Mandi Maycumber
The Olympia Branch has three outstanding candidates for three open positions in the 2023-2024 officer’s council. The open positions are branch director, chair-elect, and treasurer.
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.
A sincere thank you to all of our candidates for volunteering to run and your interest to serve on Olympia Branch’s officer's council!
MEET our candidates:
Branch DIRECtor
Mike Riley
Personal Statement: "It would be an honor to represent the Olympia Branch on the Board of Directors. I have always been a strong advocate for the Olympia Branch and the other Branches. My basic philosophy on the Mountaineers is that what is good for the Branches is good for the Club. The Olympia Branch has been extremely important in my life. I moved here in 1997 and took Basic Climbing in 1999. I still climb and socialize with many people who I met in the course. Climbs with friends I met in or through the Olympia Branch have been an avenue to great adventure from Shuksan, Triumph, Burgundy and Chablis Spires, The Grand, to Switzerland. As an instructor and climb leader and having taken several courses outside the Club, it is my opinion that our courses are the best volunteer-run courses anywhere and the Club should be doing everything possible to support the courses run by the Branches."
Branch Chair-Elect
Bob keranen
Personal Statement: "I grew up in New Mexico, where I learned to trek and climb and kayak. Ended up in the PNW in 2000 and joined the club in 2009. I have served as several different activity chairs- Scrambling, Climbing, MOFA, Leadership, and twice as Branch Chair. I am passionate in supporting the Olympia Branch and The Mountaineers with a goal of getting people outside and preserving our magnificent lands here in the North West."
Branch TREASURER
Jeremy Hogan
Personal Statement: "It would be my pleasure to serve the Olympia Branch as Treasurer. My goal would be to identify key programs/funding, what is driving that activity, and clearly relay the financial status of the branch. Branch success is measured by the ability to achieve its mission. Enriching the community by helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands/waters of this beautiful state is done one program at a time. Through the programs, the branch has the opportunity to share its core values and inspire future leaders to continue the legacy of outdoor education, integrity, and action. I moved to Olympia in 1993, where I graduated high school in the class of 2003. Finally joining The Mountaineers in 2020, having been interested for quite a few years, it quickly became a large part of my life. After completing Alpine Scrambling with the Olympia Branch in 2021, I started volunteering as an instructor for multiple courses and assisting with leading activities. The Olympia leadership’s openness and fostering of volunteerism is one of the primary factors that has kept me engaged and excited about each of the programs. I fulfilled the course requirements for Basic Alpine Climbing this year, and look forward to helping and learning more!"
