Meet the Team
STAFF | BOARD | YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL | ADVISORY COUNCIL
Staff
Alicia Heyburn - Executive Director
Pronouns: she/her
alicia@teenstotrails.org
Alicia promotes respectful, reciprocal relationships between people and the outdoors to benefit personal health, ecological awareness, and thriving communities. She serves on the board of Maine GearShare, the Advisory Board of the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Workgroup of Maine Trails Coalition.
She is a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide and a Wilderness First Responder, wife of a ski patroller and the mother of two kids who know that when the tide is in, mom is probably out.
Best Outdoor Adventure: camping on a Maine island
“Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.” - Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Jennifer Hazard - Communications Manager
Pronouns: she/her
jen@teenstotrails.org
Jen is a food and travel writer and the author of “The Maine Play Book: A Four-Season Guide to Family Fun and Adventure.” She’s worked as a content specialist at a variety of organizations over the years with a focus on storytelling, social media, and public relations.
Her love of the Maine outdoors has led to fun adventures throughout the state—from dogsledding in Augusta to exploring ice caves in Millinocket. She’s an avid runner, hiker, and enjoys nothing more than traveling throughout New England with her family.
Best Outdoor Adventure: Camping in a lean-to on South Branch Pond
Favorite Outdoor Quote: “The world of nature speaks directly to the human heart.” - Tarrthang Tulku, Tibetan teacher
Samantha Andrews - Outdoor Program Manager
Pronouns: she/her
samantha@teenstotrails.org
Sam is a passionate outdoor advocate spanning her love for the outdoors from the mountains to the sea. She has spent most of her life getting out of her comfort zone and growing as an individual in the outdoors. After four years of working as a ski instructor, wilderness and sea kayak guide, Sam came to Teens to Trails with hopes to inspire new, exciting adventures, sustain outdoor clubs with the tools they need to thrive, and make positive connections with students.
She is a Certified Maine Sea Kayak Guide, Wilderness First Responder and Leave No Trace Master Educator. When she is not sea kayaking the coast, she is hiking, backpacking or skiing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Maine or Vermont.
Best Outdoor Adventure: Backpacking The Long Trail in Vermont End to End
“Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You’re going anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”
- Anthony Robbins
Katy Harkleroad - Office Administrator/Bookkeeper
Pronouns: she/her
office@teenstotrails.org
Katy’s love of the outdoors started early. In her childhood home of Nebraska, Katy climbed every tree and splashed in every mud puddle she could find.
As Katy grew older, she recognized that emotional growth happens while exploring outside. This realization led her to outdoors-focused work around the country — from North Carolina to Wyoming to Maine.
When Katy isn’t working outside, she’s playing outdoors. Mountain biking, canoeing, skiing and adventure racing are among her current favorite activities, but she’s generally up for anything!
Katy is a certified Wilderness First Responder who is married to an outdoor enthusiast. Together they’re raising one super-energetic kiddo who, thankfully, enjoys seeking out adventure as much as they do!
Most Memorable Outdoor Adventure: Completing a female-led winter ascent of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Favorite Trail Activity: (Besides being silent) Picking up litter.
Megan Achorn - Development Manager
Pronouns: she/her
megan@teenstotrails.org
Megan is a seasoned Development Director with a proven track record of success having worked for several nonprofits and in political fundraising throughout the last few years. Megan excels in building engagement plans for donors from diverse backgrounds. She holds a Sustainable MBA from Unity Environmental University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She combines a rich educational background with hands-on experience, making her a dynamic force in the world of fundraising, communication, and community engagement.
Hailing from the picturesque Midcoast Maine, her journey has allowed her to call diverse locales home, from Manchester, England, to the serene shores of St. John in the US Virgin Islands, each contributing to her well-rounded perspective. Beyond her professional pursuits, Megan finds joy in the simple pleasures of life, often hiking the Camden Hills with her two daughters or taking her dog for a leisurely stroll.
Outdoor Adventure: Learning to ski again at 38 after not skiing for over 20 years.
Quote: “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” - Margaret Atwood
Ashley Meggett - Outdoor Recreation Fellow
Pronouns: she/her
Ashely joins us from University of Maine’s Tourism, Hospitality and Outdoor Recreation (THOR) program. She is incredibly excited to connect with Maine’s outdoor communities.
Originally from Colorado, she moved to Maine to be closer to the ocean. She loves hiking and climbing, especially when traveling to new locations to do so. Ashley is training to become a Wilderness First Responder and is studying Earth and Climate Sciences and Outdoor Leadership.
