Heather Paquette to Lead Good Shepherd Food Bank

Food Bank Board Chair Announces Hire Following Nationwide Search 

AUBURN, Maine—Good Shepherd Food Bank’s board of directors has named Heather Thompson Paquette as its next president. Paquette will take on the role of leading Maine’s largest hunger relief organization in September 2023.

“We are excited to welcome Heather to our organization,” said Ben Sprague, chair of the Food Bank’s board of directors. “Heather is a proven team leader and an energetic innovator who will complement our existing strong team and join in partnership across the state to execute our mission and vision.”

Paquette comes to the Food Bank after a dynamic 24-year career with the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA, including 22 years at Hannaford Supermarkets. She most recently served as Vice President, Retail Innovation Center of Excellence, with Retail Business Services, a services company for Ahold Delhaize USA brands. Prior to her most recent position, Paquette served as Vice President, Retail Operations, for the state of Maine and Vice President, Retail Services, for Hannaford Supermarkets. A passionate leader and learner, Paquette helped champion equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts within her roles at previous employers, including serving as the executive sponsor for the PRIDE Business Resource Group during her time at Retail Business Services.

“It’s an incredible honor and I’m very humbled to join an organization focused on giving back to our communities and working to end hunger every day,” said Paquette. “Having worked in food retailing for more than two decades, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges of food insecurity, the impact on families, and the tough choices families make every day in feeding those they love. I look forward to building on the incredible success Good Shepherd Food Bank has achieved under Kristen Miale’s leadership and working alongside our Maine communities to eliminate hunger.”

In addition to her professional experience, Paquette also brings extensive community service as a past-president of the March of Dimes board of directors, board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine, and co-chair of United Way of Southern Maine Tocqueville Society.

After growing up in Biddeford, Maine, Paquette received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Maine in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. She received a certificate in executive leadership from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a certificate in the Food Executive Program at Cornell University. Paquette now resides in Scarborough, Maine, with her husband and two children.