Board & Staff

Behind every trail and CHTC event is an all-star crew running the show. At the top of the food chain are our Board of Directors and staff that keep the show on the road. Our all-volunteer Board sets policy, creates the budget, decides which trails to build or update, and guides the organization forward. If you have any big ideas that you'd like to see us implement, bribing them with beer and chatting with these people is your best bet. We also have a full-time Executive Director that manages the day-to-day work that keeps things running smoothly, and a two-man summer maintenance crew keeping the trails in prime shape. Learn about our team below.

2025 Board of Directors

Vice President

Casey Krueger

“Growing up in a cabin in Cable, WI, mountain biking and nordic skiing have been in my blood since the beginning. After spending a few years in Duluth, MN I saw what can be accomplished when a great group of like-minded people (COGGS) gather behind the cause of trail advocacy. During those years I also assisted my brothers Tim and Ryan with starting Advocate Cycles, Terrene Tires, and Esker Cycles and was immersed into the wonderful group of people that make up the Mountain Bike “Industry.” Spending time mountain biking in Copper Harbor since 2006, I fell in love with this awesome place. When Architect David Salmela asked me to build one of his designs here in 2015, I jumped at the chance to spend more time in the Harbor and expand my business. In 2018, I somehow talked my wife Ronnie Mae and our dog Gnarnia into moving to Copper Harbor permanently as I saw a large need for housing and contractors here. We continue to live here year-round, operating our business, Hyaline Builders, and exploring the magical terrain around us by ski, bike, and foot.”

Treasurer

Caleb Wendel

"I have been around bikes all my life with older brothers who were into BMX racing. By the time I was old enough to race, the BMX scene had fizzled out and mountain biking had started to take over. My first mountain bike came along in ‘91 and my first race was in ‘94 for which I was horribly underprepared. I have worked in and around the bike industry for over 20 years. I currently own and operate Rhythm Bike & Board in Houghton. Our family camp is in Eagle River so I have been visiting the Keweenaw most of my life. I moved here in ‘99 to attend Michigan Tech where I met my wife through biking friends. Shortly after was when I started volunteering in Copper Harbor. To see the growth in the past 20 years from all of the hard work of volunteers has been amazing."

Secretary

Cory McDonald

"I’ve been mountain biking since I was 15, and I first discovered the Copper Harbor trails when I moved to Houghton in 2004. The Harbor has been my favorite place to be ever since. It is truly amazing how much the trail network and the community have grown since then, and it’s great to be able to contribute my time and energy to the Club now. I represent the Singletrack Flyers on the board - I have two kids and it is great fun watching their skills improve each ride (it’s only a matter of time before I won’t be able to keep up with them). In my professional life I am an Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering at Michigan Tech, where I teach and study water quality. There are so many great rides in the Harbor, and more every year, but the Red Trail is still my happy place."

Board Member

Kim Barna

"I was born and raised in the UP. I moved downstate to go to school at Michigan State University where I got my BS and DVM degrees. I was lucky to move back to the Keweenaw in ’95 and now co-own the Northland Veterinary Clinic in Hancock. I love traveling and have been all over the world- New Zealand was my favorite so far. I love being outdoors as much as possible, especially scuba diving, mountain biking (of course), kayaking, and skiing."

Board Member

Sarah Kuhl

"I have always loved the outdoors and mountain biking, but it wasn’t until I moved to Houghton in 2010 that it quickly became my favorite sport. I studied Earth Science Secondary Education at Northern Arizona University and got a Masters in Environmental Education from University Minnesota Duluth. I’ve been a wilderness guide and I’ve brought countless kids on adventures to some of my favorite places including the Porkies, Isle Royale, and the Boundary Waters. One of my passions is helping people connect with the natural world. Getting people outside and on an adventure whether it’s a canoe trip or a mountain bike ride, it’s an entry point to help them connect to natural places. Advocacy for conservation of land and recreational areas is a logical next step once people feel a connection to a place, which is why I wanted to join the CHTC board. I most recently worked at Michigan Tech as an academic advisor and prior to that taught Earth Science, but I am currently hanging out at home with my baby daughter. My husband Scott is a professor at MTU. We love living in the Keweenaw and are both originally from MN. A few of my other hobbies include kayaking, olympic weightlifting, gardening, skiing and cooking."

