Aaron is a gearhead by birth and dropper-post lovin' weight-weenie by choice. Having discovered a lifelong love for all things bikes back in Detroit in the early 90's (aboard his fully rigid, budget-minded Nishiki Crossroads, no less) he began racing his bike all over the Michigan woods. This eventually led Aaron to Colorado and eventually to IMBA in 2012 where he works on backcountry mountain bike trail access, policy and legislation as part of the Government Relations team. In his little spare time, Aaron coaches cyclocross at a local high school. His best rides are with his wife and two boys who, after careful crafting, now share his love for riding.

Originally from Michigan, Ama has spent the last 18 years crisscrossing the country building trails.  She has worked in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors empowering builders to take their trade to the next level.  Hard work, collaboration, tangible results, and a healthy amount of dirt and rocks in her life are what keep Ama smiling.  Throw a bike or a moto into the mix, and Ama is over the moon.  When not on the trail for work, Ama enjoys exploring our public lands via foot, wheels, or boat.

Raised in a small town in the Southern Appalachian mountains of Virginia, Anthony grew up with an appreciation of the outdoors and the adventures it provides. Anthony came to IMBA in 2014 after an eight-year career in marketing and PR as a graphics project manager and a former president of SORBA Tri-Cities, an IMBA/SORBA chapter straddling the Tennessee/Virginia border. Anthony is based in Tennessee. 

Ben's passion for the outdoors began at Northern Michigan University, where he studied Outdoor Recreation and Conservation.  He picked up the climbing bug early, and if Ben wasn't at the crag then he was exploring the Northwoods on a bike, skiing the local hills, or paddling on Lake Superior.  After bouncing around the West for a while, Ben landed in Flagstaff where he developed a love for trails and community.  When he's not out wandering with his dog, Ben is focused on bringing the psyche to other places through quality trail experiences.

Working in trail advocacy and conservation for thirty years, Chris splits his time as a Trail Specialist for IMBA Trail Solutions and as the Assistant Director of the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve (VESR), one of thirty nine University of California NRS research and education field stations. For Trail Solutions and trail communities, Chris has specialized in trail system survey, design, mapping, education, heavy equipment construction, and trail impact / storm water runoff mitigation methodologies.  As the Assistant Director of VESR, he helps manage the conservation and research on of one of the remaining un-logged, un-grazed montane conifer habitats in the Eastern Sierras.  When not on bike, Chris enjoys snowboarding, fly-fishing, leather work, and building prosthesis.

Colin's life on two wheels developed early on in the piedmont of North Carolina. Home built jumps and racing down power line trails on dirt bikes were his preferred methods. His love for the outdoors took on many different forms: skiing, climbing, and backpacking were some of the few. After high school Colin saw no better way to pursue the outdoors than to explore Nature's Mountain Playground, Pocahontas County, WV. There he developed skills in snowmobiles, ski and bike patrol, and open water rescue. During these years he realized he had a passion laying dormant… trail building. This led him to join the local Poca-Trails club where he gained the skillset to maintain and revamp some of his favorite trails. His desire to expand his horizons brought him to IMBA Trail Solutions.

Dave has been mountain biking since the mid-1980s and has ridden and raced his bike on trails all over the world. He has been involved in trail advocacy from the beginning and was the founder and executive director of Gunnison Trails, and race director for the Gunnison Growler. A member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, Dave also created and led the Mountain Sports program at Western Colorado University. He joined the IMBA board of directors in 2016 as its chairman, and was named IMBA’s executive director in spring 2017. 

Summer or winter, Davis strives to be a master of terrain. Once the snow melts, he's in MTB mode. Davis' love of 2 wheels started young and still burns bright. He spreads the stoke in his local community and with anyone he meets on the road. He and Clifford his big red van strive to change lives on any adventure that comes their way.

Eleanor (she/her) was raised a two-wheeled advocate in the rolling hills of Wisconsin. From racing to riding to work and every trail in between, pedaling is her natural state of motion. Prior to joining the IMBA team she worked in journalism and nonprofit communications in Chicago while leading volunteer efforts with Big Marsh Bike Park, co-founding the Chicago Women’s CX Fund and working with city youth programs to get more kids on bikes.

