I led my first walk around Roosevelt Island in June 2016. Tom Bergen, our hike leader director at the time, helped me scout the route. We had about 25 walkers. I remember being quite nervous the day of the walk. On the way back, we wanted the group to turn into Rainey Park to walk the Queens shoreline. Tom instructed me to stand at the entrance and direct walkers so they didn’t miss the turn. It’s a tip I still follow when I’m leading walks today.

Pam Cress serves as President of Shorewalkers and also as a hike leader for the group.  Learn more about her in our Spotlight Interview Series, where we meet the hike leaders who run over 250 walks each year. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a hike leader, email Volunteers@Shorewalkers.org.

Roosevelt Island Walk – June 4, 2016

I like leading walks that end at an interesting location or event – I hope members discover something new and return on their own. Each August, I lead a 5-mile walk along the Hudson River Greenway to the BBQ & Blues Fest.  I also enjoy walking the Old Croton Aqueduct (OCA) trail to Untermyer Gardens.

One of my favorite trails can be found in Highbridge Park. Enter the path at Edgecombe Avenue & 158th Street and walk north. Under your feet is the Old Croton Aqueduct, which brought water to New York City in 1848. If you have time, walk over the High Bridge to the Bronx and back. Look for the pavement medallions on the bridge deck telling the story of how the new Aqueduct water supply transformed our City.

I’ve served as President of Shorewalkers since 2019, and I help organize the annual Great Saunter in May.

I geek out learning everything there is to know about NYC’s trash and waste. I’m a graduate of the NYC Trash Academy (Sanitation Foundation) and the NYC Rat Academy (Department of Health). I bring my passion for sustainability to Shorewalkers and have led walks to the Balcones Material Recovery Facility in Brooklyn and the Newtown Creek Waste Water Treatment Facility in Queens. Our members love the walks.