American Hiking Society Team
Jasper Van Der Meij
American Hiking Society
Board of Directors
Libby Wile
Executive Committee
Sarah Baker Morgan
Chair
(she/her)
Organization: USO (United Service Organizations, Inc.)
City: Silver Spring, MD
Sarah’s love of hiking developed at an early age while exploring the Adirondack Mountains each summer. Her family’s tradition of “vestigating”, a shared pleasure of meandering new places, hiking new trails, and searching for vistas is part of Sarah’s natural wiring. Time spent in the Adirondacks, Pacific Northwest, Southwest, San Juan Islands, White Mountains, and the Canaan and Shenandoah Valleys has continued to fuel Sarah’s desire to enjoy the peace of the outdoors.
Sarah is a career fundraiser with over 30 years of experience in the university and non-profit arenas. She currently leads the National Major and Planned Giving team for the USO. Previously, she spent 12 years at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross, where she was the chief architect and strategic lead of Presidential Engagement as part of the Principal Gifts team. Earlier in her career, Sarah spent 20 years fundraising for Clark University, Wellesley, USC, and GW, leading teams engaged in annual, major, and principal gift fundraising; capital campaigns; board development; donor relations; stewardship; and alumni programming.
Sarah has held many volunteer leadership roles, including as a member of the Gould Academy Board of Trustees; Reunion Giving Chair and Member of the National Committee on Clark’s Future for Clark University; Fundraising Chair for the Highland View Elementary School PTA; and Executive VP of the Silver Spring International Middle School PTSA. Sarah joined the AHS Board of Directors in October 2016. She has served as Chair of AHS’s Development Committee, Vice-Chair, and in January 2021, she became Chair of the Board.
Sarah holds a B.A. in Art History & Philosophy from Clark University. She is an avid hiker, a passionate photographer, and an ever-learning cook. She lives in Silver Spring, MD and Berkeley Springs, WV with her daughter Ellie and partner Tom.
Cascade Mountain, Adirondack’s
Savage Alpine Trail, Denali National Park
Snow Canyon, Utah
Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV
Saveria Tilden
Vice Chair
(she/her)
Organization: AdventurUs Women
City: Pasadena, CA
AdventurUs Women was born from her love of the outdoors and sharing this love with others. AdventurUs Women is a women-owned and led company dedicated to providing the opportunity for women of all ages, races, sizes, backgrounds, and experience levels to learn and experience outdoor activities in beautiful environments. We are a company and a community intent on supporting other women both in their outdoor journey and as professionals. The AdventurUs Women Escapes are all-inclusive, multi-sport outdoor weekends designed exclusively for women by women. AdventurUs Women invites women and those that identify as women to join us at our 2020 women’s outdoor adventure weekends.
Saveria has held management and executive-level positions in the film industry and for marketing and creative agencies. Her role as a leader and collaborator developed while working in these roles and with clients including Warner Bros, HBO, Universal, New Line Cinema, The North Face, GEICO, Odwalla, CLIF, Pioneer Electronics, Olloclip, and various state park agencies. This work served as a launchpad for Saveria’s consulting business where she specializes in partnership development and strategy collaborating with companies and organizations committed to connecting people to the outdoors, including REI, Transforming Youth Outdoors (TYO), IslandWood, Nature Play Western Australia, The American Hiking Society, and Misadventures Magazine.
In addition to her management background and consulting work, Saveria has taught in various capacities for over 20 years, both in the classroom and in the field. Her work with REI’s Outdoor School as an instructor in climbing, navigation, SUP, cycling, hiking, and backpacking, gave Saveria the opportunity to combine her love of teaching and the outdoors. Her volunteer efforts include being a member of the Board of Directors for the American Hiking Society, a backcountry trip leader with the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, and the Southern CA Regional Event Coordinator for Camber Outdoors. She is certified as a Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Master Educator, & AMGA SPI Climbing Guide.
Saveria holds a BA in Psychology from Claremont McKenna College and a MA in Education from Pepperdine University.
