IATC Advocacy Committee
Kelly Jiang, ADvocacy Committee Chair
Kelly loves being able to hike and run the network of trails in the Issaquah Alps from her front door. By day, she works on sustainability for multifamily housing, ensuring that climate action is accessible to all. After hours, she can be found running (and snacking) in the Issaquah Alps with her running group, the Issaquah Alps Trail Running Club. As Board Vice President and Advocacy Committee Chair, Kelly works closely with IATC’s land manager, nonprofit, and governmental partners on issues related to trails, land, access, and resources for the Issaquah Alps. She enjoys working with IATC to preserve these wild spaces for future generations and ensure equitable access to these trails in our backyard.
david dunphy, Advocacy Committee Vice Chair
David has been an Issaquah Alps Trails Club board member since 2016. When he joined, he unknowingly dropped the youngest member age by several decades. Growing up in Issaquah David has a deep love for the Issaquah Alps and Cascade Mountains. At Gonzaga University he studied Environmental Studies and Business Administration and found our current treasurer Sarah, who was his neighbor and study buddy. David spent several years leading climbing, backpacking and sea kayaking trips for; the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), REI Outdoor School and the Y’s The Boys and Girls Outdoor Leadership Program (BOLD/GOLD). After which he was the program director of outdoor and teen leadership programs at the Sammamish Community Y. Currently he is the Executive Director at the Youth Experiential Training Institute (Y.E.T.I.) a non-profit that focuses on providing outdoor adventures to young people in South King County. When not at work, you might find him caretaking the YMCA Camp in Preston with his co-caretaker and partner Shawna, playing in the mountains with his friends or volunteering with the local Search and Rescue team. David is passionate about helping the IATC engage the next generation of conservation leaders in our community.
Hannah Wheeler, Advocacy Committee Member
Hannah has been involved with the Issaquah Alps Trails Club since 2018. She has served as a Board Member, Communications and Engagement Manager, and Interim Executive Director— and is excited to now be joining the Advocacy Committee. Hannah currently works in business development and marketing at Cascadia Consulting Group, and continues to pursue communications projects with mission-driven organizations. Hannah received a B.A. in Biology from Boston University, a Master's in Communications from the University of Washington and continues to foster her love of the outdoors through hiking, plant identification, and going for long walks around Seattle.
Alex Machetanz, Advocacy Committee Member
Alex grew up in Washington and now lives in Seattle. After spending ten years on the East Coast and abroad, she gained a new appreciation for the wilderness and public lands of the PNW, where she backcountry skis, climbs, trail runs, and backpacks. Currently, Alex works at the US Department of Commerce, where she represents Washington State's Education, Travel & Tourism, and Consumer Goods sectors, including outdoor sports equipment and green tourism. Prior to joining USCS, Alex worked with refugee populations internationally, engaging in advocacy at the state and federal levels. She is excited to join the Issaquah Alps Trails Club in an advocacy capacity to protect the green spaces she loves.
Will Hoover, Advocacy Committee Member
Will caught the outdoor bug as a child in central Pennsylvania hiking on the Appalachian Trail and making yearly visits to local vernal pools as a homeschooler. Long runs on local trails were a weekly tradition during cross country and track in high school and at Oberlin College, but Will really fell in love with trail running while doing his PhD at the University of Maryland. The amazing river trail network in the Washington, DC area opened his eyes to the importance of out-the-backdoor trail access. Will is now a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in the Earth and Space Sciences department at the University of Washington. He studies the connection between earthquakes in the PNW and water in the deep Earth and does field work in the Italian Alps and on Pimu’nga (Santa Catalina Island, California) on unceded Tongva land. Will is a regular attendee at the Issaquah Alps Trail Running Club and is making the most of living near the Cascades and Olympics with lots of running, hiking and backpacking. Will is passionate about reducing barriers to outdoor recreation and responsible recreation on Indigenous land, and is particularly interested in IATC partnerships with local tribal groups.
david kappler, co-founder, Advocacy Committee member
As a charter member of the club, David wins the prize for board member with the longest membership tenure. His leadership roles over the years have included President, member of the board, “Squak Watcher”, hike leader, and currently, Vice President of Advocacy. He took a step back from leadership roles in the club for 19 years to step into another leadership role - as Issaquah City Council member, where his voice for sustainability and conservation left its mark.
As Vice President of Advocacy, David works on many fronts, advocating for public lands across the myriad of jurisdictions present in the Issaquah Alps – the City of Issaquah, the City of Bellevue, the City of Newcastle, King County Parks, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, and Washington State Parks. And that’s just a partial list! In a region of such complexity, challenges are ever present, and David enjoys the opportunity to take a stand for public lands.
Ken Esemann, Advocacy Committee Member
Ken is a long time resident of the Puget Sound Eastside. After retiring from corporate life, he decided to give back to the community by volunteering at the Talus Homeowner’s Association, Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank, and several other local organizations that focus on preserving Issaquah’s unique character. His love of the great outdoors started as a Boy Scout and later as a scout leader with is two sons. Ken has been active in local advocacy through the ‘Save Cougar Mountain’ campaign and the preservation of the property now incorporated in the Harvey Manning Park. When Ken is not looking after the property in Talus, he can be found hiking the trails in the Issaquah Alps and the Santa Rita Mountains in Tucson.
Ryan Mcirvin, board member, advocacy committee member
Ryan is the Director of Government and Community Relations at the University of Washington Bothell. In addition to his current professional position in Bothell, he was elected to serve on the Renton City Council in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. While in office he has been a consistent voice for strengthening environmental protections and managing growth through sustainable development practices. Ryan is an avid runner and enjoys getting out regularly to train on the trails of the Issaquah Alps.