Tab Wilkins

President

Member Since: 2000

"I moved back to the Puget Sound region in 1999 and joined The Mountaineers in 2000. It's been a wonderful way to explore Washington state and the outdoors, challenging myself and continuing to learn new things while meeting fascinating and dedicated people. I'm slowly switching from ice hockey as my defining sport to climbing/skiing. To support this habit I help manage a network of non-profit manufacturing engineering consulting firms on the West Coast."

Mona West

President-Elect

Member Since: 1999

"Like many of you, I joined The Mountaineers because I love the outdoors. I was new to Washington, eager to meet people, and wanted to learn how to play in the mountains safely."

Since she joined in 1999, Mona has served on various committees and contributed her professional marketing and business management experience toward development of Mountaineers programs and outreach.

A climber, hiker, scrambler and snowshoe enthusiast, Mona believes in keeping pace with what members demand of their organization. She says the board should continue with a strategy that "evaluates the things we do now relative to our mission, considers new opportunities, and makes hard decisions about where to invest for the future."

Eric Linxweiler

Past President

Member Since: 2002

Eric Linxweiler has contributed his knowledge and time to the organization since 2005 when he became involved with the Seattle Climbing Committee. He became a trustee in 2006 and was elected president in 2008.

During his term as president, the organization moved its center of operations from Queen Anne to a new, dynamic program center at Magnuson Park. Under his helm, the board set The Mountaineers forth on a new strategic plan and hired a new executive director to execute the plan--thus engaging the organization more deeply in its mission and objectives.

His love of the outdoors started at a young age with the Boy Scouts of America, and he has imparted his passion for the outdoors to his son and daughter.

"This club is an outstanding resource to everyone who loves the outdoors. With its amazing diversity of activities, members, and resources, The Mountaineers has the opportunity, challenge--and above all, responsibility--to evolve, adapt and grow for another 100 years."

Lorna Corrigan

Secretary

Member Since: 1998

Lorna is an attorney in Everett, Washington, where her practice involves general civil litigation. Prior to assuming the office of secretary for The Mountaineers Board of Trustees, Lorna served as the chair of the Everett Branch. She has lived most of her life in Western Washington and grew up in a Mountaineers family. Lorna has fond memories of learning to ski during family weekends at the Snoqualmie and Meany Lodges. She enjoys skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and scrambling, and appreciates the camaraderie and shared adventure that comes with membership in The Mountaineers.

Gavin Woody

Treasurer

Member Since: 2008

"After climbing Mt. Rainier with a guide service in 2008, my wife and I joined The Mountaineers to learn how to be independent climbers and explorers of the Northwest. The tremendous support provided by countless volunteers inspired me to want to help the organization thrive and become an even stronger part of our community. I am thrilled to work with such a dedicated group during this time which, I believe, will prove to be one of the most important periods in the history of The Mountaineers."

An Intermediate Climbing Course student, Gavin has been taking full advantage of all the opportunities to find adventures on the snow, rock and ice on nearby peaks. He also enjoys skiing, triathlons and long-distance running. Gavin was elected to the board as treasurer in early 2010.
Prior to joining Expedia, where he is currently a director, Gavin was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company. He is a former U.S. Army infantry captain and decorated combat veteran (Operation Iraqi Freedom). He holds a mechanical engineering degree, with honors, from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Dave Claar

Vice President, Properties

Member Since: 1968

Dave Claar is a long-time member with a history of volunteer leadership within the organization. He has been a board trustee, chair of the Property Division, member of the Seattle Climbing Committee and has sat on numerous board-level committees responsible for a variety of duties. Recently, Dave has been mostly involved with the Meany Lodge.

Don Heck

Vice President, Publishing

Member Since: 1979

Rich Draves

Trustee - Position 2 (2008-2011)

Member Since: 1993

Active in the climbing and family activities programs for The Mountaineers, Rich has been a member since 1993 and relishes the friendships he has developed within the organization since joining. A Microsoft researcher and father of two daughters, Rich applauds recent efforts by The Mountaineers to engage more families and aims to help continue this pursuit.

"This is an exciting and challenging time for The Mountaineers. I see the move to Magnuson Park as an opportunity to revitalize our programs. I look to the new building to set the tone for The Mountaineers as a modern club, still vibrant and relevant to everyone interested in outdoor recreation," Rich says.

Besides climbing, Rich enjoys skiing and windsurfing.

Tom Varga

Trustee - Position 4 (2010-2012)*

Member Since: 2002

"Since first experiencing the Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980’s (I grew up in Ohio), I have been mesmerized by the sheer beauty and amazing diversity of this region. The foresight of those who worked to protect and preserve our wilderness areas has provided us today with the awesome gift that is the Northwest outdoors. I feel both obligated and privileged to pay that stewardship forward for future generations, and I am convinced that helping The Mountaineers is one of the best ways to accomplish this goal.

Winston Churchill once said, 'We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.' I look forward to giving my time and talent to The Mountaineers."

