Kathryn (Kate) Van Waes
Executive Director, American Hiking Society
The Culture
Demographics (optional):
The best thing about working at american hiking society is:
Serving the hiking community and bringing all voices to the table.
When we’re not working, we’re:
Hiking, trail running, climbing -- we’re OUTSIDE!
What we’re reading:
Whatever is next up for our Board and Staff JEDI Continuing Education series
What we’re listening to:
Outside Voices podcast, Awkward Angler podcast, The Trail Show podcast, Almost There Adventures podcast, and more
If they made a movie about our workplace, it would be called:
Good Will Hiking. Plot: Willemina Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for Forest Management, but needs help from a trail guide to find direction in her life.
Inclusion in the outdoors matters because:
Nothing heals body and soul and creates community like the Outdoors. It should be a unifier, but history has left some groups out. We want to change that.
Five years down the line, it’s our hope that:
We envision a world where everyone feels welcome in the American hiking community and has permanent access to meaningful hiking, including urban, frontcountry, and backcountry opportunities. We will achieve this vision by empowering all communities to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience; advocating for the protection and expansion of hiking spaces; fostering trail stewardship; and collaborating with partners whose strengths are complementary.