[{"id":20317,"date":"2026-10-07T14:53:50","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T18:53:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mainetechnology.org\/?p=20317"},"modified":"2026-10-07T14:54:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T18:54:15","slug":"behind-the-scenes-with-merritt-carey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mainetechnology.org\/ar\/updates\/behind-the-scenes-with-merritt-carey\/","title":{"rendered":"Behind the Scenes with Merritt Carey: From Sailing Around the World to Supporting Maine\u2019s Innovators"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Merritt<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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As a Marketing & Communications Consultant with the Maine Technology Institute (MTI), Merritt Carey works to connect Maine businesses and entrepreneurs with opportunities, resources, and funding\u2014and to help tell the story of innovation happening across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her own path to MTI is a story of creating opportunities, embracing risk, and drawing on a remarkably wide range of experiences. Before joining Maine\u2019s innovation community, Carey sailed around the world on the second all women\u2019s team to compete in the Whitbread (now Volvo Ocean Challenge), was a member of the first and only all-women\u2019s America\u2019s Cup team, practiced law, worked in fisheries and rural economic development, and became involved in workforce housing development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, those experiences inform her work helping MTI reach a broader and more diverse community of Maine innovators.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

From Maine to the World\u2014and Back Again<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Carey\u2019s connection to MTI began well before she became a consultant. She had worked with MTI through SEAMaine and had received an MTI grant years earlier for an aquaculture cooperative she helped start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was familiar with the type of work MTI did,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen there was an opportunity to get involved more formally, I jumped.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But her path to that opportunity was anything but conventional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After graduating from Brown University in 1992, Carey entered a difficult job market. Instead of waiting for the right career opportunity to come along, she took a chance and joined a sailing yacht bound for Antigua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One opportunity led to another, eventually landing Carey on the second all-women\u2019s team to compete in the Whitbread Around the World Race, now known as The Volvo Ocean Challenge. From there, she joined the first and only all-women\u2019s team to compete in the America\u2019s Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That experience is now the subject of Mighty Mary<\/em><\/a>, a new documentary about the groundbreaking team. Carey is featured in the film, which tells the story of the women who challenged expectations in one of sailing\u2019s most prestigious competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Carey, the film has created an opportunity to revisit an important chapter of her life\u2014and to share that story with a Maine audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Career Built on Unexpected Turns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After tearing her ACL during the America\u2019s Cup campaign, she continued racing before eventually having surgery. While recovering, she went to law school in New Zealand. She later transferred back to the University of Maine to finish her degree and practiced law for several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She then moved into rural economic development and fisheries, serving as Director of Maine Operations for Acadian Seaplants and later as Community Relations Director for Luke\u2019s Lobster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along the way, Carey became increasingly interested in Maine\u2019s housing challenges. She completed several small development projects in the Midcoast, became a modular home developer, and earned her real estate broker\u2019s license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the experiences may seem disconnected at first, Carey sees a common thread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSailing, fisheries, rural economic development, housing, thinking creatively about economic solutions\u2014all of that led me to MTI,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her broad range of experiences has given her different ways to connect with people and approach challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think having a broad range of life experiences lends itself to creative thinking and problem solving,\u201d she says. \u201cMy experiences have also taught me a lot about being resilient and persistent; helpful qualities for any challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helping More Maine Innovators Find Their Way to MTI<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Today, Carey\u2019s work at MTI spans communications, events, sponsorships, and outreach. She helps organize and promote MTI events, supports efforts to build brand awareness, and works to make sure Maine businesses and individuals who may be eligible for MTI funding know that those resources exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile I am not on the front lines at MTI, I am trying to think about creative ways to reach a broader audience,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That includes thinking about who MTI serves and how its impact is communicated to the broader public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carey also keeps Maine taxpayers in mind when she thinks about communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think a lot about the Maine taxpayer who partially funds our work, and trying to make sure Mainers know the positive economic impact MTI has across every part of the state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Story Worth Sharing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Telling stories is an important part of Carey\u2019s work at MTI, which makes Mighty Mary<\/em> a particularly fitting project to help promote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The documentary tells the story of the first all-women\u2019s sailing team to compete for the America\u2019s Cup, including Carey\u2019s experience as a member of the historic team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maine audiences will have an opportunity to see the film and hear more about the story on November 5<\/strong>, when the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce hosts a special screening and panel discussion at the University of Southern Maine\u2019s Hannaford Hall in Portland. The evening will include a reception, screening, and panel discussion and Q&A featuring members of the team, including Carey.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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