Brad Peacock
The Foothills Branch Council plays a critical role in the future direction of our branch, supporting and resourcing our program and activity committees, so we can provide experiences and learning to our members. We invite all Foothills Branch members to participate in the elections from August 31 - September 22, 2023.
The Foothills Branch has an outstanding candidate for the open branch chair-elect position in the 2023-2024 officer’s council.
We continue to seek interested candidates for treasurer. Please contact Foothills Branch Chair Brad Peacock to learn more.
To cast your vote online and learn more about each position and candidate, click on the link below. Voting will open on Thursday, August 31 and close on Friday, September 22 at 11:59pm. Your vote counts, so please take a few moments to learn more about our candidates and cast your vote.
The Mountaineers depend on the generosity, initiative, and leadership of our volunteers to steward the future of our organization. A sincere thank you to candidates for volunteering to run and your interest to serve on the Foothills Branch Council!
Meet our candidate:
Branch Chair-Elect
The branch chair-elect works closely with the branch chair and branch past chair to coordinate and support the efforts and initiatives of the Foothills Branch committees. During their year of on-boarding and training, they learn to work in concert with the broader organization to provide safe and inspiring activities, courses, and volunteer experiences that allow members on the Eastside to explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Travis Vermeer
Personal Statement: "As a native Washingtonian and lover of the outdoors, I have been a lifelong beneficiary of the conservation efforts of The Mountaineers. I was introduced to our state’s natural places through The Mountaineers’ publishing works, notably Ira Spring and Harvey Manning’s 100 Hikes series, and was initially drawn to participating with the Club by an interest in taking the Basic Alpine Climbing course. I began by taking courses in Snowshoeing and Alpine Scrambling, and along the way have helped instruct for the Wilderness Navigation and Alpine Scrambling courses, become a day hike leader, and otherwise participated in dozens of Mountaineers activities and events. This summer I graduated from Basic Alpine Climbing—finally achieving what I first set out to do with the Club. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of the Club’s volunteers or the support and camaraderie of its members.
My wife Erin and I currently reside in North Bend, and we have both loved our involvement with the Foothills Branch and getting to know its members and volunteers. My interest in the branch chair-elect role is driven by a desire to meaningfully give back to the community that has given me so much over the years. Friendly, talented, and above all dedicated volunteers have been the common thread running through my experiences with The Mountaineers, and I can’t think of a better way to give back to this community than by giving my time to help support its efforts.
I have a long history of volunteerism prior to The Mountaineers, having previously been a member and served on the boards of various Rotary clubs and my local YMCA. I believe those experiences, together with my experiences across various Mountaineers branches and activities would serve me well in the branch chair-elect role. I appreciate your consideration of me for this role and look forward to the opportunity to serve the Branch in the coming years."
