TrailNation Summit Speakers

Bret Baronak

Executive Director, Carolina Thread Trail

Session: Overcoming Obstacles to Trail Network Implementation

Bret leads the Carolina Thread Trail with a background in public sector land use and transportation planning. Throughout his career, he has specialized in bicycle and pedestrian planning. From 2006 to 2014, Bret served as the Bicycle, Greenways, and Pedestrian Coordinator in Palm Beach County, Fl, where he was responsible for planning, funding and elevating awareness for non-motorized transportation. In late 2014, he moved to the Charlotte region and held the position of Senior Transportation Planner with the Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln MPO. Bret is a native of western Pennsylvania and a graduate of Penn State University.   

Justin Bibb

Mayor, City of Cleveland

Justin Bibb, Cleveland’s 58th mayor, is driving transformative change to modernize city services and uplift communities. Mayor Bibb is reconnecting Cleveland to its waterfronts with over $150 million for Lake Erie shoreline improvements and the $5 billion Shore-to-Core-to-Shore plan, fostering economic development and access. Nationally, he leads as president of the Democratic Mayors Association and co-chairs America is All In, promoting climate action and equity. 

A Mt. Pleasant native, Mayor Bibb holds degrees in Urban Studies, an MBA, and a JD, with studies in social policy at the London School of Economics. His leadership emphasizes equity, innovation, and opportunity citywide. 

Whit Blanton, FAICP

Executive Director, Forward Pinellas

Session: Trails As Economic Engines

Whit Blanton is the executive director of Forward Pinellas, a public agency responsible for countywide planning, aligning land use and transportation with economic development and redevelopment in Florida’s most densely populated county. Forward Pinellas sets priorities for state and federal transportation funding and maintains a Countywide Plan that guides growth and redevelopment into appropriate areas, encourages affordable housing, and provides technical assistance to Pinellas County’s 25 local governments. In addition, Whit has led multiple bicycle and pedestrian plans, trail planning and alignment studies, complete streets projects, and safety initiatives across Florida and the United States.

Jack Caruso

Planning Engineer, Cleveland Metroparks

Session: Restoring Access, Building Resilience: The Euclid Lakefront Story

Jack is a planning engineer with Cleveland Metroparks. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Ohio with prior experience in ecological and water resources engineering. At Metroparks he works with planners, engineers and natural resource specialists to plan and design urban trails, park infrastructure and improvements to the park’s natural assets. He is especially interested in expanding access to parks and green spaces by integrating multimodal and sustainable transportation options, fostering stronger, healthier connections between communities and nature. Jack also serves on the board of directors for the Rocky River Watershed Council. 

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.

Kelvin Collins

Vice President of Economic Development, Atlanta Beltline, Inc.

Session: Trails as Economic Engines

Kelvin Collins leads the economic development strategy for the Atlanta Beltline—one of the nation’s most ambitious urban redevelopment projects. Delivering innovative solutions to unite historically disconnected neighborhoods through 22 miles of transit-oriented trails, greenspace, and inclusive growth strategies. 

With over 20 years of cross-sector leadership experience, he has accelerated non-traditional strategies that position the project as a global model for equitable revitalization, proving that rails-to-trails corridors can be engines of shared prosperity. Since joining ABI in 2021, Kelvin spearheads a community-driven approach integrating job creation, small business incubation, and anti-displacement programs to ensure trail-adjacent growth benefits all communities.

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.

Josiah Denson

Planner, Cleveland Metroparks

Session: Restoring Access, Building Resilience: The Euclid Lakefront Story

Josiah is a Cleveland-area native working as a planner for Cleveland Metroparks. He works on park planning, trail and community engagement projects aiming to uplift and connect Greater Cleveland residents. He strives to harness his passion for the natural world and local community to share the feelings of joy and belonging that parks have given him. Josiah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering and has prior experience as a water resource engineer. He also sits on the board of directors for the Greater Collinwood Development Corporation.

