meet the team

Founding Members and Team Leads

Erin Doucette (she/her)

Founding Member

When you notice a gap you try to fill it.
That's how the Trail Collective came to be. 

Although I've been running since middle school, I only started trail running in 2021. I had started a new and very stressful job in May 2020. I spent pretty much every day in my bedroom online listening to refugee claimants share their stories of persecution. When I was able to shut the laptop and go outside I headed to our beautiful Don Valley (Wonscotonach) and started to run short distances and slowly learn the trails: where they dead-ended, where they connected, how they changed as the seasons changed, how it was the one place where my jaw unclenched and my mind turned off. The solitude was welcome, at first, but I longed for connection and community. I was new to trail running, but didn't know where or how to find others who may be new to the sport. Were there others like me looking to start slowly and at short distances, who felt intimidated by heading into the woods alone?  Turns out there are a lot of us! I'm fortunate to have met some of the kindest, most caring, social-justice minded folks who have helped breathe The Trail Collective to life. 

The Trail Collective is the intersection of my passions and my values: trail running, equity, inclusion, and representation in sport, access to the outdoors, the joy of movement, community building, belonging.

Diana (Dee) Pearson (they/she)

Founding Member

I began trail running in November 2022 through wind, snow, rain and mud. From the back of the pack I’d be shouting “is this an extreme sport?!” to those further ahead. I learned that running is a fantastic way to improve physical, mental and social health. I completed my first ultramarathon May 2024, with another planned for September 2026. But it’s not all about the distance; for me it’s about community. As an equity practitioner with a Masters in Gender and Social Justice, I care deeply about making a difference. 

With The Trail Collective, I’ve combined my love for trail running with my desire to create equitable and welcoming spaces, ensuring that runners feel safe and confident on the trails through guidance, kinship and inclusive access to group runs. Erin’s vision has since been brought to life through this amazing group of kind, passionate, and strong people.

Nancy Kim (she/her)

Team Lead

Nancy enjoys trail running as a way to keep active, decompress, and connect with nature. She can often be found on the trails with various run groups (The Trail Collective, Toronto Trail Runners, Cani6ix dog club), however solo runs are just as special! When she's not running, Nancy spends her time as an environmental engineer and busy mom of 3.

Laura Levin (she/her)

Team Lead

I started trail running during Covid, as a way to get exercise and get into the woods. As a rock climber and hiker, it seemed like a natural fit right away. My goal has never been to run far or fast, I just love the feeling of moving through the forest surrounded by nature. When I’m not running I’m a therapist and a mom, so running is also a great form of self care. I love running with my Trail Collective friends, and of course, my dog Toby! 

Shelley Jo Rojas Saracin (she/her)

Team Lead

Shelley Jo Rojas Saracin Profile Picture

Shelley is an educator and artist who finds joy outdoors. Before moving to Canada, Shelley drew inspiration from Mt. Makiling as a scholar of The Philippine High School for the Arts. Shelley earned her BS Tourism and MA English Language degrees from the University of the Philippines, later completing OCELT and ICTEAL certifications in Toronto. She teaches academic English to speakers of other languages, volunteers for TESL NY/YR, and runs with Chix Run the 6ix and the Trail Collective. Her work blends metaphors across genres of creative and academic writing, and visual arts. For Shelley, road and trail running, as well as hiking are not only therapy, but metaphors for navigating life.

Stephanie Sullivan (she/her)

Team Lead

Stephanie Sullivan Profile Picture

I've always enjoyed time outdoors, but I never considered myself an athlete. I started running in my early twenties, completing a handful of 10K and half marathon races. Yet, despite the many kilometres, I never truly found a passion for it or a community that resonated with me. After a few years off, everything changed when I attended the Trail Collective's intro to trail running clinic in the fall of 2023. It instantly made me excited to run again, and I signed up as a volunteer, eager to share how fun—and delightfully unserious—trail running can be. You truly don't need to aspire to an ultramarathon to find joy on the trails! This journey ultimately led me to canicross, a sport I'm now thrilled to compete in. Look for me on the trails, usually with a dog happily leading the way.

Kalpana Chouhan (she/her)

Team Lead

Trail running represents a fusion of my love for movement and my appreciation for the great outdoors. Each step on those winding paths feels like an adventure, an opportunity to connect with the earth beneath me and the sky above me.