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Contact Information
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Physical Address (for FedEx/UPS)
Cascade Bicycle Club
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Building 138
Seattle, WA 98115
Phone: (206) 522-BIKE (2453) or
(206) 522-3222
Fax: (206) 522-2407
Office Open: 9:00 - 5:00 Monday - Friday
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Mailing Address (for USPS):
Cascade Bicycle Club
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Suite 101S
Seattle, WA 98115
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Before emailing the staff, please see our Who to Contact page.
For instructions on how to get to the Cascade Bicycle Club office please see Map and Directions.
Staff
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| Executive Director |
Chuck Ayers |
chuck.ayers@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 523-9495
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| Education Program Assistant |
Jenny Almgren |
jenny.almgren@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 694-9148 |
| Policy & Government Affairs Manager |
Craig M. Benjamin |
craig.benjamin@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 713-6204 |
| Event Producer |
Dave Douglas |
david.douglas@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 522-BIKE |
| Office & Member Services Manager |
Diane English |
diane.english@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 957-7944 |
| Major Taylor Project Manager |
Ed Ewing |
ed.ewing@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 778-4671 |
| Commute Programs Manager |
Stephanie Frans |
stephanie.frans@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 522-9479 |
| Principal Planner |
Tessa Greegor |
tessa.greegor@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 204-0913 |
| Individual Giving Officer |
Chris Hanger |
chris.hanger@cascadebicycleclub.org (360) 402-9743 |
| Advocacy Campaigns Manager |
Max Hepp-Buchanan |
MaxHB@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 226-1040 |
| Corporate Development Director |
Mike Inocencio |
mike.inocencio@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 522-2403 |
| Director of Communications & Marketing |
M. J. Kelly |
m.j.kelly@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 853-2188 |
| Volunteer Coordinator |
Diana Larson |
diana.larson@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 852-6827 |
| Rides Program Coordinator |
Sander Lazar |
sander.lazar@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 694-9108 |
| Community Outreach Manager |
Serena Lehman |
serena.lehman@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 291-4032 |
| Finance Director |
Kathy Mania |
kathy.mania@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 522-4639 |
| Director of Policy, Planning and Government Affairs |
John Mauro |
john.mauro@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 446-3688 |
| Deputy Director |
Kathy McCabe |
kathy.mccabe@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 204-0587 |
| Staff Writer |
Erica Meurk |
erica.meurk@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 522-7517 |
| Communications Specialist |
Leah Pistorius |
leah.pistorius@cascadebicycleclub.org
(913) 579-7629 |
| Classes Coordinator |
Robin Randels |
robin.randels@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 390-3945 |
| Political Program Manager |
Chris Rule |
chris.rule@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 957-0689 |
| Education Director |
Julie Salathé |
julies@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 523-1952 |
| Youth Program Manager |
Kat Sweet |
kat.sweet@cascadebicycleclub.org (206) 427-3090 |
| Events and Sponsorship Coordinator |
Anna Telensky |
annat@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 778-6099 |
| Operations Coordinator |
Kim Thompson |
kim.thompson@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 526-1677 |
| Database & Accounting Coordinator |
Alan Van Vlack |
alan.vanvlack@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 226-1858 |
| Event Producer |
Peter Verbrugge |
peterv@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 517-4826 |
| Development Director |
Tarrell Wright |
tarrell.wright@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 240-2235 |
Americorps Members
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| Major Taylor Project Assistant |
Emma Epstein |
mtpa@cascadebicycleclub.org (206) 957-6960 |
| Youth Program Assistant |
Elliott Sherburne |
ypa@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 861-9875
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| Community Programs Assistant |
Erica Hann |
cmpa@cascadebicycleclub.org
(206) 957-6623 |
| Commute Program Assistant |
Mary Collins |
cpa@cascadebicycleclub.org (206) 861-9890 |
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Chuck Ayers, Executive Director |
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Wheels:
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2000 Seven S-8, 2002 K2 Zed Team Competition Hard Tail (ridden!), K2 “enemy” cyclocross (was raced, now commuted) |
| Commute: |
6.5 miles bike facilities most of the way (thanks Cascade!) |
| Favorite ride: |
The one home! |
| Favorite geek gadget: |
None really! |
| Favorite Literature: |
Historical adventure |
