Board of Directors
Officers
Todd Walton - President
Todd is the Public Relations Manager for Outdoor Research, Inc., where he has worked since 1999. He is also a former guide, graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School, a former wilderness EMT, and has completed the Master Leave No Trace program. His favorite hike is Mt. Anderson in the Enchanted Valley of the Olympics.
David Schoenborn - Vice President, Advocacy
David is an avid hiker, trail maintenance volunteer, and attorney from Vancouver. He has also been involved in government relations and legislative politics for many years, including working as Legislative Counsel to a Congressman and on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. His favorite hike is Snowgrass Flats in the Goat Rocks Wilderness.
Michele Coad - Vice President, Board Development
Michele is an attorney and volunteer steward at Tiger Mountain for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Michele also serves on the Internal Review Board for the University of Washington, reviewing ethical considerations for proposed research involving human subjects, and she volunteers at the Veterans Administration Hospital. Her favorite hike is Mt. Dickerman.
Tor Bell MacIlroy - Vice President, Communications & Outreach
Working for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, Tor coordinates efforts to restore river and stream corridors and wetlands, remove logging roads, and manage other ecological restoration projects throughout the Mountains to Sound Greenway. His favorite hike is Bailey Range in the Olympics.
Melissa Strauch - Vice President, Fundraising & Membership
Melissa currently works on transportation issues for the City of Seattle and previously worked as the Development Director for another local nonprofit. She holds a certificate in non-profit management from the University of Washington. Her favorite hike is Green Mountain in the Darrington District, which is currently inaccessible due to 2006 storm damage.
Christine Peterson - Vice President, Trail Maintenance
Christine is a seasonal trail technician for the Forest Service and works out of the Hoodsport Ranger Station. With her work hat on, she surveys trails and as a volunteer she leads work parties in the southern Olympics. Her favorite hike is the South Fork of the Skokomish in the Olympics.
Susan Ball - Treasurer
Susan is a Senior Associate Treasurer at the University of Washington, where she has worked since 1989. She is a senior member of the investment team responsible for the management of the University's investment programs. Susan has been a member of WTA since her husband Greg Ball joined the Board in the 1980s. Greg's later involvement as Executive Director then Operations Director for WTA insured a continuing close involvement with the organization. Her favorite hike is the Boulder River near Darrington.
Craig McKibben - Secretary
Craig was the co-founder of WRQ, Inc., a Seattle software company, and is now enjoying the ability to get outdoors more often to climb, ski and hike during his retirement. His favorite hikes are in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the fall in search of huckleberries and larches.
At Large Directors
Jill Avey
Jill is currently Senior Global Brand Manager for Timberland. She holds an MBA from Columbia University and has worked as product manager for K2 and marketing director for Montrail. When on the trail, she likes to hike in Mount Rainier National Park.
Ellie Booher
Ellie has worked in the outdoor industry from many perspectives over the past 20 years, from backpacking trip leader to sales representative to rock climbing instructor, with several stops in between. She is currently working on raising a budding trail worker and wildlands activist.
Doug Breckel
Doug has served as Senior Associate Treasurer for the Board of Regents
for the University of Washington since 1993. As CFO for Financial Management, he current oversees the University's $1.2 billion in operating funds, capital funding, cash managment, real estate and risk management. His favorite place to hike is in the Columbia River Gorge: Mt Hamliton, Eagle Creek and Falls Creek Falls.
Tim Gould
Tim is a researcher on air quality at the University of Washington. In his free time, he is an environmental advocate whose passion for hiking combines recreation, fitness, advocacy and a deep appreciation of nature. One of his favorite hikes is the O'Neill Pass trail in Olympic National Park.
Richard Johnson
Richard is a longtime WTA member who hikes in Washington and British Columbia whenever he can get away from his software job. He also leads outings for Sierra Club and Wilderness Volunteers. His favorite hike is the Ptarmigan Traverse.
Kathleen Learned
Kathleen is a retired King County Superior Court judge who now works as a part-time mediator and arbitrator. She was co-founder of the Northwest Women's Law Center and served on the boards of PCC Natural Markets, Pacific Biodiversity Institute and the North Cascades Conservation Council. Her favorite hikes are Yellow Aster Butte and Tomyhoi Mountain in the North Cascades.
Chad Lewis
Chad is a Public Information Officer at the headquarters for the Washington State Department of Corrections in Olympia. Previously he was an editor at the Bremerton Sun. He lives near downtown Tacoma. His favorite hike is Mount Ellinor in the Olympics.
Ken Mondal
Ken is a Spokane Ophthalmologist who has the distinction of being the first person to have hiked each of the trails in 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest. He is an active member of Conservation Northwest, the Spokane Mountaineers and the Lands Council. His favorite hike is the Enchantment Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Kate Rogers
Kate is the editor in chief of The Mountaineers Books/Skipstone Press and has been a part-time lecturer on editing, publishing and general media at the University of Washington and Seattle Community Colleges. She was previously senior editor at Sasquatch Books and launched her own book packaging firm, Unleashed Book Development. Her favorite dayhike is to Melakwa Lake.
Rob Shurtleff
Rob has a background in technology and investments, and is currently a Managing Director of Divergent Ventures. He is an avid hiker and a frequent user of the WTA web site. At this moment, his favorite hike is Lake Valhalla, off Smithbrook.
Rick Watson
Rick is Director of Distribution Operations for REI where he has worked since 1991. Rick is an avid hiker and trail maintenance volunteer. He enjoys hiking in the Squak and Cougar Mountain areas.
John Woolley
John is a retired teacher of politics, environmental education, and history. An avid hiker, he is currently Chair of the Olympic Forest Coalition, vice-president of Olympic Park Associates, a board member of the Olympic Coast Alliance, and Secretary of Friends of Miller Peninsula State Park.
Advisory Board
Ron Barensten
Mark Boyar
Bill Chapman
Karl Forsgaard
Kevin Hall
Ken Konigsmark
Tom Lucas
Margaret Macleod
Susan Saul
John Spring