Forrest is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for bikes born out of an adrenaline-filled childhood of motocross racing. While attending Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, he spent his time studying Earth Sciences, co-managing the Sustainability Office bike program, and making frequent trips to a slice of heaven called Highland Mountain Bike Park. When he is not riding, Forrest is either working on bikes, developing maps, cooking (mostly gumbo and other cajun foods), or canoeing the Louisiana bayous.

Geoff is a gearhead and two-wheel junkie through and through. Born and raised in Arizona and calling Prescott home, he spent his youth building BMX dirt jumps with a crew of misfits, and riding motorcycle trials with his family on weekends. He caught the mountain bike bug in 2009 and hasn’t looked back since. After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in GIS, he worked for the U.S. Geological Survey as a research analyst working on the Colorado River. During this time, he became very involved in the local trail advocacy groups designing and building trails with the USFS. This eventually led to a career in motorized trail advocacy where he designed OHV trails and facilities, taught trail workshops, and collaborated with land managers and volunteers across the US. In his spare time, he rides bikes and travels with his wife Jessie, competes in moto trials events and the occasional enduro race, and tinkers on old Toyotas.

George learned to enjoy and respect the outdoors through a childhood spent camping, hiking, backpacking and of course cycling. Today George lives in western NJ, where he seeks out quiet trails and back roads in the most densely populated state. Prior to joining IMBA, he practiced communications, marketing and product development for outdoor industry and cultural institutions.

Harrison’s passion for biking and outdoors began at a young age when he started BMX racing throughout the East Coast. Later, his parents bought a place in Snowshoe, WV where he began downhill mountain biking. He was immediately hooked on the sport which led him to pursuing a career in the mountain bike industry. One of his first jobs was with Snowshoe as a terrain park and bike trail builder. From there, he gained experience with private companies before coming to work for IMBA.

Heather enjoys life with her husband, two daughters and two dogs in the seven hills (but no mountains) of greater Cincinnati. In her spare time, Heather enjoys running, hiking, brunch, reading and trying new recipes. She is a couch to 5k coach with a local non-profit group. Heather’s mountain biking career is in its infancy but she does have about 15 years of human resources experience and loves helping other people succeed. Heather attended Xavier University in Cincinnati and has degrees in psychology and business. Just for fun, Heather was a substitute high school algebra teacher.

Heather is originally from Michigan but has lived in and around Boulder, Colorado her entire adult life. She enjoys mountain biking (which she has done for more than 20 years), dirt biking, skiing and snowboarding with her husband and two daughters. Heather represents for Masters women at Enduro races across the Rocky Mountains and racks up podiums on a regular basis, earning this former high school English teacher the nickname "Enduro Mama." Her dog, Mazey, can be found at her side most days and is IMBA's unofficial office pup.

James has been working in the outdoor industry his entire career. Born and raised in Atlantic, Canada, he received his outdoor recreation degree from the University of New Brunswick. His more than 25-year career spans working with governments, nonprofits and consulting across Canada. Since 2010, he has lived in California and worked to create space and trails for people to enjoy the outdoors.

Jennifer grew up in Colorado doing all the outdoorsy things like camping, climbing, hiking and riding mountain bikes. She’s been on the IMBA team since 2012 and is currently the Local Programs Manager helping start, grow and manage mountain bike organizations across the country. Jennifer lives in Bellingham, Washington with her partner Sean and dog Teo.

Whether she's commuting everywhere via fixed gear in cowboy boots or finding the nearest trail to ride her mountain bike, Jess understands how important it is to have that outdoor escape and trails close-by. She's a midwest girl who's lived in small-town Kansas, Chi-Town, Sydney and hopscotches all over Missouri. She grew up crossing off as many places on a map as she could and enjoys being a nomadic gypsy. Before joining IMBA Trail Solutions, she was helping create a trail system in rural Missouri for all the surrounding mountain bikers and adventurers. She has over 10 years of experience helping communities with her graphic design skills and what some may think is a freakish obsession with typography. She now aspires to use that creative energy towards creating future trails for communities. She collects dirt and always has a deck of cards handy. Her van is a home on wheels which is normally driving into the sunset, heading to the nearest mountain bike trails.