Chuck has been the Executive Director of Cascade for over a dozen years. During his tenure, the Club has grown from 5 staff to over 20 and from 4,500 members to over 12,000. Chuck obtained his BA in alternative energy systems from The Evergreen State College, his Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Michigan, and did doctoral work at the University of Washington. Before coming to Cascade, Chuck was on the faculty of the School of Social Work at the UW directing a community mobilization project focusing on the prevention of adolescent problem behavior. Chuck took up cycling in 1995 after being talked into riding STP in one day. Since then he has tinkered with track, criterium, and cyclocross racing, has ridden in France, and taken up mountain biking (completing a team 24 hour race). Chuck's job at Cascade allows him to integrate many of the things he loves best - sports and recreation, community building, working with and for kids, and political organizing to build a better community. Chuck sits on the Seattle Bridging the Gap Transportation Levy Oversight Committee, the King County Regional Transit Task Force, and is a board member of Seattle Great City and the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. He coaches Little League baseball and lives with his wife and two children. |
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| Jenny Almgren, Youth Program Assistant |
| Wheels: |
Trek 520 Touring Bike |
| Commute: |
2.5 miles from Matthew's Beach |
| Favorite riding partner: |
Her dad |
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| Favorite song to sing while riding: |
Lollipop |
| Jennifer was seven the first time she rode the Seattle to Portland. She and her dad wore matching hot pink, polyester jerseys with smiley faces, her dad sang the chorus to Lollipop on repeat, and it rained the entire way.
Thanks to her dad and a Burley full of Pop Tarts and coloring books, Jennifer has ridden along on a variety of rides including Cycle Oregon and Ramrod. She has also completed four STPs, multiple Chilly Hillys and led kids' rides for Cascade.
Seattle rain has yet to deter her, and although she prefers sunny rides, she's thrilled to be back home. Though she's a born and raised Seattle girl, as a recent graduate from Washington State University, she has dipped her toes in the eastern side of the state. No matter where she is, she will be more than happy to give you a "Go Cougs" while riding down the trail.
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| Mary Collins, Commute Program Assistant |
| Wheels: |
SE road bike |
| Commute: |
7 miles from Capitol Hill |
| Favorite ride: |
Military Ridge State park trail in Southwest Wisconsin, through the unglaciated 'driftless area' |
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| Mary Collins comes to Cascade from Chicago, Illinois via a five-year stopover in Madison, Wisconsin. With a bachelor's degree in Geography, enthusiasm for non-motorized transportation, and a Wisconsin cheesemaker's license under her belt, she now feels armed and ready to take on whatever projects the Commute folks can toss her way. She got "serious" about cycling as an undergraduate at the U. of Wisconsin-Madison--first as a reluctant four season bike commuter, then as a ride leader for the university outing club, then as a part-time bike messenger, and finally as a full-fledged winter bike enthusiast and amateur bicycle advocate. In addition to cycling and cheese, Mary's interests include hiking, trivial pursuit, cross-country skiing, light rail transit, cartography, and scrabble.
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| Dave Douglas, Events Producer |
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| Wheels: |
Diamondback |
| A Washington native, Dave attended West Seattle High School, and received his business degree from University of Washington. Dave got into cycling when he first started training for STP in college. Dave is well known for managing the Pazzo Velo race team - a fifty member men's and women's team competes mainly in road and track racing events on the West Coast. He still lives and works in West Seattle with his wife, Laura, and sons, Ben and Will. Dave also promotes the popular Seward Park Thursday Nights Cycling Series. In 1995, Dave produced the Microsoft Grand Prix in tandem with a criterium and time trial, which, in 1996, became the Olympic Trials. Dave brings a wealth of of experience in route planning and logistics support to Cascade Bicycle Club events. |
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| Diane English, Office & Member Services Manager |
| Wheels: |
Univega, Marinoni |
| Commute: |
10 give or take miles from Ballard |
| Favorite Ride: |
Local: To and around Seward Park; return past carved Chinese dragons clinging to lampposts and on to waterfront, Myrtle Edwards and locks.
Out of State: Tunnel Road, Oakland/Berkeley hills |
| Love to Do: |
Work in backyard, keep plants alive in actual garden. Learn about plants and how to create butterfly habitat. Draw and paint, change room colors. Read, copyedit. |
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Swimming coach's daughter from Virginia. I learned to compete early when my younger sister won her age group and mine. Moved to California at 13, attended UW, married and lived here for 25 years. Moved a house from Bellevue to Vashon. Moved off Vashon to Oakland, CA after 10 years. Have spent leisure time auto rallying, running, playing soccer, sculling, and bicycling. (But NOT swimming). Returned to Seattle 3 years ago after 12 years in Oakland where I worked for private K-12 school in development office and publications. Husband now operates automotive business, Group 2, Inc., so when I'm driving, it could be anything from an Alfa Spyder to a Ginetta!
