2020-21 KTA Board of Directors

November 20, 2020

The start of a new cycle.


November 2020 marks the beginning of a new cycle for our Kingdom Trail’s Board of Directors. During this time of transition we say thank you to those who have served, welcome new Board members, shift leadership, but also take time to self evaluate and look toward the future.

Kingdom Trails is fortunate to be led by an all-local group of dedicated volunteers. Each Board member is an active representative of our community who knows and cares about our landowners, neighbors, organization, trails, members, and the beauty that surrounds us. The Board is composed of trail enthusiasts, local leaders, area business owners, and of course KTA landowners, all bringing their unique skill sets to support KTA. 

Our 11 member Board of Directors can serve 3 consecutive 2 year terms elected at our annual meeting. As these terms are staggered, we find ourselves thanking Rob Elmes for his incredible service to the Board for the past 6 years. We appreciate Rob volunteering his time and energy, going above and beyond the normal Board member commitment. Kingdom Trails is in the position it is today because of his insight, skill, dedication to our community, and passion for our mission. We are so grateful to Rob, yet are comforted that he will always remain part of the KTA family. 


To fill Rob’s seat, Kingdom Trails is excited to welcome Eric Wilson. Eric is a long standing member of the community, having attended and worked at Burke Mountain Academy, as well as AG Edwards and currently Edward Jones in St. Johnsbury. Eric and his wife Karen live in North Kirby and have 2 grown children, Moriah and Matthew. We also welcomed Colleen Leonard this past summer to fill an early vacancy. Colleen is an agricultural loan officer for the Vermont Economic Development Authority. She grew up on a Jersey cow dairy farm just north in West Charleston, that her parents still operate today. She and her husband, Jonathan, now reside in Sutton on a small farm property with a flock of chickens, quail, and a rescue puppy named Winnie. 


Our Board of Directors will also host a new Executive Committee. Tabitha Bowling will assume the helm as Board Chair, transitioning from Katie Story’s leadership. We are appreciative of Katie’s poised guidance throughout this past year, always making sure meetings were productive, prompt, and punctual. Jake Wheeler will serve as Vice Chair, Harry Morrison as Treasurer and Tom De Carlo Secretary. 


Our new 2020-21 Board of Directors recently met for their annual Summit, a daylong opportunity to connect and plan. They worked to engage with KTA’s mission, core values and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; support the capacity and empowerment of board members to leverage their role and committee structure; and analyzed KTA’s current strategic position, reviewing priorities and identifying changes to advance KTA’s future goals. We were grateful to Claire Wheeler of RE:WORK for providing facilitation to support and maximize the Board’s time and effectiveness.


Please know folks are always welcome to contact the KTA Board at Board@kingdomtrails.org. The Board of Directors meets every other month on the third Thursday of the month.


2020-21 KTA Board of Directors

Tabitha Bowling, Chair - East Burke

Jake Wheeler, Vice Chair - East Burke, Landowner

Harry Morrison, Treasurer - Lyndonville

Tom De Carlo, Secretary - Kirby

Doug Clarner - East Burke, Landowner

Matt Langlais - West Burke

Elise Lawson - West Burke, Landowner

Colleen Leonard - Sutton

Ann Nygard - West Burke

Katie Story - West Burke

Eric Wilson - Kirby



Leadership Transition Announced at Kingdom Trails and the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative

By Sven Cole • July 25, 2025
Dear KT Community, I write to you today as I begin a transition in my relationship with Kingdom Trails. I have made the difficult decision to take the next step in my professional journey and step away from my role as Executive Director. Serving Kingdom Trails and this incredible community over the past eight years has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am deeply proud of the work I’ve led and supported, from navigating immense global challenges and natural disasters, to forging incredible relationships, with our landowners and community. And throughout this journey, the Northeast Kingdom has become not just where I live, but truly my home. It’s the place I chose to become a mother and where my family has put down roots. That said, I am ready to explore new ways to serve this community, ways that will allow me to continue growing as a leader. I’ve accepted the role of Interim Executive Director for the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative, where I will carry forward the work I fell in love with through Kingdom Trails: strengthening our communities and supporting thoughtful economic development. In this new role, I’ll have the opportunity to advocate not only for outdoor recreation, which is so essential to the heart of our region, but also for the many sectors that make the Northeast Kingdom such a unique and vibrant place. Please know I remain deeply committed to Kingdom Trails. This is my home, and it will remain my home. I wish to always be an ambassador for KT, including playing a role in ensuring a graceful, responsible transition with care. The Board of Directors and I have committed to this, to ensure continuity, stability, and the trust you hold in this organization. I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity to have served my community through this role, and I look forward to closing this chapter with the same heart and good intention with which I began it. Georgia Gould is stepping in as interim Executive Director to lead the organization through this transition. Georgia has served on the KT Board of Directors since 2021, leading both the Landowner and Trail Advisory Committees. She is a KT Landowner with an impressive mountain biking and cyclocross resume - including a bronze medal in one of her two Olympic bids on Team USA and five career national championships in cross-country and short track mountain biking. Georgia, her husband Dusty, and their two young children are engaged members of the Burke community and the KT team. Her deep ties to the sport of cycling, dedication to providing great trails for all skill levels, and her love of this community make her the perfect choice to lead KT in its next phase. The Board and I are thrilled that Georgia has agreed to lead KT and feel confident that she will hold the mission of the organization at the center as she has throughout her Board service. You can reach Georgia directly and welcome her to this new role at ED@kingdomtrails.org . With deep gratitude, Abby ### Kingdom Trail Association The mission of the Kingdom Trail Association is to provide recreation and education opportunities by managing, maintaining, and building trails to foster the health of our community, surrounding environment, and regional economy. Kingdom Trails strives to accomplish this mission by offering a 100+ mile network of quality, non-motorized, multi-use trails for all levels of ability, incorporating the best of our local scenery and natural diversity. The Kingdom Trails are made possible through the generosity of 106 private landowners. Northeast Kingdom Collaborativ e The mission of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative is to improve the quality of life for all residents of the NEK through coordinated economic and community development as the vision is a strong, vibrant Northeast Kingdom where we all thrive. The NEKC brings people together to spark positive change in our communities, creating structures that bring partners together across service areas, sectors, municipal and political boundaries to provide solutions for the renewal of the Kingdom. The NEK Collaborative serves as the backbone organization for the federally designated NEK REAP Zone and community partner for USDA Rural Development.

Cannondale Becomes KT's First Corporate Sponsor

By Sven Cole • June 17, 2025
Cannondale Dirt Party a Success
Vermont State Treasurer, Mike Pieciak, speaks at the 2025 Outdoor Recreation Day at the Statehouse

KT is taking action—on the trails and in the Statehouse!

By Abby Long • February 13, 2025
KT is taking action—on the trails and in the Statehouse! This 2025 Legislative Session, KT is teaming up with other amazing trail organizations through the Vermont Trails & Greenway Council, to advocate for H.147 a bill to establish the Recreational Trails Compensation Study. Why does this matter? Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy generates $2.1B annually, nearly 5% of the state’s GDP, that's 2nd in the nation after Hawaii (Go VT!) KT alone drives $10M in economic impact annually. Therefore, the state must recognize and incentivize these generous private landowners, including the 106 who make KT possible and allow public access to trails.
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