Current Members
 President- At Large:
Dave Cornell served several previous terms as a director of the North Country Trail Association and continued to serve the Chief Noonday Chapter after he left the Board. A founder of the Chapter, he has long been active in the Association and served for many years as a full-time volunteer with the National Park Service. His degrees in accounting and law have provided much needed expertise for the Association over the years. Dave has also received the NCTA Distinguished Service Award, and Lifetime Achievement Award.
Delton, MI (2008)
VP East- At Large:
Mary Coffin has been a thoroughly involved trail volunteer for over 20 years, maintaining and building trail in central New York along the Finger Lakes Trail, working with landowners and state agencies, and planning and leading hikes.
For the Adirondack Mountain Club she has held numerous committee posts, many of which involve organizing major events that hundreds of people have enjoyed. In both her local chanter and on a state-wide organizational level, she has served many years as either board member or chair, so her administrative experience is extensive.
Even after tending trail since 1982, Mary still attends local NCTA-sponsored trail-building workshops to help her create the best possible new pathway as her Adirondack Mountain Club - Onondaga Chapter keeps building the NCT toward its eventual east-end goal. Mary has also received the NCTA Distinguished Service Award.
Chittenango, NY (2008)
 VP-West- North Dakota Trail Council Rep.:
Alicia Hoffarth works as the Grant Manager for Valley City State University in Valley City, N.D. She is currently the President of the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter of the NCTA and has served on the board since 2003 filling an unexpired term as the N.D. Trail Council Representative. Hoffarth's hobbies include hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, and biking. Hoffarth would like to see more development of outdoor activities in the Valley City area.
Hoffarth says, "I wish to serve on the NCTA Board for a variety of reasons. I believe the North Country Trail has developed substantially in the last few years. However, there is significant work which needs to be done to develop and market the trail. I would like to increase awareness of the trail, particularly among young people, to increase involvement, use and support of the trail. North Dakota needs representation on the Board, which will keep everyone within the state updated and resources available."
Valley City, ND (2008)
 Lower Michigan Trail Council Rep.:
Lyle Bialk graduated from Michigan State University in 1976 with a BS degree in Fisheries and Wildlife. From July, 1980 through May 1981 Lyle participated in the American Hiking Society's HikaNation - a 14-state, transcontinental hike. This hike was the "trial run" precursor to the American Discovery Trail. Lyle has spent 17 years working as a paramedic and Education Director for various EMS programs, as well as 5 years working for Vision Quest which runs wilderness-based programs for juvenial delinquents. Lyle's duties included overseeing their health needs in wilderness camps, providing leadership on backpacking and mountain biking expeditions, and finally serving as Treatment Director onboard the sailing schooner "Bill of Rights". Lyle's involvement with the NCT started in 1994 when he adopted two sections of trail in the Jordon River Valley. He has since become an active member of the Tittabawassee Chapter, serving for the past several years as their secretary/treasurer. Lyle currently is the Chairman of the Lower Michigan Trail Council. He remains active with the American Hiking Society, serving as their ambassador to various trail related events in Michigan, and participating in their Volunteer Vacations program whenever the oportunity arrises. "My desire is to help flavor the board with another long-distance hiker viewpoint. I would also like to work on increaseing the visibility and awareness of the trail in the local communities through which it passes. I am looking forward to learning from, and working with, the current staff and board members to assure the continued advancement of our common goals."
Croswell, MI (2007)
 At-Large:
Joyce Appel was appointed as the Pennsylvania Rep in the Spring of 2005. She is a retired school teacher of 35 years of teaching and always stressed the importance of enjoying the outdoors to her students. Her multiple outdoor interests and activities on adventure trips taken throughout the world, always left a lasting impression on her students as they watched her slides in Social Studies classes. "Stop and smell the roses. Get out there, see and appreciate what God has created. Don't let life pass you by."
Joyce has also been involved in many outdoor organizations such as AYH, Butler Outdoor Club (board member and former president), Sierra Club, Explorers Club, Nature Conservancy, Keystone Trails Assoc. (board member), and Moraine State Park Regatta (board member). She is also a board member of the Butler Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Show that supports the Mental Health Assoc. Through the years, she has organized local and state wide events such as the "Outdoor Extravaganza", worked on fundraisers, lead hiking and canoe trips, and is very involved in the NCT trail building for Penna. She is eager to be part of the NCTA Board and hopes to be able to spread awareness to this beautiful national scenic trail. "Awareness can lead to involvement." This is what we need !!!
East Brady, PA (2007)
 Ohio Trail Council Rep.:
Carl Boesel, a retired pathologist (from Ohio State University) who still works part-time, is a life-member of the Buckeye Trail Association, and has been a Trustee for five years. He is a maintainer of off-road trail on his and his wife's 133-acre property and adjacent trail, and is Section Supervisor of the Old Man's Cave Section of the Buckeye Trail. Other memberships include the NCTA, the Land Trust Alliance, and the advisory board to the Hocking Hills Land Trust of Appalachia Ohio Alliance. Interests include trail maintenance, environmental restoration, and land conservation. "I believe the primary goal of the NCTA should be to strive to improve the quality of off-road trail by assuring good maintenance, improving existing trail, and relocating trail that is poorly designed. In summary, I would like to be on the Board to help the NCTA accomplish the following:
1. Work with property owners to improve and develop off-road trail.
2. Initiate ways to minimize the impact of off-road vehicles and horses by, for example, providing alternate routes and at the same time limiting access to the foot trail.
