The Trail Blazers LANTERN Award recognizes Leaders, Advocates, and Nurturers for Transformative Experiences Rooted in Nature. We are proud to honor Tom Nakashian for his long-standing commitment to our mission of teaching life-essential skills and values through outdoor experiences.

Tom served as a dedicated Board Member for nine years and continues to champion Trail Blazers as a Board Patron. He also serves as a Board Member of Youth INC, a venture philanthropy organization that transforms the lives of New York City youth by empowering the nonprofits that serve them.

Professionally, Tom is a Managing Director at TD Securities, where he serves as Head of Large Cap Sponsor Coverage, bringing more than 20 years of experience in investment banking and private equity.

Having grown up as a sleepaway camper and experienced firsthand the profound impact of time in nature on child development, Tom has always believed deeply in the power of the Trail Blazers mission.

When he’s not working or supporting the community, Tom enjoys spending time with family and friends in upstate New York, coaching his children’s sports teams, and adding to his list of more than 50 countries traveled. Tom lives in New York City with his wife, Taleen, their two children, and their pet toad, Sprocket. 

John is a 3x Emmy Award winning reporter for CBS 2 News and CBS News New York. For more than a decade, he has covered hard-breaking news stories, from wars to the COVID pandemic, and everything in between. John graduated magna cum laude from the University at Albany with dual majors in journalism and communication. A proud New York native who is passionate about the outdoors, John is thrilled to support the Trail Blazers and increase young people’s access to nature. He lives in Long Island with his husband and two dogs.