Jade Oakes has been running wild in the Rocksylvania mountains since before she even knew "trail running" was a thing. After entering her first race at the original Call of the Wilds, she found her people—others who love spending hours (or days) in the woods just as much as she does.

Gritty and determined, Jade is the first to remind you to stop whining and keep moving. She served as co-Race Director for Eastern States 100 in 2019 before stepping into the full Race Director role from 2021 to 2022.

Passionate about increasing female participation in ultrarunning, she founded SHEastern States Weekend, an immersive adventure that empowers and connects women to the sport. Now, as the ESTEA board president, Jade continues to bring her tenacity and dedication to the trail community.

Sean’s passion for endurance sports is woven into his active lifestyle. When he’s not practicing law as an attorney with the Governor’s Office of General Counsel at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, he’s outdoors running, skiing, hiking, climbing, cycling, or competing in triathlons.

A graduate of Villanova University and Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law, Sean brings strong leadership and governance experience to conservation and recreation efforts. He serves on the boards of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and the Luzerne County Transportation Authority, and is President of the Anthracite Scenic Trails Association, where he supports trail development, stewardship, and public access. His professional expertise, commitment to environmental protection, and love of endurance sports make him a natural fit for the Eastern States Trail-Endurance Alliance Board since 2019. Sean resides in Dallas, Pennsylvania.

Lee is a lifelong resident of the tiny village- Clarkstown, Pa.  Lee grew up loving trails backpacking as a Boy Scout. 

After many years away from the trails, he ran Hyner 25K as his first trail race in 2016.  Falling in love with  trail running, he has completed many races up to  100-miles. 

Lee is active with the PA Trail Dogs, helping with trail work and volunteering.  Lee also is involved with Pursue Your Happiness, a 501(c)(3), co-race directing the Sharp Top Trail Challenge and the Hills Creek Endurance Challenge. 

Lee works as a career Firefighter/EMT for the city of Williamsport, serves on a state technical rope/water rescue team, volunteers at his local fire department, and assists in local trail rescues. 

When he is not trying to visit every National Park & PA State Park with his family, he can be found running around Loyalsock State Forest and the North Central PA area with his best furry friend Blaze!

A dedicated trail runner and sports chiropractor, Dr. Steve Pagano merges his two passions—helping athletes stay healthy and pushing his own limits on the trails. Since 1998, he has specialized in treating running-related injuries, bringing both expertise and firsthand experience to his work. Having completed over 100 trail races, including the Javelina Jundred 100-miler, Steve understands the demands of endurance running and is committed to keeping runners strong and injury-free.

His involvement with Eastern States 100 and Ironstone 100K, along with his work on the Eastern States 100 medical team, showcases his dedication to athlete health and performance. Steve joined the ESTEA board in January 2025.

John Shaffer has been trail running for more than 12 years and grew up in the Pine Creek Valley, where the trails are as much a part of life as the people. Alongside his wife, he raised three daughters who have all become part of the trail running family. John’s first race was the original Call of the Wilds Mountain Marathon (ask him how that went), and for the past seven years he has proudly served as race director of the Call of the Wilds 50K.

A member of the PA Trail Dogs, John is dedicated to maintaining and improving trails throughout the region. As a finisher of Eastern States 100, he deeply values the PA Wilds and the role these landscapes play in building strong, connected communities. While he loves the wild streams, dark hollows, and rugged summits of Central Pennsylvania, John believes the greatest gift trail running has given him is the friendships formed along the way. He is excited to serve on the ESTEA Board, make new connections, and continue fostering fellowship on the trails.