Board

Patricia Whitener, Secretary

Patricia Whitener was raised in Clemson, SC and grew up roaming the BlueRidge with her  grandmother and Father. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Natural Resources while minoring in Biological Sciences and a Master of Science in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Biology both from Clemson University. Patricia is currently working toward her doctoral degree in Youth Development Leadership (YDL) through the department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management within the College of Behavioral, Health, and Social Sciences. Patricia currently serves as the State 4-H Natural Resources Program Leader. Through engaging, research-based experiential learning projects, she helps extension agents, volunteers’, schools, county parks and recreation, community groups, and State organizations create and deliver quality environmental programs. Patricia’s prior background with the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, and the South Carolina State Parks system is what motivates her to educate, connect, and inspire people with a love of nature and appreciation for the Natural Resources found right here in South Carolina. She received her Peregrine in 2022 after completing a solo through-hike of the Foothills Trail in the Spring.

Bruce Evilsizor, Trail Maintenance Coordinator

Bruce is from Urbana, Ohio and is retired from 40 years in city government with careers in law enforcement and public administration.  He has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Dayton.  With his wife Deanna, they learned to appreciate nature by camping with their 4 kids at many state parks and a few national parks and attending many nature programs.  In 2011, Bruce & Deanna bought a log cabin in the woods in Sunset, SC which is now home.  Enjoying DIY projects, fellowship and a nice workout, Bruce naturally took a liking to the maintenance hikes with Heyward and Andrew and many others and he looks forward to many more.

Tricia Kyzer

Tricia Kyzer is a naturalist, writer and environmental educator. She has a BA in Elementary Education from North Greenville University and holds a Statewide Master Naturalist Certification as well as a Palmetto Environmental Educator Certification. For the past 15 years Tricia has worked with people of all ages leading them into making their own connections to our wild places. She has helped develop educational curriculums for Lake Conestee Nature Preserve and Jocassee Lake Tours. Tricia has thru hiked the Foothills Trail several times, earning the Peregrine Award in 2018. She appreciates the never ending wonder of the natural world and enjoys spending time outdoors being curious and making new discoveries.

Jennifer Kindel

Jennifer (Jen) grew up on a farm in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and graduated with a MS in Wildlife Biology from Oregon State University. She contributed to avian ecology projects around the US and Australia for 10 years, eventually moving from birds to bats when settling down in SC in 2012. Jen is the State Bat Biologist for SCDNR and focuses on bat conservation and management, writing grants to keep statewide bat projects running with help of some amazing temporary technicians. She enjoys running, biking, birding, nature-nerding, writing, and backpacking. She leads the Cub Scout Tiger den for Pack 767, and section hiked the Foothills Trail in 2022 with her dog Wally. Jen loves outreach and hopes to find a way to contribute more to environmental and natural resource conservation education. She lives in Simpsonville, SC with her loving husband and two young boys.

Michael Trotter

Michael grew up in the shadow of Table Rock in Pickens South Carolina.  He graduated from Furman University with a BS in Geology.  He worked for 2 years as a staff geologist for Bunnell-Lammons Engineering, before joining the South Carolina State Park Service in 2000.  Michael has spent his entire Park Service career in the Mountain Region of South Carolina.  He has worked as a ranger at Keowee Toxaway and Devils Fork State Parks, as an assistant manager at Devils Fork and Table Rock State Parks and as a park manager at the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area and Table Rock State Park.  Michael has been serving as the Park Manager at Table Rock State Park since 2018.  He and his wife Jennifer have had the privilege of raising their three children on state parks.  Their three children are adults now with the oldest being married and the younger two attending college.  Michael loves to travel with his wife, to read, to paddle and to hike.  He thru-hiked the Foothills Trail in April of 2016 and is currently attempting to section hike the AT.

Kevin Bischof

I was born and raised in Cincinnati Ohio. I have a BA in Sociology from the University of Cincinnati and an MS in Outdoor Recreation with a focus on Interpretation and Education from Indiana University. I started my career working as a Park Ranger for NC State Parks at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area in 2007. Through my 14-year career, I’ve also worked at Goose Creek, Gorges (2011-2013) and Lake James State Parks as a Park Ranger. I took my first Superintendent position at Mount Mitchell and came back to Gorges in May of 2021 from Grandfather Mountain State Park. While I’m not from Transylvania County, I feel at home here, and am very happy to be back at NC State Parks’ best Park. I enjoy hiking, waterfalling, fishing, skiing, kayaking, wood working and photography when I’m not at work. My favorite aspect of being back is working in a temperate rainforest and educating the public on all the amazing flora and fauna that correlates with the local environment.

