Annual Awards Will Be Announced and Photographer Max Milligan Will Speak at the Annual Meeting

/0 Comments/in /by
We’re pleased to announce that the featured speaker for the Annual Meeting on Wednesday, November 30 will be author and fine art photographer Max Milligan.
“Milligan is renowned for his painterly eye and the fact that he uses no filters, flash and only minimal digital correction in his work. With eight books published and two in production, his titles have appeared in The Times Top Ten Travel Books of the Year and Condé Nast Traveler Book of the Month.
He began his career working as a wildlife cameraman for the BBC and National Geographic Video in the Amazon jungle before becoming a documentary editor at the BBC and Channel 4 in London.
His artworks hang in private and corporate collections worldwide, including the prestigious Deutsche Bank collection in London. Previous exhibitions include Kensington Palace, City Hall London and The European Parliament.
Max’s words and pictures have appeared in newspapers such as The Times, Daily Telegraph, FT, Guardian, Independent and magazines including Harper’s Bazaar, Condé Nast Traveler, FT How to spend it, New Scientist, Saturday Telegraph Magazine and Porter.
Milligan has also taken stills on the sets of movies such as James Bond, Harry Potter and Bridget Jones and numerous others on behalf of the Corporation of London.
He has lectured to MENSA at Cambridge University and often gives illustrated talks at The Royal Geographical Society as well as giving photography seminars, workshops and courses in institutions all the way from Peru to the University of Brighton.”
In addition, Esther Devito, AMC’s regional director of development in the greater New York area, will speak during the Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually. Nominees for the Executive Committee will be presented and voted upon and chapter awards for the Appie of the Year, Inspiration, Ambassador, and Unsung Hero will be announced during the event. ​​

Meet John DiStefano, the New Urban Trails Supervisor

/0 Comments/in /by

Please welcome John DiStefano, the new Urban Trails Supervisor for the New York-North Jersey Chapter. He has joined Ed Spirko’s Trails Committee, which helps maintain trails around metro New York, in Harriman State Park, and in New Jersey. John’s coverage area is New York City.

John has a long history with the Appalachian Mountain Club. In the early 1980s, he joined the AMC on Joy Street in Boston. Since then, he writes that he has experienced “many delightful hikes, walks, and just plain making friends in 40 years on the trail. AMC values go far beyond stewardship for the land — AMC is about stewardship to each other.”

John retired in November 2021. Now he says it’s his turn to give back. John enjoyed 30 years as a market researcher in the Fortune 500, mostly reporting 1 or 2 rungs from the CEO. He earned a BA in History of Technology from Cornell University and an MBA in market research from CUNY Baruch College. When not volunteering for the AMC, John also helps to support financial literacy and enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, and cooking.

You can reach John at trails.urban@amc-ny.org.

Hiking Chair Steve Galla

Longtime Leader Steve Galla Named Hiking Committee Chair

/0 Comments/in /by

Hiking Chair Steve Galla

 

Congratulations to Steve Galla, who has been elected leader of the Hike Committee. Galla, who had been serving as the Committee’s Vice Chair, is a retired New York City school teacher who joined the AMC in 2004.

An active hike leader, he also served as Chair of the Hiking Committee from March 2007 through March 2009 and as Interim Chair of the Committee from February 2011 to August 2012.

Here’s a snapshot of Galla’s plans for the role:

What motivated you to take on the position?
“I’m glad to take on these responsibilities. I feel qualified and energetic and above all, I have a fabulous team of experienced and motivated volunteers to work with. It is my honor to serve AMC and devote my time and effort to make a difference.”

What are your goals for the Hike Committee?
“My goals are to seek out and add qualified hike leaders to our hiking committee and encourage lots of hikes. I am currently reaching out to leaders who can introduce hiking to communities within our coverage area. We have a reservoir of recent AMC-sponsored leadership trainees who need to become full AMC Hike Leaders. We’ve already begun the process of including them.”

Interested in getting involved with the Hiking Committee? Contact Galla at hiking@amc-ny.org