Meet Some of Our Members

 Patty & Joe Elton live in Ivanhoe along the New River Trail.  They are founding members of the Virginia Association for Parks.  Patty is a Master Naturalist, avid birder and author of Ghostly Tales of Virginia State Parks.  Joe served as Virginia's state parks director from 1994 - 2014 and retired from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in 2016 after serving as the agencies director and deputy director of operations.  The couple co-authored Civilian Conservation Corps in Virginia in 2017. Joe serves and President of Friends of New River Trail and Patty serves a Treasurer.

Caitie is a Registered Nurse and Nursing Professor who enjoys outdoor recreation and conservation. Caitie, is the daughter of the late, Mark Hufeisen. Mark was a former manager of the NRT and is largely to thank for its development. Caitie has lived in several Virginia State Parks growing up. New River Trail, more specifically Foster Falls, was her childhood home. Caitie serves as the Secretary for Friends of New River Trail.