John Ohlson

Trustee - Position 5 (2009-2012)

Member Since: 1999

John started his service as a trustee in 2009. He has chaired the Building Operations Committee and chaired the safety subcommittee. He also keeps his Mountaineers burner going at other levels, including a seat on the Seattle Branch Council, Freedom 8 author of the chapter on safety and as a member of the Seattle Climbing Committee.

"I grew up in Seattle, returned 11 years ago, embraced our courses and learned much. I enjoy volunteering for The Mountaineers as a payback. I consider us an activities-based organization with a vital educational role for conservation, which I embrace and support.

"I offer my corporate skills in decision-making, marketing, negotiations and consensus management. I have an unyielding view of budgets (every operation's true cost must be visible), many years of managing multi-million dollar budgets, plus a fervent belief that leadership is action, not just a job title."

Mark Scheffer

Trustee - Position 6 (2009-2012)

Member Since: 1986

Mark Scheffer grew up hiking and scrambling in the Cascades. He joined The Mountaineers to take advantage of the many trips and classes offered. He has taken the alpine scrambling, basic climbing, and intermediate climbing courses. A longtime climbing committee member, he has also spent many years on the scrambling committee and leads trips for snowshoes, hikes, backpacks, scrambles and climbs.

"What originally drew me to The Mountaineers was the desire to go on trips with experienced leaders who could show me places I had never seen before and that I was unwilling to try without more experience. I quickly discovered that what I liked most about The Mountaineers, and what has kept me a very active member, was not only the excitement of seeing new places or climbing challenging peaks, but the friendships and connections that are developed with others who also seek these same challenges and adventures.

"One of the challenges for the organization is the impact our larger courses have on the wilderness environment, both physically as well as visually. Magnuson Park gives us a unique opportunity to reduce, if not eliminate, the impact of these large courses in the environment, yet provide high-quality classes for our members so that they can safely enjoy activities in the outdoors. It's an exciting time to be a member and help mold the changes that will be felt for years, if not decades, to come."

Lee Fromson

Trustee - Position 7 (2010-2013)

Member Since: 2009

"I have had the privilege of earning a living by working in the outdoor industry for the past 28 years. This experience has taught me how important “getting out into the mountains” is for the U.S. economy, for a person’s mental health and physical well-being, and for developing our next generation of environmental stewards of the remarkable treasures that exist in our country. For many people the outdoors can be an intimidating place. The importance of having safe, fun and understanding mentors is vital to introducing more members of our community to the natural wonders right here in the Pacific Northwest. The Mountaineers is uniquely positioned, I believe, to be the most influential and trusted pathway to helping people get outdoors. I would be honored to serve this organization. As a member of The Mountaineers Board of Trustees, I hope that my passion for the outdoors and prior experience help shape the strategic direction of the organization’s future."

Dan Lauren

Trustee - Position 8 (2010-2013)

Member Since: 1998

"I joined The Mountaineers in 1998 to take the Basic Climbing Course and quickly fell in love with climbing, the outdoors, the organization and the people I met along the way. The organization opened a whole new world to me, and made me want to share that world with others. I love getting outdoors as often as I can, as well as mentoring and teaching others about safely getting into the backcountry and reaching their objectives. I’ve met many of my now lifelong friends in The Mountaineers. I stay active as a climb leader, mentor and instructor in order to pass on the mountaineering spirit.

The Sharkfin Tower Accident in 2005 really had an impact on me as I lost a friend and mentor in that accident, and it prompted me to take a leadership role in creating and chairing The Mountaineers Safety Committee, as I wanted something positive to come out of that accident. There was a lot of apprehension among leadership at that time as accidents had never been talked about or discussed openly. The experience proved to me that the organization is capable of changing for the better.

I see a tremendous opportunity for our organization to be more than the sum of our branches and our activities. We have a lot to offer our community. We have a tremendous body of energetic volunteers that are passionate about the outdoors. What I can bring to this organization is clear thinking, organizational skills, and an attitude of getting things done. I get along well with people, I listen and try to understand, I see the big picture, and laugh a lot."

Matt Sullivan

Trustee - Position 9 (2010-2013)

Member Since: 1998

"I am a Mountaineers member because I am amazed by the natural bounty we have in the Pacific Northwest. From Puget Sound paddling to Cascades trail running, skiing, and snowshoeing, there is something exciting to do every season. I am passionate about sharing this natural bounty with my sons, aged 10 and 8."

Matt is an experienced marketing and market research executive with such Fortune 100 companies as Microsoft, Kellogg's Company, Procter & Gamble, Guinness, and J. P. Morgan, and he currently runs his own research company. In addition to The Mountaineers, he promotes youth education and physical activity with the YMCA, Seattle Schools and Seattle Community Centers.

Steve Glenn

Trustee - Bellingham

Member Since: 1971

For the past 40 years, Steve has had the opportunity to participate across the spectrum of The Mountaineers as a volunteer with several committees and groups, including three different branches. A Bellingham Branch member, Steve helped design the Winter Travel Course for the Seattle Branch, has edited The Mountaineer and has taught basic and intermediate climbing, MOFA, scrambling, snowshoeing, and navigation.

