Officers
Chair
Jay Stearns – Colchester, VT
Vice-Chair
Peter Cottrell – Essex Junction, VT
Secretary
Meghan Arpino – Waterbury, VT
Treasurer
Metzi Anderson – Stowe, VT
Debbie Page
Hometown: Williston, VT
Occupation: Retired Teacher
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 24
Bio: Debbie grew up in South Burlington. Left for college at Mount Holyoke and work in NYC. Came back to Vermont. Taught Elementary School for 28 years in Burlington. Then worked at Gardeners’ Supply for ten years. Married 43 years to same guy. One son and daughter-in-law in Los Angeles. Two darling granddaughters. Debbie in an End-To-Ender, is Trail Chief for Section 21, and has lead a variety of tours.
Metzi Anderson
Hometown: Stowe, VT
Occupation: Operations Manager, Stowe Land Trust
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 24
Bio: Metzi’s appreciation for the Catamount Trail began at an early age when she and her family would ski home from church every Sunday on Section 24. Metzi earned her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College and is now Operations Manager at Stowe Land Trust where she has coordinated fundraising and outreach efforts and managed SLT’s financial data for the past five years. An avid backcountry and nordic skier, Metzi enjoys spending time on the many beautiful trails in the greater Stowe area and beyond. She is thrilled to be a member of the board of the Catamount Trail Association and help further its mission. She and her husband live in Stowe with their cat, Kodiak.
Meghan Arpino
Hometown: Waterbury, VT
Occupation: Hydrologist, Stone Environmental
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 22 & Sterling Valley
Bio: Meghan grew up in New York and started skiing in southern Vermont as a kid with her dad and grandpa. She learned about the Catamount Trail in 2008 as a University of Vermont TREKkie completing trail work the summer before her freshman year. After exploring the wilderness in Oregon and Idaho, she returned to Vermont in 2016 and has been participating in the Green Mountain Skimo Series and CTA Backcountry Challenges ever since. She is excited to share her passion for backcountry skiing in Vermont and to increase access to winter recreation opportunities as a board member of the Catamount Trail Association. Her love of the outdoors and interest in conservation led to her current career as a hydrologist. She and her husband live in Waterbury with their cat, Bramble, who unfortunately does not seem to share their love of snow.
Lawrence (Larz) Barber
Hometown: Charlotte, VT
Occupation: Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch
Favorite Section/Zone: Tough choice (so far) either Lincoln Gap or Camels Hump but I keep exploring.
Bio: Born in Western NC and raised in New England, Larz attended UVM for college and never left. He started backcountry skiing in the 80’s in and around the Mad River Valley, and when he learned of the CTA’s work developing new backcountry zones he felt compelled to get involved and help out. Larz feels very fortunate to live here in the Green Mountains which provide us with so many types of outdoor recreation all year round.
Clayton Queen
Hometown: Bolton, VT
Occupation: Environmental Consultant
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 22
Bio: Originally from northern Michigan, Clayton developed his love of skiing while exploring the north woods on his nordic and alpine skis. His love of the outdoors led him to study Arctic and alpine environments in graduate school. In 2018 Clayton moved to Vermont where he began a career as an environmental consultant. In order to expand his skill set and explore new zones Clayton took up ski touring and began exploring the Catamount Trail. Working from home allows Clayton to ski out his back door with his dog on his lunch break. While not dreaming of winter, Clayton enjoys his time canoeing, kayaking, and biking Vermonts many waterways and trails.
Peter Cottrell
Hometown: Essex Junction, VT
Occupation: Retired
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 20
Bio: Peter was raised in upstate New York and received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He and his wife Patricia moved to Vermont in 1973 choosing it as their home because of their love of the landscape and the character of its people. Although always an active camper, sailor, hiker, and cyclist… Peter has found that nordic & backcountry skiing provide the perfect mix of fellowship, exercise, and recreation for him. Skiing the Catamount Trail from end-to-end and leading many week-long tours have provided Peter with a unique opportunity to explore the length of Vermont and meet great people. Serving as a trail chief has provided purpose and comradery, and satisfies Peter’s urge to be outdoors when not skiing. When he retired from IBM, Peter wanted to put his time to good use. The passion and purpose among CTA members to provide access for all and to conserve the Vermont backcountry is just what he was looking for.
Adam Piper
Hometown: Huntington, VT
Occupation: Regional Stewardship Project Director, Vermont Land Trust
Favorite Section/Zone: ??
Bio: Adam grew up in Huntington not far from the CT. His first sport was skiing and he took lessons at Camels Hump Nordic after school. He lives on the family farm now raising his two boys and growing a maple sugaring business. Adam is a Regional Stewardship Manager with the Vermont Land Trust where he works to keep track of conserved lands and negotiate farmland affordability and water quality outcomes. He enjoys skiing slowly through the woods on his own property while observing the wildlife.
William Skerrett
Hometown: Winooski, VT
Occupation: Manager, Federal Government
Favorite Section/Zone: 20
Bio: Will’s interest in the Catamount Trail started on a hut-to-hut ski tour in the Adirondacks in 1993, but after marriage and kids, it was not until 2017 that he was able to start skiing the CT. Three short years later Will is an End-To-Ender, a Co-Trail Chief for Section 26, member of the Tours Committee, and has lead several day and multi-day of tours. Will is a graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego and is currently a manager at U.S. Citizenship and Services. He has two young adult daughters, served over 20 years in the U.S. Army Reserves and National Guard, and when not skiing spends his free time playing hockey and cycling. Will joined the Board to give thanks and pay forward all the support he received on his end-to-end journey from the CTA and the great friends made on the trail.
Bob Brandt
Hometown: Ludlow VT
Occupation: Retired
Favorite Section/Zone: 11N so far. There is no bad backcountry skiing
Bio: Bob grew up in Vermont and spent all his free time doing all things outdoors. He worked paving for 43 yrs and has ski patrolled for 30 years. He met his wife Michelle in 2008 and she took him x-country skiing, he was hooked! After skiing the Camels Hump Challenge several times he did some multi-day tours on the CT. He has completed the long trail and is now in the process of doing the same on the CT. He helps lead multi-day tours and is co-trail chief of section 11S. He loves doing trail work and taking people out skiing. He hopes to get more people involved in the outdoors and the CT.
Rita Marcotte
Hometown: Rutland, VT
Occupation: Occupational Safety
Favorite Section/Zone: ask me when I’ve skied end-to-end
Bio: I grew up in Western Mass where I skied for the local NENSA and Bill Koch leagues and later went on to race in high school. I switched to running in college, moved back to western Mass and hopped back on skis, skiing wherever I could with my dad. In 2015 I acquired alpine gear and took to the lifts but the backcountry keeps calling me. In 2019 it called so loudly that my boyfriend and I packed our lives into a truck and moved to Rutland to be closer to the mountains.
Anna Casey
Hometown: Middlesex, Vermont
Occupation: Consultant, Resonance
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 24, Sterling Valley Area
Bio: An avid snowboarder, split-boarder, cross-country skier, and mountain biker, Anna is passionate about preserving the beauty and sanctity of Vermont’s natural landscape, increasing access to outdoor recreation opportunities, and cultivating knowledge and appreciation pertaining to the great outdoors. Anna’s day job as an international development consultant allows her to experience an array of foreign landscapes, yet she’s always excited to return home to Vermont where the beauty and splendor of the mountains, forests rivers and lakes can perhaps only be paralleled by the tight-knit community and devotion of Vermonters to care for each other and the natural landscape surrounding them.
Larry Straus
Hometown: Rochester, VT
Occupation: Retired
Favorite Section/Zone: Brandon Gap (RASTA)
Bio: Larry grew up in New Jersey but has skied in Vermont for 62 years beginning in 1958. He is an avid hiker, and has completed a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail twice, once in each direction. After college in Colorado, Larry taught both alpine and cross country skiing in Vermont before returning to NJ for a 25 year career as a home builder. Larry and his wife retired to Rochester, VT in 2003. He served 9 years as Select Board chair in Rochester, including the time during Tropical Storm Irene. He is a founding member and treasurer of The Rochester/Randolph Area Sports Trail Alliance, (RASTA) where he continues to pursue his love of the mountains.
Jay Stearns
Hometown: Colchester, VT
Occupation: Filmmaker
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 11 Burnt Mountain Glades
Bio: Jay and his wife Jen moved to Vermont in 2012 and soon got involved with the CTA as co-Trail Chiefs on Section 11 helping to rebuild two bridges that summer. Jay has volunteered at the Race To The Top Of Vermont for many years, he joined the Development Committee in 2018, and he became a member of the Board in June 2020. Jay has skied many sections of the CT, but still has some work to do to meet his goal of becoming an End-To-Ender.
Amy Otten
Hometown: Colchester, VT
Occupation: Retired Fed (USCIS)
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 19
Bio: Amy has been a CTA member and skiing on the Catamount Trail for many years. When she was working, she couldn’t go on the week long tours, but she went on many day tours, including one led by John Stearns where they stopped and had cookies with the LePine sisters to thank them for their easement. After Amy retired, she started signing up for the CTA Week-Long tours, eventually becoming and End-To-Ender despite her marginal downhill skills. She loves being outside at all times of year, and her absolute favorite section is Section 19 because it is so remote.
George Critides
Hometown: Heath, MA
Occupation: Retired Manufacturing Specialist
Favorite Section/Zone: Sections 5,22,30 and The Sterling- Mud City area.
Bio: I have been employed in manufacturing since 1978, first at Pitney Bowes in Stamford, CT, where I completed a four-year tool and die apprenticeship. Since then I remained in the trade until retiring in November 2020. Throughout my life I have remained active in outdoor life, in activities such as cycling, running, and hiking. In addition, I started backcountry ski touring, primarily with my wife (Sarah Coe). Also, for the past nine or so years, my wife and I have been maintaining the Stratton Pond section of the CT with Andrew Harper. We spend most of our time at our farm in Heath, MA. I look forward to serving on the Trails and Tours Committees.
Hilary Coolidge
Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Occupation: Design Researcher
Favorite Section/Zone: Depends on conditions!
Bio: Growing up skiing in the Mad River Valley brought Hilary to VT in her youth, and the landscape, mountains and people keep her coming back. She’s been a Trail Chief for the CTA for over ten years on Section 11N/12S in Coolidge State Forest, helped thin out Brandon Gap for the lovely up/down skiing it provides, led a number of CTA 4-day tours in the past few years, and is looking forward to leading more while serving on the CTA Board.
Bill Overbay
Hometown: Pomfret, Vermont
Occupation: Managing Partner, Stone Road Capital
Favorite Section/Zone: NA
Bio: Bill and his wife have been enjoying all that Vermont has to offer for the past 20 years and 5 years ago moved to Pomfret full time. Bill and Kate are parents to 3 boys and an adventurous black lab. All 14 legs of the Overbay family are outdoor enthusiasts who can be found hiking, biking, and skiing trails when not exploring the local swimming holes and cliff jumping spots.
Bill has over 25 years of principal investing and corporate financial experience ranging from investment banking and venture-backed start-ups, to one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Prior to the founding of his firm Stone Road Capital Partners, Bill was a managing partner at the alternative investment arm of a family office where he originated and participated in the formation of multiple platform and stand-alone investments in the energy, agriculture, and telecommunication verticals.
Laura Coriell
Hometown: Pittsfield, VT
Occupation: Ski Shop Manager/Public Affairs Consultant
Favorite Section/Zone: RASTA + Section 12
Bio: Laura grew up in Pittsfield exploring the VAST trails and local logging roads on skis and now also loves to find new wilderness areas whether on her snowboard, backcountry setup or XC skis. A lover of all things outdoors, Laura enjoys learning about our landscape from others and is passionate about preserving Vermont’s natural settings and sharing its beauty with friends, family, and those new to outdoor recreation. After working for 10 years in politics in Montpelier and San Francisco, Laura and her husband now run a family ski shop in Killington.
Paul Jarris
Hometown: Springfield, VA
Occupation: Retired
Favorite Section/Zone: Section 22
Bio: Paul is one of the three adventurers who first skied the Catamount Trail. He, Steve Bushey and Ben Rose have remained lifelong friends, enjoying many adventures together. Paul has continued to be an avid outdoorsman, including participating as the medic on the 700-mile first descent of the Delay River in Quebec, and extended sea kayaking trips in Haida Gwaii, British Colombia, Alaska and Baja Mexico. He recently completed a 4000-mile, solo, self-supported bicycle trip across the Northern Tier of the USA. Paul is a family physician who served as the State Health Commissioner in Vermont before taking a national role in public health during the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations. He recently retired and in addition to getting outdoors as often as possible, he guides Forest Bathing groups at the National Arboretum.