Jo grew up in New England, spending much of her childhood getting lost in the conservation lands behind her house with her dog. She went to college in FL to experience ocean life for a bit, but found her home out west in the mountains, currently residing in the Lake Tahoe Area. After working in the outdoor non-profit world for several years in a variety of roles, Jo found her way to IMBA inspired by her continued passion for the outdoors, mountain biking and philanthropy. She started her journey in the MTB world working at an adventure sports camp, continued to ride and transitioned into an MTB instructor and coach for marginalized youth in the Reno-Tahoe area. She started her career in the outdoor industry originally as a field biologist, gradually transitioning to outdoor education, youth development and experiential learning, working her way into the back end of the non-profit world, with a focus on development and fundraising. When not biking, she can be found skiing, climbing, running, or doing anything that lets her explore the outdoors.

Joey is IMBA's longest-tenured employee and its ambassador to the world, having planned and built trails and taught trailbuilding across the U.S. and around the globe. He was instrumental in jumpstarting IMBA’s Trail Solutions program in 2002 after a three-year stint with the Subaru-IMBA Trail Care Crew program. He has won the gruelling Montezuma’s Revenge mountain bike race several times, climbed and skied the majority of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, and surfed countless breaks.

John's passion for a life on two wheels is rooted in his days growing up in Ohio building jumps in the yard. His ardor for cycling has only grown since those days even taking him across the globe to explore unridden trails. Knowing the beauty and value that these on trail experiences provide he has strived to be an advocate in all his pursuits, both personal and professional, so others may have the same opportunities. Now as a member of the IMBA team he continues this work as the Education Coordinator. Outside of work you can find him riding & training in the Blue Ridge mountains, coaching in the Southeast, or spending time with his family.

Josh grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and spent his free time exploring them thoroughly. This was done on foot, on two wheels (both motorized and non), on four wheels, at the end of a rope, in a tent, and even on his belly. After obtaining a degree in geological engineering from SDSM&T he set off to explore the rest of the world. He currently calls his van home but refers to it as a tiny garage on wheels, with a bed.

Josh is a trail builder born and raised in Colorado who has been building mountain bike trails for over 15 years. Cycling has always been a big part of his life. Some of his favorite memories include his dad building him his first bike and riding trails all over Colorado on his family camping vacations. Silverton Mountain, CO is where his trail building career began and since then he has built trail all over the country. Josh has worked and managed several different bike parks and enjoys going fast and jumping his bike. When he is not riding or building trail you can find him riding his Harley, working on his truck or camping.

Kate grew up on the backwaters of the Mississippi River biking, paddling, and wandering through the beauty of the Driftless Region of SW Wisconsin. She loves to make and share food she's grown or foraged, and believes all bodies belong on bikes (and wandering trails via whichever mode of movement one prefers). Kate started her career guiding paddling trips throughout the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore; taught and worked in public health in higher education; and continues to make strong connections between human wellbeing and inclusive, accessible outdoor spaces. Kate has over two decades of experience in outdoor recreation advocacy and storytelling. She is not the fastest or most daring mountain biker on our team, but she rides every day and the joy she derives from being in the woods on two wheels is visceral. These days, you can find her riding trails and volunteering in and around the Arkansas Hills (Tenderfoot Mountain) and Methodist Mountain trail systems in Salida, CO.

Kent’s mountain biking roots run deep. First introduced to mountain biking in college, he was instantly hooked. His passion led him to be a founding member for both his collegiate cycling team as well as IMBA Local club T.H.O.R., while working to build local mountain bike trails close to his home. Ultimately he wrapped up his college career serving as Director for Psycowpath—the Nebraska state mountain bike championship series. After graduating college, Kent turned his passion into a career in bicycle retail, founding Midwest Cycling—a top 15 Trek retailer he sold to Trek Bicycle Corporation in 2017. During this time he co-founded a Omaha Devo, a youth mountain bike skills program, and cranked out 10 years of sub-9-hour Leadville 100 finishes. He currently sits on the board for a social enterprise in Omaha, NE, The Bike Union & Coffee, that serves foster youth aging out of the system. Kent is based in Nebraska.

Lea is a Michigan native who has gained her love for cycling pedaling throughout the streets of Detroit on a beat-up commuter. Upon moving to the west cost she began riding trail, she continues to learn and gain expertise with two wheels on the dirt. Located in Salt Lake City, Lea is currently exploring the beauty of diverse trail systems throughout the Southwest. Lea is a passionate environmentalist, and is frequently cleaning up trails, parks, and beaches. 

