FOCT Board & Staff - The Friends of the Cresheim Trail

John Raisch is a long-time local resident who has crossed the Cresheim Valley countless times—by bike, on foot, and during his commute in the early 1990s to Jefferson University (then Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science). He has served on the Friends of Cresheim Trail Board since 2018, and in 2025, he helped lead the board through a pivotal period of growth, including the onboarding of the organization’s first Executive Director and the advancement of board-level strategy and planning. John is also the President of YJR Outdoors, a for-profit outdoor education and consulting company, and Independence Youth Cycling, a nonprofit dedicated to youth development through cycling.

Pat Hynes is a lifelong Cresheim Trail corridor user who spent his childhood exploring the woods in East Mt. Airy and the greater Wissahickon. Pat is a long time Wyndmoor resident and has served on the Springfield Township Environmental Advisory Committee. While a student at Central High he spent 3 years as an intern at the Morris Arboretum. Pat joined the Friends of the Cresheim Trail board in 2018 and has served as Treasurer since his first year.

Greg Gutgesell’s love of the outdoors began while growing up fishing the ponds and creeks of Bucks County and only deepened during his early Air Force years stationed in Montana, where camping, six-day backcountry hikes and ski trips were regular adventures. A 19‑year resident of East Mt. Airy, Greg lives just steps from the Cresheim Trail with his wife Tara, daughter Cori, and their charming 100‑pound mutt, Izzy. Along with his 22-year Air Force career from which he retired in 2016, he spent 25 years working in municipal, federal and corporate Emergency Management before launching his own business renovating beautiful old Northwest Philadelphia homes (Cresheim Home and Garden Services). Greg joined the FOCT board in 2024 and was named Secretary in 2025.

Christine Bush is a teacher at Henry H. Houston School in Mt. Airy, teaching STEM to students in grades K–8. The school is located around the corner from the Allen’s Lane entrance to the Cresheim Trail, where FCT has their Outdoor Classroom spot, providing children with the opportunity to learn about nature in a wooded setting. Prior to teaching, she worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences, where she assisted in various expeditions to Ecuadorian rainforests to survey birds..

Sam Carmichael is a longtime User Experience designer, currently working at a startup focused on small business banking. He and his wife Dayna live in East Mount Airy and own Downtime Bakery on Germantown Ave. He’s from Vermont originally so being outdoors is of vital importance, and out of gratitude for everything the Wissahickon offers he became a FOW Crew Leader in 2021 then joined the FOCT board in 2024.

Alex Jones is a Fellow at the Brookings Institution where his work focuses on advancing the economic competitiveness of U.S. cities and regions. Previously, Alex served in the U.S. Department of Commerce where he led the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, a $1 billion economic development competition funded by the American Rescue Plan. Earlier, he worked at the National League of Cities and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Alex lives in the Germantown section of Philadelphia with his family.

Josh McIlvain is a Senior Consultant at Grounded Consulting, which specializes in helping small to mid-sized nonprofits in fundraising, communications, and strategy. Additionally he has many years experience in arts marketing and events, publishing, exhibitions, and as freelance editor and writer in both Philadelphia and New York. Josh joined the FOCT board in 2025.

William R. McLaughlin has loved the outdoors since his early childhood in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. In addition to his work with the Friends of the Cresheim Trail, he is a middle school cross country coach and an avid Wordler. In 2014 he founded the McLaughlin Law Office, which serves clients in commercial and residential real estate matters in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.

Dan Mercer has been involved in land stewardship activities in the Philadelphia area for over 25 years. He’s been involved with the Cresheim Trail since 2012 and has been involved with the design and construction of the natural surface trails. In addition, he’s founded several friends groups in Lower Merion and Haverford Townships that focus on habitat restoration.

Nick Uniatowski, a Philadelphia-based designer/developer who co-leads his firm, Fluid Design Group, Inc., which serves clients in the Philadelphia area and globally. A lifelong cyclist and lover of the outdoors, he is a proponent of expanding green space access and improving non-car-based transportation. He’s served on the Board of Friends of the Cresheim Trail since 2018, contributing to both the Trail and Communications Committees. Additionally, he volunteers with the Belmont Plateau Trails Alliance, where he assists in maintaining and advocating for sustainable urban mountain bike trails.

Brad Maule is a photographer and writer by background, with a love for the great outdoors dating to his childhood in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania. Friends of the Wissahickon, Mt. Airy CDC, and Chestnut Hill Conservancy are among his professional collaborators, and he joined the Friends of the Cresheim Trail board as President in 2022, after years of volunteering with FOCT and FOW. In 2025, he resigned as president role to become FOCT’s first ever executive director.