I grew up in the Pacific Northwest in a family that spent just about every free minute in the Cascade Mountains or exploring the Washington Coast. Through the years I have had opportunities to continue spending time in the outdoors, both in the US and overseas. I met my husband while we were both training for Denali and my Dad had been on Denali in the 60's and 70's, so that is a pretty special mountain/place to me. I have stood atop the highest points in all 50 states and have seen some pretty amazing things. Unfortunately, as I hike in the mountains in my own backyard, I am seeing some pretty disgusting things. From my initial Board interview I indicated that the seeming lack of awareness of Trail Etiquette and the Principles of Leave No Trace were something that we need to address. We can build and maintain trails but unless we educate folks that littering and using the trails as personal toilets is not acceptable, it is not going to be the pleasant experience for anyone. We need to be advocates for our trails and "playgrounds" so that they can be enjoyed by generations to come. I look forward to diving in deeper into these challenges.