[pct-l] Fwd: Announcing PCTA Trail Operations Director

[Bighummel at aol.com (Bighummel@aol.com)]

In a message dated 1/14/2004 4:58:57 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
director@pcta.org writes:
We are pleased to announce that we have filled the position of Trail
Operations Director.  Mike Dawson will begin his new position with the PCTA
on February 2.  Please join me in welcoming Mike to the PCTA.  More
information on Mike's background is below.

Liz Bergeron
Executive Director
Pacific Crest Trail Association

____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Mike Dawson joins the Pacific Crest Trail Association as Trail Operations
Director

January 10, 2004, Sacramento, California: The Pacific Crest Trail
Association (PCTA) is pleased to announce that Mike Dawson has accepted the
position of Trail Operations Director. In this new position, Dawson will be
responsible for implementing PCTA policies related to the management of the
2,650-mile Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT), managing the PCTA
trail maintenance program, coordinating land protection activities, and
providing public information.

Prior to joining the PCTA, Dawson served as Director of Trail Management and
Protection for the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) in Mount
Vernon, Wash. The Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT) runs for 1,200 miles from
the Olympic coast to Glacier National Park in Montana. While at the PNTA,
Dawson was the lead staff member for a variety of programs designed to
assure long-term protection of the PNT. He developed crew programs to
support the construction and maintenance of the PNT route on federal, state
and private land. In June 2002, as a direct result of Dawson?s efforts, the
first section of the PNT was given official federal recognition as a
National Recreation Trail.

?I am highly motivated to help make the PCT the best possible trail and the
PCTA the best possible steward of this important resource,? says Dawson; and
with 21 years of experience as the Regional Representative, Central and
Southwest Virginia, for the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC), Dawson
certainly brings a wealth of relevant experience to the task. The ATC is the
national non-profit resource organization that initially built, and
continues to maintain and manage, the 2,100-mile, Georgia-to-Maine,
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT). While at the ATC, Dawson was
responsible for the management of 390 miles of AT and one regional office.
He served as the main coordinator of trail and resource management
activities for five US Forest Service districts, two National Park Service
units, and lands managed by the Commonwealth of Virginia?s Department of
Conservation and Recreation. Additionally, Dawson acted as a professional
advisor to trail volunteers and managed training programs to maintain and
expand their skills.

Dawson has expertise in an array of technical trail management skills
ranging from trail design and construction to the management of important
trail environment resources. His experience also includes extensive work in
public policy.

Over the years, Dawson has received numerous awards for his work on behalf
of trails and other outdoor resources. Among these awards is the USFS Forest
Supervisor?s Award, given to Dawson in 2000, ?In appreciation of 20 years of
dedicated service to the cooperative management of the Appalachian Trail
Corridor on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.?

Dawson lives in Vashon, Wash., with his wife Tina. His interests include
backpacking, canoeing and restoring old cars.