Meet Our Board
Bob Detrick (President)
Bob grew up in western Pennsylvania and spent most of his professional life in southern New England (Rhode Island and Cape Cod) and Washington, D.C. where he worked as a marine geophysicist and research scientist, a scientific administrator at NSF and NOAA, and CEO of a non-profit university consortium which supported research in seismology. Bob and his wife bought a house in Bozeman in 2017 and quickly discovered Hyalite which became one of our favorite places to hike, cross-country ski and bike. Bob retired in 2020 and relocated to Bozeman full-time where he is enjoying the myriad of opportunities for outdoor activities in Hyalite and the surrounding greater Yellowstone area
Nan Brandenbergerpayne (Vice President)
Kelly Creek Ranger Station on the Montana/Idaho border was Nan’s first home. Her young life was spent recreating in USFS region one - backpacking, hiking and skiing were a way of life. Once graduated from college, Nan married Mark Payne, a forester. They lived and worked in Northwestern MT with their daughter and continued to recreate outdoors. Moves to Maine and North Carolina only changed the venue. While living in TN and Saudi Arabia, they flew home to MT each summer, often spending a day in Hyalite. Nan worked as an educator for 35 years, teaching a variety of grades, from pre-K to college. Now retired, Nan and Mark have a tradition of taking the first canoe paddle of the year up on Hyalite Reservoir.
Angela Davis (Treasurer)
Angela originally hails from northeast Florida, where she received her undergraduate degree in biology and worked as an environmental scientist for a handful of years. She's been in Bozeman since 2015 working with nonprofits in the valley and across the region since 2017 through AmeriCorps programs, event planning, volunteer management, and community outreach. Many of Angela's important firsts happened in Hyalite; her first backpacking trip, first snowshoe adventure, first backcountry ski outing, and more. She still routinely enjoys these and other activities in Hyalite. Needless to say, Hyalite holds a special place in her heart, and she is excited to be a part of Friends of Hyalite's important mission work.
Mira Brody (Secretary)
A Bay Area native, Mira found herself missing the grandeur that nearby Yosemite offered growing up, but quickly found Hyalite to be an exemplary stand-in. Her favorite season is summer, when she can run high into the mountains and lounge in her kayak on the reservoir. A close second is during the seasonal road closure when the canyon is at its quietest. Mira studied English at California State University, Chico and moved to Bozeman in 2015 to find peace among the mountains. When she’s not working as a professional writer or volunteering time to her favorite local organizations, you can find Mira up in the Gallatins in her running shoes or skis with her cattle dog, Sierra.
Abigail Elsmo-Siebert
Abby is a Wisconsin born adventurist who moved to Bozeman a few years ago for the world class ice climbing. She instantly fell in love with Hyalite Canyon for all it has to offer. Whether she is ice climbing, biking, rock climbing, backpacking or rockhounding you can often find her somewhere in Hyalite! As an employee at a local outdoor retailer she is able to engage with community members and other local non profits to better understand what Bozeman is seeking from our shared public lands. She is looking forward to new opportunities to work with our growing community.
Maggie Hickman
Maggie grew up in Bozeman, and spent her childhood camping, nordic skiing, trail running, and hiking up at Hyalite. After completing her undergraduate degrees in Music Theory and Economics at Whitman College, she returned to Bozeman to pursue her career. Maggie now works at Foundant Technologies, where she gets to consult with nonprofit organizations across the world. In her free time, Maggie is a professional musician - and of course, spends as much time as she can playing in the mountains she calls home.
Lexi Olson
Originally from the Sonoran Desert of Phoenix, AZ, Lexi’s journey into environmental stewardship began at Arizona State University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Sustainability. Seeking year-round recreation opportunities and abundant outdoor access, she moved to Bozeman after college and quickly fell in love with Hyalite Canyon. When she’s not working as a Marketing Program Manager, you can find her in Hyalite climbing rock and ice, trail running, camping, and mountain biking.