Alex Duryea

Recreational Trails Manager, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Session: Overcoming Obstacles to Trail Network Implementation

Alex is the Recreational Trails Manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. He is the administrator of the state’s Recreational Trails Program, which funds trail projects around Nebraska. Alex also coordinates internal trail projects for the commission and manages the 317-mile Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail, a proud segment of the Great American Rail-Trail! 

Emily Goldstein

Senior Environmental Planner, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Session: Mapping Trail Networks for Implementation & 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.

Dene Hofheinz Lee

Senior Vice President, Open Space Institute

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

Dene directs the Open Space Institute’s Northeast Land Protection program. With over 30 years of conservation expertise, she structures and completes acquisitions that create and enhance public open space across the Eastern United States, with a specialty in linear greenway parks. In this capacity, she originated and built OSI’s Greenway Trails acquisition program that focuses on rail line acquisitions for parks and economic development. 

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.

Joy Jackson

Vice President, Institute for Conservation Leadership

Session: World Café

Joy Jackson is a vice president with the Institute for Conservation Leadership. In this role, she consults with environmental and conservation focused groups, planning and facilitating meetings, as well as providing project-based assistance and training services on behalf of the organization. She has also worked to support climate change and climate mitigation strategies across the state of Ohio, including efforts in and around Cleveland that resulted in the award of approximately $350 million in federal discretionary grant awards. Joy is a dedicated public servant with a passion for coaching, instruction and capacity building.  

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.

Z. Seth Keller, P.E.

Project Manager, Cleveland Metroparks

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

As project manager for the Cleveland Metroparks Planning and Design team, Seth is responsible for overseeing multiple construction projects throughout the Park District. Prior to joining the Metroparks, Seth consulted on multiple Wisconsin DOT and municipal projects around the Milwaukee metro area. Seth also served as a project engineer for a heavy civil construction company based in Oregon, Ohio, working on major highway and mass site grading projects. Seth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Toledo with a minor in business administration.

Edward H. Kraus

Mayor, City of Solon

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

Mayor Kraus brings a wealth of legal, business, and public service experience to his role. He was first elected to Solon City Council in 2001 as the Ward 6 Councilman, serving the community for 16 years prior to becoming mayor.  

His professional background includes serving as an Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, Co-Supervising Attorney for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and Of Counsel at McDonald Hopkins. Before becoming mayor, he served as Director of Regional Collaboration for Cuyahoga County.  

Mayor Kraus holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Ohio State University and a Juris Doctor from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

Jackson Lee

Marshall Mountain Park Manager, Missoula County Lands, Culture and Recreation

Session: Mapping Trail Networks for Implementation & Advocacy

Jackson is a park professional focused on turning community vision into reality and broadening who can find connection and enjoyment in their greater backyard. Minus a hiatus on the Pacific Crest Trail, he has spent the past decade leading recreation and stewardship projects on public lands. In his role with Missoula County, he is guiding the transformation of an iconic local ski hill into a public mountain park and co-leading a regional trail coalition called Parks to Passes.

Daniel Legere

Client Consultant, Eco Counter

Session: World Café

Daniel Legere is a Client Consultant at Eco-Counter, where he supports public agencies and organizations across North America in using bicycle and pedestrian count data to inform planning, policy, and infrastructure development. Daniel works closely with clients to implement automated counting solutions and translate data into actionable insights for active transportation planning and trail management.  

Based in Montréal, Daniel brings a practical, collaborative approach to his work, bridging technical tools with community-oriented outcomes.

Sara Byrnes Maier

Principal Planner, Cleveland Metroparks

Session: Legacy to Livability: Trail-Driven Waterfront Revitalization in Cleveland

Sara is a Principal Planner at Cleveland Metroparks, where she focuses on trail planning, grant writing, and project management. She led and authored three U.S. Department of Transportation discretionary grant awards totaling $28.4M. Sara has prior experience in commercial real estate and regional planning, and holds a Master’s in Urban Planning, Design and Development from the Levin College at Cleveland State University and a Bachelor’s in Communication from Tulane University. She was Treasurer of the Cleveland Section of the American Planning Association from 2008-2018 and has been a Councilwoman for the City of Bay Village since 2018.  

