DOUG SMITH, PRESIDENT
Doug is the Social Responsibility Administrator at Kennebunk Savings, a mutual bank serving southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire. He helps facilitate the Kennebunk Savings Community Promise program, through which the Bank contributes 10% of its after-tax earnings to nonprofits within the communities it serves each year. He also helps manage the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation. His role at Kennebunk Savings focuses on fostering and strengthening relationships with nonprofit partners, documenting and reporting out key performance metrics to internal and external stakeholders, and assisting his team in advancing the Bank’s overall corporate social responsibility initiatives. After living in Washington, DC for 14 years working in a variety of sectors and roles ranging from consumer packaged goods to higher education to a local nonprofit advocating for bicyclists and other vulnerable road users, his family moved to São Paulo, Brazil. He now resides in Saco with his wife, teenage son and two dogs. When not commuting to work on the Eastern Trail, you can find him hiking the trails, paddling on the ocean, biking in the woods or downhill skiing – his son’s favorite new activity.
KELLY WHETSTONE, VICE-PRESIDENT
Kelly Whetstone is the Deputy General Counsel of ACA Group in Portland, Maine. Kelly lives in Scarborough with her husband, daughter and two dogs. As an avid runner and marathoner, the Eastern Trail is close to her heart. You will often find her out the trail training for a race, riding bikes with her daughter or walking her dog.
BILL HETZEL, TREASURER
Bill has lived in Kennebunk, Maine for 25 years. He is an avid supporter of the Eastern Trail, which he uses for biking, running, walking, and cross-country skiing. He taught his 2 daughters how to ride bikes using the Eastern Trail because of its car-free safety. Bill’s work experience includes serving as Plant Manager for Tom’s of Maine, where he was responsible for team building, performance of operations, quality, and safety. Bill was also Senior Vice President of Finance for Generac, where he developed strategy, managed budgets, and ensured accounting procedures compliance. Bill currently serves on the boards of 2 companies and was Treasurer for the board of the Chewonki Foundation in Maine for 12 years.
ALLISON “ALLIE” FOSTER, TRUSTEE
Allison Foster is a science communications coordinator for Biodiversity Research Institute and lives in South Portland, Maine. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Allie moved to Maine in 2022 to pursue her master’s degree at the University of Maine in Orono studying spruce budworm and Maine’s forests. While at UMaine, she served as the grants officer and president of the Graduate Student Government. Since relocating to South Portland in 2024, she’s spent many days enjoying the quiet mornings, birdwatching, and taking in the natural beauty of the trail. If she’s not found on the trail, you can find Allie reading a good book, singing with the Downeasters Chorus, or baking up a sweet treat in the kitchen.
ANTHONY “TONY” KOESTER, TRUSTEE
Anthony Koester lives in Kennebunk with his wife and three dogs who often accompany him on walks on the Eastern Trail when he isn’t on a bike riding the Trail and other paths and roads in Maine. He is a retired attorney, who practiced commercial and real estate law for many years, including cases involving land preservation, green space acquisition and property rights. Tony spends his time now working with, among other groups, the Portland Wheelers. He is an enthusiastic supporter of the Eastern Trail and feels most strongly that the Trail provides outdoor access to everyone for many uses and establishes a strong connection among Maine communities from Kittery to Portland. Tony’s board experience has included his county legal bar association, a New Jersey Supreme Court committee church boards and committees, his sons’ Boy Scout Troop and hospital boards.
Tracy Kolian is an experienced public health professional who has worked on a wide range of public health issues throughout her career. She has a deep understanding of the health benefits of trails and green space and has advocated for equitable transportation including biking and walking paths for all. In 2022, after 20+ years in DC, Tracy and her family relocated to South Portland and live just around the corner from the Eastern Trail, which they use daily. She loves to be active, explore, and read.
Dan Matz is a Policy and Data Analyst in the Maine Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, where he supports a wide range of public policy initiatives. He serves as a lead staff member for the Maine AI Task Force and manages the Governor’s Infrastructure Implementation Committee, coordinating interagency efforts to maximize federal investments. Daniel has developed dashboards and data tools to track the impact of billions in housing, infrastructure, and recovery funding, helping policymakers translate complex data into clear, actionable insights. He previously worked in healthcare administration at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and in food policy research at the Sustainable Food Center in Texas. Dan holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor’s degree from Colgate University. He lives in Portland, Maine, and enjoys running and exploring the outdoors.
MARYBETH McNICHOLAS, SECRETARY
MaryBeth is a retired director of project management for a global IT services company. Besides implementing software, she frequently managed process, development, and/or organizational change initiatives and even a construction project or two. Since retirement, she continues to share her expertise with students at the Roux Institute at Northeastern University, volunteers with The Locker Project to help provide nourishing food for children in Portland, Westbrook and South Portland, and is a member of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine Community Spokes. MaryBeth enjoys exploring the Eastern Trail almost daily – walking with her dog Agnes, biking, or snowshoeing in the winter. She also brings knowledge and experience in accounting/finance, strategic planning, non-profit board governance, and sometimes much needed humor.
