TRTA Staff

Lindsey Schultz

Executive Director
lindseys@tahoerimtrail.org

Lindsey’s love for the Tahoe Rim Trail started young—so young that on her first volunteer trail workday in the early ’90s, the shovel she used was taller than she was! Born at Incline Village Hospital (a rare claim to fame), she spent her childhood exploring every corner of Lake Tahoe, from its beaches and coves to its trails and snowboarding routes. Tahoe wasn’t just home—it was her playground.

Her young adult adventures took her from the Bay Area to Long Beach, Denmark to Florida, and even Portland, but Tahoe kept calling her back. In 2011, she returned and joined the Tahoe Rim Trail Association as an AmeriCorps member focused on trail operations. What was supposed to be a temporary gig turned into a career, as she worked her way up through the organization, eventually stepping into the role of Executive Director in 2024.

With over a decade dedicated to the TRTA, Lindsey is passionate about preserving and enhancing this incredible trail. She’s honored to lead the organization and, when she’s not in the office, you’ll probably find her out on the trail—preferably deep in the forest with her dogs by her side.

Veronica Palmer

Deputy Director
 veronicap@tahoerimtrail.org

Starting at an early age with family hiking trips around Red River Gorge, Kentucky, Veronica developed a great passion for the outdoors. Later in life, she discovered her love of long-distance trails. After completing her degree in photography from Sam Houston State University, she set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail where she learned a lot about herself and about living in the wild. She loved the trail life so much that Veronica and her husband decided to complete the Pacific Crest Trail for their honeymoon. While hiking the PCT they became enamored with the west coast, specifically the Tahoe Basin, and relocated from Texas soon after finishing their hike. She now spends her free time hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, and photographing in the mountains she loves. As the Deputy Director for the TRTA, Veronica is excited to give back to the hiking community that has given so much to her and to help the Rim Trail grow.

Sam Donnelly

Trail Operations Director
 samd@tahoerimtrail.org

Sam grew up on the east coast just outside of Boston but developed a love for the outdoors and the west at an early age on annual family vacations to Yosemite and the eastern Sierra. In the summer of 2014 after a back-to-back NOLS course and John Muir Trail hike, Sam discovered his passion for backpacking and thru-hiking. After countless shorter trips, in 2020 he scratched his thru-hiking itch, completing Te Araroa in New Zealand. While in college Sam began working for the Forest Service, spending his first season patrolling the backcountry of the Emigrant Wilderness. Nine years and four national forests later, Sam is thrilled to return to California to work with a great organization that is passionate about the ability of trails to change lives. As Trail Operations Director Sam is excited to help maintain and improve this incredible trail.

Brooke Clayton

Development Manager
brookec@tahoerimtrail.org

Brooke fell in love with the outdoors while growing up in Evergreen, CO. Skiing, hiking, and camping were only rivaled by one other passion: writing. She ventured to the Midwest to attend the University of Iowa’s Creative Writing program, but quickly moved back to the west when she graduated, along with her wife and their dog Sandi. Brooke started her career in Seattle on a conservation corps, where she quickly realized that it was of paramount importance to unite her personal passion for the outdoors with her professional aspirations as a writer, environmentalist, and advocate. Brooke moved to South Lake Tahoe to become a full-time Ski Patroller at Heavenly Mountain Resort, where she spent two winters before joining the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. Brooke regularly walks out of her door and onto the TRT and couldn’t be more thrilled to join an organization dedicated to protecting such a special trail and giving more people the opportunity to develop a meaningful relationship with nature.

Judi Van Fleet

Finance and Admin Manager
judiv@tahoerimtrail.org

Judi first started hiking while growing up in Virginia. She explored trails in the Shenandoah Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains, and Great Falls National Park.  A few years after obtaining her degree in Biology at the University of Virginia, Judi decided to join a group of friends who were moving to Lake Tahoe to be ski bums for the winter. She was immediately in awe of the abundance of amazing local trails, especially the renowned Tahoe Rim Trail. There, she fell in love with trail running, and now her favorite pastime is venturing out on the trails with her dog, Pliny. A passion for the TRT also runs in the family as her parents are long-time volunteers with TRTA. Judi is excited to combine her love of the outdoors with her professional background in finance and administration.

Daniel Corona

Communications Manager
danielc@tahoerimtrail.org

Daniel grew up in West Wendover, NV where his love for the outdoors was first sparked while exploring the Goshute, Toana, & Ruby mountain ranges of eastern Nevada. Growing up surrounded by vast landscapes, Daniel’s passion for exploring wild spaces was matched only by his drive to build strong, connected communities. After nearly a decade in public service, including serving as Mayor of West Wendover and leading statewide political campaigns, Daniel found that his happiest moments were on the trail! As TRTA’s Communication Manager, Daniel is excited to merge his professional skills with his passion for the outdoors to inspire others to forge their own connection with nature!

Briegan Aguilar

Trail Operations Manager
briegana@tahoerimtrail.org

Briegan’s love for trails started in high school while running cross country at one of her now-favorite trail systems in the Sierra Nevada foothills. After 14 years of spending time at the trail system she called home, she began working for the organization that maintained those trails and the adjacent network. Being part of the construction of the new trail system and hearing from countless people that these trails had become their “home” and a place of peace, Briegan discovered her passion for trail operations and the ability to foster connections between people, our natural world, and trails.

Knowing the important role trails have played in her life, Briegan, as TRTA’s Trail Operations Manager, looks forward to maintaining and elevating the TRT system, connecting with volunteers, and continuing the efforts of making the TRT a more environmentally sustainable and enjoyable experience.

Michelle Witte

Youth Programs Manager
michellew@tahoerimtrail.org

Michelle grew up exploring the expansive wilderness of Colorado with her family, falling in love with hiking and playing in the mountains. As a young adult she moved to Lake Tahoe to explore herself and discovered a deep-rooted love for the Earth as she adventured throughout the incredible natural beauty of the region. This passion for the outdoors and a desire to share that with others led her to pursue a degree from Humboldt State University in Environmental Education and Interpretation. Since graduation she has spent her career working to connect people of all ages and backgrounds with the natural world. She is grateful to have lived and worked in incredible landscapes such as Yosemite National Park, the Pacific Northwest Coast, and the Rocky Mountains in addition to her beloved chosen home, the Tahoe Basin. Michelle strongly believes in the power of environmental education and providing access to the outdoors to all folks as a means of protecting ecosystems and supporting communities to thrive. Michelle carves time in her schedule to practice permaculture, backpack, rock climb, travel, snowboard, practice yoga, dance and learn new things! She is thrilled to lead TRTA’s youth programming, which provides transformative nature experiences to the next generation of trail and Earth stewards.

Colleen Hoffman

Engagement Coordinator
colleenh@tahoerimtrail.org

Colleen grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and spent her summers exploring the Tahoe Basin. It was during those summers that she first fell in love with the towering mountains and pristine alpine lakes. After earning degrees in Communications and Anthropology from the State University of New York at Oswego, Colleen heard the Rocky Mountains calling and moved west to Colorado. Colleen’s professional journey includes recruiting for a global manufacturing company and directing a children’s summer camp in the High Sierra, this experience further deepened her commitment to outdoor recreation and stewardship. In 2023, Colleen completed both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Long Trail (both southbound) with her partner and triple crowner, LongJohn, officially catching the thru hiking bug! Colleen is thrilled to be returning to the Tahoe Basin and joining the TRTA as Engagement Coordinator.