Board Member

Dan Wiersgalla

"I enjoyed all the outdoor opportunities the Keweenaw has to offer as a kid. I stumbled upon mountain biking when I moved here for a summer working for the Keweenaw Adventure Company and quickly fell in love with Copper Harbor. As I became more of a full time resident, my involvement grew and it was only natural to join CHTC by volunteering to clear trees and fix drainages along the trail. Now these trails are my backyard I'm excited to be a part of this great organization."

Board Member

Ben Ciavola

Ben spent several years on our Board as our President, guiding the organization from 2016-2022. Since 'retiring' from the top job, he's dedicated his CHTC efforts towards developing our Bike Patrol program, one of the first in the nation under the National Ski Patrol program. He lives and works in Houghton for Trisight Engineering alongside his business and life partner Lianna. When he's not busy with CHTC, he assists Mont Ripley with their ski patrol and explores the backcountry by ski or bike.

Board Member

Greg Lis

Greg lives in Copper Harbor.

Board Member

Connor Scott

"Being in love with the outdoors is a lifetime addiction. Supporting others in these activities is a way of life. I started my journey outdoors surfing in Southern California. After which, I moved to Portland, OR with my wife and picked up a serious skiing habit. Once we grew our family to critical mass, we permanently moved out of the concrete jungle to Houghton, MI. We inevitably got tangled up with the right crowd and traded in our road bikes for ones that could handle singletrack. All of these activities have a way of pulling you into all sorts of amazing opportunities to help the community, from beach cleanups, ski & bike patrol to trail maintenance. The activity is what draws you in, but volunteering and the community is what keeps you coming back for more!"

Staff Members

Interim Executive Director

Adam yeoman

After racing rally cars for many years, I hung up the keys a decade ago, swung a leg over a mountain bike, and haven't looked back. I have been with the Copper Harbor Trails Club since 2017. I spent 7 years as a board member. During that time, I served as the secretary, treasurer, and, most recently, the board president. For 2025, I have taken the role of Interim Executive Director to help execute the Trails Club vision. Although I am originally from the UK, the Keweenaw has always been a part of my life. I visited Copper Harbor every summer until moving to the Keweenaw for High School. After bouncing back and forth to the UK for several years, my wife and I settled in the Dollar Bay area in 2007. We now have a young daughter who will soon be attending the one-room schoolhouse in Copper Harbor as we settle part-time into our new home in the Harbor. I'm incredibly excited about my new role as Interim Executive Director and can't wait to see what CHTC can accomplish in 2025!

Trail Worker & Outreach Coordinator

Nick ryan

Nick found mountain biking after having to medically retire from team sports due to head injuries. He began working in his first bike shop during his teen years and first started riding in Copper Harbor during the summers. After graduating, Nick attended Northern Michigan University to study Outdoor Recreation and Digital Cinema, dreaming of making movies and building trails; that was until the pandemic hit. Following the new reality, he decided to pursue his career with cameras and bikes in the outdoor industry hub Salt Lake City, Utah. After moving there and exploring both Utah and other states in the great West, Nick realized how much he loved waking up next to Lake Superior and decided to return home to try to make an impact on the mountain biking community here in the UP. He began turning wrenches and running social media for the Quick Stop Bike Shop in Marquette. When the opportunity to help build and promote the trails here in Copper Harbor came about, he jumped at the chance to help grow the place he grew up riding! In his free time, Nick enjoys taking photos, working on short films, hearty trail rides, paddleboarding, and waterskiing. You will also probably see him chasing his friends around with a camera at the Lake Superior Gravity Series races all summer long!