ERIC WRIGHT, TRUSTEE
Eric is an information technology professional who lives in Saco, Maine. He is a bike packing enthusiast who joined the Eastern Trail Alliance to help promote the trail as a safe place for all ages and abilities to enjoy the outdoors. Eric frequently commutes to work on the Eastern Trail and also enjoys the trail with his wife and their doggo. His off-road adventures help him to unplug and maintain a work-life balance.
Eric Stoclet has over 40 years of experience in financial services and finance. He has operated at senior levels including board and C-suite levels in various geographies across the world. He has extensive experience in corporate finance, capital markets, debt restructuring, turnaround situations, covering various industries as well as experience in real estate lending, advisory, management of NPL portfolios through the acquisition and divestiture cycle, and property management. Prior to retirement, he was a Senior Credit Officer at Citigroup and an Approved Person under the UK’s financial services regulatory authority. Beyond his professional endeavors, Eric values quality time with his family with whom he shares his passion for travel, and recently embraced triathlons.
Eastern Trail Alliance Staff
CHELSEY BERLIN , ETA/ETMD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Chelsey Berlin is the Executive Director of both the Eastern Trail Alliance and Eastern Trail Management District. She joined the organization with over fifteen years of experience working in global nonprofits, most recently as the National Director for Community Engagement Programs and Initiatives at HIAS, a humanitarian organization that provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers. While at HIAS, Chelsey had responsibility for its national public programming and speakers bureau, DC-based volunteer program and community organizing, and served on the organization’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice committee. Prior to joining HIAS in 2018, she spent over ten years working with Israelis and Palestinians, including as Director of B’Tselem USA where she oversaw the organization’s day-to-day operations and provided strategic and operational leadership. She also served as a 2011-2012 Dorot Fellow and founding staff at Tomorrow’s Youth Organization. Born and raised in Old Orchard Beach, Chelsey loves being outdoors and in the ocean. She holds a degree in Middle Eastern Studies from Brandeis University and serves on the Northfield Mount Hermon School Alumni Council. Chelsey is thrilled to be back in Maine.
PATTI POOLE, OFFICE MANAGER
Patti Poole has been a longtime volunteer for ETA, most notably as the food service coordinator managing the post-ride lunches for the Maine Lighthouse Ride for many years. Patti retired in December 2019 after a long career as Manager of Information Technology in the chemical distribution industry, most recently for Azelis Americas. Her interests include boating, beaching, hiking, and gardening. She lives in Falmouth with her husband Malcolm and has two grown children, Charles and Madeleine, and a grandson Landon.
PATRICK CONLON, TRAIL PROGRAM MANAGER
Patrick has been visiting Maine and cycling the Eastern Trail for years. Since relocating from Jersey City, NJ to Biddeford, ME in 2021 he has been employed at Gorham Bike & Ski Saco as a bike mechanic and has launched Bike BS (Bike Biddeford/Saco) to promote cycling in the sister cities. Back in New Jersey Patrick was deeply involved in the cycling community. As a trustee of Bike JC, a non-profit bicycling advocacy organization, he worked with the city government to construct a network of protected bike lanes and organized all types of group rides and events designed to grow the area’s bicycle culture. He served as the organization’s president from 2017-2021. In 2018 he established a non-profit bicycle shop called the Newark Community Cycling Center in the city of Newark NJ. In late 2021 Patrick worked with the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition and the Open Space Institute to organize the Bike 2 Trenton advocacy ride which helped to push Governor Phil Murphy to commit to building the Essex/Hudson Greenway, an off road rails to trails project connecting 8 of the most densely populated municipalities in the state. Patrick sees his work with the ETA as a fantastic opportunity to help grow and maintain Southern Maine’s Multi-Use Greenway.
LARRY GLANTZ, WEBSITE MANAGER
Larry got involved with the Eastern Trail after reading John’s Feb. 1998 article in the Press Herald. In those early years he served as a founding Trustee and Vice President of the ETA. He created ETA’s first web site in 1999 to showcase the Eastern Trail vision to the region, state and beyond. The web site won American Trails’ best local trail website award in 2003. Leaving the ETA board (and then designated as one of the first Trustees Emeritus!), he has continued as a volunteer but also returned as a part-time staff member starting in 2011 to manage the ever-growing ETA website. He is active in the great outdoors with special interests in bicycling, hiking and camping. Larry lives in Cape Elizabeth and is retired from careers at both USM (Muskie School of Public Service) and L.L. Bean.
JOHN ANDREWS, FOUNDER OF THE EASTERN TRAIL
The Founder of the Eastern Trail and an ETA President Emeritus, John was an inspiring man of vision and untiring spirit. John’s vision to create the Eastern Trail started in the early 1990’s. He was persistent, but patient, and made tremendous progress in a relatively short amount of time.
Sadly, John passed away on February 20, 2017.
Read more information about John, including some of the many public tributes to him on this page.
CAROLE BRUSH, PAST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 2006-2020
Carole served as the Executive Director of the Eastern Trail Alliance and the Eastern Trail Management District for many years. An avid outdoors lover, she is a Registered Maine Guide and enjoys cycling and hiking throughout the region. She managed major improvement projects for the Eastern Trail, such as the Turnpike Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge and current Close the Gap campaign, adding significant trail extensions. Carole has been leading workshops and retreats for over 20 years, sharing her passion for wild, natural places, the practices of Pilates, Yoga, meditation and mindfulness, as well as the study of wellness and complementary energy therapies.