Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council names new executive director

Jillian Fellows, The Petoskey News-Review
·2 min read
Heather Huffstutler
Heather Huffstutler

PETOSKEY — On Monday, the board of directors for the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council announced that Heather Huffstutler has been selected as the council’s new executive director.

Huffstutler will begin in her new position on April 8.

"I'm thrilled to become part of the leadership team at the watershed council and to learn from our stellar staff that stewards our region's natural resources every day," Huffstutler said in a statement. “Together, along with our community partners throughout Northern Michigan, we’ll grow our commitment to protect our waterways and woodlands.”

According to a press release from the watershed council, the selection process was led by board president Tom Darnton, who appointed a five-person team last fall to work with a recruiting firm to conduct a national search for a new director. Three finalists were invited to Petoskey in February to meet with staff and board members.

“After reviewing written assessments of each candidate, a clear consensus emerged,” Darnton said in the press release. “Heather stood out as offering the right combination of nonprofit experience and a lifelong passion for our mission. And she was the best fit for our staff culture.”

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Huffstutler spent five years as the director of conservation programs at the Walloon Lake Trust and Conservancy. In 2019, she joined the staff at Huron Pines in Gaylord as its director of land protection and director of development. Huffstutler has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Eastern Michigan University and is currently enrolled in Indiana University’s Lilly School of Fundraising.

“I have been enthralled with the natural world since childhood — running around the shores and through the forests of the Pacific Northwest. After working in Vermont, Minnesota and North Dakota, I returned to Northern Michigan to make it my forever home,” said Huffstutler. “You can often find me on the water in my kayak, or exploring new trails with my dog, Emmet.”

For more information about the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, visit watershedcouncil.org.

— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.  

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council names new executive director