Leah is a landscape architect by trade and a trail enthusiast by nature. Living and working in the heart of the Rockies, Leah brings with her a background of work ranging from regenerative land management and ranch planning, to affordable housing development and urban transit planning. This translates to a strong vision for sustainable and equitable trail design. She has a contagious enthusiasm for community, long up-hill grinds, and really good food.

Liz (she/her) grew up pedaling a garage sale 10-speed on the dirt roads of the Arkansas River Valley and on tarmac throughout college. While finishing her master's program, a coworker handed her a rigid Gary Fisher, drove into the Ouachitas and they conquered mileage on the IMBA EPIC Womble Trail. After that, her cycling life was changed. At IMBA, she's able to marry the skills she's honed over the last 18 years: design, community-focused marketing strategies, photography, storytelling and infusing heart into every communication.

Liz approaches each design project with a fresh perspective—she is continually exploring new and innovative ways of connecting people with place. She combines a background in trail construction with work in recreation planning and landscape architecture. Her passion for sustainable design is balanced by a practical knowledge of how things are built. Based in the Adirondacks, she enjoys exploring the abundance of lakes and trails by bike, ski or boat.

Lynn grew up in the Midwest and could be found riding her bike around country roads. She moved to California in her 20's and enjoyed raising a family while working for several small companies taking care of their finances. Lynn and her husband bought a home in Boulder, Colorado about 6 years ago and now splits her time between the two states. Lynn loves to road bike with her girlfriends when in California and gets on her Mountain Bike to ride some trails when in Colorado.  Lynn is also an active hiker and loves exploring new trails.

Marty started mountain biking in '99, when the usual way to begin riding was to be dragged on a death march by well-meaning friends who left you miles behind with no way to fix a flat. Thankfully, this didn't prevent her from falling in love with the sport (and also becoming a professional mechanic). After a previous stint at IMBA, she worked on the manufacturing side of the industry as well as with local advocacy groups, and now she's back on staff. She's a former photojournalist who uses the noun "flowgnar" like it's an actual word, while at the same time correcting people for saying "irregardless." She loves alpine sunrises, long descents, and fixing broken things to get people back riding. Her stoke level is high, as is her desire to help communities reach their trail development goals.

Matt discovered his passion for mountain biking & trail building during his time at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, where he studied Natural Resource Management & Planning. After graduating from UWSP in 2018, he moved to the Green Mountain state of Vermont to work for The Kingdom Trail Association and ride his bike as much as possible. During his 4 years with Kingdom Trails, he was able to grow his knowledge & expertise in trail planning, design & construction. Matt loves biking because it helps him explore new places. It doesn’t matter if that is a new trout stream down the road or a trail network across the country, he’s excited to check it out!

Matt's love of biking began in his home state of Vermont, and along with his passion for skiing has brought him all across the country.  Matt enjoys seeing new places and building trail in a variety of ecosystems, getting to contribute a little to each community along the way. Trail building gives him the opportunity to create something useful and fun out of dirt and rocks, and also search out the best campsites along the way. 

Mike was born and raised on bikes in Wisconsin. He received his degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, then headed west to live in Breckenridge, CO, to work as mountain resort planner on projects throughout the worldwide ski industry. Currently, Mike and his wife are back to their Midwest root, living in Madison, WI. Mike has extensive experience in resort and recreation planning, resort/facility capacity analysis, trail network and facility layout, and detailed site design and grading plans. His project management experience includes master plan processes, public outreach plans, project stakeholder partnerships, federal/state/local permitting, project implementation, and project budget oversight.

Patrick is from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He studied geography at John Moores University in Liverpool, England and started mountain biking there in 1992. Patrick lived in Vermont for 11 years, working for the Youth Conservation Corps and volunteering with several mountain bike clubs. He became Executive Director of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association in 2007, establishing access in the Green Mountain National Forest, furthering access on state land and presenting trainings to ski resorts. Since moving to Prescott, AZ, Patrick has been working with the BLM, USFS, and city and county partners to develop trail networks in many communities. 

