Amy Camp is a passionate placemaker and trail tourism expert. She is the founder of Cycle Forward, a consulting agency that supports trail communities across the United States and Canada.
With 15 years of experience in outdoor recreation consulting and tourism coaching in North America, Amy focuses on helping communities and individuals thrive by leveraging regional assets, incorporating nature experiences, and cultivating a trail culture.
Her services include:
- Trail tourism and placemaking consulting
- Outdoor recreation economy research
- Destination marketing
- Community engagement
- Workshop and meeting facilitation
- Nature experiences
Amy has worked with local, regional, and national nonprofits and agencies to provide customized recreation tourism and trail town solutions based on each client’s needs and constraints. Amy’s well-rounded placemaking knowledge and community revitalization experiences have enabled her to work seamlessly with a diverse group of clients in the conservation, outdoor recreation, and tourism sectors.
In addition to her wealth of experience, Amy is an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation, which helps her conduct effective engagements and discussions with clients and stakeholders.
Cycle Forward is a Pennsylvania Certified Women’s Business Enterprise.
Professional Bio
Amy Camp, owner of Cycle Forward, is a trails and tourism consultant who helped launch the nationally recognized Trail Town Program® in 2007. She went on to establish Cycle Forward and celebrated 10 years in business in 2023. She supports local leaders and communities in Trail Town development, strengthening heritage tourism, and bolstering the outdoor recreation economy. Amy has consulted and led workshops throughout Appalachia, the Rust Belt, and other locations in the U.S. and Canada. Her book, Deciding on Trails, details the history of the Trail Town movement and recommends best practices for trail communities.
Amy served on the Board of American Trails from 2012-17, and now serves on the Board of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. She earned an Associate Certified Coach certification through the International Coach Federation in 2018 and continues to draw upon those skills in her consulting. She completed the competitive nine-month Appalachian Leadership Institute program in 2024, deepening both her community development skills and her ties to the region. Amy earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she first grew to love communities and began her work to help improve them.
Cycle Forward Collaborators
Alicia Broudy
Alicia brings to Cycle Forward a strong marketing background, a passion for the outdoors, and some much needed additional organizational capacity. She is involved in many of Cycle Forward’s projects, including the PA Outdoor Ambassador Program, the P2P Regional Master Plan, and the West Virginia Statewide Trail Plan Framework. She also has worked with Amy in a business marketing capacity.
Alicia is an outdoor guide and yoga instructor and leads her own yoga and hiking retreats. A former corporate marketing professional, Alicia has more than 10 years’ experience managing marketing campaigns and digital media. When she isn’t working, Alicia enjoys travelling, being on a trail, and a good cup of coffee.
Julie Judkins, Just-Trails
Julie Judkins is a consultant and Co-Founder of Just-Trails. Julie develops signature programming to mobilize communities and young people to take action as land stewards. She is a consultant for unique communities and trail organizations around the world, supporting inclusive trail design, engagement, and management through technical assistance to build capacity for regenerative outdoor assets. Julie also is the coordinator for North Carolina’s Great State Trails Coalition, supporting nonprofit organizations, local governments, and industry partners to collectively advocate for increased state investment in trails across all 100 NC Counties ($61M so far!).
Julie created award-winning education initiatives, youth programs, and community partnerships as the Education and Outreach Director for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). She has served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia and worked with vulnerable youth at Outward Bound. She has a BA in Communications from North Carolina State University and a Masters of Environmental Management through Duke’s Environmental Leadership program at the Nicholas School of Environment. She is a mom, gardener, and lover of long walks and paddles.
Julie has collaborated with Cycle Forward on the Trail Community Program Impact Report, the North Central Appalachia MTB Summit, and various other Trail Town and outdoor economy efforts.
Frank Maguire, Small Mountain Trails
Frank Maguire has worked in the outdoor recreation world since 1995. He is the owner of Small Mountain Trails, a consulting firm which focuses on sustainable trail design, volunteer engagement, and strengthening the community benefits of trails. Until recently, he had served as the the Greenway Coordinator for the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission. He is a board member of the Virginia Trail Alliance, has leadership roles in several Roanoke area non-profits, and is a graduate of Leadership Roanoke Valley. Before moving to Roanoke in 2021, he was the Program Director for Trails and Outdoor Recreation at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
Frank has collaborated with Cycle Forward on the P2P Regional Master Plan and the West Virginia Statewide Trail Plan Framework.
Work Experience Highlights
- Supported the implementation and management of the nationally-recognized Trail Town Program® along Maryland and Pennsylvania’s Great Allegheny Passage
- Designed and helped launch Kawarthas Northumberland’s Trent-Severn Trail Town Program along the 386-km Trent-Severn Waterway in Ontario, Canada
- Assessed the first decade of the trail town movement for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Example Clients
Volunteer and Board Services
- Board member of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, 2021 – Present
- Board Secretary and Chair of the Hulet Hornbeck Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program | Board of American Trails | 2012 – 2017
- Board member | International Coach Federation Pittsburgh | 2017 – 2019
- Block Watch Lead | Holla Neighbor group in Pittsburgh’s South Side | 2019-Present
Cycle Forward Features
- Duquesne University Small Business Development Center Success Story | June 2024
Invite Amy to Your Conferences and Events
Amy is actively involved in the trails and outdoor recreation communities, and her specialty is in trail town planning and implementation. She is available for speaking opportunities at conferences and trainings.