- Tour du Mont Blanc
- Anywhere in The Bridger-Teton National Forest
- The Eastern Sierra
Fred Leffler
Treasurer
(he/him)
Organization: The Rock Creek Group
City: Washington, DC
In his professional life, Fred heads up the data and analytics team at RockCreek, an investment firm in Washington, D.C. He has previously been a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., finance manager at a hedge fund backed wind energy company, and at GE Energy in the Financial Management Program (FMP). Fred holds degrees from Duke University and The Ohio State University.
When not at work, Fred is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hiking, camping, and mountain biking. He was a long-time volunteer at YES! (Youth Enrichment Services), a non-profit in Boston, where he taught urban children with limited outdoors experience and access to hike, ski, and mountain bike. He joined the board of AHS in 2020 and is part of the finance and marketing committees.
Fred lives in Washington, DC with his wife, Amy, and son (who is currently finding his hiking legs).
Old Rag, Shenandoah National Park
Amphitheater Lake, Grand Teton National Park
Hoh River, Olympic National Park
Highline Loop, Glacier National Park
Jeff Senterman
Secretary
(he/him)
Organization: Catskill Center for Conservation and Development
City: Tannersville, NY
Jeff currently serves as the Executive Director of the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, an organization that works to preserve and protect New York’s Catskill Mountain region. He and his husband own and operate Hike On Guides, an outdoor guiding company in the Catskill Mountains. Prior to joining the Catskill Center, Jeff worked in New York managing trail programs for the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference and before that was in New England working in the environmental planning and permitting field.
He is an avid hiker and outdoorsman who has hiked extensively in the northeast. Jeff grew up in the Hudson Valley and Catskills of New York, the son of parents who instilled a deep love and appreciation of the outdoors and outdoor recreation in him. He is a long-time volunteer with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference who began volunteering to maintain trails with his father at age 11, and has continued in many capacities throughout the years.
Jeff holds a BS in Environmental Science from Lyndon State College. He lives in the heart of the northeastern Catskill Mountains with his husband Moe.
The Indian Head loop in the New York’s Catskill Mountains
Bradley Ellis
Past Chair & Ex-Officio
(he/him)
Organization: Icard Merrill
City: Sarasota, FL
Bradley Ellis is a Florida native that grew up in Jupiter, Florida and currently practices land use and development law in Sarasota, Florida. Bradley completed his undergraduate studies at Florida State University and his legal studies at the University of Florida.
Bradley is an Eagle Scout and remains active in the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of Arrow. It is Bradley’s involvement with the Order of the Arrow that started Bradley on his path towards his involvement with the American Hiking Society. With the Order of the Arrow, Bradley has served as a key staffer on repairing and/or creating trails around the country. In 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011, Bradley repaired historic portage trails in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota.
In 2008, his team created the “Arrow Trail” mountain-biking/hiking trail in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. In 2011, his team created the initial portion of the “Arrow Head Trail” in the New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. Bradley has also built trails in Michigan, Indiana, and of course Florida. Bradley is a key staffer for the Order of the Arrow’s “Arrowman Conservation School” and he hopes to create high synergy between his work with the Order of the Arrow and the America Hiking Society.
The Grand Portage (Grand Portage, MN)
Matt Griffis
At-Large
(he/him)
Organization: The Wyss Foundation
City: Durango, Colorado
Matt has worked in land conservation, a lifelong passion of his, for more than a decade. He currently manages the land acquisitions and African wildlife programs at the Wyss Foundation, where he has helped conserve more than 2 million acres of land on 5 continents. Matt holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning from the University of Michigan.
A California native, Matt grew up hiking in the Sierra Nevada and through the redwood forests of the Coast Ranges. He is an Eagle Scout and has been an active member of the Boy Scouts of America for the past 30 years. After serving as the Western Region Chief of the Order of the Arrow, Matt became involved in trail building and stewardship at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, where he spent 3 summers as a trail crew foreman and trail crew coordinator. He remains involved in the Order of the Arrow's conservation and sustainability efforts.
Matt lives in Durango, Colorado, where in addition to hiking, he enjoys backpacking, packrafting, trail running, cycling, and skiing. He's on a mission to visit every National Park Service unit and the highest point in every state.