Elly Thomas - Northern Forest Canoe Trail Trip Leader
Pronouns: she/her
elly@teenstotrails.org
Elly is an outdoor educator and trip leader who enjoys sharing her passion for the natural world and its wonders with young people. She grew up in Southern New Jersey, where she spent many summer nights camping at a local state park. While in Maine for summer camp, she fell in love with backcountry exploring. After finishing college with a degree in Geographic Information Science, Elly moved to Maine and has been honing her outdoor leadership skills by guiding groups through various outdoor activities and educational experiences.
Elly's love of hiking, canoeing and skiing has led her to explore diverse landscapes throughout New England — from mountain trails to beautiful waterways. Recently, she’s working on her downhill skiing skills and is delving into canoe racing. Elly has amassed more boats than one person needs, depending on who you ask!
BOARD OF MANAGERS
Leanna Bonds - Director of Advancement & Community Partnerships, The Ecology School
Michele Labotz, MD - Sports Medicine Physician
Ted Hall, Chair - School Coach, Great Schools Partnership
Ashley Edmundson - Program Manager, MaineHealth
Sarah Hubert - Assistant Principal/Athletic Director, Wiscasset Middle High School
Lisa Margulies - VP of Public Affairs, Maine for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England
Todd Noyes - Director of Card Services, L.L.Bean
Zachary Stegeman - Parent. Partner. Connector of dots.
Justin Strasburger - Executive Director, Full Plates Full Potential
Kirstie Truluck - Executive Director, Maine’s First Ship
Britton Wolfe - Principal, Sacopee Valley High School
2023-2024 Youth Advisory Council
Aubrey Gifford - Grade 12
Lee Academy
Aubrey hopes by sharing her outdoor experiences, other teens will be inspired to explore nature as a tool to improve their wellbeing. She also wants to work towards making the outdoors more accessible for people in all walks of life.
In addition, Aubrey is designing our 2023 YAC Training Day on trip planning and risk management (with a campfire grilled cheese for lunch, of course).
Margaret Brewster - Grade 11
Sacopee Valley High School
Margaret wrote in her YAC application, “Before I am thirty years old, I would like to have hiked up at least ten trails in Baxter State Park. I have currently hiked up two.” She works as a counselor for a summer camp in northern Maine and believes that being in nature creates a great sense of protection and love for the earth.
Kaelyn Langlois - Grade 12
Edward Little High School
Kaelyn is all about a healthy rush of adrenaline, and enjoys alpine skiing. She’s hoping to offer up her skiing knowledge to those who are new to the sport during our winter programming, all while promoting the benefits of having fun outside with a little healthy risk-taking in the mix.
Eva Dodge - Grade 11
Ecology Learning Center
Eva hopes by the time she turns 30, she will have visited 6 of the 7 continents on this beautiful earth, and will form connections exploring each place. She kicked off her North American experience by winning Sara’s Scholarship in 2023 and going on a rainy, 3-week canoe trip. Her poem about the experience is titled, “Who Am I Here?” and was featured at the Maine Development Foundation’s Champion Awards Celebration.
Nolan Packard - Grade 11
Belfast High School
Nolan set goals to learn about trip planning and practice public speaking while on the Youth Advisory Council. “I aim to help the community that has given me neat experiences outdoors and meet new people through the trips that I take with my Outdoor Club.”
TEENS TO TRAILS ADVISORY COUNCIL
Ryan Adams - Finance Manager, TruChoice Federal Credit Union
Jane Arbuckle - Stewardship Director, Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Marc Bourgoin - CEO, Lincoln Canoe & Kayak
David Butler - Owner/Guide, Maine Path & Paddle Guide
Carolyn Brodsky - Founder, Sterling Rope Co., Inc.
Nick Callanan - Producer, Maine Outdoor Film Festival / No Umbrella Media
Shawn Carlson - Principal Camden Hills Regional HS
Charlie Fear - Former Director, Chewonki Camp for Boys
Linda Hanson - Teacher, Retired
Alix Hopkins - Writer & Consultant
Julie Isbill - National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Conservation Assistance
Jane Koopman - NOLS Instructor
Dawn Littlefield-Gordon - Healthy Weight Coordinator, Maine CDC
Ryan Linehan - Former Director of Outdoor Education, Colby College
Erika Rhile - Teacher & Outdoor Club Advisor, Cheverus High School
Rob Rowse - Former President, Rowse Co
Rebecca Rundquist - Philanthropy
Ben Sampson - Engineer
Lynne Seeley - Urban Planner
Mckenzie Smith - Law Clerk, Anchorage Superior Court
Cory Snow - Teacher & Outing Club Advisor, South Portland High School
Sheridan Steele - Retired Superintendent, Acadia National Park
Brenda Weis - Teacher & Outing Club Advisor, Cony High School