2023 Emerging Trail Leaders

Emerging Trail Leader Scholarship Recipient

Dillon Osleger-Montanez

Ojai, California, United States

I am one of the only hispanic executive directors of a trail organization in California, and likely the US. I also come from a different background from most trail builders, having a masters degree and extensive work experience in the natural sciences including: soils, geology, climate and ecology. This experience and way of thinking has netted me working partnerships with over 14 public land managers covering 12,000+ acres of land trust land, and 200,000 acres of state / federal lands with over 280 miles of trail. I have built new trails on this land, have restored older fire burnt trail, and maintain the network in its entirety.

I also work at multiple levels of advocacy in the trails, climate and equality spaces, having had direct meetings with legislature at local, state and federal levels (including visits directly with congressmen in their offices discussing trail needs in response to demand and changing climate).

My work impacts over 1.2 million residents (SB & Ventura counties) and thus my learning at this conference will benefit them as well.