TrailNation Summit Speakers

Meet the Experts Powering the Summit

The TrailNation™ Summit will be an unforgettable and immersive learning experience, fueled by meaningful connections and knowledge-sharing with experts leading the way to connect the nation’s trails. Meet the leaders from across sectors—economic development, planning, research and evaluation, real estate, tourism and more—contributing their expertise to empower us all to catalyze America’s trail networks.

Sarah Clark

Vice President, Institute for Conservation Leadership

Session: World Café

Sarah specializes in designing and facilitating engaging planning processes, meetings and large convenings. Her goal is to help groups clarify their intentions and design plans and strategies that achieve success. She holds degrees in organization development from American University and in sociology from Miami University and uses knowledge from these degrees to understand how people and groups with divergent backgrounds, interests and experiences can work together to make systemic change that benefits their community. Sarah is an avid walker and reader who enjoys spending time with her family and friends and volunteering.

Stuart Clarke

Senior Program Officer, William Penn Foundation

Session: Philanthropy’s Role in Powering Community Growth Through Trails

Stuart oversees the William Penn Foundation’s Environment and Public Space program, which invests $40 million in grants annually to help communities reduce harmful impacts to their natural environments, improve the quality of their natural and community spaces, and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Previously, Stuart served as vice president of strategic initiatives at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Studies and as the executive director of the privately endowed Town Creek Foundation, which supported environmental advocacy work in the Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay. Stuart currently serves as Board Chair of Earthjustice, Board Chair of the Energy Foundation, and Board Treasurer of the Blue Mountain Center.

Damien D’Anna

Director – Real Estate, Sales and Leasing, CSX

Session: World Café

Damien is the Director – Real Estate, Sales and Leasing at CSX Corporation. His team handles all outgoing real estate transactions for CSX’s network which includes 21,000 miles of property in 23 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Damien focuses on modernizing CSX’s approach to building partnerships and collaborating with trail sponsors and government entities to encourage rails to trails developments that spur economic development. He has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and an M.B.A in Finance.

Emily Goldstein

Senior Environmental Planner, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Session: Mapping and Advocacy

Emily is environmental planner for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), focusing on the Circuit Trails Network and sustainability initiatives. Her previous roles include serving as an environmental planner for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, where responsibilities involved supporting climate planning across municipalities, and as a project manager at Lime. Emily holds a master’s degree in city/urban, community and regional planning from the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree in architectural studies from Connecticut College.

Oliver Kiley, PLA

Senior Principal, Midwest Region Mobility Leader, SmithGroup

Session: Overcoming Obstacles to Trail Network Implementation (All cohorts)

Oliver Kiley is a nationally recognized expert in strategic mobility design and corridor planning with 20 years of experience in complete streets, flexible street design, micromobility, urban trails, greenways, and transit-oriented development. His expertise in sustainable practices, landscape architecture and environmental design drives his commitment to community-centered, data-informed planning processes that foster resilient, healthy and equitable communities. Oliver’s passion for the outdoors—whether rock climbing, canoeing, or camping with his family—mirrors his professional mission.

Laura Payne, Ph.D.

Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Session: World Café

Dr. Payne is a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and also serves as the director of Illinois’s Office of Recreation and Park Resources. Her early work provided evidence of the health benefits of park use and factors that constrain and facilitate engagement in leisure time physical activity. Laura advocates for equitable access to community parks and recreation resources— especially in rural communities and is the past editor-in-chief of the Journal of Leisure Research.

Elaine Price

Planning Initiatives Specialist, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

Session: Leveraging Trail Connectivity for Quality of Life in Rural and Suburban America

Elaine coordinates the Cuyahoga Greenway Partners, a collaboration of key agencies working together to advance the Cuyahoga Greenways, the county-wide trail and bikeway plan. She also coordinates the State Capital Improvement Grant Program for District 1, which provides approximately $30 million in funding for local infrastructure projects. Elaine began her career as an environment, health and safety professional with firms including Sohio/BP, Chase Brass & Copper, American Steel & Wire, and GE.

Jana Renner

Senior Program Officer, Paso Del Norte Health Foundation

Session: Philanthropy’s Role in Powering Community Growth Through Trails

Jana Renner manages the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity initiatives in her current role at Paso Del Norte Health Foundation. She works with community partners to improve nutrition and expand opportunities for residents to be physically active, including the Paso del Norte Trail project. Jana was selected as a 2019 Walking Fellow in the American Walks Walking College and currently serves on the City of El Paso’s Mobility Advisory Committee. Jana received her undergraduate degree from Trinity University, a master of public administration from The University of Texas at El Paso, and a graduate certificate in public health from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.  

James F. Sallis, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego

Session: World Café

Dr. Sallis is a distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, and a professorial fellow at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. Sallis is one of the world’s most cited authors in the social sciences, having authored more than 600 publications. He is an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine—serving on their Roundtable on Obesity Solutions—and is past president of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. In 2011, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. He currently serves on RTC’s board of directors.

Ellen Schmidt, PLA

Senior Landscape Architect, SmithGroup

Session: Overcoming Obstacles to Trail Network Implementation (All cohorts)

Ellen is a professional landscape architect with 20 years of experience shaping dynamic, people-centered environments. Her expertise spans mobility planning, public streetscapes, large-scale master plans, infill developments, and park and recreation design. During her previous tenure with the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Livable Streets Program, Ellen gained valuable insight into the priorities of municipalities—particularly in advancing mobility initiatives, fostering community engagement, and navigating interagency coordination. Her work reflects a deep commitment to creating inclusive, resilient, and connected public spaces. 

Jacob VanSickle

Executive Director, Bike Cleveland

Session: The Power of Partnership in Redefining Cleveland’s Waterfront

Jacob has served Bike Cleveland since 2012, leading the organization’s efforts to create a safer, more vibrant region for people who bike, walk, and roll. As executive director, Jacob collaborates closely with volunteers, members and civic leaders to advance policies, infrastructure, legislation and programs that improve roadway safety and promote thriving, connected neighborhoods across Greater Cleveland. A proud Cleveland transplant, Jacob is a graduate of Spring Arbor University, where he earned a degree in sociology with a concentration in community development.

Matthew Wagner, Ph.D.

Chief Innovation Officer, Main Street America

Session: Trails As Economic Engines (Rural Cohort), World Café

Dr. Wagner’s professional background involves nearly 30 years of nonprofit management and teaching experience in the area of downtown revitalization, entrepreneurship and economic development, including the management of two nationally recognized downtown revitalization efforts honored as a Great American Main Street Award winner, and recognition from the International Downtown Association, Sierra Club, and the American Institute of Architects for downtown planning. Dr. Wagner is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar, completing a teaching assignment on social entrepreneurship at the University of Hyderabad, India.