Paula Burton, President she/her

Paula Burton is an avid mountain biker, hiker, skier and trail builder. She has served in many advocacy roles and jobs including Appalachian Trail Ridge Runner, Trail Maintainer, AMC Board of Directors, President of Housatonic Valley Chapter of New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), NEMBA Board of Directors, and member of the Governor’s Connecticut Greenways Council.

R. Bruce Donald, TREASURER he/him

Bruce is the Southern New England Manager for the East Coast Greenway Alliance, leading greenway advocacy efforts in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and central Massachusetts. He previously served as president of the Farmington Valley Trails Council, was appointed Chairman of the Governor’s Connecticut Greenways Council, and serves on many other boards. He received an Official Citation from the Connecticut General Assembly in 2016 and the Peoples’ Choice Award from Bike/Walk Connecticut in 2018 in recognition of his efforts.

Bruce is a lifelong bicyclist and alpine skier. That brought him to Middlebury College in Vermont, where he earned a B.A. in political science, followed by an M.A. in history at Trinity College. He worked for 17 years in investment brokerage, management, and banking with international companies. He also authored many financial, investment, and historical articles and a book, Manhood and Patriotic Awakening in the American Civil War. 

Walker holmes she/her

Walker serves as a board member of Gather New Haven, past president of New Haven Land Trust, and current member of the Open Space Review Board for the State of Connecticut. Walker is a lecturer on land conservation at Yale School of the Environment and teaches yoga at Ascent Climbing Gym in New Haven.

Walker and her family are all-around, all-season outdoor adventurers, most often found hiking, cycling, running, and skiing on trails in Connecticut and all over New England.

Mick Ferraro, SECRETARY he/him

Mick is an avid cyclist and up-and-coming, aspiring snowboarder. A long time member of the New England Mountain Bike Association and Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts, Mick has been racing mountain bikes since the Granny Gear 24 hour races of the mid 90’s. As a former coach in the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program and parent of twin 15 year old boys, his passion for bikes and the outdoors is being handed down to the to the next generation of outdoor advocates in Connecticut.

A graduate of Greensboro College (NC), Mick is the Director of Communications and Outreach for the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA). He and his wife, Mia, reside in Simsbury with those twin boys, Hudson and Hendrix.

Neil Johnson, V. President He/him

An active skier, cyclist and hiker who enjoys exploring the outdoor gems Connecticut has to offer. Neil is an outdoor enthusiast whose passion is helping others safely and responsibly find their place in the outdoors. Throughout his career in the outdoor industry and as the former Store Manager of REI CO-OP in Milford, CT his passion for the outdoors and the outdoor industry has given him the opportunity to inspire and educate more people than he ever could have hoped. Neil sets the standard for CORA’s work-life balance!

TANYA BOURGOIN She/her

Tanya is a born and bred CT native, lifelong public servant and conservation advocate. Her advocacy calling began in elementary school where she orchestrated fundraisers supporting wildlife conservation and in high school she founded a club to promote tolerance. As a young adult, she obtained certification as a wildlife rehabilitator. Currently, she serves on the board of CT chapter of the Sierra Club, Friends of CT State Parks and is founder and president of Friends of Machimoodus and Sunrise State Parks. Committed to an active life of service, Tanya was recently elected to the Board of Selectmen for the Town of East Haddam. When not in a meeting (and even sometimes when she is), Tanya likes to be outdoors with her husband, dogs, ducks and goats. The cats stay inside!

Joseph Dickerson, Ex OFFICIO

Joseph is a passionate advocate of adventure as motivation and revelation. As the owner of Inspired Adventurist, he supports individuals and teams in building the fitness, technique, and mindset to accomplish their outdoor bucket-list.

In his own personal adventures, Joseph is a mountain bike racer, bikepacking guide, mountaineer, fly-fisher and even spent some time avoiding arm-bars in MMA battles. He believes that our mind is what holds us back; with focused training and coaching almost anything is possible. 

With an expertise in social enterprise and consulting, Joseph formerly ran BiCi Co Community Bike Shop. He balanced the community impact mission of educating youth and adults on bicycle maintenance and safe riding, with the profit-driven imperative to reinvest profits for social impact.

JEFF SHAW, EX-OFFICIO He/him

Jeff Shaw is the current Director of the Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Jeff’s flagship program, the Partnerships in Parks Initiative, seeks to explore and evaluate potential partnerships with the private sector to provide elevated outdoor recreation and visitor experiences, increase access to the outdoors and expand tourism destinations in Connecticut State Parks. Jeff promotes, connects and convenes the outdoor industry, experiences and recreation community to grow Connecticut’s outdoor recreation economy. Previously, he spent 12 years as Senior Advisor for the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance, a statewide association of nonprofits and 8 years as legislative staff in the Connecticut General Assembly.

 Jeff previously served as Vice President of the Connecticut Outdoor Recreation Alliance (CORA) and remains active as an Ex Officio Board member. Outside, you’ll find Jeff skiing, biking or paddling, with a few rounds of bogey golf in between.