Engineer Mountain, Colorado
Michelle Jackson-Saulters
At-Large
(she/her)
Directors
Dodie Arnold
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: CEO and Founder of Arnold CR and Intended Impact
City: Slidell, LA
I am a descendent of enslaved Africans in the Americas and a DNA-confirmed descendent of the 1838 Georgetown University sale of 272 enslaved African-Americans to Jesuit-connected plantations in Louisiana. I spent my early years in rural Southeast Louisiana in the Atchafalaya Basin (the largest wetland swamp in The United States). Today, that area is also referred to as Cancer Alley due to the high incidence of cancers and the high concentration of petrochemical plants; it’s the same resettlement location as the original Georgetown University 272.
Driven by my childhood experiences along Bayou Lafourche, my love of nature and science, I earned a BS in Biology, became a Research Fellow at The United States Environmental Protection Agency, and earned an NIH Reproductive Perinatal Pediatric Predoctoral Fellowship and a PhD in Epidemiology. I am optimistic that through continued education, innovation, reallocation of resources, increased diversity, and inclusive policies, we can continue on a path towards a more equitable and just society and become better stewards of our land, water, air, and people.
Twin Falls, Washington State
Lower Emerald Pools, Zion National Park, Utah
Maria Betancourt
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: Pure Spectrum CBD
City: Evergreen, CO
In her professional life, Maria is a Business Development Executive for Pure Spectrum CBD. She has spearheaded the companies efforts to expand internationally. Maria has previously been Chief Growth Officer for The Duck Company, a specialty lifestyle brand in Denver Colorado. Prior to heading out west, she headed the woman's golf and active brands (Callaway, PGA Tour, and several other private label names) for Perry Ellis International as VP of Design and Merchandising. A consummate entrepreneur, Maria owned her business for 18 years and created several brands that remain strong names in the golf world.
Maria holds an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a degree in Clinical and Educational Psychology from Javeriana University in Bogota Colombia.
When not at work, Maria is an avid skier and outdoorswoman who enjoys hiking, camping, and biking, and SUP-ing. She joined the board of AHS in 2016. She chairs the Strategic Planning Committee and is also a member of the Development Committee.
Maria lives in Evergreen, Colorado. And is the proud mother of two daughters, 26 and 24 who also love the outdoors.
Handies Peak Trail - San Juan Mountains, CO
Bison Peak Summit Trail - Florissant, CO
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Montrose, CO
Dennis Crowley
Board Member
(he/him)
Organization: Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition, Sheltowee Trace Association, Kentucky Recreational Trails Authority
City: Louisville, KY
For many years, Dennis has volunteered to build, maintain and promote foot trails at the local, state and regional levels. Through these experiences, he has been engaged in AHS programs such as National Trails Day, Volunteer Vacations and Alternative Spring Breaks.
In his own community, he has worked on trails, led hikes in local parks, and promoted hiking at local events. He met his wife, Julie, hiking with the KISHAW hiking club on a group hike in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge.
At the state level, in Kentucky, he has served on boards of Sheltowee Trace Association and Pine Mountain Trail Conference. For several years, he has worked with Kentucky Tourism Cabinet’s Adventure Tourism as the representative for hiking and backpacking on the Kentucky Recreational Trails Authority.
On the regional level, Dennis has worked on trail relocations on Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Konnarock and Mid-Atlantic trail crews. He participated in Cumberland Trail Conference trail building crews in Tennessee for several years.
He was involved in planning what was to become the Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition (SEFTC), a joint project of American Hiking Society and National Parks Service RTCA. From this coalition, the Great Eastern Trail Association (GETA)was formed. Dennis has served on the GETA board for several years. He was also the first president of SEFTC.
Dennis is retired from Michelin where he worked as a chemical engineer. He joined the board of American Hiking Society in April 2016.
Dennis makes frequent hiking trips to Acadia National Park in Maine with his wife and their Labrador retriever, Teddy.
Marinel de Jesus
Board Member
(she/her)
Marinel M. de Jesus, Esq. (aka Brown Gal Trekker) is a former lawyer, now a social entrepreneur, writer, filmmaker, and a global mountain nomad. She is the founder of Peak Explorations, LLC and Brown Gal Trekker, both of which were officially launched in 2016. She is a former prosecutor in Washington, DC who left her 15-year legal practice to run Peak Explorations and Brown Gal Trekker. Having been to over 60 countries to date, she is an avid explorer and mountain trekker. Marinel also founded The Porter Voice Collective, a non-profit human rights organization that advocates for the fair and humane treatment of porters in the trekking tourism industries of Peru, Nepal and Tanzania.
