Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Staff
Diana grew up in the Hudson Valley and has worked in finance and office management to support such local nonprofit organizations as Common Ground Farm, the Walkway Over the Hudson and the Girls Leadership Worldwide program at the Eleanor Roosevelt Leadership Center at Val-Kill. She worked and lived in the Southwest and Northern California as an AmeriCorps member and later became a Field Operations Manager for the conservation corps, American Conservation Experience, where she was able to take volunteers hiking and camping to perform various conservation projects outdoors in several state and national parks, and wilderness areas. Prior to joining the HHFT team, she was the Fleet and Facilities Manager for the solar B Corporation SunCommon.
Diana is a lover of plants with a certification in Professional Horticulture from Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Spring, NY. Diana was previously certified as a Wilderness EMT (WEMT) through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, WY. She enjoys hiking, gardening and drawing.
"I'm excited to help others connect with nature and find more ways to enjoy the beauty of the Hudson River Valley through the creation of the Fjord Trail!"
Amy is the first Executive Director of HHFT, Inc., a role she has held since the organization was created in March 2020. Prior to that, she had led the project while the Senior Community Planner at Scenic Hudson since 2014. While in that position, in addition to the Fjord Trail, she led several initiatives in Westchester County, and helped lead the formation of what is now Scenic Hudson’s River Cities program first in Newburgh and later also Poughkeepsie.
Before joining Scenic Hudson, Amy was a senior planner with a regional planning agency in Massachusetts where she spearheaded a new regional plan, municipal climate adaptation and mitigation strategies linked to state climate legislation, and initiated a countywide local farming and food plan. She began her career as an associate with a Colorado-based planning and zoning firm, where she worked on a range of projects including comprehensive long-range, transit-oriented development, and historic preservation plans across the Rocky Mountain West. She holds a Master’s Degree in Regional and Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo and a B.A. in Political Science from Union College.
In her free time, Amy enjoys hiking, running, kayaking, gardening, cooking and playing with her two rescue mutt puppies.
Amy is excited about the Fjord Trail because of the connections and access it creates for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the beauty of the Hudson Highlands and river. “After many years of long-range planning, it’s great to be part of creating something, seeing it materialize from idea to reality. There is such a great energy of collaboration, creative problem-solving, fun, and service as we build not just a trail, but a space for people to connect with nature, which is so essential to health and informs our relationship with the world around us."
MJ Martin brings decades of experience in communications, community outreach, and fundraising to her work at HHFT. She is deeply dedicated to conservation in the Hudson Valley, and her professional and volunteer experience shows it.
She served as the Director of Outreach & Development at Hudson Highlands Land Trust for nearly twelve years. Most recently, she was the Vice President & Chief Development Officer at Mohonk Preserve, where she led the successful capital campaign that brought the Testimonial Gateway trailhead – the Preserve’s first new trailhead in 26 years -- and the restoration of the Humpo Marsh area to life. MJ has served on environmental education committees for both the Garrison Union Free School District and the Haldane Central School District. She currently serves as a member of the Philipstown Trails Committee and has served on the Philipstown Conservation Board for more than fifteen years.
MJ has been a resident of the Hudson Highlands for nearly thirty years, residing first in the Village of Cold Spring, then along Route 9D in Dutchess Junction, and now in Garrison, NY. She and her husband Fred have two grown children. They enjoy hiking the many area trails along with their two dogs, Indy and Sirius. They also love to paddle along the shoreline in their kayaks, tracing the route of the future Fjord Trail.
MJ’s ties to the HHFT project go back to her tenure at the Land Trust (a HHFT Steering Committee member organization), when the planning and public process was just beginning. “I remember hearing about the concept from local friends and colleagues when it was new, and attending the first public meetings,” she recalled. “It was such an exciting idea, both practical and ambitious at the same time. The Fjord Trail has so much potential to create welcoming access to people of all abilities, and serve as an incredible amenity for those of us who are lucky enough to live nearby. When the opportunity to be a part of the team bringing the project to life presented itself, I jumped at it.”
Prior to joining the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail team in 2022, Lori was the Associate Director of Communications at the Garden Conservancy, Inc., based in Garrison, NY, for seven years. While at the Conservancy, she collaborated on all print and electronic communications for this national nonprofit and managed their social media marketing, which realized 1000% growth during her tenure.
