Park & Trails New York Staff

• Robin Dropkin, Executive Director

• Martin Daley, Project Director

• Wally Elton, Project Director

• Martha L. Gershun, Director of Development

• Frances S. Gotcsik, Director of Programs & Policy

• Margaret McGivern, Director of Administrative Services

• Heidi Knapp, Administrative Assistant

• Mike O'Neil, Assistant Bike Tour Director

• Tim Sweeney, Campaign for Parks Director

• Al Hastings, Bike Tour Director

Robin Dropkin has been Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York since 2003.  Previous to that she was the organization’s Conservation Director for many years.  Robin knew early on that the environment was the field she wanted to work in, and she pursued both an undergraduate and graduate degree in environmental studies.  Her first professional job was with the Vermont Department of Forests and Parks, then Massachusetts State Parks, followed by a stint at a Berkshire County, Massachusetts land trust.  She is passionate and deeply committed to environmental issues, particularly those concerning land use.  After more than two decades of working in the environmental field, that commitment has only strengthened.  Most of her “fun” activities involve the outdoors: hiking, bicycling, cross country skiing, and gardening.

Martin Daley Parks & Trails New York since May 2006. He previously assisted the organization in the research and development of their on-going safety study Road and Trail Intersection Safety; An examination of present practice Recommendations for future actions.  Martin was the Assistant Ride Director for Parks & Trails New York’s Cycling the Erie Canal and Great Hudson Valley Pedal bicycle tours in 2006 and 2007. He is currently completing his master’s research paper and in September expects to receive his Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the State University of New York at Albany. Martin is an avid traveler, he's on a mission to visit every national park and major league baseball stadium. When not in the office, Martin enjoys backpacking, riding his motorcycle, skiing, spending time with his dog Murphy, and basejumping.

Project Director Wally Elton came to PTNY in January 2008 from his previous position as Executive Director of the Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA), a coalition of trail groups, landowners, and trail users that promotes, protects, and connects trails in the Upper Connecticut River Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire.  At UVTA, Wally directed a multi-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson's Active Living by Design program.  Prior to joining UVTA, Wally spent 20 years with the Student Conservation Association, most recently as National Director of Conservation Internships. Although a Vermont resident for almost 25 years, he grew up in the canal town of Brockport, NY.

Martha Gershun, Director of Development, has been an advocate for and supporter of nonprofit organizations for more than 20 years.  Before joining Parks & Trails New York in 2005, she worked as a fundraising and communications consultant and served as Director of Policy and Communications at the ProChoice Resource Center.  She also worked as a program officer at the Rockefeller Family Fund, focusing on women’s economic development.  A native New Yorker, she has a law degree from New York University and a B.A. from Smith College.

Frances Gotcsik, Director of Programs and Policy, has worked with non-profits, local governments, and community groups for more than 25 years.  She began her trails work in 1991 when she became the Local Coordinator for the newly launched 90-mile Genesee Valley Greenway in western New York.  In 1993, Fran helped form the non-profit Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway to work in partnership with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, five counties, and 17 towns on the development and promotion of the Greenway trail.  In 1996, she became the organization’s Executive Director and served in that capacity until joining Parks & Trails New York in 2003.  Fran has also served as an environmental communications consultant and a local elected official.  She received a B.S. from Cornell University, an M.S. from the University of Rochester, and an M.B.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Heidi Knapp is a graduate of Mildred Elley Business School with a Diploma in Executive Secretarial Studies. Heidi has been with the organization since 2004 and enjoys being part of the team. Heidi plays an integral role in the administration of our membership program and fundraising initiatives, Cycling the Erie Canal bike tour and Great Hudson Valley Pedal. Heidi enjoys developing her graphic design skills through local college courses and practicing her skills on the job.   In her spare time Heidi plays the piano and listens to music.

Margaret McGivern is a graduate of Syracuse University with a Bachelor’s in Advertising, a minor is Psychology and an Associate’s in Business Administration. Margaret has been working in the non-profit sector for the last 15 years and enjoys being a part of a team whose underlying mission is to make a change for the better. She thrives on being creative and is the designer of our website homepage and is working on transforming the entire PTNY website.  As director of administrative services, Margaret oversees many of the functioning aspects of the organization including human resources, finances, and information systems in addition to working closely with the Director of Development on fundraising activities as well as the membership program.

Mike O’Neil is the Assistant Ride Director for 2008.  He is also currently working towards a masters degree in geography at the State University of New York at Albany.  Mike enjoys riding his bike through parks and on trails, and playing music and sports of all kinds.  Watch out…you may find Mike as your waiter at a certain dessert factory near you. 

Prior to joining Parks and Trails New York, Tim Sweeney served as the Regulatory Watch Program Director at Environmental Advocates of New York. Tim has also held positions with Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Tim holds a Juris Doctor degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord New Hampshire, a Bachelors degree in Environmental Studies from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse and an Associates degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources from SUNY Cobleskill. Tim also served with the U.S. Coast Guard from 1978-1982.