Marinel obtained her dual degree in Social Work and American Ethnic Studies, Juris Doctor degree and Masters in Social Work at the University of Washington in Seattle. Marinel has been an advocate for diversity and inclusion since college, pioneering an Affirmative Action program with the Dean of Admissions at the UW Law School. Shortly after law school, she moved to Washington, DC where she clerked for the D.C. Office of the Magistrate Judges and thereafter became an Assistant Attorney General for the District of Columbia in the Child Protection Section. In her tenure as a prosecutor, she litigated child abuse and neglect, as well as, adult guardianship and mental health cases in Washington, DC.
Marinel discovered hiking much later in life. She is a first-generation Filipina immigrant who moved with her parents and two brothers to Seattle, Washington in 1990. Mountain trekking started out as a hobby when she first moved to Washington, DC in 2001. Soon enough, she began leading treks locally, nationwide and overseas as an organizer for numerous outdoor groups in the Washington, DC area. Burnt out from the demands of her legal career, Marinel took a 1-year sabbatical from her legal career and trekked solo in 21 countries from 2014 to 2015.
This experience solidified her calling involving only one thing – mountain trekking. Meanwhile, as a trek organizer, Marinel has taken hikers to over 30 countries when she realized the need to create changes in the trekking tourism industry. Her hiking life of over 15 years revealed the inequities within the trekking tourism industry involving women and indigenous communities, many of whom are overlooked in the industry. This inspired her to launch her social enterprise, Peak Explorations, in June of 2016.
Marinel is currently based in Cusco, Peru where she investigates current business practices on the Inca Trail and acts as a volunteer for the Porter Voice Collective. She is also a freelance writer and has published lesser told and controversial stories related to the travel and outdoor industries. Her articles have been published on Outside Magazine, Adventure Journal, Backpacker Magazine, Matador, Huffington Post, and more.
Marinel has been featured on Vice Cable TV’s Second Act Mini-Documentary Series, House Hunters International, Backpacker Magazine, Vox, Outdoor Project, Roadtrippers, Gear Junkie, She Explores Podcast, among a few others. She is an Ambassador for Kuhl and AKU Trekking Shoes and a member of the steering committee for the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge.
All treks worldwide with an affinity toward the trails of the Himalayas and the Andes where spirituality and ancient cultures can still be experienced.
Her future hiking aspiration includes trekking the entire length of Nepal’s Great Himalaya Trail to document the stories of indigenous women along the way. As being a nomad goes, her personal goal is to live in at least 5 continents in her lifetime. She has so far lived in three continents; hence, two more to go.
Heather Distad
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: Access Fund
City: Dillon, CO
While on their family farm, hunting, fishing, camping, or hiking, Heather’s love for the outdoors started at an early age while growing up in Iowa. From Iowa to Alaska, Brazil, and the Mountain West, she developed a deep love for nature, recreation, and conservation.
Heather is a career fundraiser and program manager with over 10 years in the parks and recreation and non-profit spaces. She currently serves Access Fund as their events, outreach, and donor relations manager, advancing fundraising and engagement efforts throughout the US. Earlier in her career, Heather oversaw recreation programming for school-age students, as well as built leadership and volunteer programs for at-risk youth.
In addition, Heather assists non-profits in their development and outreach efforts as founder and lead consultant for Onsight Philanthropy. In her spare time, you’ll find Heather running, climbing, or skiing in the alpine, or sailing the seas of the Pacific Northwest on her boat, “New Sensation”. She always has her camera on hand to capture the adventure.
Heather holds a BA in Social Work, Nonprofit Management from Wartburg College and an MS in Recreation, Sports, and Tourism from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Heather lives in Dillon, Colorado with her adventure partner, Eric, and two fur-kids, Madi and Miles.
Latasha Dunston
Board Member
(she/her)
I received my BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts with a concentration in Scientific and Medical Illustration. When I am not in my studio, I am cooking up a storm in my kitchen, tending to my plants, hiking and camping, or traveling to somewhere new! My love of the outdoors is a vital part of my identity and I try and share that passion with as many as I can to help show that the outdoors is for everyone!