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| Emma Epstein, Major Taylor Program Assistant |
| Wheels: |
Fuji Touring |
| Commute: |
From south to north, Rainier Valley to Magnuson Park - approx. 12 miles in 57 minutes |
| Favorite Ride: |
Ride around and through Seward Park |
| Favorite Food: |
Anything ethic and spicy and ricey |
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Emma is a native to Seattle, although she hasn't lived here in the past 5 years. She studied Spanish and Anthropology at Colorado College (yes! where Chuck's daughter is at school), and has been a bike commuter since way back in 2005.
After completing her first year of volunteering for Americorps in Washington DC, she decided it would be more of an adventure to bike home, fully loaded with front and rear panniers, Washington to Washington. 71 days and 3300 miles later, she finally started to self-identify as a biker.
Emma enjoys riding on the weekends (we will see how long that lasts after a winter commute in Seattle), dancing (every type, but especially salsa and swing), acroyoga, laughter yoga, potlucking, and speaking Spanish.
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| Ed Ewing, Major Taylor Project Manager |
| Wheels: |
Specialized Tarmac Pro, Guerciotti, Cervelo PT2 track bike |
| Commute: |
15 miles from West Seattle |
| Favorite Seattle Ride: |
The "Divorce Ride," West Seattle to Browns Point |
Ed is a Minnesota native and developed a love for cycling through family bike trips and riding to work with his father. Ed completed his first bike race in 1984 and has been hooked ever since. After graduating from the College of St. Thomas in '88, he moved to Seattle to start a seventeen-year sales & marketing career with Honeywell, Steelcase, and Haworth.
In 2007, Ed left the corporate world and joined Cycle University to pursue his passion for coaching, instructing, and sharing the benefits of cycling. While coaching and marketing for Cycle University, Ed discovered the great advocacy work of the Cascade Bicycle Club and accepted the opportunity to direct the Major Taylor Project. The Major Taylor Project is a prefect representation of Ed's purpose and passion for cycling: "Everyone, regardless of race, gender, age, ability, or money, should be able to enjoy a bike. The 'bike' has literally transformed my life."
Ed lives in West Seattle and enjoys music, golf, donuts and bikes.
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| Stephanie Frans, Commute Programs Manager |
| Wheels: |
Bianchi Gyro & Specialized Stunt Jumper (partly transmogrified for touring) |
| Commute: |
from North Seattle: 7 miles the flat way, or 5 miles the hilly way |
| Favorite recovery drink: |
Chocolate milk. Or a Pilsner.
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Stephanie grew up in rural Indiana, where she developed a love for science and nature that has guided her along a path of meaningful meandering ever since.
After graduating from Purdue University, she followed her interests east to Wood Hole Oceanographic Institute, then west to Seattle where she earned a Master's from the UW, including extensive field work in the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Her migration to Seattle also included a transition from car to bicycle as transportation. Her experience living without a car, combined with her growing concern about climate change, led her to pursue transportation as a professional endeavor. She served for 5 years as Manager of Commuter Services at Seattle Children's Hospital, where single occupancy commuting dropped by 15% and bicycle commuting more than doubled under her leadership. Bicycling also grew as a personal passion, and even inspired Stephanie to learn how to swim properly so she could participate in a triathlon. Longing for more community, she joined the women of Team Group Health, who helped her grow her confidence, fitness, and racing skills. Then, in 2008, she and her husband Bill embarked on a year of foreign travel, including a self-supported bike tour of Eastern Europe and Turkey, using savings partly realized from Stephanie's use of alternative transportation over the years. Upon her return to Seattle, Stephanie joined the staff at Cascade, where her work will focus on developing the next generation of bicycle commuters, encouraging others in their journey as new commuters.
