Getting to Know Your Crew Leaders: Mark Sullivan

Meet Sutro Stewards Crew Leader, Mark Sullivan! If you attended a Saturday stewardship event in the past year, you likely met Mark, and may have even learned a thing or two about trail building from him. Mark is a frequent Crew Leader on Mount Sutro, and we are fortunate to have his guidance and enthusiasm during events. As a Crew Leader, Mark leads teams of volunteers to carry out safe, fun, and effective projects to build and maintain trails throughout the open space. Thanks, Mark! Read on to learn more about Mark.

Tell us a little about yourself! What is your background and where are you from?

I've been from the Mission for the past nine years. Before that, I'm from suburban New Jersey by way of Hoboken. I'm a Software Engineer with the Internet Archive, proudly advancing its mission of "Universal Access to All Knowledge". Many people assume I met my wife through trail work (sometimes she comes to Mt. Sutro and I boss her around; other times I work with the Volunteers for Outdoor California (V-O-Cal.org) and she bosses me around), but that's only indirectly true.

Mark (right) and Crew Leaders at Sutro Stewards 10th Anniversary Celebration

How did you first hear about Sutro Stewards and what made you want to volunteer?

My brother (also in the Mission, but by a slightly different route) got me into cyclocross right after I moved to California. Then Dan Schneider offered my regular riding group a tour of the dirt trails of the city, amazing me with the bounty barely beyond our collective doorstep. And I met Rezz through Rock the Bike's pedal-powered concerts and SF Bike Party; was he involved in telling me to try out Sutro Stewards? I can't remember. People talk about "If you ride them, you should work on the trails," but I needed little pressure to get me to start moving dirt. As a kid, I loved digging in the backyard and at the beach, making roads and bridges for my cars, burying family members. My imaginary friend was named "Dig-Dig".

What made you want to take the next step to become a Crew Leader and what commitment and responsibilities do you have in that leadership position?