- Officers -

Denise Smith-Irwin President

Denise graduated from Kent State University in Ohio with a double major in Education. She used these teaching skills in Ohio, Florida, and mostly Washington teaching at an elementary school. She’s always had a passion for the outdoors enjoying activities such as scuba diving, hiking, camping, and flying hot air balloons. In 2003, on the way to Yellowstone National Park for a family vacation, she was in an automobile accident which resulted in a high-level complete spinal cord injury leaving her paralyzed from below the shoulders. Fortunately, her husband and their 5 children only had a few stitches.

Currently, she works part time as a Life Coach specializing in people with spinal cord injuries, serves as a board member on the Dream Catcher Balloon Program (a nonprofit organization that provides a special hot air balloon designed for people with disabilities), and enjoys doing many wheelchair hikes in Washington state and during her travels in and out of the country. She is also passionate about being outdoors on the trails and involved with the King County Parks and Recreation Department and the Washington Trails Association organizations. Denise is excited about being part of Ian’s Ride advocating for more accessible trials and encouraging others of all abilities to get outside and enjoy the beautiful nature!

Jeff Bohman
Vice President

Jeff grew up in the Chicago area, got his BS in Environmental Biology from the University of Colorado, and had a diverse career of positions in natural resources management and water resources planning and management. It included 11 years working as a national park ranger in Denali National Park, Alaska, 10 years working on the Olympic Peninsula with the US Forest Service, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and Clallam County in watershed planning and management, and several other positions in Alaska and on the Peninsula. Before retiring early in 2014, Jeff spent his final 9 work years working for Olympic National Park on a wide variety of projects within the overall Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration project of dam removal and habitat restoration throughout the lower Elwha River watershed. Jeff arrived on the Olympic Peninsula in 1989, and began his involvement on the Peninsula Trails Coalition board in 1991. He’s now in his second tenure as PTC board president, resuming in 2013. He and his wife, Barb Maynes, have two adult daughters, and he and Barb are happily exploring the opportunity and variety that dual retirement now offers.

Lena Washke
Treasurer

Lena Washke started an Accounting Firm in Port Angeles, WA in 2005. She has experience in personal, small business, corporate, governmental and non-profit accounting since 1992. She has served as in many capacities with non-profit organizations. Lena is a founding member of Reflections Counseling Service Group, a non-profit chemical dependency out-patient treatment facility located in Port Angeles and currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors. Lena has been an active member of Soroptimist International of Port Angeles since 1997 and has served as President, Secretary and Treasurer. She has also served on the Supervisory Committee of a Credit Union and has been an Officer of an Investment Club. Lena is very excited to serve on the Board of Ian’s Ride and is impressed with Ian’s passion surrounding outdoor accessibility and the support Ian provides to others that are facing similar challenges regarding mobility impairment.

Terry Gallagher
Secretary

Terry is a life-long Clallam County resident. He retired in 2016 after a 32-year law enforcement career that included nine years as the Port Angeles Police Chief. He and Tammy have been married almost 40-years and have two adult sons. Terry is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Port Angeles.

- Directors -

Quentin Wildsmith
Director

Each day I have the privilege of serving individual clients and businesses facing legal dilemmas - and I solve their problems. I focus much of my time in trust and estate disputes, and my abilities are different from most other lawyers. Many law firms involved in trust and estate litigation use lawyers who are estate planners with little experience handling a major contested matter in the courtroom.

Other firms rely on civil litigators with little or no experience in the field of trusts and estates. I am different because I have 25+ years of experience in litigation with an in-depth knowledge of probate, trusts and estates. Outside the office it's all about spending time with the family, cheering on the mighty Seahawks, and hunting for the next travel adventure!

Paul Cunningham
Director

Paul lives in Port Angeles with his wife and daughters.  Originally from New Jersey he landed in Seattle after a six years enlistment in the US Navy.  He served onboard the USS Truxtun, CGN-35 as an electrician and nuclear power plant operator.  Paul  has called the Olympic Peninsula home since 2003.  Paul enjoys running, hiking, and a bit of cycling.  He is the Chief Medical Officer for Jamestown Family Health Clinic in Sequim, and maintains board certification in Family Medicine, Geriatrics, and Hospice/Palliative Care.  Paul’s daughter Poppy depends upon a power wheelchair and he is excited to be a part of the great work Ian and others are doing to make the Olympic Peninsula and beyond more accessible to all.

- Staff -

Ian Mackay
Executive Director

Ian Mackay has many titles, including, but not limited to: Trail King, Apple consultant, cover model, Mighty Dipper, Executive Director, Invacare Ambassador, and proud board member of the Here & Now Project. He was paralyzed in 2008 in California where he was pursuing a background in biological sciences. Since then, he has built his own smart home from the ground up, started a nonprofit called Ian's Ride, began consulting for Apple, ridden his wheelchair across Washington state multiple times, runs three different support groups, and is an active public speaker.

Ian's hobbies include long rides on trails, pub trivia, craft beer, adaptive technology, bluegrass music, and birding. He lives in Port Angeles, Washington and is a big advocate for the Olympic Discovery Trail. He received the Trail Leader award for 2017 and 2018 from the Washington State Trails Coalition. He was named Washingtonian of the Day by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2016 and named Washington Bikes person of the year in 2017.

Ian has been involved with the Here & Now Project since its inception and is passionate about helping people with paralysis "do life". He has hosted well over 130 support groups along the Olympic Peninsula since 2014 and believes paralysis is difficult and doing it alone is nearly impossible. Community is the answer.