Dr. Douglas G. Pitt is an avid skier, kayaker, and hiker and has frequented Stokely and area since 1988. He first served as a technical advisor to the AHC in 1997, and became a Board member in 2000. Since March 2006, Doug has served as the AHC’s President. For the past 12 years, Doug has also helped keep Stokely skiers safe on the trails, serving as Patrol Leader and instructor for the Canadian Ski Patrol. Doug has an Honours BSc in Forestry (1984) from Lakehead University, and a Ph.D. in Forest Biometrics (1994) from Auburn University. During his career, he has worked as a forest manager and protection supervisor; he currently holds a position as Research Scientist with the Canadian Forest Service. His efforts have provided foresters with many practical tools for forest renewal, stand tending, and remote sensing applications in forest sampling.

Dr. Gaylen J. Byker was elected to the position of vice-president of the Algoma Highlands Conservancy in 2008. He has been president of Calvin College since 1995. Raised in Hudsonville, Michigan, Gaylen earned a B.A. from Calvin in interdisciplinary communications, both a master’s in world politics and a law degree from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania. At the age of 19, Byker interrupted his career at Calvin to earn a commission in the United States Army and serve as an artillery officer in Washington State and Vietnam, where he supervised 90 enlisted men in combat situations and was repeatedly decorated. Discharged with the rank of captain, he resumed his studies at Calvin, graduating in 1973. During that time, he and Susan (Lemmen) Byker, a 1971 Calvin graduate, served as resident directors. It was while at Calvin, Byker says, that he became interested in the Middle East, and he explored that interest more deeply at the University of Pennsylvania. While working on his Ph.D., Byker lived and taught in Beirut, Lebanon. Prior to returning to his alma mater as president, Byker worked as a lawyer in Philadelphia, an investment banker in New York, and a partner in a natural gas firm in Houston. Gaylen and Susan Byker, who often frequented the Algoma Highlands and Stokely in the past, are the patriarch and matriarch respectively of the Byker-Phair family whom now own and operate the Stokely Creek Lodge. Together with their extended family, the Byker clan are once again frequent visitors to Stokely and the Algoma Highlands area.

Karen Streich was elected to the Algoma Highlands Conservancy Board in March 2006. Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Karen has a B.A. in economics from the University of Western Ontario and is an accredited Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Karen has more than twenty-eight years of federal public service experience in areas such as strategic planning and policy development; financial and human resource management; and program development and delivery. She currently works for FedNor/Industry Canada as a Senior Policy and Planning Officer, supporting economic and community development in Northern Ontario. Karen and her husband, Ronn Hann, co-own Northern Comfort Log Homes, a handcrafted log home construction business located in Goulais River. An initial meeting with Chuck Peterson in 1983 launched the development of Karen’s deep passion and commitment to the Stokely Creek area. She is an ardent cross-country skier, gardener and traveller.

Ken joined the Algoma Highlands Conservancy board in late 2007. He brings to this position a strong background in nonprofit governance and management. After graduating from University of Windsor with a B.A. in Communications, Ken worked within the chamber of commerce movement, and ultimately committed seventeen years as executive director of a grassroots capacity building charity in Windsor. He received training in association administration, management dynamics and strategic planning through the Canadian Institute for Organization Management. Currently, Ken is executive director of Community Quality Improvement, an organization that measures and reports on quality of life in Sault Ste. Marie. In that position he coordinates collaborations among key community stakeholders in strategically identifying where the community is excelling, and where we need to improve. He is an active member of the Voyageur Trail Association, and the Irish Wolfhound Breeders Association of Southwestern Ontario. Ken’s passion for the wilderness brought him to the Algoma Highlands more than twenty years ago as a tourist, and eventually drew him here to stay. His personal interests include backpacking, canoeing and kayaking. He shares his life with Brooke Montgomery and a houseful of dogs and cats.

Kim is a past president of the AHC and is active in running, boating, skiing, hiking, and fishing. He has been involved with Stokely since approximately 1985 and the Algoma Highlands Conservancy since 1994. Kim works at Algoma Steel as a Supervisor of Electrical Maintenance and Process Control.

Mark is a professor teaching forest management and ecology at Sault College. Mark earned a bachelors degree in Agricultural Science, a Masters degree in Forest Sciences and is a Registered Professional Forester. Prior to becoming a Conservancy Board member, Mark was a member of the Stokely Creek Technical Forestry Advisory Committee. Cross country skiing and hiking are a very important component of Mark’s life and when combined with an avid interest in many aspects of promoting responsible forest stewardship, ecosystem conservation and outdoor education he recognizes the Algoma Highlands as a jewel that must be valued, promoted and protected. He is very pleased to be able to join with others in the Conservancy and is optimistic that Algoma Highlands area will remain a place that its founders, supporters and their families will enjoy for many generations. Mark Harvey resides in Sault Ste. Marie with his wife Jennifer Harvey. Their 6 children are at various stages of completing post secondary education.

Dean joined the Algoma Highlands Conservancy board in 2007. Dean leads the communication sub-committee for the AHC including oversite of the webpage and also serves on the conservation subcommittee. Since obtaining his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Guelph, Dean has been employed as a research scientist for the Canadian Forest Service in Sault Ste. Marie. In that position he pursues strong interests spanning fundamental and applied aspects of environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology and forest wetland ecology particularly as these relate to sustainable forest management and protection of ecological integrity. Dean is also an adjunct professor at both the University of Guelph and the University of New Brunswick (St. John). He is an active member of several professional societies including the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and Ecological Society of America. When not busy doing research and chasing frogs through wetlands, he can be found pursuing any one of a number of silent sport and outdoor recreation passions which include: kayaking, sailing, cross-country and backcountry skiing, canoeing, camping, mountain biking, fly fishing and nature photography.