Sally Kidd
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: Hearst Television
City: Washington, DC
Sally fell in love with hiking as a child during an epic cross-country camping trip with her grandparents. The adventure took her across more than a dozen states and taught her the importance of protecting hiking trails and sharing the outdoor experience. She later expanded her outdoor adventures to include ultrarunning, long-distance open water swimming, kayaking, and triathlons.
In 2011 Sally climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, helping to raise more than $20,000 for orphans affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. It was during this trek that she learned from a fellow climber about American Hiking Society's mission. She joined the board in 2017.
When she's not hitting the trails, Sally works as a national news correspondent for Hearst Television in Washington, DC, reporting on politics, the White House, Congress, and other national newsmakers. Her reports are seen on 30 television stations nationwide. Before moving to Washington, Sally worked as a TV news reporter in multiple cities across Florida.
Sally holds a master's degree in Public Relations/Corporate Communications from Georgetown University and a BA in Broadcast Journalism from Louisiana State University.
Becky Marcelliano
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: Salomon
City: Ogden, UT
Becky is an explorer, creator, do-er, and inspirer. She attributes her love of wilderness to her early days of playing in the forests of New Jersey with her family. Since then, she ventured on to Colorado for school, led wilderness trips all across the West, rode her bicycle across America, and continues to find as many personal-growth opportunities as possible.
Her first career was in art education, before transferring into the outdoor industry full time in 2013. She led the marketing departments for Deuter Backpacks for six years, combining her love of gear, the outdoors, and human connection. From there, she moved to Ogden, Utah to take over as the Outdoor Marketing Manager for Salomon.
Becky is a hiker, mountain biker, snowboarder, yogi, artist, and lover of the early morning hours. These days, she has a hard time deciding whether she likes the mountains or the desert more, but if she had to choose one favorite location, you could find her in the San Juans of Colorado. She’s a strong believer in creating the life we each dream of and being a good human, above all else.
Wendy McCormack
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: National Institute for Trial Advocacy
Location: Boulder, CO
As Executive Director, Wendy works collaboratively with NITA staff, the Board of Trustees, and the organization as a whole in developing and implementing strategy, modeling and setting the company’s culture and values, and optimizing financial performance. Wendy has directed all aspects of core business and operational development function for 300 continuing education programs across the United States and internationally. Wendy received her master’s degree in education, with an emphasis on organizational development and human resources, from Colorado State University. She is a graduate of the intensive Organizational Leadership Program at the Employers Council’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute in Denver and is also a Colorado Outward Bound graduate. She believes strongly in organizational culture, employee empowerment and collaboration, and the strong power of listening. In her off time, you can find her outdoors hiking, running, mountain biking, paddling and traveling with her husband, Kevin and son, Cole.
Dead Horse Point State Park, Moab, UT
Zirkel Circle, Steamboat Springs, CO
Grand Canyon R2R, Arizona
Jessica Newton
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: Vibe Tribe Adventures
Location: Denver, CO
Jessica Newton is the founder and CEO of a non-profit organization called, Vibe Tribe Adventures, formerly known as Black Girls Hike. She is also the President and CEO of a project development firm called OBI Power, LLC. In January of 2018, Jessica was formerly appointed by Mayor Michael Hancock for the City of Denver, Office of Sustainability Advisory Council. She is the award recipient of the President’s Award from the Colorado Black Women for Political Action, The Salute to Excellent Award for Community Leader of the Year, and The African Americans Who Have Made a Difference award. Along with these many accomplishments, Ms. Newton has also recently been an approved national board member for American Hiking Society.
Jessica has been recognized internationally for creating a global outdoor & adventure company that was created to encourage people of color and urban youth to explore the great outdoors, practice conservation, educate on health and wellness, and inspire one another to be authentically who they are naturally. With the help of her team, she has created sisterhood on the trails, on waterways, and in local communities across the globe.
Jessica Newton has made it her life’s mission to continue to be a pillar to the Black community by inspiring environmental education, exploration and bringing us all closer to nature.
