SUNY ESF Professor Emeritus and former APA Board Member Chad Dawson joined AWA in 2021 as a Technical Advisor. Dawson recently joined the Board of Directors of Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve, an organization closely aligned with AWA’s mission and goals. This connection has provided the two groups an opportunity to form an alliance to identify and advance pilot projects to help build a world-class adaptive management model for the Adirondack Park with Dawson, who is one of the world’s foremost experts on wilderness management, at the center.

From guiding interpretive hikes to monitoring for non-native invasive species, Janelle has a background that complements the wild terrain of the Northeast. In her current role with a regional land trust, Janelle works as part of a team that safeguards privately owned wilderness preserves in perpetuity. Either at work or in her free time, exploring wild places on skis or in a canoe is Janelle’s passion.

Samantha Brooks is a SUNY- Environmental Science and Forestry graduate who has worked as a summit steward, and an assistant state park ranger. Exploring the Adirondacks wilderness is her passion.

Jesse grew up in rural Red Creek, NY, and is a lifelong visitor of the exquisite Adirondack outdoors. He enjoys hiking, canoeing, and wildlife viewing.

He currently lives in Rochester, NY.

Jacqueline Keating is an environmental sociologist and park ranger for the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. When she’s not sneaking back to the Adirondacks, her research focuses on the human dimensions of wildlife management, specifically brown bears, polar bears, and the impacts of ecotourism in remote communities across the state of Alaska.

Tyra is a geographer, professor, and writer who has also worked as a summit steward, park ranger, and physical science technician.

Tyler Socash is the Adirondack Mountain Club’s Wilderness Trip Leader. After receiving his master’s degree at the University of Rochester, Tyler embarked on a 7,000-mile thru-hiking journey across the Pacific Crest Trail, Te Araroa across New Zealand, and the Appalachian Trail. He is a New York State Licensed Guide, a Leave No Trace Master Educator, and trained in Wilderness First Aid.

Andy Testo is the trails manager for a nature center in the Adirondacks. He passionately maintains a 25 mile trail system to include a multitude of ages, abilities, and multi-use recreational activities. He is an avid hunter and fisherman, a trainer forester, enjoys naturalizing, mountain biking, hiking, paddling, swimming, skiing and snowshoeing. Andy believes there is an appropriate place for everything.

Brendan is a landscape and nature photographer, as well as a limnologist who focuses on studying Adirondack lakes and rivers.

Scott served as New York State Forest Ranger for 25 years, much of that time in the Adirondack High Peaks, before retiring from the force in 2021.