Meet our Board of Directors
Vice President
Aaron Gravos
Aaron Gravos joined the Save the Maah Daah Hey Board in 2013 and currently serves as Vice President. His first experience on the Maah Daah Hey Trail was in 2001 with two friends, John Darling and Barry Warren. Over the years, the trail has become a part of his soul—a place he believes everyone should have the opportunity to experience. As Aaron notes, “It’s difficult to put into words what the trail does to you, but once you find yourself on it, you understand.”Aaron is employed by North American Coal as a developer, has served on numerous boards, and has participated in several community-funded projects. Through his service on the Save the Maah Daah Hey Board, Aaron is committed to helping ensure the trail continues to exist and thrive for future generations.In his spare time, Aaron enjoys spending time with his wife and children. The Gravos family are avid golfers in the summer and spend their winters chasing hockey.
Angie Mikkelson
Angie grew up in the rugged beauty of Libby, Montana, a small town tucked into the Cabinet Mountains along the Kootenai River. Her love for the outdoors began early, shaped by family camping, hiking, and boating adventures. While her family didn’t share her passion for horses, Angie found her calling in endurance riding—competing in long-distance events of 50 to 100 miles since the age of 15.In 2012, Angie and her husband relocated to western North Dakota for work, settling near Scranton. Prairie life has its ups and downs, but the Badlands quickly became their sanctuary. They both enjoy mountain biking on the Maah Daah Hey Trail, but these days Angie spends most of her time exploring it on horseback or hiking with their dogs. This gives her a valuable multiuser perspective—one she brings to both the Save the Maah Daah Hey and Maah Daah Hey Trail Association boards.Angie has hosted endurance events on the MDH and understands the logistical and environmental challenges of organizing trail-based activities. She’s also a longtime volunteer and participant in MDH running and biking events. Her goal on the board is to advocate for thoughtful trail development that supports all users while preserving the integrity of the landscape.Angie’s deep connection to the trail and her diverse experience make her a valuable voice in shaping the future of the Maah Daah Hey.
Austin Wolf
Austin joined the Save the Maah Daah Hey Board of Directors in 2021, but his connection to the trail began in 2016 when he first rode the MDH and discovered the race series. After landing a spot in the MDH25 from the waitlist, he was hooked—and soon the entire WOLFPACK was making annual trips to the Badlands. In 2018, Austin joined his first trail work weekend and was inspired by the contagious passion of longtime volunteers. Since then, he’s brought out his dad, brother, nephew, and friends along to experience both the trail and the work it takes to maintain it.Austin has completed every MDH race distance on bike except the 75, including two finishes of the MDH100 and the BUCK50—once in a single day and once over two. He’s also run the MDH Trail Run four times, including three marathons and one 50-mile ultra. His dedication to trail work is just as strong, logging 72 miles over five days during the 2025 BIG PUSH, including a 22-mile day alongside MDH300 finisher Sally Nelson. Professionally, Austin leads a team of four as a Quality Engineering Lead at NISC, where he’s built a 16-year career in Quality Assurance. He’s passionate about sharing the trail with friends and family and ensuring it remains sustainable for future generations. When he’s not on the MDH, Austin enjoys racing with the Bismarck cycling community and adventuring with his wife, Karen, and their children.
Treasurer
Jasper Klein
Jasper Klein serves as Treasurer for Save the Maah Daah Hey, bringing the steady, practical perspective of a civil engineer and senior project manager. A lifelong North Dakotan, Jasper has explored the Badlands his whole life—hunting, hiking, volunteering, and through his love of mountain biking the Maah Daah Hey. He’s a regular hand during the STMDH Big Push, lending sweat equity to keep the trail rideable for everyone.Professionally, Jasper is a Civil Engineer that focuses on municipal water, sanitary, and stormwater systems and longrange infrastructure planning. He led AE2S’s central and western North Dakota operations for a decade, overseeing four offices and up to 50 staff. He is a past board member and president of the North Dakota chapter of the American Public Works Association and serves as an advisory board member for Bismarck State College’s Civil Tech program.Jasper’s broad business background, deep community network, and balanced mix of optimism and fiscal responsibility help the board advance strategic priorities without losing sight of its mission. Inspired by the passion of Nick and Phil, and the rugged beauty of the Badlands, Jasper is committed to strengthening STMDH’s foundation and ensuring its long-term impact on North Dakota’s most iconic trail.
Secretary
Melissa Kilde
Melissa joined the Board of Directors of Save the Maah Daah Hey in 2024, bringing with her a deep passion for the Badlands and a strong commitment to preserving the trail’s rugged beauty. What began as casual day hikes has evolved into a love for backpacking, culminating in one of her proudest achievements—completing the entire Maah Daah Hey Trail solo. Melissa also enjoys mountain biking and volunteering at MDH races, but it’s her dedication to trail work that truly fuels her involvement with STMDH.Known as the “camp host” during trail work, Melissa thrives in roles that support and encourage others. Her background as a legal assistant and land agent in the oil and gas industry has equipped her with valuable skills in real estate, permitting, and agency coordination. Her organizational talents and natural leadership make her an indispensable member of the team.Melissa’s guiding principle—instilled in her as a Girl Scout—is to leave things better than she found them. This ethos aligns perfectly with STMDH’s mission. Since joining the board, she has taken on grant writing with great success, helping secure funding that will shape the future of the trail. Her energy, expertise, and heart for the outdoors make her a vital force in the ongoing stewardship of the Maah Daah Hey Trail.