Castlewood Canyon
Estes Park
Vail Colorado
Elyse Rylander
Board Member
(she/her)
Organization: OUT There Adventures
City: Bellingham, WA (Puget Sound Salish and Lummi ancestral homelands)
Elyse has worn many hats in the outdoor industry and education worlds. Since 2006 she has taken thousands of youth and adults on outdoor adventures all over North America, and during these adventures, the interrogation of equity, access, and privilege played a central role. In 2011 Elyse began her journey as the founder of OUT There Adventures, a 501(c)3 dedicated to further bridging the gap between the LGBTQ community and the natural world. Along this path, Elyse has worked tirelessly to reduce outdoor access barriers for all members of the LGBTQ community. This has resulted in dozens of publications, presentations, interviews, trainings, and program partnerships aimed at increasing queer visibility and further complicating the narrative of who goes outside and how.
Elyse’s work has appeared in places such as the Rutledge International Handbook of Outdoor Studies, in print and in person at industry events such as Outdoor Retailer, and in March of 2018, Elyse was named a “Top Woman in Conservation and Environmental Justice” by ECODiversity Magazine. Elyse is also the co-organizer of the annual LGBTQ Outdoor Summit and a former partner with The Avarna Group. Outside of her work, Elyse is known for her sense of humor best conveyed through perfectly timed message GIFs, and in her [rare] free time she can be found paddling through the central Salish Sea.
Casey Schreiner
Board Member
(he/him)
Organization: Modern Hiker
Location: Portland, OR and Los Angeles, CA
3. Casey Schreiner is the Founder of Modern Hiker, one of the oldest and most-read hiking blogs on the West Coast. He has broken national news stories about public land vandalism and become a trusted source of information and informed opinion about outdoor issues and the effects of social media on the outdoors and outdoor communities. He has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, Outside, National Public Radio, and others, and in 2018 he was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the U.S. Congress for his work connecting Southern Californians to their public lands.
In 2016, Schreiner published his first book, Day Hiking Los Angeles with Mountaineers Books. His second book, Discovering Griffith Park, was published by Mountaineers in 2020. It is the first ever in-depth guidebook to one of the country’s largest and most visited city parks and has been on the Los Angeles Times bestseller list for much of the year.
Schreiner also has over 17 years of experience writing, producing, and presenting for nationally broadcast television, new media, and video game publishers. He also serves on the board of Nature For All and the Los Angeles Breakfast Club.
Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak, Santa Monica Mountains
Fern Dell to Mount Hollywood, Griffith Park
Upheaval Dome, Canyonlands National Park
Interested in Joining American Hiking Society's Board of Directors?
If you are passionate about hiking and interested in serving on our board of directors, please download the nomination form. Submittal directions are included in the form. Preference for 2022 recruitment given to those who apply by August 16, 2021.
American Hiking Society Staff
Wesley Trimble
Kathryn (Kate) Van Waes
Executive Director
(she/her)
Kate joined American Hiking in 2017. She brings a wealth of advocacy experience from the ONE Campaign, where she was a Policy Director, setting policy and strategic direction for ONE in the areas of agricultural development, hunger and nutrition, climate change, energy poverty, women and girls, trade, and development in fragile states. Prior to ONE, Kate served as Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor in Secretary Clinton’s Office of Global Food Security, helping to lead the Obama Administration’s flagship global hunger initiative, Feed the Future. Kate joined the State Department initially under a fellowship with the American Association for the Advancement of Science and focused on the intersection of emergency humanitarian aid and terrorism and hunger-related United Nations negotiations. She started her career as a planetary and glacial geologist, participating in several NASA Mars missions and working with the International Space Science Institute in Bern, Switzerland, the University of Copenhagen’s Neils Bohr Institute, and the Smithsonian Center for Earth and Planetary Studies. She earned her Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Brown University in 2004. Kate hails from Montana, where she developed a deep passion for spending as much time outdoors as possible. She and her equally outdoorsy husband and two daughters live in the ancestral lands of the Piscatoway (now known as Silver Spring, MD).