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Tessa Greegor, Principal Planner
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Wheels:
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Trek 1000, Trek 470 'Fast Track' |
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Commute:
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4 Miles from Greenlake |
| Favorite Ride: |
Throughout the Netherlands, the coast of Lake Superior, and the canyons outside Salt Lake City. |
| Tessa grew up in Boise, Idaho and began biking at 4 years old after entering her tricycle in the neighborhood parade. She attended the University of Utah and received her BS in Environmental Studies. Since then, she has spent her free time traveling and completing a Masters Program in Urban Planning at the UW. She focused on Urban Design and Non-Motorized Transportation, specifically researching bicycle-motor vehicle collisions. Her passions include traveling, backpacking, skiing, cycling, swimming and cooking (eating).
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Chris Hanger, Individual Giving Officer
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Wheels:
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Bridgestone 400 and Serotta Fierte |
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Commute:
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6 miles from Capitol Hill |
| Favorite Ride: |
Downtown Olympia to Boston Harbor, arriving just in time for a boat ride. |
| Originally from Kamilche, WA (in between Shelton and Olympia) Chris is the new guy at Cascade (as of 2011 anyway). Being from the country gave Chris his love for all things outdoors, whether he's teaching snowboarding during the winter at Snoqualmie and White passes or spending his summer diving off the big rock at Lake Cushman (if you know where it is, kudos!). Chris also participates in the annual Tribal Canoe Journeys, pulling in a 30 Cedar dugout canoe to destinations as far away as Neah Bay and Vancouver Island.
In addition to Chris's love of all forms of cycling, he loves to rehabilitate and rebuild classic bikes, believing old bicycles never die, they just go STI.
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Erica Hann, Community Programs Assistant
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Wheels:
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Specialized Allez and silver Miyata |
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Commute:
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6 miles from Wallingford |
| Favorite Ride: |
Point Defiance 5 Mile Drive on summer weekends |
| A California native, Erica relocated to the beautiful Northwest to attend college at the University of Puget Sound. While there, she studied international political economy and environmental policy, sang in choir and rowed crew, and discovered the beauty of bicycling (despite an enthusiastic bicycle-loving father, it took Erica almost twenty years to truly realize the magic of bikes). She enjoys riding for fun, exercise, and the joy of passing long lines of cars stuck in traffic! Her other hobbies include cooking, hiking, and listening/making music.
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| Max Hepp-Buchanan, Advocacy Campaigns Manager |
| Wheels: |
Custom Rodriquez; Surly Cross-Check; Soma Rush |
| Commute: |
3.5 miles from Ravenna (or just over 2 if he goes up and over NE 65th St) |
| Favorite Ride: |
Anything that ends with a frosty pint |
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Max Hepp-Buchanan was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and moved to Washington State at the age of six. Since then, Max has considered Seattle and the Puget Sound region his home. He has been riding bikes his whole life; first with training wheels, then with baseball cards in his spokes. Now he works to make Seattle and the Puget Sound region more bicycle-friendly for cyclists of all ages and skill levels.
Max graduated in June 2010 from the University of Washington, receiving a Master of Urban Planning degree from the College of Built Environments and a Master of Public Administration degree from the Evans School of Public Affairs. While at UW, Max spent much of his time studying alternative and sustainable transportation policy and planning, with a personal preference towards non-motorized/active modes of travel. He is currently serving his first two-year term on the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board where he helps advise City staff and elected officials on all matters related to bicycling in Seattle.
In his free time, Max likes to travel the world and explore unfamiliar territory via bicycle.
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Mike Inocencio, Corporate Development Director
Wheels: K2 Team Mod and a hand-me-down Marin commuter
Commute: 20+ miles R/T
First Bike: Black Dyno GT fitted with headset, pegs and all that good stuff!
Favorite ride: Through and around Munich on rentals during the 2006 World Cup with my wife.
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Mike moved up to Seattle in 2001. He finished his undergraduate degree at the University of San Francisco and recently completed his Master's in Public Administration at Seattle University. He has worked in various marketing positions with his most recent term at the Seattle Weekly for 4 years. Outside of cycling, he enjoys backpacking, playing soccer, golf and photography. He lives with his wife, Jodi, their dog, Squid, and cat, Emma, in West Seattle.
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M.J. Kelly, Director of Communications & Marketing
Wheels: Cannondale R500
Commute: About 5 miles from Green Lake.
