Flamingo lives in Oakland, California. He started backpacking in his youth as an Eagle Scout, and went on to hike the PCT ('05-’06), CDT ('15-’16), and numerous high routes in the Sierra Nevada. On-trail hobbies include night sky photography, backcountry cuisine, and hosting wilderness tea parties. Off trail, he leads a team of scientists discovering new drugs for neurological disorders.

Bill (Prez to most of his tramily) never imagined he’d identify as a long distance hiker. Career burnout inspired a series of long distance treks (Trans Zion in UT, Lost Coast and Waterwheel Canyon in CA) which eventually led Prez to pursue his Triple Crown. His careers in social work, education, and tech along with his lifelong LGBTQAI+ activism have shaped his perspective on the benefits of wilderness, hiking and the importance of making it more accessible and inclusive. Prez brings his skill set and passions to the work of ALDHA-West in an effort to give back to this incredible hiker community that has supported him unconditionally throughout his life and taught him that literally anything is possible if we do it together.  

Sarah got hooked on backpacking as an antidote to crowded city living in Asia. After moving back to the states in 2018, it was easier to get out in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) but harder to return to corporate work each Monday. Having completed several short hikes (e.g., Rogue River, Timberline, Corvallis to the Coast, PCT, OCT, & ODT sections, etc.) and creating some beer-themed routes (ask her later), she left her international logistics career in 2023 to hike the CDT and hasn’t looked back. When not on trail, her great joys are loitering on town days or reading with her lazy dog, Cho. Sarah is excited to give back to the generous trail community by serving with ALDHA-West.

Liz is a writer, non-profit fundraiser, and backpacker living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She fell in love with wilderness in 2012 when she and her teenage son spent 13 miserable days hiking every trail in Willmore Wilderness in the Canadian Rockies, still her favorite place on earth. (It was love at first suffering!) Liz hiked the CDT in 2024, and section hiked the 1170-mile Michigan section of the North Country Trail from 2020-22. 

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Liz is the editor of ALDHA-West's The Gazette. You can read her musings about backpacking and all things outdoors at https://greenalbum.substack.com/.

Mike lives in Michigan when he is not chasing his Triple Crown hiking dream. He started long distance hiking during COVID as a way to stay active outside. 2022 was a transition year when he retired after 30 years in the technology industry to pursue hiking long trails. He completed the PCT (2022) and CDT (2024), half the AZT (2024) and half the AT (2025). He serves as an Advisor/Ambassador for Thru-r.com

After spending years playing in Yellowstone country and the Black Hills, FJ now calls the Pacific Northwest home. She fell in love with the “walk, eat, sleep, repeat” lifestyle while on the Camino and has since hiked most of the PCT (including 200 miles with her 9 y/o daughter) and set an Fastest Known Time (FKT) on her favorite trail in the Hills. When FJ isn't hiking, she can be found spending time with her husband, daughter, 3 dogs, and two horses

Sarah hiked the Long, PCT, CT, and half of the CDT. She founded Symbiosis Gear to design and make backpacking gear. The company combines her love of the outdoors with a passion for creating gear that works for women’s bodies. Her first camping experiences were in a soggy Michigan forest under a canvas pyramid tent and a Millet Original canvas pack by Walter Bonatti. She has two degrees in art and has been a professor of Photography and Digital Media. She grew up in Colorado, where she did everything from making her own clothes to building a log house near Estes Park. She is excited to bring her creativity, outdoor experience, and hands-on approach to the board of the ALDHA-West.

Tom is now retired and living in Spokane, Washington.  Started hiking on his 18th birthday, and knew that is what he wanted to do all his life.  He has thru hiked the AT, and the PCT and has also section hiked the PCT and holds the Slowest Known Time (SKT) of 46 years and 12 days.  He firmly believes in the mission of ALDHA-West:  To inspire, educate and promote fellowship among long distance hikers, and those who support long-distance hiking.

Originally from Ohio, Cameron has embraced Colorado’s wild landscapes as his home since 2005. His connection to the outdoors fuels both his professional and volunteer work dedicated to community and wilderness stewardship. He works in county government, focusing on housing and homelessness collaborating with local partners to create sustainable housing solutions and support systems for those in need. He is Board Director with the non-profit Seeing Our Adolescents Rise (SOAR) in Denver, volunteers as an Emergency Medical Responder with Search and Rescue (SAR) and serves as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair for the Mountain Rescue Association - working to make the outdoors and the SAR community more welcoming and inclusive for all. An avid hiker and trail runner, Cameron finds purpose and renewal in Colorado Mountains and on the trail all serving as a reminder of why he’s dedicated to helping others find safety, connection, and purpose in the outdoors. He values time with his family, and giving back to the community