Volunteer Spotlight

Jamie Nowitzki

We may be biased but we think TRTA volunteers are the greatest. Case in point, Jamie Goodspeed Nowitzki! Jamie has been a Tahoe Rim Trail volunteer since 2017 serving as both a crew leader and trail guide.

Jamie grew up in northern Michigan enjoying the great outdoors with her family. Her favorite hobby is backpacking. More specifically, backpacking on National Scenic Trails like the Pacific Crest Trail and the North Country Trail. In 2007, with the mountains calling, she made the move to Lake Tahoe. She has been adventuring on the Tahoe Rim Trail every year since. She and her pup Dylan completed the Tahoe Rim Trail in 2017.

Jamie got involved with volunteering after enjoying a solo backpacking trip along the PCT. She decided to give back to the trails she loved starting with digging into workdays and overnight backcountry work projects. She fondly looks back at her first workday with the TRTA and remembers how much fun she had and how fulfilled she felt walking away dirty and tired. More recently she started volunteering for the Forest Service’s Desolation Wilderness Volunteers after seeing some of the negative impacts the growing number of users in Desolation were creating. Through volunteering, she has learned many life lessons and has made amazing friendships along the way. She is a great resource for the TRTA, putting in over 250 volunteer hours in 2020 alone. She has her Wilderness First Responder, Crosscut B Sawyer, and her CPR certifications. This woman is a rock star and we are grateful for all the time she spends volunteering with the TRTA!

When not out adventuring or volunteering on trails, Jamie can be found at the Bijou Community School in South Lake Tahoe, CA where she recently accepted a new position with the Lake Tahoe Unified School District as the Cafeteria Supervisor. She is very excited to help provide students with a healthy diet and make a positive impact in the community. After working with Jaime on the trail, we know the Bijou kids are in for a real treat!