Most memorable ride: Self-contained three-week tour of Alaska
Favorite places: Kathmandu, Chamonix, Ligurian coast
M.J. hails from the Steel City of Pittsburgh, PA. She bought her first road bike in high school (a "girl" Schwinn!) after seeing Greg LeMond win the the Tour de France on TV. In 1991, she got her first taste of real road riding on the very hilly 25-mile Ride Around Pittsburgh. Spaghetti legs, saddle sores and a failed attempt to tour Cape Breton Island nearly finished her biking career that year, but not quite. A move to Madison, Wisconsin, land o' long, smooth country roads, revived her interest in two-wheeled travel. In between editing art history books for McGraw-Hill, she lived car-free and rode the Door County Century, the TOSRV and skied the American Birkebeiner several times. She served on the board of the Hoofers Outing Club and led rock climbing trips to Devil's Lake State Park and road biking trips around the state. In 1998, M.J. left Madison with her bike, her cat and five enormous duffle bags full of gear, bound for Lausanne, Switzerland. After two years of editing for SourcingParts.com, making merde of the French language, scaling a few Alps and eating as much fondue and raclette as she could, she and her husband, Peter, selected Seattle as their next destination because of its proximity to glaciated peaks. Outside of work, M.J. enjoys parenting two young boys, running, biking, cooking and reading.
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Diana Larson, Volunteer Coordinator
Wheels: Raleigh Technium mountain bike, Specialized Sequoia road bike, and a custom Rodriguez tandem.
Favorite ride: Any ride on the tandem with my husband.
Diana is a Washington state native, born and raised in Sunnyside. She moved to Seattle in November 1984 and worked as a manager for the Chapter 13 Trustee office. While working, she earned an Associate of Arts and Science Degree from Edmonds Community College in 1995.
In the mid 1980s, Diana joined the Cascade Bicycle Club. She remembers watching cyclists riding down to the King Dome one Friday morning in June to do STP and thinking that she would like to be one of those cyclists someday. In 1992, on a Saturday morning, her dream came true, riding her mountain bike to Portland. She has been riding STP every year since, except for one year when she had a broken arm from a skiing accident. She then became a volunteer for STP, and in 2001 she joined the STP committee and has been the STP Volunteer Coordinator since then. Diana has been involved with many of the other Cascade events and was given the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2004. Diana and her husband, Dave Schindele, are both ride leaders.
Diana also enjoys working in her fiber studio and cooking. She and Dave have 4 grown children, 6 grandchildren and 1 new puppy. Together they enjoy traveling, gardening and just being with each other.
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| Sander Lazar, Rides Program Coordinator |
| Wheels: |
Specialized Tricross Sport |
| Commute: |
4 miles from Ravenna |
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Sander spent his childhood in Baltimore, most of his life since then in Salt Lake City, and life since 2005 in the PNW, first in Portland then Seattle. Biking's been invaluable to Sander during two important periods of his life- first, at the age of 17 as part of physical therapy after tearing his ACL skiing, when he biked every day for months until he could hike and ski again; and second, for his car-free life since 2005.
Biking is mainly a commuting thing for him but he gets out for some recreational rides too. He toured with a friend from Seattle to San Francisco two summers ago, rode around Hood Canal during a 150-mile day last summer, and goes on and leads Cascade daily rides. Longest bike trip: the 1000 miles to SF. Shortest: the 0.2 miles to Whole Foods when he's feeling too lazy to walk.
School brought him to Seattle where he obtained his master's degree in urban planning from the University of Washington, and his love of bicycling and sustainable transportation brought him to Cascade, first as a Bicycle Ambassador and now as the Rides Program Coordinator. "I'm loving this job and looking forward to more successes with the Rides Program!"
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| Serena Lehman, Community Outreach Manager |
| Wheels: |
Motobecane Grand Jubilee, Centurion |
| Commute: |
12 miles from Columbia City |
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Originally from Santa Barbara, CA, Serena first become addicted to cycling while attending Santa Barbara Middle School. Through the school Serena was introduced to bike touring all around the Southwest US. Additionally she became "Bike Monkey" helping younger students with maintenance problems. With this newly experienced independence, 13 year old Serena became a bicycle commuter.
Fast forward many years later, Serena has never owned a car. An avid year round bicycle commuter, Serena loves climbing her two hills everyday on her trusty old bike. Her environmental consciousness as well of love of being outside keeps her commuting by bicycle everyday.
Contrary to popular belief Serena has other interests outside of cycling. She likes neuroscience, cooking, painting, camping and a good pint of beer.