3. Assure continued and improved quality of off-road trail by a trail inspection program.
4. Work with conservation and land trust organizations to further common goals."
Columbus, OH (2007)
 At Large:
Garrett (Garry) S. Dill Jr. has been a member of the Buckeye Trail Association (an NCTA Affiliate) for more than 10 years. Following his retirement as a veterinary pathologist 3 years ago he joined the trail crew and is currently Supervisor and a Maintainer for a 60 mile section of trail. He was appointed as the BTA representative to the NCTA and then when the NCTA Ohio Trail Council was formed he was elected Chairman. His vision for the future includes more off road (certified) trail in Ohio and increased communication and cooperation between the affiliates and chapters within Ohio and with the NCTA.
London, OH (2009)
London, OH (2009)
 At-Large:
Sarah Julien is an enthusiastic outdoorswoman who has hiked all over the West and the Superior Hiking Trail with her husband, Michael, as well as the North Country Trail in Michigan. She has served several kinds of civic organizations in Kent County including as a member of the Board of Directors of the Forest Hills Education Association, a member of the board of Voigt House, a Grand Rapids historical landmark and has served as President of the Forest Hills Cultural Arts Committee. She has also worked as a docent at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, organized races for charity, written grants and has had experience in fund raising. Of possible service on the NCTA board, Sarah wrote, "In my opinion one of the biggest challenges facing the NCT is its lack of recognition. I am surprised how many people don't even realize that the NCT exists almost literally in their back yards... I feel that my experience with organizations I have worked for will help me as a board member for NCTA. I would like to help the board and the Association continue its efforts to inform the public about the Trail and especially to broaden its base of support.
Lowell, MI (2009)
 Minnesota Trail Council Rep.:
Christopher Klein, who was appointed as the Minnesota State Trail Council Chair in March 2005, is very excited to be part of this growing organization. Chris is an avid outdoorsman and has spent significant amounts of time hiking and backpacking on trails throughout the United States. He first discovered a love for the outdoors through Scouting as a child. His first backpacking adventure was in the mountains of New Mexico at Philmont Scout Ranch. Since that time, he has hiked extensively on many of the Nations Trails, including The North Country Trail, Superior Hiking Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and the Appalachian Trail. When Chris isn't working in his Insurance and Financial Services Practice, he can often be found fly-fishing for his favorite quarry- trout. He is particularly fond of combining his love of backpacking and fly-fishing by taking backcountry fly-fishing expeditions. Chris hopes to bring additional energy and passion to the board, and be an advocate for the wonderful footpath that is the North Country Trail.
Eagle Bend, MN (2009)
 At-Large:
Bobby Koepplin, Manager of Rural Development, Cass County Electric Co-op is Chairperson of the 63 mile long Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway in North Dakota. As Byway Chairperson and Project Coordinator, he has written and developed easements, grants, "Requests for Proposals", bid specifications, concept reports, a corridor management plan, and an interpretive plan. He also served as the project coordinator for construction of a new visitor center. The byway has successfully secured over $1.75 million from 39 different funding sources and over 75 partnerships. The byway was recognized with a 2003 "Best Practices for Byways" award. Bobby's expertise is grant writing, trail/site easements, forming partnerships and leveraging resources. Bobby serves on the National Byway Foundation and is a member or officer of over 25 community, state and national organizations. He is a recent recipient of the NREDA-National Rural Economic Developers Association "Rural Leadership Award". Bobby's personal goal is to complete the NCT that parallels the scenic byway along the Sheyenne River Valley.
ND (2007)
 At-Large:
Al Larmann grew up in pre-WWII, then non-crowded northern New Jersey - and served in the USAAF 1944-46. After graduation from Stevens Institute of Technology in early 1951, he joined the General Electric Company and held a number of marketing and business assignments for 36 years, acquiring a MBA degree from Syracuse University along the way. In parallel, he secured a FAA pilot's license, served the Civil Air Patrol in a number of command and staff positions, and continues in that role - 39 years to date. He says of his trail life: "My outdoors-oriented wife, Mary, convinced me to become active in the newly formed Central New York Chapter in 1997. Working closely with the late Randall Brune, I found the activity to be challenging, consuming, and often satisfying - particularly when we could accomplish a major goal through a partnership of both the private and public sectors. These efforts by many dedicated people have enabled us to not only build and maintain trails and several major bridges - they have also generated public awareness and support for the North Country/Link Trail. A major goal of our chapter is to extend the NCT on to historic Fort Stanwix in Rome, NY and thence to the Adirondack Park 'blue line' boundary. My personal goal as a NCTA Board member is to utilize my experience and skills in concert with the other Board members to advance the North Country Trail in total, while retaining the opportunity to continue my contributions to the CNY chapter." Al has also received the NCTA Distinguished Service Award.
Canastota, NY (2009)
 Great Lakes Representative:
Gaylord Yost has been a Board member off and on since the early 1980s. He first was elected to the Board while employed by the USDA Forest Service and served as their representative until his retirement in 1994. Since then, he has devoted his time and efforts to building the North Country Trail community in Wisconsin. He served as Wisconsin Trail Coordinator and as the Heritage Chapter Vice Chair since the early 1990s. He is the recipient of a Distinguished Service Award from the NCTA and has been awarded Chapter Volunteer of the Year awards. He is an avid supporter of the NCT project, and feels that the maintenance of our country's environmental quality depends upon involvement of trail organizations building, promoting and educating people to "quiet" access to our natural heritage. Only through such educational efforts can a constituency be maintained to monitor this natural heritage and serve as its champion. Gaylord has also received the NCTA Lifetime Achievement Award.
River Hills, WI (2007)
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