Sean E. McDermott, P.E.

Chief Planning and Design Officer, Cleveland Metroparks

Session: Restoring Access, Building Resilience: The Euclid Lakefront Story

Sean is responsible for long-range strategic planning in concert with design and construction of capital improvements throughout Cleveland Metroparks and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Sean holds a Bachelor’s of Civil Engineering from the University of Dayton and a Master’s of Urban Planning, Design and Development from Cleveland State University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio, volunteer and past president of LakewoodAlive, Chair of New Village Corporation board, COGENCE Alliance board member, City of Lakewood Planning Commission member, member of the 2015 Cleveland Bridge Builders class, and a 2018 Crain’s Cleveland 40 under 40 honoree.  

Meghan Paynter

Director of Communications, Canalway Partners

Session: Legacy to Livability: Trail-Driven Waterfront Revitalization in Cleveland

Meghan is the director of communications for Canalway Partners and the co-director of communications for the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area. In this role, she works to connect to places that are historically and culturally important in Northeast Ohio through storytelling, events and community connections. Meghan has diverse communications, public relations and social media experience, having served as communications manager for both private and non-profit organizations over the past 12 years. Meghan has a degree in journalism from Ohio University and enjoys reading and exploring local trails and National Parks with her husband and two dogs.

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.

Derek Schafer

Executive Director, West Creek Conservancy

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

Derek has been with West Creek since 2004 and has served as the executive director since 2013. Derek leads the organization’s mission to protect land and water resources and implement park and trail development as well as habitat restoration initiatives and strategic watershed planning. Derek believes strongly in partnerships and regional collaboration enabling effective use of resources and progress through partnerships. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Policy and Analysis with a specialization in Natural Resource Management from Bowling Green State University.

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. 

David Shipps, AICP

Ohio Office Director, Toole Design

Session: World Café

As Toole Design’s Ohio Office Director, David leads multimodal transportation planning and engineering projects and helps to oversee the company’s talented team of planners and engineers within Ohio and the surrounding states. David specializes in guiding active transportation projects for local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, transit agencies, statewide agencies, community advocates, and other partners. He has managed a wide range of projects from active transportation planning and design, Safe Routes to School, Complete Streets planning and design, and multimodal safety analysis.

Katie Sieb, AICP

Senior Planner, Toole Design

Session: World Café

Katie is a Senior Planner who has worked across the Midwest on active transportation and land use projects. Her passions stem from a belief that people shouldn’t need to own a car to participate fully in their community, and her work centers around policy and infrastructure recommendations to support safe biking and walking. Katie has public sector experience developing multimodal plans and tactical urbanism projects. Her experience includes corridor and long-range transportation plans, climate adaptation and coastal management plans, and parks and recreation master plans.

Davíd Urbina

Puget Sound Policy and Community Rides Manager, Cascade Bicycle Club

Session: Engaging End Users: Marketing, Messaging & Trail Activation

Davíd is the project manager for the Leafline Trails Coalition, a partnership among trail managers and agencies, regional and local nonprofits big and small, community groups, local businesses, decision-makers, and jurisdictions all working together to create a 900-mile interconnected trail system in the central Puget Sound region in Washington State. Davíd believes that trails lead to better quality of life in many ways, including access to free and safe places to recreate and exercise, better air quality by enabling more trips by biking or walking, providing green spaces to benefit plants, animals and water quality, and connecting active, resilient and healthy communities. Davíd’s work centers on reframing transportation policy and planning through a sustainable lens to create healthy, connected, and thriving communities. He manages strategic and innovative active-transportation focused programs to improve mobility and quality of life for all. His interests include community revitalization and the relationship between urban design, walkability and sense of place and community. 

Jacob VanSickle

Executive Director, Bike Cleveland

Session: Legacy to Livability: Trail-Driven Waterfront Revitalization in Cleveland

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.