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Kathy Mania, Finance Director
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| Wheels: |
Diamondback
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| Commute: |
9 miles one way |
| Favorite place to be: |
The ocean
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| Dream vacation of the moment: |
Australia |
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Originally from Petoskey, Mich., Kathy moved around a bit before settling in Seattle about eight years ago. "The weather here isn't as bad as people say. And the bugs really aren't a problem."
Before joining Cascade, she taught English language skills, primarily as a private tutor. When she's not working at Cascade, Kathy plays recreational softball. Her position is pitcher. She's been trying to roust the Cascade staff up to some lunchtime kickball games, but with it being event season, "All anyone wants to do is work, not play," she lamented. "It's just not right."
Kathy wasn't certain if she would enjoy working in an office, but said she's been pleasantly surprised.
"I like having the opportunity to do different jobs here, from event work to moving boxes. There's a lot to do, and it isn't boring."
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| John Mauro, Director of Policy, Planning and Government Affairs |
| Wheels: |
Jamis Aurora Elite
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| Commute: |
10 miles from Ballard to Sand Point |
John grew up in Maine and was pulled to Puget Sound in 2002 when he started working in land-use policy for a local non-profit. His work experience has also included a stint on the faculty of Middlebury College in Vermont, organizing mayors for climate action while at the Seattle Mayor's sustainability office, guiding in the Himalaya and Colorado, developing a science outreach program in NW Alaskan villages, and conducting independent research in Bhutan, Ghana, Bolivia, Australia and India as Thomas J. Watson Fellow. John was also Cascade's former Commute Director before the Commute and Advocacy Departments were merged.
Much of John's life has revolved around bikes. He started competing as a bike racer and triathlete in high school, but his real passion became using the bicycle for transportation and travel. John's first trip across the United States was on bicycle, and he's also done many self-supported trips to places like New Zealand, Iceland, and Eastern Europe. His most recent fascination is the bicycle as a way to access hiking and ski mountaineering routes in the Cascades (two of his other passions), and can occasionally be seen pedaling over passes in search of mountain goats and glaciers. John's commuted solely by bicycle for over a decadebut he's more recently come to the light and traded his spandex team kit for more normal bike clothing.
While not on a bike, John enjoys gardening, photography, trail-running and hiking with his wife, Annie.
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Kathy McCabe, Deputy Director
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| Wheels: |
Old or Classic? Specialized Rock Hopper & Pinarello Triathlon
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| Commute: |
Is there a route from Burien to Sandpoint?
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| Most memorable ride: |
China 1989 |
Despite getting her foot stuck in the front wheel of a bicycle at age four (riding on the front handlebars of her dad's bike), Kathy continued riding. She received a 10 speed as a high school graduation gift and within weeks was part of a 5 day, 200 mile supported youth group bicycle trip to Tobermory, Ontario.
A native Michigander, Kathy began her journey west cycling the back roads of southern Ohio near Miami University, her alma mater. Her favorite ride was to the annual bluegrass and apple butter festival on the road to Huston Woods State Park.
Pedaling around the Old Pueblo--TucsonKathy met her husband Bob. Upon completion of graduate school at Arizona State University, she escaped the heat to join Bob in Olympia. Together, they discovered the northwest via hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. Favorite cycle tours include the Denali highway and a loop in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho.
In her "spare" time, Kathy enjoys cooking and the many adventures of living with Bob, Ryan the teenager, Sage the mutt, and Sam the hunter. Her most recent adventure was organizing the first middle school boy's lacrosse team in her community.
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| Erica Meurk, Staff Writer |
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| Wheels: |
Rodriguez |
| Commute: |
7 miles from Capitol Hill |
| Favorite ride: |
The wheat fields around Walla Walla |
| Erica was born in Seattle and grew up in the Seward Park neighborhood. She attended Whitman College, where she earned a B.A. in Asian Studies, but also took classes in environmental studies, English and art. She began bicycling in college, after deciding to ride in the STP, but her love for two-wheeled transportation is rooted in her dislike of parallel parking, freeways and gas pumps.
In addition to riding her bike uphill in the rain, Erica's interests include writing, cooking, backpacking, singing, and painting.
