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Meet the Friends Leadership
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Arleen
Decker
President
"My other car is a pair of boots," bumpersticker
sums up Arleen's devotion to trails and hiking and
all... read
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Brooke
Bradley
Vice President
I have had the most incredibly rewarding career
helping children learn to enjoy, appreciate and
protectthe outdoors... read
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Ed
Dippold
Treasurer
Born in northern Minnesota, Ed has a Bachelors degree
from the University of Minnesota. He spent two years
in the army and... read
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Dr.
Michael Toomey
Secretary
Mike is the Curator of History at the East Tennessee
Historical Society and the Managing Editor of The
Journal of... read
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Fount
W. Bertram
Director
I have been a member of the Tennessee Trails Association
since 1995 and have served in many... read
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Joni
Lovegrove
Director
Joni has been an environmental educator for many
years and has been instrumental in promoting the
Friends of State... read
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Leslie
Burrell Smith
Director
A mountain girl through and through, I was born
and raised in Northeast Tennessee... read
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Joseph
DeCosimo
Director
Joseph grew up and now lives a few miles from the
Cumberland Trail's southern terminus at Signal Point...
read
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Arleen Decker, President -- 
"My other car is a pair of boots," bumpersticker sums up Arleen's devotion to trails and hiking and
all things outdoors. Born and raised in The Big Apple, she came to Tennessee for college and has
been here ever since. Along with a 17-year career in administration at Vanderbilt Medical School,
she has worked for the Tennessee Environmental Council, Cumberland Trail Conference, and is
now self-employed with hubby Ed as proprietors of Once Upon A Time Wilderness Adventures.
Arleen has volunteered in leadership roles with the Tennessee Trails Association, Cumberland
River Compact, and Governer's Council on Trails and Greenways. She has volunteered on the
Cumberland Trail since the renewal of the project in 1994 and led the successful $2.1 million
Pathways for People...People for Nature fundraising campaign for land aquisition for the Cumerland Trail
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Brooke Bradley, Vice President -- 
I have had the most incredibly rewarding career helping children learn to enjoy, appreciate and protect the outdoors.
As a children’s camp director and outdoor educator, I have shared the discovery of the outdoors with literally thousands
of boys and girls as well as youth leaders. In the process, I have learned to never take for granted the incredible natural
resources we have in the state of Tennessee.
My goal in working with the Friends of the Cumberland Trail is this: I want people to know and use this fascinating new trail!
This pathway along the ridges of the beautiful Cumberland Mountains has spectacular vistas and native plants, but the trail is
also woven full of the music, riddles, quilt patterns, stories and history of the people who live there.
Like many of you, I want to ensure that wild places are protected and preserved.
Can you imagine what it would have been like to help establish the Appalachian Trail? We have the amazing opportunity
right now to develop a trail that will be treasured for generations to come. Come join us—we are truly leaving the footprints of a legacy.
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Ed Dippold, Treasurer -- 
Born in northern Minnesota, Ed has a Bachelors degree from the
University of Minnesota. He spent two years in the army and four years
teaching High School math. The remainder of his career involved various
projects where he worked as a computer programmer.
Ed has lived in ten different states, but retired and moved to Tennessee
in 1992 after living in Michigan for 22 years.
Ed is a charter member of the Tennesse Trails Cove Lake hiking club. He
participates in the monthly meetings , monthly hikes and monthly trail
maintenance projects on the Cumberland Trail and LaFollette Nature
Trail. He is also a regular volunteer for Cumberland Trail BreakAway
and Big Dig programs.
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Dr. Michael Toomey, Secretary -- 
Mike is the Curator of History at the East Tennessee Historical Society
and the Managing Editor of The Journal of East Tennessee History. He was
born and raised in Tennessee, and now lives in Anderson County with his
wife Lydia. As for hobbies, he likes to go hiking and backpacking when
he has the time, and he does lots of yard work and gardening whether he
has the time or not.
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Fount W. Bertram, Director -- 
I have been a member of the Tennessee Trails Association since 1995 and have served in many
different capacities. I was Chapter Officer for the Murfreesboro Chapter for 3 years. I served 2
years as Vice President and 2 years as President of the state organization. I have headed up
various committees and events, including National Trails Day and National Public Lands Day
on several occasions. I also serve as the representative for TTA to the Southeast Foot Trails
Coalition of which I was also a founder.
I have been active in the Cumberland Trail Conference since it's inception serving on the board
and volunteering for the various trail building functions. I have been a part of the BreakAway
program for 8 years and participate in the Big Dig projects every year. I have assisted in fund raising projects every year.
I was a founder of the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park. I have served on the Planning
Committee for the Annual Conferences for 2 years. I am currently serving as chair of that
committee. I also participate in various community events and projects.
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Joni Lovegrove, Director -- 
Joni has been an environmental educator for many years and has been instrumental in
promoting the Friends of State Parks concept. She is a founding member of Friends of
Fall Creek Falls, and the Emory River Watershed Association. She has donated countless
hours to preserve and protect our Cumberland Mountains through education and leadership
roles with several organizations. She and husband Randy live on Oak Ridge.
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Leslie Burrell Smith,
Director -- 
A mountain girl through and through, I was born and raised
in Northeast Tennessee. While growing up, I was fortunate
to have parents who frequently took me hiking and camping.
By doing so, they instilled in me a fine appreciation for
the great outdoors. I went on to attend college at East Tennessee
State University, where I enrolled in the Bluegrass Program
and began my study of the fascinating and beautiful region
known as Appalachia. While an undergraduate and graduate student
at ETSU, I began spending my summers working as a naturalist
for Tennessee State Parks. In 2001 my summer park job led
me down the path of the Cumberland Trail. This was definitely
one of the most memorable summers of my life! During this
experience, I met and interviewed some truly amazing folks
and learned about land use along the trail's corridor. I have
been a huge fan of the Cumberland Trail ever since! As scarce
as wildlands are now becoming, places like the Cumberland
Trail still give me hope. Hope that in the future there will
still be mountains and forests left, where I might one day
walk with my children and grandchildren. I am proud to be
a part of this organization!
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Joseph DeCosimo,
Director --  Joseph grew up and now lives a few miles
from the Cumberland Trail's southern terminus at Signal Point.
He holds a B.A. in English from UNC Chapel Hill and took a
number of folklore courses while there. He teaches highschool
English in Chattanooga. After spending two summers on the
CT as a Seasonal Interpretive Ranger and working with the
Cumberland Trail Music Heritage Project, he has developed
a deep appreciation for the beauty of the trail, the region,
and culture of the Cumberland Plateau. As an old time fiddler
and banjo player, he has a keen interest in the musical heritage
of the trail corridor and its preservation. As a musician,
he performs music learned from other local musicians, several
of whom lived right along the path of the Cumblerland Trail.
He is very interested in working with the Friends Group to
link the cultural heritage of the trail with the physical
trail to create a richer experience for all who come in contact
with the Cumberland Trail.
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