Join Our Board

• Ascend's board meets 6-8 times per year on the second Wednesday of the month from 4pm-6pm. We do not meet in June, July, August or January with some of the remaining months optional if a meeting is unnecessary. We meet at our office in downtown Weaverville, but can accommodate Zoom if needed. This schedule can change depending on the current board's schedule needs.

• We have one or two additional board-development or social events each year such as a board retreat, end of the year gathering, or something similar. 

• Aside from meetings and general oversight, duties would include what you have personal capacity for such as helping at fundraising events, participating in trail volunteer opportunities, or simply sharing our programs with people you think would like to get involved or donate.

Download the application here:

Meet The Board

Erin Burger

Dave Johnson

Vice President

Forest Hydrology Bachelor's Degree

A Trinity County local, Dave first encountered Ascend on a hike with his dad, running into Ascend Founder Scott LaFein on the trail. He would later sign up and attend his first pack meeting at 10 years-old, totally soaked after jumping into a creek beforehand. He would go on to participate in an Ascend trip every year until he graduated high school, becoming Ascend’s first Junior Guide and later returning as an adult to lead trips, playing games and creating space for the meaningful conversations and revelations that emerge around a campfire.

When he’s not playing games in the backcountry with youth and adults, Dave coordinates and supports crews for the Trinity County Resource Conservation District, works on his family’s land, and can be found exploring the vast dirt logging roads around Trinity County on his dirt bike. When asked what his favorite thing about Ascend is, Dave says it’s seeing how the kids shape their own experiences when given the freedom of undirected time outdoors. 

Scott Nelson

Treasurer

MA History
Current Teacher at Trinity Center Elementary School
Retired Teacher, Cutten Elementary School
Current Board Member of Trinity Center Community Service District

Scott was born and raised in Arcata. He grew up with a passion for sports and is an avid baseball fan. After getting his BA from Humboldt State University, Glacier National Park was calling his name. A summer there in the mountains helped him gain a sense of wonder and love for nature. Soon after, he lived in England for four years, where he worked on a farm, found a love of teaching, and met his wife. They returned to Humboldt County, where Scott got his teaching credential, and taught 6th grade at Cutten Elementary School for thirty-three years. During this time on the coast, he and his wife, Helen, raised five children. Adopting one of the children from Kazakhstan and another from China led to further interesting international travel, as well as fun visits to family in Australia and vacations in Europe. 

Seeking a new adventure, Scott and Helen decided to look for a place to retire and found it in Trinity County, where they have relocated to Coffee Creek. Here, Scott is teaching the upper grades at Trinity Center Elementary School while he waits for his wife to retire from being a principal on the coast. Scott got to know the work of Ascend through his son, Andrew, and is excited to be serving on the board.  He loves exploring the Trinity Alps, cares about the community, and wants to give back where he can.

Jason Palmer

Secretary

PhD in Anthropology
Head of Rise Academy at TCOE

Jason Palmer PhD is a settler anthropologist and a K-12 educator. He is currently a teacher at RISE Academy, a non-traditional community school. He published a book in 2024 about Peruvian Mormonism called Forever Familias. His scholarship unravels the colonial regimes of race, rationality, religion, and gender. His personal life revolves around the four Peruvian women in his family, his students, mountain biking, the Trinity Alps, the Andes, caving with the Shasta Area Grotto, and forming community connections in our amazingly diverse and talented county

Karen Boltz

Retired

Karen grew up mostly on army bases - her dad was a career army sergeant, and even her mom was an army sergeant during WWII, breaking codes at the Pentagon. She lived in Arizona, El Paso, Texas, Germany, Charleston, South Carolina, and all over Ohio. As an adult she lived in Georgia, the Aleutians, Midway Island, Hawaii, and California.

She got to explore deserts, various seashores, atolls (including scuba diving with sharks), tropical islands, and Adak; a tundra island nicknamed the Birthplace of the WInds. She's also been lucky to spend quality time in Mexico, Ireland, Spain, and France with her partner, Rick.

Her career was in education, teaching in Montessori and public elementary schools in four states, serving as a school site administrator, and retiring from the Trinity County Office of Education as an Assistant Superintendent.

Karen has a daughter, a son, a granddaughter, three grandsons, and one great-grandson. Karen is a lucky woman and she feels very fortunate to have settled in Trinity Count - the best place ever, thanks to the people, the chance to swim, hike, be on the lake, play in the community band, support Ascend, and view the Trinity Alps from her windows every day.