As we bid a loving farewell to Morgan Steel, our past Executive Director who will now be bike-packing across many countries, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association is excited to look forward to new leadership. Our Deputy Director, Lindsey Schultz, has picked up the torch to become our Interim Executive Director to propel the TRTA into the future. Below is her statement, which she wishes to share with fellow lovers of the Tahoe Rim Trail!
Dear TRTA Community,
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the Interim Executive Director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I accept this role and embark on this journey with all of you and our amazing staff and volunteers.
My first experience with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association was as a 10-year-old in the 90s with my dad volunteering on one of the many trail-building days for the yet-to-be-completed Tahoe Rim Trail. Almost two decades and many life experiences later, I found myself back in Tahoe taking care of my late grandmother and volunteering again for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association but getting paid as an AmeriCorps member for two years. Only this time, instead of a father-daughter day on the trail, I oversaw recruiting and managing volunteers, leading and organizing workdays and Backcountry Camps, and collecting sign-in sheets and liability waivers for the occasional 10-year-old girl swamping for her dad.
Starting in 2011, my AmeriCorps experience and my involvement with the TRTA opened what felt like an alternate universe of possible careers. I have always been passionate about wild spaces, but the opportunity to harness that passion and turn it into a career felt like something that only kids with rich parents could do. Trail building was my first love and foray into this new world. Since the early days of swinging a pick mattock or rucking in a rock bar, I have come to understand and appreciate how much planning and coordination goes into every workday, every rolling grade reversal and rock wall, every grip hoist and chainsaw, every grant awarded or denied, and every volunteer thank you card mailed.
Throughout the last decade at the TRTA, in different roles, I have had the opportunity to work in every department of this small but spectacular organization. Like many nonprofits, the TRTA would be a shell of its current self without our amazing volunteers. With over 300 volunteers annually, their support extends beyond trail work to encompass educational programs, community outreach, and organizational governance. Central to my role is nurturing and cherishing this invaluable volunteer community, instilling a deep appreciation for their pivotal role within our organization.
Natural and wild spaces need protection, and a life spent outdoors and in the service of the outdoors gives more than it demands. I believe with my whole being that a 24” to 36” trail creates a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature and holds the key to the preservation of and user access to these spaces. The Tahoe Rim Trail holds a special place in the hearts of many, not just as a breathtaking recreational resource, but as a symbol of conservation, community, and stewardship.
It is a privilege to lead such a dedicated and impassioned team, and I am eager to leverage my skills and experiences toward advancing TRTA’s mission. Whether it entails enhancing our trail infrastructure, fostering multi-generational volunteer engagement, or promoting inclusivity and excellence within our community, my foremost objective as Interim Executive Director is to secure the enduring legacy and impact of TRTA for generations to come.
I am deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me, and I am fully dedicated to fulfilling the responsibilities of this role with integrity, passion, and diligence. Thank you once again and I look forward to working closely with each of you and the entire Tahoe Rim Trail community to ensure a bright and sustainable future for this iconic trail like no other.
With gratitude,
Lindsey Schultz
