UNH Cooperative Extension is pleased to welcome Michael Polizzotti to the Community and Economic Development team. Michael recently started his role as a field specialist in Merrimack County, where he will provide community and economic development planning assistance and project implementation support that builds community and regional leaders’ capacity to grow and sustain the economy and strengthen communities. His areas of focus will include economic development, business retention and engagement, Main Street revitalization, and fostering regional collaboration on a range of plans and projects.
Michael’s background centers around the intersection of economic and other challenges facing communities, businesses, and individuals and families. He carries a deep interest in working with communities to find pathways to address economic challenges and opportunities.
Prior to joining the UNH Cooperative Extension, Michael served as a Policy Analyst for the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute, where he researched conditions across the state that impacted the overall well-being of communities and residents' quality of life. In other previous roles, he worked with both the United States Commercial Service and the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs in efforts to support business capacity and expansion.
When asked about the biggest challenges facing Merrimack County and the state, Michael responded, “Communities are struggling to recover after two very difficult years of pandemic-induced challenges. Businesses have closed, workers and families are stressed to the max, and there is still a lot of uncertainty about the economy growing forward.” That is why Michael is perfect for the field specialist role. Charlie French, Program Leader for Community and Economic Development noted, “Michael is deeply familiar with the economic challenges facing communities and families based on his previous work. He will hit the ground running. He already understands the levers that need to be moved to strengthen the local and regional economy.”
Michael holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Economics, from the University of New Hampshire.
Please take a moment to join us in welcoming Michael to UNH Extension!
