wimmer, Superintendent of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

While keeping his home in Bangor, Brian will frequent the Katahdin Region and work out of the Friends’ office in Patten. He will also travel across the state and elsewhere on behalf of Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters. Brian will start his job with Friends in mid-May, taking the baton from Acting Executive Director Sam Deeran. At that time, Sam will transition to the role of Projects Director for Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters.


Brian Hinrichs by the sign at the north entrance of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

Snowshoeing from the north entrance of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Credit: Brian Hinrichs


A Fulbright scholar, Brian received his B.A. in Music and English from Colgate University and his M.B.A. from the Wisconsin School of Business, UW-Madison. He has been the Executive Director of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra since 2013, where his work within its ranks, among its supporters, and in the Bangor community earned him the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce’s Arts and Culture Award in 2022. While living and working in Bangor, Brian organized outdoor adventures throughout Maine for family and friends. His interest in Maine’s natural and cultural richness inspired him to learn more about the mission of Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters.