Learn about the incredible women you’ll meet at Women’s Trailfest 2022!
This will be Lindsey’s second trailfest, and she is super excited to support the event planning this year. She lives in Nashville, TN but has fallen in love with NE Georgia area. She spends her days working for Merrell and planning fun events like this one and trying to spread the Merrell love! You can find her spending her free time outside doing one of her many hobbies, including her newly found love of pottery that keeps her covered in clay. She is a sucker for cool new gadgets and house plants. Her favorite things are plants, pottery, crossfit, and coffee (cream and sugar).
Deborah McGlawn is the creative founder of Ch8sing Waterfalls. She is a marathoner, a new gardener, crafter, kayaker, a GirlTrekker, an adventurer and true lover of nature. Deborah is married to her best friend Richie. September 2021, they celebrate 29 years of marriage. She is also a Mother, a Nanna, and a friend.
When Deborah is not hiking and ch8sing waterfalls with the beautiful brown faces in green spaces, she is often taking walks, crafting, or hanging out on a lake in her kayak. Deborah is a health care professional who works at one of the top three catastrophic care hospitals in the nation.
Deborah's story is one of transparency, resolve, strength and passion. After several life changing events, and a struggle with depression, she found herself in search of mental healing. Thanks to Richie, she found it in nature, specifically in waterfalls.
Deborah shares her healing story and love of waterfalls to anyone who will listen. She remains humbled at the lives impacted by those who have chosen to embr8ce the ch8se with her in search of their own healing. To embr8ce the ch8se has its own meaning, so does ch8sing waterfalls. She looks forward to sharing it all with you soon.
Lily has lived in North Carolina for six years and now loves the rolling hills and mountains of the South! In her free time Lily loves sewing, cooking, and gardening (as well as adventures her wonderful partner and their two cats)! Lily has hiked and worked outdoors for years and she loves exploring nature and supporting women being active outdoors! She is now learning the joys of trail running and enjoys introducing others to her favorite Durham trails!
@erinnellene / @collectivelyoutside
Erin is the creator of Collectively Outside and Women’s Trailfest. After spending a decade in the Southeast exploring the NC and GA mountains she moved on to NEW mountains in Jamestown, CO. She spends her days supporting the good work of Women’s Wilderness and being a mom to her toddler Nola. She first explored the North Georgia mountains in 2015, and even though she has moved across the country, this area and this event still have a special place in her heart. She loves just about any activity that will get her outside, but trail running is her preferred way of adventuring. She feels most alive when surrounded by supportive women on the trails, and she is so excited for magic of Women’s Trailfest. She also really loves breakfast sandwiches, high fives, and awkward dance moves. Oh, and she also sweats alot.
Paz is passionate about biomechanics and neuroplasticity. She loves a good tango, a hike on a misty morning and the fireflies in June. In her time off you can find her preparing delicious recipes with her husband and chasing violet sunsets or starry skies at night.
She is also the founder and owner of Sphinx Movement, a fitness studio located in the NorthEast GA mountains where she brings a holistic approach to fitness and wellness . Paz fuses a background in martial arts (Lima-lama) with her expertise as a functional training and intuitive eating coach with self care strategies and genuine accountability to support each client’s unique wellness journey.
Since 2013, Paz has been a certified NASM group instructor and a personal trainer; a 200 RYT Vinyasa yoga teacher accredited by M3 Yoga; a certified Thai Yoga Bodywork practitioner trained by Michael Sitzer; a G.E.A.R indoor bicycle instructor; she also holds a certificate in Medicinal Herbalism from the BotanoLogos School of Herbal Studies and is a Certified Mind Body eating Coach through the Institute for the Psychology of Eating based in CO. Paz is currently working towards her NeuroKinetic Therapy Level #1 certification with David Weinstock and works tirelessly to create a workspace that is diverse, inclusive and empowering where instructors can bloom and find balance in life as well.
Joy is a Personal Trainer that is truly passionate about empowering all her clients through strength and movement. She also specializes in working with women during pregnancy and postpartum and is a firm believer that ‘athleticism does not end when motherhood begins’. She is a lover of trail runs and rock climbing, and feels most successful when she sees the magic of strength training transform her clients into the confident, amazing, badass, she always knew they were. When she's not working with her clients through her training business, Trained by Joy, you can find her searching for her next trail running or rock climbing adventure, making sourdough bread, or swinging around a kettlebell. She has an obsession with seltzer water, dark chocolate with sea salt, and the band Watchhouse. She wears many hats but her two favorites are mom to her 6 month old son Mason, her daughter Rosemary, and 15 year old son, Aidan, and wife and adventure buddy to her husband, Tyler.
Joy is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Pregnancy and Postpartum Exercise Specialist, and Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism Coach with over 10 years of training experience.
Elea happened upon her first yoga class as a theatre student at the University of Georgia in 2008 and was intrigued by the
idea that exercise could affect more than just one’s physical self. After graduating in 2010, she was accepted into the prestigious Teach for American program where she began teaching first grade in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. With
the stress of living in a big city, starting a new, very involved job and working towards her master’s degree in early education at night, Elea relied heavily on her yoga practice to fight off anxiety, self-doubt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Even after
founding a school theatre program, she felt drawn to yoga and the incredible connection she felt to herself and others during and after practice. And so she took her passion for teaching and for yoga and combined the two!
After completing her 200 hr yoga teacher training from Stanton Street Yoga/ the Bhakti Center in 2016, Elea began implementing
yoga and meditation programs in schools. By the end of her decade in NYC, Elea worked with over 1,500 students across 5 schools, planned bespoke mediation and yoga workshops for companies such as Vayner Media, Uncommon Schools and Genius Steals, along her
own series of workshops for adults: Rooftop Yoga and Chakra Balancing Yoga. She has most recently added to her yoga-tool belt by completing her certification in Restorative Yoga and Prenatal Yoga.
Now, as a toddler mom and recent resident of Northeast Georgia, Elea is excited for her family to be able to explore the natural beauty of the area and to bring her energy and expertise to a new community.
Eboni is a management professional with a background in non-profit administration, program operations, partnerships, and workforce development. She is currently the Southeast Associate Director and National Park Service Diversity Liaison for the National Parks Conservation Association. As she serves as a Board Member for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, she is also a Board Member for the Georgia Conservancy and Next 100 Coalition, and the Labor and Industry Chair for the Georgia NAACP. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University, a Master in Science in Social Work from Columbia University, and a Master of Business Administration and Master in Public Administration from Kennesaw State University. Outside of work, Eboni is an avid hiker and Crossfit enthusiast.
@switchbackshawty
https://www.switchbackshawty.com
Cherisa has been working in Marketing, Design and Photography for over 9 years. She loves capturing how people enjoy the outdoors in a relatable and natural manner. We all experience mother nature in our own way and part of diversifying our outdoor spaces comes with sharing these unique experiences with the world. She wants to help more black and brown people to get past the stigma that “we don’t hike/camp/spend time outside” and experience the healing power of Mother Nature.
Nafeesa Andrabi is a mountain sports enthusiast and a Hype Woman for Collectively Outside and Women’s Trail Fest. Nafeesa grew up in Southern California with brief stints in Pakistan, both places she’s grateful to call home. As a Pakistani Muslim woman who has at times struggled to find meaningful and supportive space in the outdoors, Nafeesa wants to help everyone feel welcome and joyful in the outdoors, especially at magical Trail Fest! Though she has most recently been living and outdoors-ing in the Southeast, she also helps organize and build community in mountain sports in the Margalla Hills and Karakoram Mountains in Pakistan and in the San Gabriels and Eastern Sierra in the US.
When she’s not ski mountaineering, trail running, mountain biking or climbing, Nafeesa is probably trying to finish her PhD in Sociology at UNC Chapel Hill, where she researches health disparities among immigrants and racialized minorities in the US. She is a Biosocial Fellow at Carolina Population Center; her research has been funded by National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. She loves wearing purposely ripped jeans, glitter nail polish and butterfly clips, baking lopsided cakes and pies, trying to make her own ceramic dinnerware, dancing in her collection of high top sneakers, and eating cheese in many forms.
@mtn.mama.carrie
@atlantabgconservation
@southeasternpca
Carrie earned her B.S. and M.S. at the University of Georgia studying conservation horticulture and plant biology. She works for the Conservation & Research Department of Atlanta Botanical Garden managing collaborative habitat restoration and safeguarding projects, on behalf of the Garden’s Southeastern Center for Conservation and the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance. Carrie serves as the Mountain Bog Safeguarding Coordinator for GPCA, as well as a steering committee member for the Southern Blue Ridge Bog Learning Network and Piedmont Prairie Partnership. She coordinated the 2016 & 2020 Southeastern Partners in Plant Conservation conferences, and is C0-chair for the Southeastern Plant Conservation Alliance, and was named Conservation Partnerships Manager for ABG in 2022. In her new capacity she aims to promote an expanded network of sustainable stewardship of plants and habitats for the Southeast, improve networking with Tribal Nations, and address conservation needs for culturally significant species. Carrie has lived in Rabun County since 2010, serves as a leader and environmental educator for local Scout groups, is an avid outdoorswoman, and is passionate about inspiring the next generation of conservation leaders & scientists while connecting them to the land.
Kim is a Health Enthusiast, Chiropractor, Runner, Hiker, and Founder of Latinas Running . She is Guatemalan American, born in Washington DC and currently living in Smyrna, GA.
She discovered her love for the outdoors when she became a rower in High School . On the water is when she felt completely lost in a bliss.
After rowing in High School and at Virginia Commonwealth University, Running became part of her healing journey after being diagnosed with PCOS in 2013 and hitting rock bottom both mentally and physically. She signed up for the Marine Corps Half, and running changed her life for the better by turning hopelessness into strength and toughness.
Kim decided to create Latinas Running because she is passionate about empowering runners of all sizes and shapes to run , but especially Latina Women due to the low statistics of Latino Runners, especially Latinas.
After running the Disney Princess Half-Marathon in 2019, that’s when she saw a need to create more diversity in the running community . However, the spark and drive happened after attending this women’s trail fest in 2019 and hearing her running idol Mirna Speak for the first time. She left the trail fest super motivated and empowered to start her own community . When she is not running, you can catch her dancing , reading a book, or hiking.
M.S. Owner & Program Director, Wildcraft Kitchen LLC
Cara-Lee Langston is a South African-born nutritionist, herbalist, forager, grower, wellness cook, and educator. She holds an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Georgia State University, a Certificate in Medical Herbalism from the Botanologos School of Herbal Studies, a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health, and is a Certified Wild Mushroom Food Safety Specialist through Mushroom Mountain. Cara strives to build relationships with local farmers and engage community interest in integrative health and plant-based healing. Based in the Northeast Georgia Mountains, Cara-Lee provides food and nature-based education for children and adults through her company, Wildcraft Kitchen.