Ian Phair is a managing member of Global Asset Management, LLC (GAM), a private investment firm based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. GAM's primary focus is investing in start-up companies and projects. Ian has managed the day-to-day operations of GAM for the past 10 years. Prior to GAM, he worked for JP Morgan in New York City for 5 years in investment banking and trading for the energy sector. Ian received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, where he studied economics. In addition to the board’s of GAM’s portfolio companies, Ian serves as a director for companies affiliated with WestHarbor Capital (a UK-based hedge fund) and the Christian Montessori School of Ann Arbor. Ian is also one of the owners of Stokely Creek Lodge.

Mike has a B.A. in North American Native Studies from the Laurentian University and is a licensed Archaeologist in the Province of Ontario. Mike and his wife Carolyn were married at Stokely Creek and were then managers of the Ski Touring Center for ten years, from 1979-1989 (Mike managing the winter trails and Carolyn the lodge). He worked for 2 years doing an archaeological survey of the newly created Lake Superior Provincial Park and was a trail planner for a 30 km section of the coastal hiking trails in Pukaskwa Park. He has done extensive archaeological work in Ontario, researching hydro and road projects. He has helped preserve the history of native cultures in his native Ontario by finding artifacts, dating 5000 years. Mike is very interested in ornithology and has developed an extensive repertoire of birdcalls. He hopes his work on the Conservancy board will help preserve this beautiful Algoma land while making it accessible for everyone to enjoy. He lives in Goulais River with his wife Carolyn and has two sons, Patrick and Brendan.

Dr. Hohnke is an avid cross country skier (highlight: Vasa Loppet in Sweden) and a long distance cyclist (highlight: self contained 3- months mountain-bike tour along the Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico). For their annual winter migration he and his wife Carol prefer extended stays in Ontario's Goulais River on Lake Superior over any Florida beach. He is currently the President of the Stokely Creek Club and joined Board of the AHC in 2008. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania he worked for, and retired from, the Scientific Research Laboratories of Ford Motor Company. He considers the Algoma Highlands one of the premier cross-country ski terrains in North America and as such most deserving of, and ideally compatible with, the conservation promoted by the AHC.

John recently retired after 37 years as an engineer and engineering manager at General Motors. He has a B.S. in electrical engineering from Kettering University, an M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado and an M.A. in mathematics from the University of Michigan. He and his wife Judy live in Ann Arbor, Michigan. John is an enthusiastic cross country skier (three American Birkebeiners), runner (several marathons including three Boston Marathons) and bicyclist. He enjoys wilderness canoe camping (Quetico Park and Boundary Waters Canoe Area) for family summer vacations and cross country skiing for winter vacations. John first came to Stokely in 1985 and has been returning with his family nearly every year since. His children, Jennifer and Joseph bonded with cross country skiing at Stokely. He believes the land surrounding the Stokely Creek Lodge is a treasure and is grateful to be on the board of the Conservancy to help preserve it.

Lisa moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 1996 to take a position as a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service. Her research focuses on the relationship of biodiversity to sustainable forest management. She enjoys many outdoor activities including backcountry and track skiing, snowshoeing and hockey in the winter and mountain biking, hiking, canoeing and road cycling in the summer. She is an active member of the Sault Cycling Club and has worked to make mountain biking more accessible in the Soo by planning and teaching introductory mountain bike workshops and developing signage and maps for local trails. She believes that people are happier when they spend more time outdoors especially in winter and so protecting and managing areas such as Stokely for accessible silent sport recreation is important. She joined the AHC board in 2008.

Craig Howard was appointed as the director of our Legacy Lands Campaign in October 2008. Craig is a registered professional forester and has extensive experience in government administration, sustainable forest management and auditing, as well as in successful development of private business ventures. Craig has served as a member of the technical advisory committee for the conservancy in the past.

Laurie McBay is an enthusiastic cross country skier and hiker. She was on the executive of the Stokely Creek Ski Club for 5 years. As a practising physiotherapist for more than 30 years, she recognizes the importance of ongoing physical activity to achieve good physical and mental health. Therefore, Laurie feels it is very important to conserve land to give people the opportunity to enjoy silent sports in the outdoors and reconnect with the natural world. She appreciates the unique value of the Algoma Highlands and is pleased to support the goals and principles of the conservancy.

Kristi is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. She is an aquatic ecologist, with interests in how environmental conditions and land use influence aquatic food webs and fish communities. She received her B.A. in biology from Oberlin College, M.S. in aquatic ecology from The Ohio State University, and Ph.D. in aquatic ecology from Cornell University. She enjoys running, various types of skiing, hiking, kayaking, and playing soccer. Her interests in ecosystem conservation and low impact, recreational use of natural areas stem from a lifetime spent vacationing in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. She is fairly new to Sault Ste. Marie, but has already developed a strong affection for the region’s natural areas.

Jennifer Allemang joined the Algoma Highlands Conservancy as a Conservancy Assistant in December 2009. She earned a B.Sc. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Lake Superior State University in 2008. She also has a Fish and Wildlife Technician diploma and an Integrated Resource Management Technologist diploma from Sault College. She is directly involved in the development and implementation of strategic plans to advance conservation, silent sport recreation, environmental education and promotion of sustainable forest management in the Algoma Highlands area. Jennifer was raised in Sault Ste. Marie and is therefore deeply connected to the surrounding wilderness. She loves trail running, snowshoeing, camping, hiking, skiing, fishing and is passionate about conservation and proper management of our natural resources.