Lori also served for nine years as Assistant Director of Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center in Garrison. Her responsibilities at this National Historic Landmark included management of their Summer Nature & Design Camp for youth, their House & Landscape Tour Program, communications, and operations.
Before joining Manitoga, Lori worked for four years as Office Administrator for the Putnam History Museum, in Cold Spring. She is a founding board member of New Leaf Restoration, a community garden in Philipstown, a member of the Philipstown Garden Club, a nature photographer, and an avid hiker.
Lori studied advertising and communications at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and worked in the pharmaceutical advertising industry for eight years before returning to her native Philipstown, where she and her husband, Hugh, raised their four children.
Lori’s work for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail combines her two decades of nonprofit experience in nature, design, history, and visitor services. “The place I’ve called home for nearly all of my life has changed in many ways over the last few decades. I am thrilled to be part of a project that will bring my community into alignment with these changes and connect it with the vibrant and dynamic city of Beacon.”
Drew is a Hudson Valley resident of over a decade, but was born and raised in California, where he grew up hiking in the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges and fell in love with the outdoors. After graduating with a BA in Environmental Studies from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, Drew worked as a raft guide and carpenter in Montana, before accepting a Student Conservation Association (SCA) internship with The Nature Conservancy at the Sam’s Point Preserve in Cragsmoor, NY working on a northeast prescribed fire crew and performing preserve stewardship.
Drew then worked for The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina, restoring longleaf pine habitats with prescribed fire before taking a position back in New York with New York State Parks (OPRHP) as a park ranger at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. He then became the Park Supervisor for the Sam’s Point Area at Minnewaska State Park Preserve and John Boyd Thacher State Park before working for Scenic Hudson Parks Team, overseeing their contracted park maintenance and performing hands-on park management. In the meantime, Drew received an MS in Park and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University, graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors.
Past professional training and certifications include Wilderness EMT (WEMT) and Outdoor Educator courses from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Drew maintains Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training, and looks forward to working with local responders in improving hiker safety along the Fjord Trail corridor.
"I joined the Fjord Trail team because I believe in providing outdoor recreation and river access to all, and this project aims to do just that. Personally, I look forward to biking along the river from Beacon to Cold Spring with my family. I'm excited about the opportunity here to solve safety issues on Route 9D and Breakneck and look forward to partnering with our local emergency services to create a safer experience of the Highlands for all."
Outside of work, you can find Drew mountain biking on local single-track; fly fishing in the Catskills; spending time with family, hiking, camping, reading, gardening; and woodworking.
Rebeca Ramirez is a daughter of Mexican immigrants who was born and raised in California, where she spent summers visiting the Sequoias.
During her 20-plus years in the nonprofit space, Rebeca has been everything from an artist and nonprofit arts administrator to a small business owner and community leader dedicated to projects that inspire equitable economic development. Prior to joining the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail team, she co-founded Cold Spring Cheese, a specialty cheese shop in the Village of Cold Spring, with her husband.
At the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project (MARP), Rebeca spearheaded marketing and sponsorship, bringing in much-needed funds from partners to create age-friendly districts and support food access initiatives, youth mentorship opportunities, street beautification efforts, and more. At Heart of Brooklyn, she led the commercial revitalization efforts for the award-winning nonprofit cultural partnership of Brooklyn central institutions, including Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo.
Always involved in her community, Rebeca currently sits on the board of the Fullerton Center in Newburgh, and is a member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee at Haldane School District. She was recently a member of the ad-hoc Parking Committee for the Village of Cold Spring, the Co-Chair of the Trolley Committee for the Chamber of Commerce of Cold Spring, and Co-Chair of the Philipstown Trails Committee. In her spare time, Rebeca loves dancing to eighties hip-hop with her nine-year-old son, watching documentaries, and hiking the local trails with the Hiking Bandits at dawn.
“For over a century, our roads have been designed for motorized vehicles; Route 9D is no exception. As we look to the future, the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail will demonstrate how intentional infrastructure can provide imaginative alternatives that allow pedestrians, cyclists—and all who wish to enjoy this landscape—to move through it safely.”
Prior to coming to HHFT, Rob was the Director of Operations for Integrated Enterprise Solutions, an Information Technology company in Poughkeepsie, for just shy of two years. Rob oversaw the operations of the company, which included the management of 5 IT Service Technicians and two administrators.