Ryan has always been on a bike, starting with a dirt jump bike when very young.  He transitioned to the mountain biking scene after college, enjoying anything and everything downhill.  He grew up in north-central Minnesota but spent the majority of his time along the Northshore and backwoods of the state.  Ryan graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in Landscape Architecture and a degree in Environmental Design.  He has always been an outdoorsman, hunting in the mid-west. The majority of his career has been on large scale projects for a small design firm in the Twin Cities. He has experience in regional/urban trail planning, park development, native plant restoration, conservation-based estate design, subdivision design, wetland mitigation, phytoremediation, and master planning for cities and counties.  Love the freedom of mountain biking and enjoying the great outdoors!

Like most kids growing up in the '20's, bikes were a means of transportation to Stephen. Dry heaving off the gravel climb on his first ride on a mountain bike, he was hooked! After moving back east and getting involved with SORBA, he discovered he didn't know anything about trails until serving as a chapter president. Several years as Trails Director led him to IMBA Trail Solutions.  

Thomas grew up in Kentucky where he developed a love for the outdoors, camping and climbing in the Red River Gorge area.  After college and the Army, he eventually found his way into the environmental construction industry doing stream restoration and storm water infrastructure work. He became passionate about mountain biking after having an absolute blast during a mountain bike adventure race. In his spare time he helps coach the local NICA team.  What Thomas enjoys most about mountain biking is the positive effect he's seen it have on peoples' lives.

Tiffanie’s love for adventure and the wild outdoors led her, early on, to uproot her life and book it to Colorado, where the mountains waited and the trails beckoned. She has been with IMBA since 2010 and in addition to handling the finances, she’s a volunteer coach for the Little Bellas program and loves seeing little girls gain strength, courage and self-worth through mountain biking. When not on her bike in the Colorado high alpine, you can find her trail running, skiing, wrapped up in a book or tinkering with recipes in her kitchen. She probably will never mention it, but she earned a stars-and-stripes jersey from winning a national endurance mountain biking championship early in her mountain biking career, and has degrees in economics and political science. 

As a Trail Solutions Planner and Project Manager, Tim brings a unique skill set and perspective. With nearly two decades of experience in land planning and landscape architecture, Tim also brings a lifetime of experience riding natural surface trails. From racing XC, bmx, enduro, chainless, and ultra endurance, to raising a riding family, Tim has witnessed the progression of trail building.  Father to a now teenager, Tim has also watched the human progression from push bike to trail bike. Based on the Western Slope of Colorado, Tim is passionate to foster the next evolution in trails and recreation resource planning.  When not riding or skiing, Tim and his family travel far and wide in their van "Sandy" as a hockey family.

Todd is a twenty-plus year veteran of public policy, legislative affairs, and issue campaigns, having worked with conservation non-profits, the renewable energy industry, and outdoor recreation organizations among others.Throughout his career he has worked to promote a healthy lifestyle by ensuring access to public lands, funding for outdoor recreation, and promoting cycling in all forms. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs.

Originally from the concrete jungle of Memphis, TN where biking began in the city streets, Trey Rush has emerged as a leader in the trail building industry. After years of riding the city’s ledges, banks and stairs he wanted more. He started his career at a ski resort in West Virginia where his drive and passion for the build provided riders that feeling he experienced at a young age. That feel of riding the city streets is still felt and seen in his trails today. The love for the sport is still strong- and now knowing that he is creating something that will last a life time and that future generations will enjoy, he is truly making his legacy.

Tylor became an advocate for the cycling world at the age of 4 when he first threw a leg over a bike. From throwing the training wheels away early to being the fastest kid in the neighborhood to getting on a Factory Trek team in middle school, the bike has always been a staple to his life. Beyond racing Tylor has spent time as a bike shop rat, holding youth classes on bicycle safety and maintenance classes, and being a local trail steward. After acquiring his grandparents’ land in Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest, he started to build a trail system for the surrounding mountain bike community to enjoy. He eventually found his way to IMBA's Trail Solutions. 

For Wes, mountain biking has always been the most exciting and immersive way to explore the world and his backyard.  A lifetime resident of the Volunteer State, Wes takes the "More Trails Close to Home" philosophy seriously as an active member of the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club in Knoxville, TN.  When he's not helping plan or build the next fun new line in his Urban Wilderness neighborhood, you can find him taking in a scenic overlook, trying a new recipe, floating the river, or perusing maps for a backcountry adventure.  A strong advocate for play, with a background in biology and landscape architecture, Wes brings to IMBA a passion for environmental conservation and community-building through thoughtful trail infrastructure design.