With an endless passion for nature, Patsy Wooters is the Board Vice Chair and belongs to the Advocacy and Management committees. She’s been familiar with the Trail Conference since her dad’s days as a volunteer in the ’70s, and has been a member herself since 1984. Patsy, of Suffern, N.Y., spent her childhood adjacent to the mountains and grew up hiking and camping with her father in Harriman State Park. A retired NYC public school teacher, Patsy’s fascination with wildlife and ecology drives her to protect them. “I’m very attached to the mountain forest, and as a board member, I can help to preserve it for the long term,” she says. “Trails allow us to connect with true wilderness. Hikers are critical for protecting lands that would otherwise be developed.”