Meet Our Board!

Cascade Backcountry Alliance is a non-profit run by an all-volunteer board. We're excited to have brought on 5 new board members this year and want to take this opportunity to introduce you to our team.

Corinne Handelman

A reformed type 2 adventurer, Corinne has decided that “fun can be fun, too” and she brings this approach to all of her outdoor activities. Corinne joined the Cascade Backcountry Alliance board in 2022, bringing over a decade of experience in environmental nonprofit engagement efforts, including raising millions of dollars for causes and giving more public talks with a beverage in hand than one can count. For Cascade Backcountry Alliance, you can find her managing internal processes as our board president.

Will Russack

Will joined Cascade Backcountry Alliance in 2022 because he saw the need for a unified voice to advocate for the growing winter backcountry community in Washington. He works closely on parking and access projects, coordinating with land managers and partner organizations to identify opportunities for improved or increased access to trailheads. During the winter, you'll usually find Will at Snoqualmie Pass hunting for powder stashes and making pancakes in the Hyak parking lot.

Kyle McCrohan

Kyle is born and raised in the PNW, currently living in Issaquah. Many of you might know him as "Climber Kyle", but over the last few years, he has been more invested in backcountry skiing and advocating for our community. Kyle helped found Cascade Backcountry Alliance in 2022 because he saw the need for formal cooperation as winter backcountry recreation becomes more popular. He works on a variety of topics, from organizational planning to strategizing about new Sno-Parks.

Dan Bolliger

Dan grew up in Seattle and fell in love with the mountains as a kid during family camping trips. The Cascades provide unique winter recreation opportunities not found anywhere else - which come with unique challenges as well. Dan is passionate about Cascade Backcountry Alliance's mission to provide better access and overcome challenges. It's been inspiring to see the community come together in support of our mission!

Mike Graw

Mike is a Bellingham-based skier and climber who's been with Cascade Backcountry Alliance since 2022. He got involved to help create a positive voice for the backcountry community, and he primarily works on our blog and emails to keep our community in the loop. You can find Mike in the Baker backcountry during the winter and all over the North Cascades come spring.

Tess Wendel

Tess is a Seattle-based skier and snowshoer (yes, slow shoes, she knows). Getting outside in the winter helps her stay sane during the dark rainy days. Tess loves being able to travel off the beaten path and work up a sweat breaking trail uphill. Snoqualmie Pass area is her home zone and she's interested in supporting larger scale winter recreation planning along the I-90 corridor that includes equitable access options for all types of winter users. When she's not at her day job or working on winter initiatives with Cascade Backcountry Alliance, you can find Tess crack climbing, doing karaoke or volunteering for The Mountaineers.

Dennis Reber

Dennis and his Great Dane, Caddis, are recent transplants to Fremont, Seattle in their post-vanlife world, coming from the Colorado Rockies. He is excited to leverage his passion for the outdoors to help improve the access and build community here in his new home in the PNW!

Tony Cannistra

Tony is a new Cascade Backcountry Alliance board member this season. He's an enthusiastic believer in backcountry skiing and is based in the Snoqualmie Valley. Tony's work at Cascade Backcountry Alliance is focused on ensuring that the Northwest’s winter recreation community is well-informed and well-represented as we strategize to support growing interest in the wintertime backcountry.

Kira Tully

Kira joined the board in 2024 and is excited to be on the team.

Brandon O'Rourke

Brandon lives east of the Cascades in the Kittitas Valley, in sight of Mt. Stuart and Mt. Rainier. Advocating for winter access to public lands blends his love for skiing and climbing with his professional life in public policy and natural resources. Brandon believes outdoor recreation is foundational for finding fulfillment in and connection with our mountain landscapes; he also believes that there are enough mountains for everyone. The key to not "loving these places to death"? Building collaboration, community, and communication so that user groups, gateway communities, and land stewards can manage landscapes together.

Nick Carlson

Nick is a Seattle-based skier who joined the board of Cascade Backcountry Alliance in 2023 as the organization’s treasurer. As a backcountry skier who’s seen access become more challenging at the same time as demand increases, he got involved to help Cascade Backcountry Alliance continue growing advocacy and action for an ever-growing user base. You can find Nick at Crystal or skiing in the Snoqualmie backcountry while he's not-so-patiently awaiting volcano season.

Rachel McCaffrey

Rachel is a PNW native, parent, and Seattle-based policy and public administration professional. Rachel's been skiing around the Cascade backcountry for 10 years and her favorite form of suffering is big, springtime ski mountaineering objectives. Rachel is excited to support Cascade Backcountry Alliance's efforts to rally a unified voice for backcountry users so that her daughters and their generation can continue to explore in our wide open spaces.

Patrick Herrmann

Patrick is an AIARE Instructor based in Bellingham, WA, where he spends winters ski touring and teaching avalanche education in the North Cascades. He’s committed to helping strengthen access, safety, and stewardship for backcountry users across the Pacific Northwest. When he’s not in the mountains, Patrick works as a CPA and systems architect helping organizations modernize their financial operations.

Matt Stephens

Matt is a Seattle-based skier and climber who finds so much joy in the beauty of the woods and mountains in Washington. Matt joined the Cascade Backcountry Alliance Board in 2025 and will use his experience in nonprofit advocacy and community organizing to help work towards improved accessibility and equity in the backcountry. You can find Matt dreaming of sunny corn, eating good food with his friends, and lounging with his dog Rougarou.

Alison Wotton

Alison loves spending time in the mountains and enjoys taking photos, exploring new places, and sharing adventures. She joined the board in 2025 to help support Cascade Backcountry Alliance's social media and public engagement initiatives.

Scott Kindred

Born and raised in Seattle, Scott is an avid backcountry skier who thinks the most beautiful sight in the world is a lone skin track through snow-filled mountains. As a finisher of the Bulger List (highest 100 peaks in Washington State) he has explored every corner of the Washington Cascades both on skis and on foot. Scott has started two small businesses and been a board member and President for a small non-profit board. He brings his fiscal and operational expertise to Cascade Backcountry Alliance, as well as his enthusiasm for maintaining and growing winter access to the Cascades.

We'd also like to say a huge thank-you to our outgoing board member, Simon Hokeson!