ATA Board of Directors & Staff

Board

 

Alex Cormier - President

 

Mike Anderson - Vice President

"15 years ago I bought a small 2nd home/rental in Brownsville so that I could be closer to Killington for Winter skiing.  To my surprise, I quickly learned that there was an active group of local mountain bikers who were growing and maintaining a network of trails on and around the mountain.  Spending more time in the area, I quickly fell in love with the beauty of the mountain, surrounding lakes and rivers and year-round opportunities to connect with nature. In 2019 we moved here full time, which enabled me to devote more time to build, maintain, and share all Ascutney has to offer with others.  All of our guests gets a guided tour to several of my favorite local waterfalls, regardless of the time of year! I look forward to spending all my free time in the woods for years to come and encouraging others to do the same."

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Jim Congdon - Director, Secretary

"Like Aaron, I too had a Schwinn Stingray as a kid, although mine was a 1967 model with slick tires. I first skied on Mt Ascutney circa 1982 and now I am back, as if drawn by the magnetic pull in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I see the mountain and I must climb to the top and ski down it, or ride or run around it. This place is magical and the people here all have the commonality of loving it. One feels humbled by the herculean efforts of the ATA to maintain and enhance the magnificent trail network here. One is thus compelled to participate in the effort."

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Gaudencja Opach - Director, Treasurer

"I've lived in Queens, NY throughout my childhood, but the best memories growing up were skiing with my family, driving I-91N to Vermont which was always our #1 destination for the winter months for the past 30 years.

My favorite quote is from John Muir "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.”

I fell in love with the Mt. Ascutney volunteer programs from snow tubing operations in the winter to the bike festivals in the summer/fall. I can proudly say I am part of an excellent community that has become a permanent home in my life. As a treasurer board member, I have around 17 years of accounting/finance experience and I hope to bring that sunshine with financial reporting."

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Darius Long - Director, Summer Trails Committee Chairperson

"I came to the Upper Valley in 2013 and have lived in Brownsville since 2020.  I have been hiking the Greens and Whites for years, and more recently have become an avid mountain and gravel biker. I am deeply grateful to have found a home near Mount Ascutney and the surrounding trail network. They are an endless source of recreation that offers adventure, fitness, and natural beauty year-round. I often pause on our trails and marvel to myself that 'this is heaven!' And so I selfishly want to do whatever I can to help keep these trails awesome. The trail-minded community here has been incredibly welcoming and inspiring. I have previous volunteer experience with the Upper Valley Rugby Club and have served on its board as Field & Equipment Manager and Vice President. So if you see someone biking around Brownsville in a rugby jersey, it's probably me!"

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Robert J. Knight - Director

"Mt. Ascutney has always been a big part of my life. Born and raised in Windsor. Monthly summer picnics on the mountain were a staple of my childhood, along with hiking, skiing and snowshoeing. I've been an active member of the Ascutney Trails Association (ATA) for twenty plus years helping with trail cleaning, maintenance, helping lead hikes, and putting on the annual Memorial Day picnic at the stone hut site. I look forward to helping guide the expanded organization into the future!"

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Tim Banker - Director

"I live in Ludlow, VT, but make the trek over to Ascutney Trails for the terrain and sense of community. I grew up in small-town NY (outside Albany) hiking ravines and riding the Taconic Skyline trail or racing at Holiday Farm in the Berkshires. I learned the importance of contributing to the outdoor community through my childhood. You can find me hiking with my wife or riding my Spot Mayhem 150. I got involved with (formerly STAB) and ATA through Tuesday Night Rides and volunteer days, and am excited to continue the great work the organization has done to bring the best of Ascutney to nature and outdoor enthusiasts."

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Matthew Pronovost - Director

"Most of my friends call me Matty. After a long hiatus, I'm back in VT and live in Weathersfield, with two dogs, and a cat. I am a career welder with most of my work over the past 15 years being spent in the bicycle industry. It has been a pleasure to connect with others in the community about trail building and advocacy. As a board member, I look forward to taking a more active role in further shaping an already incredible network of trails."​

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Wend Reuter-Lorenz - Director

“I have lived around Ascutney Mountain all of my VT/NH life and have found my passion riding in, around, and up this amazing mountain! MTB events, races, Tuesday Night Ride, festivals, and friendships have deepened my sense of pride and responsibility for this mountain and all it has to offer to our community."

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"You will likely find me on one of my bikes any time of the year but feel the best in the woods on my Trek TopFuel 8!!  I am proud to be on the Board of Directors to continue to maintain and improve our trail system for our health, and vitality and for the generations to come!"

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Staff

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Jim Lyall - Trail Builder (Former Board Member)

“I’m involved with ATA because they won’t let me stop building trails.  I was an original founder of STAB in 2005, along with Erik, and have been serving as Trail Manager.  A Brownsvillain for over 40 years, I’ve been backcountry skiing Ascutney and biking these hills for much of that time.”

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Tim Brown - Trail Builder

"​I have been in love with bikes since I was a kid.  My 1st mountain bike race was in 7th grade (1990), and I raced heavily during high school.  I moved to the area from Northern Vermont after college in 2000.  I helped build some of the earliest downhill trails across the river at Arrowhead in Claremont. My other job is working for a custom framebuilder, so my whole life revolves around bikes."