Rob spent 6 years as the Chief Financial Officer for S&O Construction Services, Inc.; an HVAC and Plumbing contractor in Pleasant Valley, NY, where he was responsible for all financial and HR operations for S&O and performed Construction Management duties for a year prior to taking on his CFO role.
The majority of Rob’s career has been spent in various financial operations roles in collegiate accounting and finance. Rob spent 12 years at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in various budget development and financial project roles. He then moved across the island of Manhattan to Columbia University where he spent two years in Central Administration.
From 2007 to 2014, Rob took on the exciting role of Chief Financial Officer of two NCAA Division 1 Athletic Programs. First, at Columbia University, he oversaw the financial operations of 32 NCAA Division 1 athletic sports as well as sports program administration. From here, Rob transferred to Utah State University in Logan, Utah to perform the same functions. In his time at Utah State, Rob attended 4 NCAA Football Bowl games, 3 Mountain West Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships and many more NCAA sporting events for the 16 Utah State Men’s and Women’s sports programs.
A lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley, Emily brings over a decade of experience in outdoor recreation program management and communications to her work with the Fjord Trail team. She came to HHFT from The Nature Place, in Rockland County, NY, where she served as Assistant Director—managing communications, staffing, and programming—and previously as the Program and Communications Coordinator. Emily has worked locally and around the country as an environmental educator, including at the Pacific Environmental Education Center in Mendocino, CA. She also served two terms as an AmeriCorps Environmental Service Corps member. Her educational background includes a dual degree in Environmental Studies and Sociology with a minor in Biology.
Emily is an avid hiker, both at home in the Hudson Valley and beyond, including a 2022 thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. She has hiked thousands of miles of trail throughout the United States and is passionate about the power these paths have to connect people to themselves, each other, and the earth. Emily joined the Fjord Trail team to further feed her personal mission of connecting people with nature, lending her design and communications experience to the organization’s efforts. “The Fjord Trail will be so critical in helping reconnect people to the Hudson River, nurturing a sense of place in everyone who experiences it. We need people to have that connection; that’s what will ensure this beautiful place has stewards for generations to come.”
Diana grew up in the Hudson Valley and has worked in finance and office management to support such local nonprofit organizations as Common Ground Farm, the Walkway Over the Hudson and the Girls Leadership Worldwide program at the Eleanor Roosevelt Leadership Center at Val-Kill. She worked and lived in the Southwest and Northern California as an AmeriCorps member and later became a Field Operations Manager for the conservation corps, American Conservation Experience, where she was able to take volunteers hiking and camping to perform various conservation projects outdoors in several state and national parks, and wilderness areas. Prior to joining the HHFT team, she was the Fleet and Facilities Manager for the solar B Corporation SunCommon.
Diana is a lover of plants with a certification in Professional Horticulture from Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Spring, NY. Diana was previously certified as a Wilderness EMT (WEMT) through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, WY. She enjoys hiking, gardening and drawing.
"I'm excited to help others connect with nature and find more ways to enjoy the beauty of the Hudson River Valley through the creation of the Fjord Trail!"
Amy is the first Executive Director of HHFT, Inc., a role she has held since the organization was created in March 2020. Prior to that, she had led the project while the Senior Community Planner at Scenic Hudson since 2014. While in that position, in addition to the Fjord Trail, she led several initiatives in Westchester County, and helped lead the formation of what is now Scenic Hudson’s River Cities program first in Newburgh and later also Poughkeepsie.
Before joining Scenic Hudson, Amy was a senior planner with a regional planning agency in Massachusetts where she spearheaded a new regional plan, municipal climate adaptation and mitigation strategies linked to state climate legislation, and initiated a countywide local farming and food plan. She began her career as an associate with a Colorado-based planning and zoning firm, where she worked on a range of projects including comprehensive long-range, transit-oriented development, and historic preservation plans across the Rocky Mountain West. She holds a Master’s Degree in Regional and Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo and a B.A. in Political Science from Union College.
In her free time, Amy enjoys hiking, running, kayaking, gardening, cooking and playing with her two rescue mutt puppies.
Amy is excited about the Fjord Trail because of the connections and access it creates for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the beauty of the Hudson Highlands and river. “After many years of long-range planning, it’s great to be part of creating something, seeing it materialize from idea to reality. There is such a great energy of collaboration, creative problem-solving, fun, and service as we build not just a trail, but a space for people to connect with nature, which is so essential to health and informs our relationship with the world around us."
