Anne Rolstad
Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Colorado Events Leader
Spending time outdoors is proven to provide us with many benefits that increase our mental, social, and physical well-being. I have always seen the outdoors as a positive space, whether I'm trail running, camping, or snowboarding, and each time I go home feeling I've gained something I can apply in my daily life. Nature is a judgment-free place where we can learn more about ourselves each time we go on an adventure. For quite some time, it has been my goal to help others have a similar experience.
While attending a leadership seminar, I was asked to develop a personal mission statement. I wrote down: "To build empathy in others through environmental education to create better connections with our outdoor spaces and communities." At the time, I didn't know exactly how I would accomplish this mission. Two years later, over beers at a local brewery, Kim and I started discussing the increase of human traffic and trash on public lands, and by the end of the night, Trashy Trail Runners was born. We built this organization to help all outdoor enthusiasts recreate responsibly, give back to Nature, and enjoy beautiful public lands so they too can find a positive space in the outdoors and with their community.
Kim Fowler
Co-Founder & Deputy Director
My favorite memories growing up in Eastern Oregon are of our family outings into the forests surrounding the small town where we lived. I learned how to hunt for morel mushrooms, fish for rainbow trout, and navigate difficult terrain. But the most important thing I learned was to love and respect the outdoors.
I lived and avidly explored the Mojave desert for 7 years. Being in this beautiful desert landscape has not only increased my love and respect for the outdoors but I’ve also gained a feeling of responsibility — a responsibility to preserve our public lands for all outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.
Kris Lord
Board Member
The happiest moments of my life have always been in the outdoors, whether it was backpacking as a child in the Desolation Wilderness, walking barefoot on a cold beach in winter, or summertime paddling and skiing on the water. Those early opportunities gave me a lifelong curiosity about the natural world and places to feel centered amidst change. Core values of balance and gratitude sprang from those experiences, and each glimpse of something special—emerald green moss on an old oak, a white-tailed kite hovering over a grassy hillside, fog dripping onto ferns beneath the redwoods—has felt like a gift.
These experiences have also created in me a desire to protect and advocate for Nature, and a fierce wish for everyone to have the opportunity to fall in love with exploring the outdoors. Each person deserves to find what Nature can give them, and Nature needs our combined care and attention.
Josh Fowler
Board Member
Growing up in rural Oregon, my backyard was surrounded by public land. I explored as much of that land as possible but within earshot of my Dad's miles-long piercing whistle to come home. After high school graduation, I served in the Air Force for 20 years in Alaska, North Dakota, Germany, and the Mojave Desert. North Dakota made me appreciate what I had left behind in Oregon and Alaska. Germany made me realize how to manage land use effectively. And until I entered the Mojave Desert, I'd never experienced subtle and eminence beauty in the same place. The Mojave Desert made me appreciate so much of the geographical diversity in the Southwest landscape. From the Creosote Flats to the Mojave Scrub lands to the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland to the Yellow and Pine-Fir Forests to the Bristlecone Pine and Alpine Tundra. I embrace the seasons in my free time. When there is snow, I snowshoe in the backcountry. On a sunny day, I'm knee-deep in a stream, fishing for elusive fish. When there is rain, I take the opportunity to put in running miles on the trails or conquer some mountain. When the weather is perfect, I will be doing a combination of all those activities wherever I call home.
Diane Bowman
Volunteer Event Leader, Nevada
Diane has lived in Las Vegas since 1999. She has always loved being outdoors and began to get more serious about her trail running two years ago. You can usually find her training for the next awesome trail race! Nevada is a beautiful state to explore, and she wants to keep it beautiful for other people to enjoy. Meet Diane at our next Nevada event!