Mike Haase
Mike Haase has been an active presence on the Maah Daah Hey Trail since 2019, taking every opportunity to camp, run, and ride its rugged miles—including completing all eight Badlands races in 2021. His passion for the trail extends beyond recreation: he co-owns Revival Trail Builders and works with LAND, giving him a hands-on role in preserving and improving the trail he loves.Professionally, Mike serves as Chief Culture Officer at Basin Safety, where he focuses on employee health, wellness, and culture. He’s also a running, fitness, and nutrition coach, and brings a wide range of leadership experience from past roles as a Sr. Production Foreman in oil and gas, restaurant owner, youth pastor, and church elder.While Mike humbly jokes that he brings “no special skills” to the board, his work ethic, positivity, and deep commitment to the trail speak for themselves. For Mike, the Maah Daah Hey is more than just a trail—it’s been a life-changing force for him and his family. Two of his sons are now ultra runners also, and he looks forward to sharing the trail with his grandsons in the years to come.Mike is passionate about making the trail better each year, strengthening relationships with the USFS and local communities, and ensuring the MDH remains a treasured experience for all users—now and for generations to come.When he’s not on the trail, Mike enjoys running, working out, and spending time with his wife, Amy, and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Jack.
President
Phil Helfrich
Phil Helfrich, affectionately known as “Uncle Phil” to those who join him for trail work, is one of the founding members of Save the Maah Daah Hey (STMDH). His connection to the North Dakota Badlands began in 1973, and it has remained his basecamp for adventure ever since. When the Maah Daah Hey Trail was built, it quickly became his favorite part of the Badlands—a place where recreation, resilience, and community converge.Phil has been instrumental in growing STMDH from its meager beginnings—a couple of guys with two borrowed brush mowers and a bold vision to rescue a rapidly deteriorating trail. He is deeply passionate about protecting the MDH Trail and strengthening the organization that keeps it alive. He believes the Badlands need people just as much as people need the Badlands—and he loves watching others fall in love with the landscape through trail work and exploration. He’s proud that STMDH and its volunteers tackle the hard jobs most people can’t—or won’t—do.Phil’s leadership style is grounded in listening, learning, and applying what he knows—especially in fundraising and grant writing, where he’s helped secure support to build STMDH into what it is today, along with five major projects.Professionally, Phil is a Senior Sales Representative in the pharmaceutical industry, overseeing North Dakota and Northern Minnesota. His success is built on strong communication, adaptability, and ethical leadership. He’s earned six Presidential Awards, twelve Team Excellence Awards, and contributed to four international pilot projects that became industry standards.Guided by faith, family, and a love for the outdoors, Phil’s personal mission is simple: make someone or something better every day—including himself.
Robbie Lauf
Robbie Lauf is the founding Executive Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, where he leads efforts to celebrate the life and enduring legacy of one of America’s most influential presidents, raising over $450 million to construct the institution opening July 4, 2026 in Medora, North Dakota. His career spans leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. He has served as a senior advisor to Interior Secretary and former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, worked in the office of Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell, and worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.A North Dakota native, Robbie graduated with honors from North Dakota State University, where he received the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, and earned his master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, where he was a research assistant to Professor Arthur Brooks. Robbie serves on the board of Nature is Non Partisan, the North Dakota Economic Development Foundation, Save the Maah Daah Hey Trail Foundation, and the North Dakota News Cooperative.
Steve L. Burian
Steve L. Burian brings a lifelong connection to the Badlands and a wealth of professional experience to the STMDH Board. His love for the region began with annual childhood visits to Medora—a tradition he continues with his family. In 2015, he deepened that bond by purchasing land in the Badlands south of Watford City.Professionally, Steve is the President and CEO of Burian & Associates, a civil planning and engineering consulting firm. With a career spanning nearly 35 years, he has led major infrastructure initiatives, including the Western Area Water Supply project, which brought water to the Bakken during a critical time. He also co-founded AE2S, guiding its growth from a two-person startup to a 220-employee firm with 20 offices.Steve has served on several nonprofit boards, including the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation, and the UND College of Engineering and Mines Executive Board. His leadership has helped shape meaningful organizational change and foster long-term sustainability.On the STMDH Board, he focuses on resource development and long-term sustainability. He played a key role in establishing an endowment through the ND Community Foundation and is helping to find a solution to the bike route through the North Unit of TRNP, ensuring the MDH remains a treasured amenity for generations to come.Outside of work, Steve enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, and attending sporting events and concerts. He’s driven by a sense of accomplishment and takes pride in contributing to the vitality of North Dakota, where both of his children are building their lives.