Women in Trail Stewardship
Supported by:
Building a stronger, more connected trail community by empowering women to lead, learn, and get their hands dirty.
Through community events, panel discussions, scholarship-funded training, and women’s work days, we're connecting women with the tools, mentors, and opportunities in trail stewardship.
Women in Trail Leadership Panel Discussion
📍 Location: REI, Biltmore Park 📅 Date/Time: Tuesday, August 18th, 5:30–7:30 PM
Join us for an inspiring evening featuring distinguished local trail leaders. The night kicks off with a casual meet-and-greet and light refreshments, followed by a facilitated panel conversation about what it takes to lead in trail stewardship — and how women are reshaping the outdoor community.
Proudly hosted in partnership with the Hunter Hometown Foundation, REI, and SORBA.
This event is a great first step toward our grant-funded Women's Trail Crew Leader Training Class this November.
Meet the Panelists
Kristen "Kris" Sikorsky has been passionate about public lands since the age of eight, when a love of nature and a desire to serve others inspired her dream of a career in conservation. She earned a graduate degree in Park Management and Conservation from Kansas State, completing a pioneering thesis that was among the first in the United States to use drones to study recreation impacts on public lands. After being selected for the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows Program, Kris launched her career with the U.S. Forest Service on the Safford Ranger District in Arizona. Today, she manages recreation for North Carolina's Pisgah Ranger District, one of the busiest Forest Service units in the country, and serves as Director of the Cradle of Forestry, the birthplace of forestry education in America. Her work focuses on balancing recreation, conservation, and innovation while creating meaningful connections between people and their public lands.
Kristen "Kris" Sikorsky
Soleil Ayers is a mountain biker, trail runner, and trail crew leader and sawyer with Pisgah Area SORBA. She works as a nurse in the local community, providing individualized care to a range of clients with chronic and complex conditions. In her free time she leads trail work days covering everything from rock work and drain clearing to brushing and general maintenance, and as a sawyer she helps keep trails clear of downed trees. She is passionate about creating opportunities for more women to get involved in trail work, learn new skills, and feel comfortable and confident in outdoor spaces.
Soleil Ayers
Whitney Houck is an outdoor adventurer, avid mountain biker, GSMBC & PMBIA mountain bike skills instructor & coach, and currently serves as Board President of Blue Ridge Dirt Skrrts. She started mountain biking in 2006, and since then, it has been one of the central themes that helped her find community and friendships wherever she lived. She moved to Brevard in 2021 for the outdoors & biking culture after retiring from the Coast Guard where she worked in the training field and served 8 years on ships throughout the Atlantic and Pacific. Whitney’s mission is to help others build confidence in life, a reason to yell “Woohoo” and a love of nature through riding.
Whitney Houck
Kristin Cozza is the Trails and Greenways Manager at Conserving Carolina, where she leads the organization’s efforts to build and maintain sustainable public access trails that connect people with nature, strengthen communities, and support responsible recreation. Her current work focuses on expanding the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail, developing the Saluda Grade Trail, and restoring trails damaged by Hurricane Helene. Prior to joining Conserving Carolina, Kristin worked with the Southern Regional Office of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, where she learned firsthand about the vital role of volunteers and partnerships in trail stewardship and the impact a trail can have on shaping a community's identity. When she's not working on trails, Kristin enjoys exploring them on her bike and spending time in her garden.
Kristen Cozza
As a trained artist, Callie Horwath channels her creativity into trail building, shaping landscapes that are as enjoyable to ride as they are to create. She serves as the Brand and Marketing Manager for Ride Kanuga and Ride Rock Creek Bike Parks, where she's helped build both parks from day one. She also works as a trail builder with Pisgah Trail Company, extending that same vision beyond the parks to create sustainable, thoughtfully crafted trails throughout the region. Proud to call Western North Carolina home, she's passionate about creating memorable riding experiences and growing the mountain bike community.
Callie Horwarth
Jen Ramming is the Managing Director of the Hunter Hometown Foundation and OpenDoors Asheville. Her love of trails began growing up in the mountains of northern Vermont, where time outside fostered a lifelong connection to public lands and outdoor recreation. Since moving to Asheville in 1998, she has found community on the trails through hiking, backpacking, skiing, and—most of all—mountain biking. Jen is passionate about giving back to her community and the trail systems that bring her joy. She volunteers with Pisgah Area SORBA and other local trail organizations supported by the Hunter Hometown Foundation. Following Hurricane Helene, she earned her B Sawyer certification through Pisgah Area SORBA’s partnership with McDowell Technical Community College, allowing her to contribute to trail recovery and stewardship efforts.
Jen Ramming - Facilitator
Women's Trail Crew Leader Training & Scholarship
November 14-15 at the NC Arboretum
Ready to take the next step? Beginning August 3rd, Pisgah Area SORBA is accepting scholarship applications for our Women's Trail Crew Leader Training Course, happening November 14–15 at the NC Arboretum.
Supported by the Hunter Hometown Foundation, the North Carolina Arboretum, the National Forest Foundation and the US Forest Service, and SORBA Main, this hands-on course covers natural surface trail design, construction, and maintenance — with a focus on long-term sustainability. No previous trail work experience is necessary.
Who should apply? Women who are:
Passionate about trails and the outdoors
Looking to become more involved in trail stewardship
Excited to learn, volunteer, and make a lasting impact on local trails
What Happens After the Training?
Completing the Women in Trail Leadership Scholarship is just the beginning! Once certified, Trail Crew Leaders have the opportunity to organize and lead volunteer crews, develop trail stewardship skills, and play a vital role in maintaining and improving our local trail systems. Whether you hope to become a leader within Pisgah Area SORBA or bring these skills to another organization, this training provides the knowledge, confidence, and network to make a lasting impact.
Applications will close September 9th. Apply below!