MJ Martin brings decades of experience in communications, community outreach, and fundraising to her work at HHFT. She is deeply dedicated to conservation in the Hudson Valley, and her professional and volunteer experience shows it.
She served as the Director of Outreach & Development at Hudson Highlands Land Trust for nearly twelve years. Most recently, she was the Vice President & Chief Development Officer at Mohonk Preserve, where she led the successful capital campaign that brought the Testimonial Gateway trailhead – the Preserve’s first new trailhead in 26 years -- and the restoration of the Humpo Marsh area to life. MJ has served on environmental education committees for both the Garrison Union Free School District and the Haldane Central School District. She currently serves as a member of the Philipstown Trails Committee and has served on the Philipstown Conservation Board for more than fifteen years.
MJ has been a resident of the Hudson Highlands for nearly thirty years, residing first in the Village of Cold Spring, then along Route 9D in Dutchess Junction, and now in Garrison, NY. She and her husband Fred have two grown children. They enjoy hiking the many area trails along with their two dogs, Indy and Sirius. They also love to paddle along the shoreline in their kayaks, tracing the route of the future Fjord Trail.
MJ’s ties to the HHFT project go back to her tenure at the Land Trust (a HHFT Steering Committee member organization), when the planning and public process was just beginning. “I remember hearing about the concept from local friends and colleagues when it was new, and attending the first public meetings,” she recalled. “It was such an exciting idea, both practical and ambitious at the same time. The Fjord Trail has so much potential to create welcoming access to people of all abilities, and serve as an incredible amenity for those of us who are lucky enough to live nearby. When the opportunity to be a part of the team bringing the project to life presented itself, I jumped at it.”
Prior to joining the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail team in 2022, Lori was the Associate Director of Communications at the Garden Conservancy, Inc., based in Garrison, NY, for seven years. While at the Conservancy, she collaborated on all print and electronic communications for this national nonprofit and managed their social media marketing, which realized 1000% growth during her tenure.
Lori also served for nine years as Assistant Director of Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center in Garrison. Her responsibilities at this National Historic Landmark included management of their Summer Nature & Design Camp for youth, their House & Landscape Tour Program, communications, and operations.
Before joining Manitoga, Lori worked for four years as Office Administrator for the Putnam History Museum, in Cold Spring. She is a founding board member of New Leaf Restoration, a community garden in Philipstown, a member of the Philipstown Garden Club, a nature photographer, and an avid hiker.
Lori studied advertising and communications at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and worked in the pharmaceutical advertising industry for eight years before returning to her native Philipstown, where she and her husband, Hugh, raised their four children.
Lori’s work for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail combines her two decades of nonprofit experience in nature, design, history, and visitor services. “The place I’ve called home for nearly all of my life has changed in many ways over the last few decades. I am thrilled to be part of a project that will bring my community into alignment with these changes and connect it with the vibrant and dynamic city of Beacon.”
Drew is a Hudson Valley resident of over a decade, but was born and raised in California, where he grew up hiking in the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges and fell in love with the outdoors. After graduating with a BA in Environmental Studies from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, Drew worked as a raft guide and carpenter in Montana, before accepting a Student Conservation Association (SCA) internship with The Nature Conservancy at the Sam’s Point Preserve in Cragsmoor, NY working on a northeast prescribed fire crew and performing preserve stewardship.
Drew then worked for The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina, restoring longleaf pine habitats with prescribed fire before taking a position back in New York with New York State Parks (OPRHP) as a park ranger at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. He then became the Park Supervisor for the Sam’s Point Area at Minnewaska State Park Preserve and John Boyd Thacher State Park before working for Scenic Hudson Parks Team, overseeing their contracted park maintenance and performing hands-on park management. In the meantime, Drew received an MS in Park and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University, graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors.
Past professional training and certifications include Wilderness EMT (WEMT) and Outdoor Educator courses from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Drew maintains Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training, and looks forward to working with local responders in improving hiker safety along the Fjord Trail corridor.
"I joined the Fjord Trail team because I believe in providing outdoor recreation and river access to all, and this project aims to do just that. Personally, I look forward to biking along the river from Beacon to Cold Spring with my family. I'm excited about the opportunity here to solve safety issues on Route 9D and Breakneck and look forward to partnering with our local emergency services to create a safer experience of the Highlands for all."
