Q&A with Our New Regional Directors

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) is very excited to have not one, but two new Regional Directors join the team this month. Regional Directors play an important role in connecting with partners, engaging volunteers, supporting Trail and resource management, and conserving the Trail landscape and experience.

Drew Ball is the new Regional Director in ATC’s Southern Region, and Rachel Lettre is taking the reins as the Regional Director in the Mid-Atlantic. Both Drew and Rachel have experience working with volunteers and numerous partners. As you will see below, they are super Trail supporters and have dedicated their careers to conservation.

Rachel Lettre, Mid-Atlantic Regional Director

What is your earliest memory of or first experience on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.)? Since then, how has your relationship with the Trail grown?

During my sophomore year of college at Indiana University, I signed up for a spring break trip backpacking on the A.T. in Georgia. I had just switched my major to Outdoor Recreation and had backpacked in the West but never on the East Coast. I had two amazing trip leaders who spent the journey convincing me to get the certification I needed to lead trips. Since then, I’ve gotten to know many sections of the Trail through both work and play. I’ve used the A.T. as a classroom, taking Washington D.C. students hiking and backpacking, often for their first time. I’ve led conservation skills training for summer crew leaders, teaching them to set rocks and install drainage structures. And I’ve escaped the city for day hikes with friends and family. Each of these experiences has allowed me to see the Trail through a new lens and has instilled in me just how lucky we are to have this resource and how important it is that the A.T. be preserved for future generations.

What led you to a career in conservation?

When I was in high school, I did a four-week backpacking and canoe trip in Colorado and Utah that introduced me to the world of outdoor recreation. The next summer, I volunteered on a trail crew in Yellowstone. These experiences sparked a passion for the outdoors — backpacking, camping, and trail work and left me wanting more. I went on to major in Outdoor Recreation, and after several seasons leading trips, teaching environmental education, and facilitating outdoor adventure programs, I knew I wanted my career to focus not just on recreation but on stewardship. I wanted to introduce others, particularly young people from underserved areas to the natural world through hands-on service.

What compelled you to work for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)?

I grew up in Maryland and have spent most of my career working in the Mid-Atlantic region, running conservation programs in the same states that I’ll be working in with the ATC. I love that the Trail connects so many of the parks I’ve hiked, camped, and worked in. I am drawn to the work that the ATC is doing to not only manage this amazing resource but to help envision the future of the A.T. as laid out in the 2021-2024 Strategic Plan, such as climate resilience and engaging new people and partners. As the ATC nears its 100-year anniversary, I am excited to be part of celebrating the legacy of the ATC and the opportunities that lie ahead.

What do you find most exciting as you start your journey with the ATC?

For starters, I’m excited to really get to know the A.T. in the Mid-Atlantic region. While I’ve been on many sections, there are many I don’t know. I can’t wait to meet the staff, volunteers, and visitors and hear their stories and get out on the Trail and in the trailside communities. I also am excited to think about the opportunities in the region. The Mid-Atlantic has the largest urban population within a few hours’ drive of the Trail and I think about the potential for creative partnerships and programs to engage people and introduce them to the A.T. I love connecting people to the outdoors and the possibilities are endless!

What is your favorite hike on the A.T.?

Keeping it local, I’m going to say the hike to Annapolis Rock in Maryland from the Myersville trailhead. In one of my first jobs out of college, I used to take groups of kids there to hike and rappel off the rocks. I can still feel the sense of excitement and buzz many of those kids had on the hikes back to the vans. A few years later, while working at the Student Conservation Association, we’d take students in our conservation leadership corps for their first backpacking trip and Leave No Trace trainers course at Annapolis Rock. It’s a great day hike with a big reward (the view from the rocks) that is just enough to keep people wanting more and, hopefully, get them hooked on hiking and backcountry camping.

Your single favorite piece of gear on Trail, and why?

I love my HydraPak Stow Bottle. It’s lightweight, durable, never leaks, and is easy to drink from when walking. I can throw it in my pack, or in a fanny pack if doing a short hike, and best of all, it doesn’t smell and is easy to clean.

Drew Ball, Southern Regional Director

What is your earliest memory of or first experience on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.)? Since then, how has your relationship with the Trail grown?

During my time as a Cub Scout, we went on a multi-night camping trip that took us near the A.T. It was an incredibly formative experience for me and after that trip, I was fascinated by the Trail. Since moving back to western North Carolina a few years ago, I’ve been thankful for the chance to spend a lot more time exploring the A.T.

What led you to a career in conservation?

Growing up in a rural part of Forsyth County, NC, exploring and playing outside was my refuge. As an adult, I was drawn to conservation and environmental protection. After a few years of working on political campaigns, my passion for the environment led me to work for the North Carolina Sierra Club. I later worked for the national Sierra Club in Washington D.C. fighting to protect precious landscapes as national monuments. Most recently, I worked as the Director of Environment North Carolina.

What compelled you to work for the ATC? 

My love and respect for the Appalachian region, my passion for conservation, and the desire to protect and enhance the crown jewel of our nation’s growing trail network for current and future generations.

What do you find most exciting as you start your journey with the ATC?

I’m incredibly excited to meet and work alongside so many volunteers who have already been out there caring for the Trail. I can’t wait to get out on the A.T. with all my new friends who I haven’t met yet.

What is your favorite hike on the A.T.? 

It’s honestly too hard to choose! I love the spruce-firs and vistas around Charlies Bunion and have made some wonderful memories along that section.

Your single favorite piece of gear on Trail, and why? 

My Jetboil. It has never let me down and I’m a big fan of a nice coffee break along the Trail.