Joel Davis

Joel is the son of career missionaries born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Upon completing high school Joel moved to Virginia and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1985 with a B.S. in Information Systems while working for UPS. In 2001 he and his family moved to the Greenville SC area where he obtained an associates degree in Network Administration at ECPI. He worked for Greenville Water for 14 years in their IT department and is currently working for AFL Telecommunications as a network engineer. Joel started volunteering on the FHT, became a member of the conservancy, and has been a regular on the organized trail maintenance outings since 2018. Joel enjoys the outdoors, nature, hiking, trail maintenance and watching soccer. He is blessed to have Sharon as his wife and two grown children.

Ryne Hughey

Ryne  was born in Greer, SC, and has lived in the up state most all of his life. He loves the outdoor hiking, cycling and traveling are just a few of his hobbies. Ryne  received an Associate Degree in Mechatronics in 2015 and is employed with Pactiv evergreen where he has worked for 36 years and currently holds the position of  Process Engineer. Ryne and his wife Sherri live in Pelzer, SC  and have 5 children and 12 grandchildren. After doing some hiking on the Foothills Trail he joined the FTC and started signing up for the maintenance hikes and found the best group of people to work with and  bond friendships with. Ryne and Sherri are Trail captains for the Big Bend Trail.

Kerry McKenzie

Kerry McKenzie has been working in education for over 20 years. She holds a M.S. in Physical Education, Early Childhood Development and Health Education from West Virginia University and B.A. in Psychology from Wheeling Jesuit University. Kerry was a clinical instructor in the Physical Education Department at West Virginia University for several years where she instructed future teachers in physical education and early childhood motor development. She decided to move south in 2007 for a unique position as the director and creator of a childhood obesity prevention program at Prisma Health System Children’s Hospital, Kerry dedicated her time helping children, parents and teachers lead healthy lifestyles through a program she called Farm to Belly from 2008 – 2020. Kerry currently works for Jocassee Lake Tours as a naturalist guide and kayak instructor and is the director of Jocassee Wild Child Outdoor Education.  Kerry also has her own business called Whole Again Wellness where she teaches yoga, mindfulness, leads retreats and is a health coach.  She resides in Pickens with her husband David and 2 dogs on a large property which offers much opportunity to explore the wonders of the natural world.

Rodney Bryant

Rodney was born and raised in Greenville, SC. He has fond memories of backpacking, hiking and camping in the foothills of North and South Carolina. Rodney also enjoyed his time with the Boy Scouts. After graduating from Parker High School, he served in the U.S. Army as a TOW weapons specialist in the 82^nd Airborne Division. He earned the Expert Infantry Badge. After serving in the military, Rodney worked for W.W. Grainger. He became a process manager in shipping and receiving. He also worked as a project manager, helping oversee the largest product rollout in Grainger history. In 2007, he decided on a career change. Enrolling at Greenville Technical College, he studied Automotive technology. By the end of 2008, he was a certified Mercedes Benz technician. In 2010, Rodney and a friend successfully opened an independent Mercedes service repair shop. Rodney enjoys hiking, backpacking, orienteering, trail maintenance and being a trail captain for the FTC.

Mark Parsons

Born in Germany and raised in San Antonio, Mark later moved to Georgia where he earned a degree in Electronic Communications. He worked for Michelin Tire for 40 years before retiring in 2018. He was hired initially as an electronics / automation technician then later moved to an IT role in the Quality group. Mark moved to the Upstate in 1982 and lives in Powdersville,SC  with his wife Janis. He has two adult boys now residing in the Atlanta area. Mark has been active in Scouting for over 20 and recently completed a 12 day trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch with his Troop. He has been a hike leader with the GNHA hiking club since 2019 and recently served on their Board. Mark enjoys hiking, backpacking, trail maintenance and most other sports. He has through-hiked the Foothills trail more than a half dozen times and shares the trail captain role with Jerry Ellsworth on the Sassafras to Table Rock section.

Stan Mcilvain

Stan graduated from Clemson in 1975.  He accepted a job at Milliken & Co. and, after completing their Management Orientation Program (MOP), was assigned a Production Management role.  In 1984 he joined Michelin where he served as Plant Maintenance Manager, Industrial Engineer, and finally as Material Flow Manager for North America.  In this role  he trained & assisted each of the manufacturing sites in Canada, Mexico, and the US regarding their standard costing issues.  He retired in 2018.

Stan is an active volunteer with the Foothills Trail maintenance program.  He has become the leader of efforts to treat hemlock trees for the woolly adelgid along the trail in order to preserve them for future generations.  He has recently been assigned Trail Captain of the Round Mountain Gap spur trail.  Stan and his wife Paula live in Greer and enjoy hiking, bicycling, and kayaking.