Grinnell Glacier trail, Glacier National Park
White Oak Canyon – Cedar Run Falls loop, Shenandoah National Park
The Berner Oberland, Switzerland
Heather Klein Olson
Senior Director of Development
(she/her)
Heather joined American Hiking in 2020. She has 20 years of experience leading philanthropic programs for higher education, foundations, social services, arts, and faith-based organizations. Heather most recently served as Vice President for Advancement at We Raise Foundation, a national foundation with both fundraising and grant making programs. Heather has raised over $25 million for organizations by building meaningful relationships with corporate partners and individual philanthropists.
Heather is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), a graduate of Butler University, Indianapolis, Ind., and holds advanced degrees in communication and business from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., and Valparaiso University. She has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) since 2006, and is a regular contributing writer to Advancing Philanthropy, AFP’s flagship membership magazine. Heather also has extensive volunteer leadership experience with Rotary International, having been honored with “Rotarian of the Year” and serving as president of the club in the Midwest community where she resides with her husband and their two sons.
Heather grew up hiking the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and urban trails in the city of Chicago. She is a certified SCUBA diver and rock climber, an avid trail runner, an 80’s movie buff, a thoroughbred enthusiast, an appreciator of a good pun, and a writer of children’s stories.
Big Sur and Garrapata State Park, Northern California
Anywhere in Kauai, Hawaii
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Chesterton, Indiana
Tyler Ray
Senior Director for Programs and Advocacy
(he/him)
Tyler joined American Hiking in 2018, after nearly seven years with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) where he led federal advocacy efforts on voting rights, disability rights, and humane border enforcement. He earned his Juris Doctorate and Certificate in Public Policy from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He obtained a B.A. degree in Social Science from San Diego State University.
As a native Californian, Tyler began hiking in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s and the Stanislaus National Forest. He’s been fortunate to experience trails across the country, with favorites including the Hanakapiai Trail in Kauai, the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trail, and state park and national forest trails throughout his adoptive home in Virginia.
When not hiking the hill advocating on behalf of AHS members, Tyler spends time with his husband and their dog, Kona, looking for their next outdoor adventure.
Hanakapiai Trail, Kauai, HI
Wesley Trimble
Communications and Creative Director
(he/him)
Outside Online called Wesley "the most inspiring man on the PCT" after completing the trail despite his mild form of cerebral palsy. Beyond the PCT, Wesley has thru-hiked the Colorado Trail, climbed all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, and finished several ultramarathon trail races—traversing well over 10,000 miles of trail.
Not all of Wesley's time on the trail is spent recreating. He believes it's his duty as an outdoor enthusiast to give back and steward the places he loves. While earning a Bachelors in Environmental Design from the University of Colorado, Wesley spent four seasons building and maintaining trails with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. Wesley's favorite projects included building and maintaining the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado and Wyoming.
Through design, marketing, and communications, Wesley enjoys educating people about the importance of outdoor stewardship.
Any alpine singletrack.
Josh Bruegger
Head of Finance and Administration
(he/him)
Josh joined American Hiking Society in 2019. He holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Administration, with a specialization in Accounting, from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from Southeast Missouri State University. He comes to AHS with fifteen years of experience in corporate tax and accounting roles.
Josh is a "numbers guy" and enjoys helping others make sense of their numbers. He volunteers with a nonprofit that provides character development, job readiness, and entrepreneurship tools to incarcerated individuals and those with criminal histories in the community. He has facilitated financial literacy classes to help incarcerated individuals learn the meaning behind the numbers of a business. For those in the community with criminal histories, Josh provides coaching and mentoring to help them reach their financial and business goals.
When not working or volunteering, you can be sure to find Josh traveling with his family, participating in outdoor adventures (hiking, camping, caving, canyoning, etc.), or spending time with his furry four-legged crew.
Lost Mine Trail In Big Bend National Park (TX) and Ojstrica in Bled, Slovenia
Molly Gray
Manager of Development Services
(she/her)
Molly joined AHS in 2021, bringing 15 years of experience from nonprofits, advertising sales, media + brand strategy, and community engagement. For nearly six years, Molly developed print and digital advertising campaigns and overall brand strategy for local, regional, and national businesses. She managed a craft beer publication, luxury lifestyle magazine, and large bridal brand. In 2014 she was awarded the Outstanding Young Sales Professional of the Year award by the Virginia Press Association.