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| Leah Pistorius, Communications Specialist |
| Wheels: |
Raleigh Hybrid |
| Commute: |
2 miles on the Burke Gilman |
| Favorite Seattle ride: |
Lincoln Park to the Alki Beach trail |
Growing up in the Kansas City metro area (the Kansas side), Leah graduated as a 4th generation Jayhwawk from the University of Kansas with a degree in product design. She has a passion for bringing design to the environment in a mutually beneficial way, and gets particularly stoked thinking about product design that follows the regenerative patterns of nature. After graduation, Leah moved to Seattle for a year with AmeriCorps through the Washington Service Corps, and subsequently fell in love with the parks, the sound, and the fantastic bike infrastructure of the city. She has just completed a year getting her full dosage of vitamin D (hopefully enough to make it through the Seattle winter!) in sunny Prescott, Arizona, serving a second term of AmeriCorps with the Ecosa Institute of Sustainable Design. Leah is jazzed to back in the Northwest and excited to help spread Cascade's mission as their Communications Specialist. Outside of work, you will find Leah enjoying Seattle's live music and perusing every thrift store in town. |
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| Robin Randels, Classes Coordinator |
| Wheels: |
1960's Pagnini Italian road bike, 1996 Gary Fisher hybrid commuter, Custom O'Brien City Bike -The Queen Bee |
| Commute: |
8 miles from Phinney Ridge on the scenic Burke-Gilman Trail |
| Favorite ride: |
Discovery Park - Magnolia loop via Golden Gardens and the locks; Lincoln Park via Myrytle Edwards and Alki Beach; Seward Park through the arboretum with a stop at the Essential Bakery. All reminders of why we live in Seattle! |
| Most memorable rides: |
Piedmont-Italy, Loire Valley-France |
| Favorite things: |
All kinds of partner dance, cross-country skiing, gardening, food, wine and travel - preferably on a bike. |
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Robin is a Washington native living on Phinney Ridge with her husband and children. She taught her kids to ride as they were growing up and took them on local trips to the beach as well as longer tours in the surrounding area. Both kids still bike for transportation. While sharing a car with a teenager learning to drive, she began taking most errand and commuter trips by bike which led to her training as an League Certified Instructor in order to share her enthusiasm of cycling with others.
She started riding recreationally with Cascade in 2003 and did her first STP in 2004. Since then she has worked for Cascade first as Bicycle Ambassador and currently as Classes Coordinator.
Robin is a full-time bike commuter and thoroughly enjoys her freedom from the automobile.
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| Chris Rule, Political Program Manager |
| Wheels: |
Raleigh Super Course |
| Commute: |
about 10 miles from Ballard via the Burke-Gilman |
| Favorite rides: |
through Okanogan wine country, Kelowna, BC |
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Chris grew up in Connecticut, where he gained an appreciation for good pizza and spent countless hours daydreaming in the woods. He moved to the Seattle area at 14 and later attended Vassar College. He majored in economics and minored in music, performing anything from classical trombone to a cappella 80s tunes. Chris then taught English in Japan for two years. He misses his students, the three bikes he owned there, and singing karaoke until all hours of the night. After working on Darcy Burner's congressional campaign, Chris worked for Argo Strategies, where he managed the finances of Cascade's Action Fund among other campaigns. Most recently, he planned a voter registration drive for the Washington State Democrats. Chris is excited to be working with the city and other local governments to create better streets and neighborhoods. He enjoys an occasional pickup game of ultimate Frisbee and a good IPA.
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| Julie Salathe, Education Director |
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| Wheels: |
Marinoni, Bilenky tandem |
| Commute: |
8 miles from Capitol Hill |
| Favorite bicycle organization: |
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute |
| Favorite bike ride: |
Paradise to Yakima and back |
| Julie has been education director since July 2000. She bicycle commutes, rides on a tandem with her husband Eric (a former president of CBC), and rides bikes with daughters, Antonia and Helena. She also leads rides for the club and enjoys cycle touring. Julie moved to Seattle from the East Coast in 1995. She learned Seattle roads and routes on Cascade rides. Before coming to work for Cascade, she taught history of art at Pacific Lutheran U and Cornish College of the Arts. She also enjoys hiking, gardening, and outdoor activities.