Outside of work, you can find Drew mountain biking on local single-track; fly fishing in the Catskills; spending time with family, hiking, camping, reading, gardening; and woodworking.
Rebeca Ramirez is a daughter of Mexican immigrants who was born and raised in California, where she spent summers visiting the Sequoias.
During her 20-plus years in the nonprofit space, Rebeca has been everything from an artist and nonprofit arts administrator to a small business owner and community leader dedicated to projects that inspire equitable economic development. Prior to joining the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail team, she co-founded Cold Spring Cheese, a specialty cheese shop in the Village of Cold Spring, with her husband.
At the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project (MARP), Rebeca spearheaded marketing and sponsorship, bringing in much-needed funds from partners to create age-friendly districts and support food access initiatives, youth mentorship opportunities, street beautification efforts, and more. At Heart of Brooklyn, she led the commercial revitalization efforts for the award-winning nonprofit cultural partnership of Brooklyn central institutions, including Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo.
Always involved in her community, Rebeca currently sits on the board of the Fullerton Center in Newburgh, and is a member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee at Haldane School District. She was recently a member of the ad-hoc Parking Committee for the Village of Cold Spring, the Co-Chair of the Trolley Committee for the Chamber of Commerce of Cold Spring, and Co-Chair of the Philipstown Trails Committee. In her spare time, Rebeca loves dancing to eighties hip-hop with her nine-year-old son, watching documentaries, and hiking the local trails with the Hiking Bandits at dawn.
“For over a century, our roads have been designed for motorized vehicles; Route 9D is no exception. As we look to the future, the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail will demonstrate how intentional infrastructure can provide imaginative alternatives that allow pedestrians, cyclists—and all who wish to enjoy this landscape—to move through it safely.”
Prior to coming to HHFT, Rob was the Director of Operations for Integrated Enterprise Solutions, an Information Technology company in Poughkeepsie, for just shy of two years. Rob oversaw the operations of the company, which included the management of 5 IT Service Technicians and two administrators.
Rob spent 6 years as the Chief Financial Officer for S&O Construction Services, Inc.; an HVAC and Plumbing contractor in Pleasant Valley, NY, where he was responsible for all financial and HR operations for S&O and performed Construction Management duties for a year prior to taking on his CFO role.
The majority of Rob’s career has been spent in various financial operations roles in collegiate accounting and finance. Rob spent 12 years at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in various budget development and financial project roles. He then moved across the island of Manhattan to Columbia University where he spent two years in Central Administration.
From 2007 to 2014, Rob took on the exciting role of Chief Financial Officer of two NCAA Division 1 Athletic Programs. First, at Columbia University, he oversaw the financial operations of 32 NCAA Division 1 athletic sports as well as sports program administration. From here, Rob transferred to Utah State University in Logan, Utah to perform the same functions. In his time at Utah State, Rob attended 4 NCAA Football Bowl games, 3 Mountain West Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships and many more NCAA sporting events for the 16 Utah State Men’s and Women’s sports programs.
A lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley, Emily brings over a decade of experience in outdoor recreation program management and communications to her work with the Fjord Trail team. She came to HHFT from The Nature Place, in Rockland County, NY, where she served as Assistant Director—managing communications, staffing, and programming—and previously as the Program and Communications Coordinator. Emily has worked locally and around the country as an environmental educator, including at the Pacific Environmental Education Center in Mendocino, CA. She also served two terms as an AmeriCorps Environmental Service Corps member. Her educational background includes a dual degree in Environmental Studies and Sociology with a minor in Biology.
Emily is an avid hiker, both at home in the Hudson Valley and beyond, including a 2022 thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. She has hiked thousands of miles of trail throughout the United States and is passionate about the power these paths have to connect people to themselves, each other, and the earth. Emily joined the Fjord Trail team to further feed her personal mission of connecting people with nature, lending her design and communications experience to the organization’s efforts. “The Fjord Trail will be so critical in helping reconnect people to the Hudson River, nurturing a sense of place in everyone who experiences it. We need people to have that connection; that’s what will ensure this beautiful place has stewards for generations to come.”
Board of Directors
Christopher Davis, Chair
Andrew Chmar
Daniel J. Kramer
Frederic C. Rich
Richard Shea
Ned Sullivan
Usha Wright
Photography: Ty Cole
