Contact: Russell Hirschler, Executive Director
Upper Valley Trails Alliance
(802) 649-9075
russell.hirschler@uvtrails.org
January 15, 2020
The Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA) is pleased to announce that Beth Krusi of Norwich, VT will succeed Conrad Reining as Chair of the UVTA Board.
Beth has lived in the Upper Valley since 1977 and has been exploring trails in the area (and around the world) for most of her life. She brings her experience as director of marketing for the Montshire Museum of Science and publisher for Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) books to UVTA. She served on the board for Vermont Attractions Association, the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Outdoor Industry Women’s Council. She feels access to the outdoors and trails is one of the primary assets of the Upper Valley.
“I’m delighted to step into this role at such an important time’, said Krusi in a recent interview, “For a long time, people have viewed trails and the work we do as ‘nice’, but it’s becoming increasingly obvious that our work is also necessary: necessary to local and regional economies; necessary to communities seeking to nourish and maintain local identity; and, recent research has shown, necessary for both physical and mental health. It’s no accident that our major effort during the colder months is fighting what’s being called “Nature Deficit Disorder” through our Passport to Winter Fun program, which during the last 13 years has helped 40,000 kids in Upper Valley schools learn that winter is for celebrating the outdoors. “Many people”, she went on, “benefit from the work UVTA does – they walk our trails all the time, participate in our programs and events, – but they aren’t always aware that we are the catalyst that make it happen. We’ve been doing this for 20 years and, as we move into the next decade, we’re planning to expand our reach to include all 43 towns in the Upper Valley. It’s a worthy effort and I’m proud to be part of it.”
UVTA’s Executive Director, Russell Hirschler, stated, “Her long career with organizations like the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Montshire Museum of Science, her work heading our Marketing Committee, and her many contributions to our board discussions all demonstrate that Beth possesses the qualities that make a good chair. We’re quite lucky that she’s willing to assume the role that Conrad has performed so well for so long.”
UVTA would also like to thank Conrad Reining for his dedicated service as the UVTA Chair for the past six years. Conrad oversaw the implementation of several significant strategic initiatives at UVTA including the move to hold trail easements as part of the organization’s conservation and sustainability work, execution of a new strategic plan, and the creation of UVTA’s 5-year capacity building growth plan in honor of its 20th anniversary.
In addition, UVTA would like to welcome Augustus (Gus) Southworth of Enfield, NH to the Board. Gus Southworth is a partner in Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey’s litigation group, which was named a “highly recommended” Connecticut litigation team in Benchmark Litigation’s Guide To Leading Business Litigation Firms and Attorneys. He practices in state and federal court in the areas of commercial and personal injury defense litigation, including medical litigation; representation of health care providers and hospitals in malpractice litigation; representation of physicians and hospitals in administrative proceedings, and regulatory and non-professional liability matters, including litigation and representation of private educational institutions. Gus graduated from Dartmouth in 1966 and now recently retired, he lives on Crystal Lake in Enfield with his wife, Susan Moorman. “We are thrilled to add Gus to our Board. Not only does he bring an interest and passion for trails but his legal background will be beneficial to our work. I am excited to work with Gus moving forward” added Hirschler.
Finally, the UVTA Board says goodbye to Steve Gorman after 6 years of service. Steve is the Owner of Art of the Wild, and his work focuses on understanding the connections between nature and humanity: how we depend on the ecosystems around us to sustain our material and spiritual lives, how we modify the landscapes in which we live and work, and how our ideas of nature shape our relationships with the world around us. Hirschler noted that “Steve was instrumental in launching our new website and we are grateful for his diligence in pushing our marketing to the next level. He will be missed.”
For more information, please visit www.uvtrails.org.
The Upper Valley Trails Alliance is a charitable 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. UVTA advocates for the use, maintenance, and development of trails in the region. Through education, outreach & stewardship we connect people and places through a regional trail network, lead a coalition of local trail groups and advocates, and promote active lifestyles through trail use in all seasons.
Published in the Vermont Digger on January 15th, 2020