Prior to advertising, Molly worked in Oregon where she was born and raised. As a Community Builder, she organized positive programs and events for residents of New Columbia: a diverse, 82-acre property of the Housing Authority of Portland. Since the ’80s, this Housing Authority community has battled with drugs and violence, and this notorious project was the site of Portland’s first drive-by shooting. In 2005 the old community was rebranded as New Columbia with a $151 million revitalization. With the community physically re-built, Molly connected 2,500+ residents with community resources like continuing education, financial literacy, gang prevention, and health + wellness. She also created the Adopt-A-Rain-Garden program for inter-generational residents to learn about the sustainability features within their own neighborhood. Each summer she organized 60 events that positively engaged youth through art, sports, and educational games.
Molly has also worked in domestic violence shelters and has served on the boards of Portland Women’s Crisis Line, YWCA Leadership Board, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Norfolk Environmental Commission.
She grew up skiing on Mt. Hood, hiking in the Columbia River Gorge, camping at Diamond Lake, and running all over Portland. As an east coaster, she enjoys training for ultramarathons, cooking new vegan recipes, watching the NBA with her fiance, and playing with her rescue dog, Miro.
Columbia River Gorge
Crater Lake
Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park
Ellie Place
Programs Manager
(she/her)
Ellie joined American Hiking in 2021 with over ten years of combined experience coordinating international volunteer programs, leading volunteer vacations, and serving as a volunteer for environmental conservation organizations herself. Ellie’s career has been dedicated to connecting diverse communities to the outdoors in a way that fosters a deep respect and active stewardship of natural environments. Ellie holds a dual undergraduate degree from Brown University in Geological Sciences and Hispanic Studies and a Master of Tourism Management from Colorado State University with a focus on strategic management of natural resources, public land use policy, and outdoor recreation practices that connect people to the natural world in a positive, sustainable way.
Ellie grew up in the foothills of the Central Cascades in Washington State, which is where she currently resides, although she has also lived in Rhode Island and the Florida Keys. Outside of work, you can find Ellie hiking, trail running, or skiing with her dog throughout Washington State (and often in the rain). Her love of the mountains is only rivaled by her love of the ocean. If not hiking, she is probably SCUBA diving and looking for her favorite animal, the sea slug.
The Enchantments thru-hike in the Central Cascades
The Ozette Loop in Olympic National Park
Cable Line Trail on Tiger Mountain
Kelsey Olsen
Digital Marketing Coordinator
(she/her)
After spending most of her eight-year digital marketing career in Chicago and NYC, Kelsey moved to Colorado in 2019. In the summer of 2020, she hiked 30 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, solidifying her love of the outdoors. Her digital marketing role at American Hiking Society combines her passion for hiking with her social media skills. She has a B.S. in marketing from Miami University (Ohio) and has held positions for several agencies and major retail brands. Her outdoor pursuits include hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. She’s looking forward to adding backpacking to the mix. After a bike accident in NYC, you can’t peer pressure her into mountain biking, but she welcomes you to try. Her other hobbies include visiting as many craft breweries as she can, trivia nights, and spending time with her terrier mix, Maizi.
Any alpine lake in Grand Tetons National Park
Uncompahgre Peak in the San Juan Mountains
Tabeguache Peak (via Jennings Creek) in the Sawatch Range
Jobs & Internships
Mick Haupt
At American Hiking, we envision a world where everyone feels welcome in the American hiking community and has permanent access to meaningful hiking, including urban, frontcountry, and backcountry opportunities. We will achieve this vision by empowering all communities to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience; advocating for the protection and expansion of hiking spaces; fostering trail stewardship; and collaborating with partners whose strengths are complementary. We provide an exciting, creative, and professional yet relaxed nonprofit atmosphere with a strong outdoor and conservation ethic.
Interested in joining our dynamic team? Any jobs or internships that may be available are described below.
AHS Staff Opportunities
There are no job opportunities at this time.
AHS Board Opportunities
The 2022-2024 Recruitment Cycle has closed, but seats do come open from time-to-time, and you can always join a Committee. See more here.
JEDI Education Opportunities
Interesting in facilitating an education session on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the AHS Board and Staff? Download the application form here.