My interest in whitewater boating started in the early 1970s when I was a teenager growing up in the Washington DC area. However, it was not until Nanci gave me a whitewater canoe for Christmas in 1991 (I figured this was a green light to spend more time on the river) that my whitewater addiction became serious.

Joe Griener convinced me to join American Whitewater in 1995 during a trip to West Virginia and I have been an active AW supporter and volunteer ever since. Like many, my volunteer efforts with AW began during the first Tallulah Gorge releases in 1997. It was during these early Tallulah releases that I became aware of the hard work AW and many others had invested in bringing this long dead river back to life. I learned that our ability to enjoy our river resources requires a great deal of work from many dedicated volunteers and the tireless efforts of the AW staff.

Since these early volunteer days at Tallulah Gorge, my commitment to AW's mission has grown steadily. Since 2000 much of my effort on behalf of AW has been invested in my role as regional coordinator focused on the Chattooga watershed. In addition to this role, I have served as an AW Director for the last three years, and also held the Vice President position this past year. AW's recent achievements all around the country are nothing short of spectacular.