Volunteer of the Year Awards 2025

Marin Trail Stewards is a volunteer-led organization. Everything we do, from building and maintaining trails, to hosting events, to showing up at public meetings, happens because people are willing to give their time, energy, and heart to this community.

Each year, we pause to recognize a few of the many volunteers who make an outsized impact. Our annual Volunteer of the Year Awards are a small way to say thank you to the people who consistently show up, dig deep (sometimes literally), and help move our mission forward.

For 2025, we are proud to recognize three incredible individuals whose commitment to trails, community, and stewardship truly stands out.

2025 Trails Volunteer of the Year: Peter Hively

Some volunteers leave their mark quietly, over decades of steady dedication. Peter Hively is one of those people.

Peter has been part of the Marin Trail Stewards trail crew since the original Tamarancho build-out in the mid-1990s, and his impact is woven into the very fabric of our trail system. His passion for trail building, combined with an unmatched willingness to jump in wherever needed, has made him a cornerstone of our trail work.

As Executive Director Vernon Huffman shared:

“Peter Hively has been on the trail crew since the original Tamarancho build out in the mid 90's. Peter's love of trails and his willingness to put his time into building them is incredible. Peter put in more hours on Truck Trail than any other single volunteer. Peter always shows up with an exoskeleton of tools and is the first to dive into that patch of poison oak! ‘I'll do it’ is Peter's motto and hence has earned him our 2025 Trail Volunteer of the Year!”

If you’ve ever benefited from a well-built, well-maintained trail from Marin Trail Stewards, chances are Peter had a hand in it. We are endlessly grateful for his decades of dedication and for always being the first to say, “I’ll do it.”

2025 Community Volunteer of the Year: Daniel Clemens

If you’ve spent any time around Marin Trail Stewards, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with Daniel Clemens. And if you haven’t yet, you probably will.

Daniel’s involvement spans nearly every corner of our organization. He’s out digging trail, supporting events, leading Thirsty Thursday group rides, helping produce Marinduro, and coaching at our Breaking Barriers Skills Clinics. But his contributions don’t stop when the tools are put away.

As Board President Stephen McDaniel put it:

“If you’ve spent any time on the trails with Marin Trail Stewards, you’ve probably crossed paths with Daniel Clemens. Daniel has been a steadfast volunteer for years, digging trail, helping out with events, leading Thirsty Thursday group rides, and coaching at our Breaking Barriers Skills Clinics.

Behind the scenes, he’s just as dedicated. As a member of our development team, Daniel has played a key role in helping MTS secure critical grants.

And through it all, he shows up with humility, positivity, and a willingness to help wherever he’s needed. Daniel embodies what community stewardship looks like. We’re honored to recognize him as our 2025 Community Volunteer of the Year. Drop him some love!”

Daniel’s impact is felt both on the trail and behind the scenes, and his approach, grounded in generosity and collaboration, sets the tone for our entire community.

2025 Rising Star Award: Rowan Kelly

The future of trail advocacy is bright, and Rowan Kelly is a big reason why.

As our youngest mountain bike advocate, Rowan is already showing what it means to be deeply engaged in stewardship. He doesn’t just shred on the bike—he shows up. Rowan represents the mountain bike community at Marin Water meetings, helps on the back-end volunteer crew to produce our events, and actively participates in community meetings as the youngest member of our organization.

His willingness to speak up, lend a hand, and represent the next generation of trail stewards makes him a true Rising Star. We are beyond stoked to have Rowan as part of the MTS community and hope he sticks around for many, many years to come.

Thank You to Our Volunteers!

These three award recipients represent the spirit of Marin Trail Stewards, but they are far from the only ones making a difference. Every volunteer hour, every meeting attended, every trail day completed helps move our mission forward.

To Peter, Daniel, Rowan—and to every volunteer who shows up for Marin’s trails—thank you. We couldn’t do this without you.