Staff

Janet AkersonAdministrative Director

Janet Akerson became the part-time bookkeeper for FTA in 2002. Her responsibilities evolved, and in 2009 she became the Administrative Director.

She manages the Gainesville office, supervises the FTA staff, helps with event planning, and continues to keep the books.

Janet grew up in St. Petersburg, FL, and attended Berry College and the University of Florida. Since 1976, Janet and her husband, Randy, have lived in Gainesville, where they managed Burrito Bros. Taco Co. – a popular local restaurant – until 2017. They have been members of the FTA since 1982.

Diane StrongMembership and Retail Coordinator

Diane is the friendly voice on the other end of the phone at our Gainesville headquarters. She administrates the FTA’s membership, coordinates donations, and manages the store.

Diane came to Gainesville in 1990 for school and never left. She earned a degree in history and secondary education in 1994. After graduation she worked at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine for 15 years.

Diane grew up in Orlando, where she spent a lot of time on the Wekiva and St. Johns Rivers. She is married to an entomologist who works with the USDA on the University of Florida campus.

Diane and her husband enjoy spending their free time kayaking and fishing in the Gulf.

Kelly Van PattenTrail Program Director

Kelly is a graduate of the University of Vermont, where she earned a BA in Environmental Studies. She developed a passion for working outdoors after studying abroad at a biological research station in Costa Rica and interning at the Lake Champlain Land Trust.

After graduating, Kelly completed a year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Boston City Hall. She then went on to manage a regional food access program at a non-profit in Upstate New York before starting with the FTA in 2016.

Van TranCommunity Outreach Manager

Van is our first ever Community Outreach Manager. Her love of the outdoors, passion for community organizing and commitment to environmental stewardship paved the way for her to join the FTA in 2017.

Van is a graduate of the University of Florida where she studied Horticultural Science and was actively involved in the university’s outdoor leadership, Travel and Recreation Program (TRiP). As an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, she has intermittently served as a professional outdoor guide for youth & adults throughout the past decade. Van’s professional background also includes serving as a coordinator for a nonprofit organization where she directed food access and community gardening programs in Alachua County, as well as a previous career path in organic farming.

Van considers the Florida Trail to be one of the state’s greatest gems and is committed to ensuring that it is continually enjoyed and protected by a diverse community of recreationists and stewards.

Jeff GlennNorth Trail Program Manager

Jeff manages 400 miles of the Florida Trail on the eastern and western corridors of the trail from the Ocala National Forest to Suwannee River State Park and from Green Swamp West to Silver Springs State Park. He joined the FTA in 2013.

Jeff works with volunteers and agency partners to coordinate trail construction, maintenance, protection, gap closures, and outreach efforts. He also engages volunteers in stewardship events on the Florida National Scenic Trail.

Previously, Jeff worked with the Student Conservation Association (’06 – ’13), as both a seasonal trail crew leader and a full-time staff member. For 4 years he managed a large SCA program and maintained 100 miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail through the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. He has led crews in Alaska, the US Virgin Islands, Arizona, Colorado, and Kentucky.

Jeff is a graduate of Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, where he studied environmental education and outdoor leadership. An avid hiker, he loves to spend time out on the trail with his kids and the best trail dog around, Strawberry, as well as playing music, fermenting food, and organic agriculture.

Jenna TaylorCentral/South Trail Program Manager

Jenna Taylor has joined the FTA team after spending the last 8 years serving as the AmeriCorps Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee Counties. A native Floridian, Jenna is a graduate of Flagler College where she earned a BA in Psychology and Communications. She then completed a Masters in Social Work through Florida State University with a certification in non-profit and emergency management.

When she isn’t working, Jenna can be found serving her community as a coach for Girls on the Run and the Special Olympics Equestrian teams. Jenna lives in Fort Pierce with her husband James and her two hiking partners, her dogs Gracie and Magnolia.

Adam FryskaPanhandle Trail Program Manager

Adam Fryska is an experienced long-distance backpacker and trail steward. He joined the FTA in 2017 after working in various conservation and stewardship roles along the Appalachian Trail and Vermont’s Long Trail. Adam is a passionate supporter of the National Scenic Trail system; he’s experienced the magic of these trails and their communities first hand while completing the “Triple Crown,” thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail.

Now immersing himself in the unique environments found along the Florida Trail, he’s working to ensure this exceptional resource is developed, maintained, and protected for current and future generations of users.

Adam grew up in northern Indiana. He studied biology at Indiana University, European studies at Jagiellonian University, and environmental law at Vermont Law School. Previously he worked with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Randolph Mountain Club, and Green Mountain Club. As the FTA’s Panhandle Regional Representative, Adam coordinates trail building, maintenance, resource protection, and volunteer work along the Florida National Scenic Trail from to Suwannee River State Park to the Northern Terminus of the Florida Trail at Fort Pickens in Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Abe ChristianTechnical Advisor

Abe grew up in Gainesville where he spent a lot of time exploring the woods and swamps in and around Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Food and Resource Economics. During and after his time at UF, Abe spent almost two decades in retail sales and was Verizon’s first general manager to complete a Lean Six Sigma green belt project. After tiring of the retail aspect, he transitioned his love of the outdoors into volunteering and nonprofit work.

He has enjoyed developing his hiking, woodsman and horseman skills. Abe recently was awarded The FTA’s “2018 John Weary Trail Worker Award,” which he was surprised and honored to receive. He is very passionate about using his acquired skills to increase awareness of the Florida National Scenic Trail and helping the FTA in any way that he can. In his free time, Abe enjoys traveling to the beach, touring zoos and going on long walks with his wife and dogs.

Austin TezakGateway Communities Coordinator

Austin recently graduated from the University of Florida where he studied Wildlife Ecology and developed a passion for the conservation of our public lands. Previously, Austin worked as a wildlife technician in the rain forests of Puerto Rico working on a research project during his undergraduate years. Austin is eager to meet the FTA community over the next several months and is looking forward to facilitating the growth of this important program.

Meet the Team