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Nominating Committee
Dec 5, 2025
This year’s nominating committee – Blair Madore, John Barron, and Anne Csete – is pleased to present the following nominations:
- Chair – Tom Wheeler
- Vice Chair, Education – Kim Baxter
- Alternate Advisory Council Trustee – David Trithart
- Secretary – Debra Mitchell
- Treasurer – Ellie Menz (to establish her as elected, following a period of appointed service in the absence of any person elected to the office)
Candidate Bios
For Chair - Tom Wheeler Tom is current chair of the chapter and is seeking a second term. He has extensive experience in many different roles, up to and including serving a term as president of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Tom lives in Canton.
For Vice Chair, Education - Kim Baxter I am a native of the North Country, attended SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton, and raised my family here. After thirty-six years, on March of this year, I retired from St. Lawrence Gas/Liberty Utilities as the Senior Manager, Rates and Regulatory Affairs of the natural gas distribution company in Massena and the water company on Long Island. My family and I have enjoyed the Adirondacks and the foothills for many decades - hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. Now that I am retired, and hopefully, as the Vice Chair - Education, I look forward to helping bring education and opportunities to the Laurentian Chapter of the ADK.
For Alternate Advisory Council Trustee - David Trithart I’ve been in the North Country since 1973, and been involved with the ADK and the Laurentian chapter most of that time. I live in Potsdam, and am retired since 2012.
For Secretary - Debra Mitchell I first spent time in The Adirondack Mountains in my mid-twenties on my honeymoon! The ADKs have always felt like home and this feeling has never left me over the decades of hiking, paddling, camping, xc skiing and snowshoeing. I moved to the North Country to be closer to these mountains and waters and in 2003 became an ADK member. I was honored to recently be asked to serve as secretary for the Laurentian Chapter and see it as a chance to give back to nature and the land. Over the years I did become a trip leader and went through the chapter’s leadership course as well as took Map and Compass, Leave no Trace and First Aid courses. I led some local Forest Bathing Hikes through the chapter. I look forward to serving our chapter and becoming more involved at a ground roots level as well as meeting many old and new faces. Thank you for this opportunity!!
For Treasurer - Ellie Menz Eleanor (Ellie) Menz is the current chapter treasurer. She enjoys hiking, biking and skiing. Ellie is a CPA and a longtime member of the Colton community.