Staff and Board

The Alliance’s executive director, its officers and its board of directors.

Board members and agency partners sit around tables in a bright meeting room.
IHTA Board Members and Partner Agencies assemble for planning session at Campbell Creek Science Center 2023
Portrait of Betsi Oliver.

Executive Director

Betsi Oliver

With the Alliance since March 17, 2025

Betsi grew up in New England, camping and exploring public lands from infancy. Her parents had worked for Alaska DOT and Alyeska Pipeline before they moved east, so Alaska was always in her sights as the land of adventure, a sort of cultural home. She moved to Alaska in 2009 for a Student Conservation Association internship at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. At the time, she didn’t know the move was permanent! It launched her career in partnering with public lands and connecting people to the Alaskan outdoors.

This career has led her to some fascinating roles: creating Chugach National Forest’s youth stewardship programs with Alaska Geographic; leading field trips for BLM at the Campbell Creek Science Center; teaching Wilderness First Aid to outdoor guides as well as village youth; managing grants and volunteers at Anchorage Park Foundation; connecting volunteers with conservation advocacy at Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council.

She is excited to bring her experience in non-profit partnership with public lands, youth education, and community engagement to Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance. She especially looks forward to getting to know the northern part of the Iditarod National Historic Trail corridor and the people who live along it.

Officers

  • PresidentJudy Bittner
  • Vice PresidentJonathan Sewall
  • SecretaryKirsten Bey
  • TreasurerLesli Schick

The Board, Seward to Nome

Five seats represent regions along the trail, in the order the trail reaches them.

  1. Kenai, seat A Patrick O'Leary Seward on the trail
  2. Cook Inlet, seat E Judy Bittner Anchorage on the trail
  3. Kuskokwim, seat F Mike Tierney McGrath on the trail
  4. Yukon, seat B Vacant Kaltag on the trail
  5. Norton Sound, seat I Kirsten Bey Nome on the trail

At-Large Seats and the Iditarod Trail Committee

  • Seat C At Large #1 Allegra Hamer
  • Seat D Iditarod Trail Committee Mark Nordman
  • Seat G At Large #2 Aaron Burmeister
  • Seat H At Large #3 Lesli Schick
  • Seat J At Large #4 Jonathan Sewall
  • Seat K At Large #5 Stephanie Masters Johnson

Every Seat by Class

Board of directors by seat, with each seat’s class
SeatRepresentsDirectorClass
AKenaiPatrick O'Leary2027
BYukonVacant2027
CAt Large #1Allegra Hamer2027
DIditarod Trail CommitteeMark Nordman2027
ECook InletJudy Bittner2028
FKuskokwimMike Tierney2028
GAt Large #2Aaron Burmeister2028
HAt Large #3Lesli Schick2028
INorton SoundKirsten Bey2026
JAt Large #4Jonathan Sewall2026
KAt Large #5Stephanie Masters Johnson2026