Bitterroot Trail Preservation Alliance

The Bitterroot Trail Preservation Alliance Board of Directors is composed of 4 to 9 individuals elected by and from the membership of the organization who are 18 years of age or older. Board members are elected for terms of 3 years each with terms staggered to provide overlap of membership. Board member elections are held each March at the annual members' meeting. You can view our "Bylaws" here.

Board members for 2025 and their cities of residence

President: Jean Belangie-Nye, founding member - Lolo

Jean Belangie-Nye is president of the Bitterroot Trail Preservation Alliance Board of Directors and one of the founding members. Although, she is not an avid cyclist, she is an strong advocate for multi-use shared trails. Her dream is to see a shared use pathway that runs from Glacier Park to Yellowstone Park through the Bitterroot. Eventually she would like to see a Trail that runs from the Trail of the Coeur d’ Alene’s to North Dakota and connects all of Montana’s shared use pathways.

Jean has been involved with the Trail for almost thirty years. She chaired the Highway 93 South Pathway Focus Group and was the Missoula County and Lolo representative on the Citizens Advisory Committee for Highway 93 South. Jean was the chair of the Missoula2Lolo Shared Use Committee for the pathway section between Missoula and Lolo. She was a member of Team Tiger which resulted in the TIGER Grant for the Missoula2Lolo section of the Bitterroot Trail. Jean was a member of the Bike Walk Alliance for Missoula Board for seven years and chair for two years.

Jean is an artist and former elementary school educator who lives in Lolo with her standard poodle, Tycho and her cat, Abu. In addition to her passion for trails, Jean spends her time gardening, working with her photography and socializing with her friends.

Vice-President: Diana Wood - Victor

Diana was born and raised in Missoula, Montana and presently lives in the Bitterroot Valley.  While in college, she took her first long distance bike tour and was hooked.  Over the past decade, she transitioned from road riding to trail riding and that is why the Bitterroot Trail is important enough to her to be a member and serve on the board of directors. Come join her by becoming a member.  The Bitterroot Trail is a great resource and needs your support.

Secretary: Roger DiBrito, founding member - Florence

Roger is serious about cycling.  A bicycle commuter since an early age for school and recreation.  Retired Health Enhancement teacher, Roger has taught children and adults how to mix with traffic in a predictable, responsible way as pedestrian, bicyclist or motorist.  His focus is “Public access to Public Land”, securing “right-of-way” trails and paths to our natural resource’s; rivers, streams, lakes, State and Federal Lands.  He encourages non-motorized travel for personal and planet health.

Treasurer: Bob Wachtel, founding member - Missoula

Bob had been an avid bicycle commuter during his career at the University of Montana in a professional staff position providing service to faculty and students with media support. After retiring from the University he was a founding member of Bike/Walk Alliance for Missoula, Inc. and held the position of Treasurer for that organization for 7 years. Bob became interested in the Bitterroot Trail when BWAM was instrumental in applying for the TIGER grant that enabled the construction of the Missoula to Lolo section of the Bitterroot Trail. With his active additional membership in the Missoula Bicycle Club, Bob is particularly interested in preserving and improving the safety and enjoyment for all users of the Bitterroot Trail and bicycling in general for transportation, recreation, and health.

Board Member: Bryan Donner - Lolo

Bryan is now retired from a career with the US Forest Service, mostly on National Forests in Western Montana. He now lives in Lolo and can't believe his good fortune that the Bitterroot Trail is less than half a mile from his house.  He dabbled in bicycle racing in his youth but mostly now rides for pleasure and exercise.  The Bitterroot Trail is a tremendous resource for recreation and outdoor enjoyment in our part of Western Montana.  His involvement with the Alliance is to help make this feature a world class experience.  He is particularly interested in making the trail as safe and enjoyable as possible by making the riding surface clean and smooth, as well as the aesthetic of the ride by making the right-of-way as litter-free as possible. Ride on!

Board Member: Keith Dustrud - Missoula

Keith is an avid cyclist, road, mountain and gravel. He and his wife generally ride in Europe every year for the past 5 years since retiring from a 41 year career as snow sport and camping buyer for Bob Ward’s under the original owners. He uses the Bitterroot Trail very often to train for these rides and is grateful for its existence. Please join him in supporting this wonderful recreation resource.

Board Member: Christopher (Chris) Fox - Stevensville

Chris is a retired U.S. Forest Service environmental planner who has lived outside Stevensville since 2008. He is an avid cyclist, both road and mountain bikes. He first became involved in cycling and walking in the Bitterroot Valley through Bike Walk Bitterroot, helping to identify, maintain and improve opportunities for those activities in local communities. Chris frequently rides the Bitterroot Trail, and appreciates the value that it brings to Ravalli and Missoula counties in terms of recreational opportunities, health benefits, non-motorized transportation options and tourism. He is also interested in developing and promoting legislation which addresses and improves laws pertaining to non-motorized transportation.

Board Member: Donn Livoni - Hamilton

New Board member in 2025

Board Member: 1 Vacancy for 2025 - please see the "BTPA Board Information Sheet" for information if you are interested in becoming a member of the Board of Directors of the Bitterroot Trail Preservation Alliance.