Our Vision: A Four-Season, Outdoor Recreation Economy

NDD is intently focused on what will be needed for Newport to develop and sustain a vibrant outdoor recreation economy. This includes supporting and promoting events that draw people here, working cooperatively to steward the natural resources of our region, and backing the businesses that are the foundation in our effort to create a great community for downtown residents, neighbors from across the Northeast Kingdom, and short-term visitors to this beautiful destination.

Our Mission

Newport Downtown Development (NDD) is a 501(c)3 organization working with partners and volunteers to revitalize, preserve and promote historic downtown Newport as a strong and resilient economic hub, a livable and walkable community, and a vibrant residential, social, recreational and cultural center for residents and visitors to enjoy.

There’s room for you in this organization:

NDD is driven by the energy and the passion of our volunteers and businesses. There are three active committees and many ways to get involved:

1. Destination Development, Promotion and Stewardship – This is the team creating the great events like Winter Saturdays, Northern Star Paint and Sips, and Memphremagog Festival!

2. Economic Development – This is where we’re working on starting new businesses, partnering with North Country Career Center to rehab downtown housing, and dreaming big dreams about hotels and the like.

3. Design and Community Welcome – Public art, historical walking tours, signage on the Newport Waterfront Recreation Path and a Binational Tourism Working Group – plenty here to sink your teeth into.

Meet Our Team

Executive Director: Rick Ufford-Chase is an avid outdoorsman whose family has lived in Lowell for six generations, where he and his wife Kitty live in a cabin they built on his family’s land. He has thirty-five years of experience as a non-profit entrepreneur and director. When not busy with his work, Rick can usually be found working on remodeling projects, playing on the water (sailing and kayaking), or running to get ready for the Dandelion or Fly to Pie events with Kingdom Games. Rick and Kitty have three adult children and one grandchild. Rick can be reached at rickuffordchasencdd@gmail.com

Associate Director: Felicia Updyke (she/her) moved to the Northeast Kingdom in 2022 from Southern California and is loving every minute of it. She quickly got involved in the community and currently serves as Co-Chair of the NEK Rainbow Coalition and committee member of the Memphremagog Science and Education Center. Prior to being NDD’s Associate Director, she served on the NDD board for over a year. In her free time she loves reading, petting all the dogs and spending time with her sassy daughter. Felicia can be reached at feliciau@nddvt.org.