STA Board of Directors

Jim Doyle, Chairman, Carlisle, Ky.     jbdscuba@yahoo.com

A founding member of the STA, Jim is in his third year as the Board Chairman.  Retired from the U.S. Army in the mid-90's, Jim is a part-time farmer, has owned his own bakery business, worked in catering and makes the best barbecue pulled pork.  He is active with the Ridge Runner Trail Crew and is currently section hiking the Trace and the Appalachian Trail when he has some free time. 
 

Dennis Crowley, Vice-Chairman, Louisville, Ky.  Dennis.crowley@win.net

Dennis is a founding member and in his third year on the Board. He is a graduate of the University of Louisville and retired from Michelin in April 2011. A Navy veteran, Dennis and his wife Julie are avid hikers, experienced trail builders and well respected in the Kentucky Trail Community. Dennis is the co-founder of the Kentucky Trails Association, past President and Board Member of the Southeast Foot Trails Coalition, Board Member of the Great Eastern Trail and represents the trail community on the Kentucky Recreational Trails Authority.
 












Carrie Stambaugh, Secretary, Ashland, Ky.  carriestambaugh@gmail.com

Carrie is a freelance journalist, photographer and managing editor of Kentucky Angling.  In 2010, Carrie and her husband Carl completed 1400 miles of the Appalachian Trail and are avid hikers, love to take the canoe out on the rivers and lakes in the area.  Carrie is a graduate of Ohio University with a degree in Journalism.















Jeremy Boone, Treasurer, Morehead, Ky.  jaboonexyz@netscape.net

Jeremy and his wife Megan live within a 1/2 mile of the Trace near the Dry Branch trail head. With their two dogs the Boone's enjoy hiking in the DBNF adjacent to their property.  Jeremy has hiked the A.T. from Springer Mountain to Mt. Washington.  He is a founding member of the Ridge Runner Trail Crew, working tirelessly to maintain the Sheltowee from the Northern Terminus to Hwy 421 near Frenchburg.  Jeremy is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a degree in Accounting and Marketing.  He also is certified in turf grass management from Piedmont Community College. 

Paul Rose, Annville, Ky.  bobtails4@prtcnet.org

Paul is in his third year as a member of the Board.  He is a founding member of the STA.  Attended Lincoln Memorial University and currently serves as the Jackson County, PVA.  Paul is a member of the Jackson Co. Tourism Board, The London "Red Bud Ride" and a long time member of KyMBA.  Paul is an avid mountain rider, and adventure racer.  Paul is on our trail support team providing assistance to all users in Jackson, Laurel Counties and South of Heidelberg, Ky.  He is a recent convert to hammock camping - likes to "hang" in the DBNF.
 












Jason Gaines, Stanford, Ky.   pdadirector@ymail.com

Jason is a lifetime hiker and naturalist and founder of the Practical Defense Academy.  A graduate of Lexington Community College, Jason current works for Diamond Engineering.  The creator of the bigturtleoutdoors.wordpress.com blog, Jason is trained in back country survival, a graduate of the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute Wilderness First Aid class and is CPR certified.  Trained and certified in human tracking, Jason is on-call when hikers come up lost in the woods.   His interest include geologic and archaeological exploring and is a amateur historian and flintknapper.

Elsie Pritchard, Morehead, Ky.   pritchardelsie@gmail.com

 

For over 40 years, Elsie has participated in hiking and camping trips with her husband Bob including at least 200 trips to the Red River Gorge. In 2010, she hiked 65 miles of the AT with Bob keeping her eyes out for plant life to try to identify. Retired from the position of Librarian at Morehead State University, Elsie received her BS from Old Dominion University; MLS from University of Pittsburgh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Robert Pritchard, Morehead, Ky.    pritchard.robert2@gmail.com

 

Robert is an avid hiker having completed sections of the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Kent CT.  Retired from teaching at Morehead State University, Bob received his Bachelor of Music, Florida State University (1966), Master of Music, Duquesne University (1972), and his Doctor of Musical Arts, Boston University (1989)

                               

Pritchard came to the Department of Music at Morehead State University in 1972 to teach flute students, music theory classes, and to perform in the faculty woodwind quintet, the Baird Winds.  Later, he also taught graduate music classes and was the advisor for graduate music students.  In 1980, Pritchard was appointed principal flute of the Lexington Philharmonic, a position he still holds. 

 

 

Cynthia Higgs, Lexington, Ky.     chiggs@insightbb.com

Cynthia is in her second year as a member of the Board.  She is active in the trail riding community serving on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Horse Council, Kentucky Back Country Horsemen, and Central Kentucky Back Country Horsemen.  She is advisor for Equestrian Trails and Conservation Awareness.  She received her B.A., biology; B.S., telecommunications; J.D.; from the University of Kentucky

Doug Thelen, Corbin, Ky.    dthelen@ky-rafting.com

Doug has been involved in the outdoors for many years and in many different capacities over the years (more than he cares to admit to). He was an active triathlete for several years after college (lots of long runs and bike rides in MA and NH - awesome riding), thru-hiked the AT in 1992 and managed Sheltowee Trace Outfitters (a whitewater rafting company) for 6 years. Canoeing, whitewater kayaking and trail running (more of this last one lately and less of the 1st two) helps him keep his sanity in recent years. Doug has a BS in Computer Science from Michigan State University.
Doug and family live just miles from Cumberland Falls SP and stand ready to assist Trace users if they have a need. Doug works Trollandtoad.com in Corbin, KY

 








Robert Moran, Berry, Ky.    rmoran7629@gmail.com

Bob is a life-long passion for trails both wet and dry.  For over 25 years Bob has ventured onto rivers and streams across the U.S. enjoying the solitary life of a canoeist.  He is a member of the Ridge Runner Trail Crew and supports the Red River Gorge Trail Crew.  Until his retirement, for 25 years Bob worked in environmental emergency response and hazardous waste cleanup with the Indiana Department of Emergency Management.  Bob holds a MS in Aquatic Biology from Southern Illinois University.

















Bernard Benningfield Jr.      Bernard.Benningfield@hinklecontracting.com

An avid section hiker of the ST, Bernie is also a member of the Red River Gorge Trail Crew where for the past three years he has lent a hand in maintaining all the trails in the Gorge.  He represents the RRGTC on the Forest Service Sheltowee Trace Working Group.  He and his wife Lisa enjoy getting out in the woods, camping out with their five grandsons.  Bernie is a supervisor with the Hinke Contracting Co., LLC supervising major road construction projects across the region.

















Pam Gibson, Revelo, Ky.  equineangel11@gmail.com

Pam is in her third year as a founding member of the STA.  She has routinely worked on the Trace in the Stearns District covering 123 miles of trail.  Before moving to Kentucky from Portage Co. Ohio, Pam started her trail experience with West Branch State Park building horse trails, and helping design 9 state park horse trail systems for ODNR.  Since moving to McCreary Co. in 2000 and retiring from a full time business Pam has made a reputation for herself as an expert in trail maintenance and construction and volunteer an average 300 to 800 hours a year to the trails.  She currently works at Cumberland  Falls State park where she maintains the trails, leads hikes and teaches trail maintenance.

Pam is the 2010 STA Volunteer of the Year and is the first recipient in 2011 of the Verne Orndorff Meritorious Service Award for her years of dedicated service to the Sheltowee Trace.





Tommy Davidson, Mt. Sterling, Ky.     tommyd3498@yahoo.com



Boyd Shearer, Lexington, Ky.   boyd@outragegis.com



Dave Dummer, Morehead, Ky.   dhdummer@yahoo.com