PNTA Staff
Our small but dedicated team is made up of a diverse body of advocates working to protect and share the wonders of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Contact the Pacific Northwest Trail Association here.
Jeff Kish
(he/him/his)
Executive Director
Jeff’s passion for the National Trail System was hewn over many thousands of miles on the ground; including completed thru-hikes of both the Pacific Northwest Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. In 2015, he was appointed to the Department of Agriculture’s Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Council (PNNSTAC), where he contributed to the development of the PNT comprehensive plan through December of 2023 and continues to engage on plan implementation. In addition to his work with the PNTA and PNNSTAC, Jeff also serves on the Partnership for the National Trails System Advocacy & Policy Committee and Trail Leaders Council. Jeff has previously served as a board member for the American Long Distance Hiking Association-West. Jeff has served as Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Trail Association since 2016.
Robyn Lynn
(she/her/hers)
Development Manager
Robyn grew up within 30 minutes of the Mount-Baker Snoqualmie National Forest and was two years old when her dad strapped her into a blue canvas backpack to hike to the top of Mount Pilchuck. This started a love of the outdoors that turned into her life’s work and firmly rooted her in spiritual ecology.
15 years of helping people buy outdoor gear made Robyn passionate about inclusivity in the outdoors and ensuring that people have the tools they need to have good experiences no matter their ability. She has been working in development and outreach for environmental nonprofits since 2018 and is giddy about working in service of trails, hikers and habitats.
When not working, Robyn is gardening, tending her bees or knitting complicated sweaters. She and her partner live in a 5 acre forest with her service/hike dog Fionn, two black cats and ten chickens. Her house has 19 windows so that even when she’s indoors, she can pretend like she’s outside.
Seher Khan
(she/her/hers)
Volunteer Coordinator
If you see someone crouched over a plant on trail, odds are you’ve found our Volunteer Coordinator, Seher. In her free time, she is often out looking for cute bugs! From tiny creatures to big trails, Seher loves any excuse to get outside.
Her love for the national trail system began with a thru-hike of the John Muir Trail, soon followed by section hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail and Pacific Northwest Trail. She went on to get a degree in Environmental Science and Recreation Land Management from Humboldt State University. Seher has served in seasonal roles since 2013, working as a field scientist, environmental educator, a river ranger and wilderness ranger. She is excited to combine her experience to create unique volunteer opportunities along the trail.
You can reach out to her about volunteer opportunities at seherkhan@pnt.org or 360-230-8247.
Sterling Collins-Hill
(he/him/his)
Western Washington Regional Manager
Sterling grew up in the forests and lakes of Maine with outdoor and conservation ethics instilled in him from a young age. His first job was with his local conservation corps where he learned the power of teamwork and developed a passion for getting dirty.
He graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a degree in Art and English Literature and then moved out west where he taught elementary school for several years before transitioning into a career in natural resource management.
Sterling has held leadership positions with the Northwest Youth Corps, the Student Conservation Association, the Alaska Service Corps, Alaska State Parks and the US Forest Service. In 2012 he thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. He is honored to be able to give back to the resources that have shaped who he is today and be involved with the National Trails System.
Gregg Bafundo
(he/him/his)
Eastern Washington Regional Manager
Gregg comes to the PNTA after a decade as a Wilderness Ranger with the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest. He has 35 years experience backpacking along the PNT within the Pasayten wilderness itself. Prior to working for the Forest Service, Gregg worked for various nonprofits that focused on public lands and conservation. He has held positions on boards and as board presidents and has made public land management a focus of his life. His explorations have spanned the globe from Alaska, Europe, South America and many regions across the west. Early in life Gregg began his journey of service in the United States Marine Corps and it was there, while on a deployment, that his love and passion for big wild places was born. He lives in Tonasket, WA just a few steps from the PNT but his “home” is found among the mountains.
Abs Evans
(they/them)
Communications Manager
Abs grew up within 30 minutes of the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey and hasn’t been able to stay off trails since. They completed thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail in the summers of 2023 and 2024. They graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Multimedia Journalism and Creative Writing. Since then, they have written extensive journal entries about their thru-hiking experiences as well as freelance articles for ultralight backpacking companies and had a brief stint doing social media for one of them. In their free time, they love to write poetry and read. Whenever they get the chance, they’re out trail running, petting moss and frolicking in the woods. They find a sense of purpose in being able to use their creativity to advocate for the conservation of the National Scenic Trails that made them who they are today.
Laurel Downing
(she/her/hers)
Office Manager
Laurel Downing, a native of Washington, was born in Tonasket and was lucky to grow up in a family that enjoyed the outdoors (camping, hiking, skiing, etc.). She was raised in a scouting community, with a grandfather and uncle in the Forest Service. Thanks to her upbringing, she learned to respect and love nature and its diversity. A graduate from Skagit Valley College with technical degrees in Science and Database Program Management, Laurel spent 20 years working as a bookkeeper in the retail industry. In the Pacific Northwest Trail Association, Laurel has found an organization that shares a similar respect for the natural world.