Evelyn Dudey

Trustee - Everett

Member Since: 1986

Evy originally joined The Mountaineers in order to take the Sailing Course. Over the years she has been an active member of the Everett Branch, and has instructed Leading on Rock, Basic Climbing, Instructor Review, Sport Climbing, MOFA, Nordic Skiing, and Scrambling courses. She has served on the Everett Branch’s Climbing Committee, Basic Climbing Committee, Intermediate Climbing Committee and Leading on Rock/Intermediate Rock Subcommittee.

With a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, Evy is a Product Standardization Manager in the telecommunications industry. She’s a member of the Everett Sail and Power Squadron, Everett Mountain Rescue Unit, and the Upper Edmonds Book and Cake Society. Her passions include spending time with her husband and their dog, skiing the Hog Loppet and pumpkin carving.

"I hope that my own enjoyment of the outdoors, my appreciation for the volunteers that have helped me, and the family of friends to which I belong all give me the right background to assist the organization, provide fun, teach safety and build community for the membership."

Gerry Haugen

Trustee - Foothills

Member Since: 1992

Jimmy James

Trustee - Kitsap

Member Since: 2003

Jimmy has served The Mountaineers off and on since he joined some 50 years ago. He has been a vital cog in the formation of one of the newest branches of The Mountaineers, Kitsap. He has been an avid climber, reaching the summit of most of the major Northwest peaks and has volunteered his time to search-and-rescue organizations over his long climbing career. He has also served with the National Ski Patrol at Snoqualmie Pass.

A retired tax consultant, Jimmy trains his focus on crafting Mountaineers products so that they appeal to "the young men and women who are our next generation members." He maintains that "when we accomplish that, our other challenges will be much easier to handle."

Michael Riley

Trustee - Olympia

Member Since: 1997

Mike Riley joined The Mountaineers in 1997 after moving to Olympia from Colorado. He took the Basic Climbing course in 1999-2000 and completed the Intermediate course in 2007. “The Mountaineers is a great way to meet a lot of climbers and find a niche for your interests and style in climbing.�

Mike has been a member of the Olympia Basic Climbing Committee and the Olympia Intermediate Committee. He co-teaches the intermediate ice module and has put together ice climbing trips for Canada and Colorado for intermediate climbing students.

His main interest for the organization is for innovation in the design and implementation of courses. He helped design the Olympia modular approach to the Basic Climb course, the Beyond-Basic-Rock course and a new course, Beyond-Basic-Ice climbing that will start in 2011. “Providing climbing opportunities and instruction beyond the basic level provides a path for basic graduates to increase their confidence and climbing skills and to remain actively involved with the club.�

Kirk Alm

Trustee - Seattle

Member Since: 1998

Kirk has immersed himself in the climbing community, most recently in the transition of the climbing curricula to the new club headquarters at Magnuson Park. However, he enjoys a wide breadth of other Mountaineers activities, including sea kayaking, snowshoe travel, skiing, photography and hiking.

"My passion and commitment to wilderness adventure led me to seek out The Mountaineers shortly after moving to Seattle. Since then, my involvement as a club participant has evolved into leadership positions from which I thrive on bringing diverse ideas and people together," Kirk says.

A construction engineer by trade, Kirk adds, "As we move to Magnuson, these are exciting times. The location gives the club greater exposure as a premier leader in the Pacific Northwest and is an ideal venue for hosting conservation and community awareness activities."

Tom Shimko

Trustee - Tacoma

Member Since: 1986

"While I discovered my love of the outdoors in my mid-20s, it wasn't until my move to the Pacific Northwest in 1985 and my joining The Mountaineers that it became a passion. I've climbed, done long-distance hiking, bicycling, canoeing . . . well, the list goes on. Ultimately it's about spending time in wild places, be it in the mountains, desert, tundra, whatever this planet has to offer. Through my association with The Mountaineers I have developed the skills to travel in wilderness.

My work-life was spent doing product development, last with Cascade Designs (makers of the Thermarest and other products for outdoor users) here in Seattle. I'm currently self-employed as a contractor, specializing in seismic retrofitting of older homes, which allows me to spend more time doing what I really enjoy, spending time in wilderness."

Martinique Grigg

Executive Director

Please see the Staff page for details.

Gates of the Arctic National Park. Photo by S. Campion.

Helen Cherullo

Publisher, Mountaineers Books

Helen Cherullo is publisher of The Mountaineers Books, the publishing division of The Mountaineers and dedicated to "leading our readers to the lessons and pleasures of the great outdoors." She has been a Mountaineers member since 1992, when she first started at "Books."
Born in Chicago and raised next door to a forest preserve in the city's suburbs, she has had a lifetime passion for nature study and preserving wild places. Other passions include day hiking, canoeing, and gardening. Her modest-sized city lot includes over 20 dwarf fruit trees rapidly transitioning into an out-of-control forest. She has a BA in journalism from the University of Montana, with a major in fine arts -- and believes in the power of words and images to inspire and transform lives.