Meet Jada Lindblom, UNH Cooperative Extension's new field specialist

LACONIA — Jada Lindblom is the new community and economic development field specialist at the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension's Belknap County field office. Before gaining such a long title, Lindblom spent her post-college days roaming the American west working in a wide array of outdoor recreation, tourism, conservation and volunteer positions. After her long adventure, she's finally back in her home state of New Hampshire, and looks to use her experience to strengthen the Lakes Region's economic development and quality of life.

“I'm part of a bigger team of economic development specialists at the University of New Hampshire, but I'm the only person with my title here in Belknap County,” Lindblom explained. “It's the job that made me move to Laconia. I grew up not too far away from here. It was a good opportunity to move closer back to home. This has been my first year living in the Lakes Region.”

Lindblom grew up in Warner, where the outdoors were her childhood playground.

“My parents were both artists and writers that worked out of our house and I was an only child,” Lindblom recalled. “To get me out of their hair, I would go outside and play, play in the woods, stomp around in the ponds, build forts out in the field. I always loved the outdoors. My parents instilled that love for travel, and spending time outside even if you're not doing anything extreme or exciting.”

As Lindblom grew, so did her interest in the outdoors. She chased this passion into the western U.S., starting off in conservation and recreation projects through AmeriCorps in New Mexico and Washington state after getting her bachelor's degree in environmental science.

“It got me interested in the stories behind the scenes that go on in places that depend on tourism and recreation,” Lindblom said of her volunteering days.

She then spent the next several years in a variety of hospitality and tourism roles.

“I'd had a lot of jobs in the tourism and recreation industries, a lot of seasonal positions,” Lindblom said, mentioning her gigs as a kayaking guide, ski instructor, whale watch tour guide, restaurant worker and others. “I loved that line of work, and seeing tourism as a force for positive change. I've also seen how it can go the other way and be a force for things that aren't so positive,” Lindblom said. “That's what got me wanting to study tourism and take it to the next step beyond seasonal work.”

And study she did. After her stints as a seasonal worker in the American west, Lindblom gained her master's degree in parks, recreation and tourism from the University of Utah, and a doctorate of philosophy in community resources and development form Arizona State University. While working remotely on her Ph.D., Lindblom returned east, settling temporarily in Middlebury, Vermont to be closer to her family.

While her educational credentials are impressive, Lindblom cited her personal experience in the tourism industry.

“I think I've gained insights from my education, but so much of what I come back to in my mind, it has to do with those early mornings at the ski resort, or those late nights cleaning the bar at a pub,” Lindblom said. “There's a lot of different aspects in tourism and hospitality.”

As for her role in Laconia and Belknap County, Lindblom will be acting as a facilitator to bring a variety of organizations, governments, townspeople and experts together to facilitate tourism, outdoor recreation, and general economic development.

“Its been fun coming back to New Hampshire and immersing myself in the type of environment I grew up in,” Lindblom said. “Already, I've been working with the Foothills Foundation based in Northfield and Tilton. That's an organization that's aiming to create community partnerships in order to create more outdoor recreation opportunities in the region, building better trail systems, getting locals more excited about working in the industry themselves. That's really exciting because that's a good intersection of tourism as well. There's such an important health aspect as well. The more youth we can get excited about hiking, kayaking, biking or whatever it is, the healthier communities we're going to have.”