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| Elliott Sherburne, Youth Programs Assistant |
| Wheels: |
Giant TCR Alliance, anything else Whistler-capable |
| Commute: |
7 miles from Phinney Ridge |
| Favorite Ride: |
Post Canyon, Mt. Adams Wilderness, anything off Whistler’s Garbanzo lift |
Elliott started riding a mountain bike as soon as he found out that they could be crashed and, some decades later, has yet to learn to ride one well. Elliott grew up in Trout Lake, Washington with the Gifford Pinchot National Forest as a backyard. As a result many winters were spent on skis or building epic ice-forts. Once he grew up he decided to attend college at Evergreen State in Olympia and Western Washington in Bellingham. After majoring in History and participating in the Men's Violence Prevention Project he taught English in Daegu, South Korea for a year. Elliott moved back to Seattle, nested in a neat little 1-bed on Phinney, bought some flat-pack furniture and decided that he liked where he was and wanted to stay. Elliott is now using Seattle as a base from which to mount assaults on Whistler and Duthie mountain bike parks. In his spare time he enjoys trying to play soccer and drinking the ridiculously good selection of local beers.
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| Kat Sweet, Youth Program Manager |
| Wheels: |
Kona Kikapu Deluxe XC bike, Karpiel Disco Volante DH bike, Trek road bike |
| Commute: |
Magnolia, 12 miles |
| Favorite rides: |
WA; Rat Pack, Kachess Ridge, Skookum Flats. Marin; Shuttles on Mt Tam. Whistler; A-Line, Dirt Merchant, Schlayer. The North Shore rocks too. |
| Pets: |
A cat named Sisu (Finish for inner-strength) and a corn snake named Sneeker, or Sneex for short. |
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My Pops is a roadie so he got me into riding at an early age. He's nearing 70 now & I still can't keep up with him. He got me my first mountain bike in 1987.
Living in Tahoe for 10 years, skiing was my first sport so I competed in Big Mountain competitions in places as far as Chamonix, France. Then I switched to Skier Cross racing and did that for three years making it to the X-Games in 1999 & 2000 & Gravity Games in 2000.
Mountain biking was cross training for skiing then after a couple of years it became my favorite sport. I raced downhill and won Expert National title in 1998 then went pro for three years. My best finish was 16th at Sea Otter. The gnarliest course I ever did was the World Cup course at Squaw Valley.
I moved up to Seattle four years ago and decided it was time to give back to society so I started up a Trips for Kids chapter and I've been doing kids bike programs ever since. When the job opened up here at Cascade it was a perfect fit.
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| Anna Telensky, Events and Sponsorship Coordinator |
| Wheels: |
Trek 7.5 FX for commuting and touring, Giant Yukon for mountain biking |
| Commute: |
6 miles from Tangletown |
| Favorite rides: |
Locally: Along Lake Washington Blvd and around the trails at Des Moines Creek Park Out of State: Kingdom Trails in Vermont's North East Kingdom and adventures on the trails and roads in and around Burlington |
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Anna is a long time bike commuter with an ever increasing interest in touring and mountain biking. She moved to Seattle in September 2009 from Burlington, Vermont, where she studied Public Administration with a focus on Community Development; worked for several years as a fundraising and special events coordinator at a smaller bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization; and served as an AmeriCorps member at a Drop-In Center for homeless and at-risk youth. She served as the 2009-2010 AmeriCorps Project Coordinator for Cascade's Major Taylor Project, and joined the Events & Sponsorship team in November 2010. Outside of work her interests include traveling, agriculture, local music, late night bike rides, and endeavoring to learn how to do a handstand.
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| Kim Thompson, Operations Coordinator |
| Wheels: |
20-year-old Continental Lemans with 12-speeds and its original chain and cassette; a Litespeed bike for pleasure riding |
| Commute: |
16 miles roundtrip |
| Favorite place to be: |
Autumn in New England |
| Dream vacation of the moment |
Ireland or Greece |
A die-hard Red Sox fan, Kim hails from Massachusetts, but spent most of her youth in Southern California. She grew up loving horses and calls horseback riding her "original passion". She moved to Seattle about seven years ago.
Kim is a certified scuba diver and sky diver. "I like to go up and down," she says. Kim volunteered at Cascade before joining as a regular staff member. As a former financial analyst for a Fortune 500 company, she truly appreciates the "family atmosphere and small business environment" of Cascade. In the summer of 2006, Kim accomplished one of her big bicycling goals: by participating in the Cascade Training Series, she completed her first century, riding from Seattle to Flaming Geyser State Park and back.
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| Alan Van Vlack, Database and Accounting Coordinator |
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| Wheels: |
Raleigh Cadent FTO |
| Commute: |
7 miles one way |
| Favorite ride: |
Van Buren Bay along Lake Erie, near Dunkirk, NY |
| Alan was born and raised in Hudson, Ohio. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio earning a BS in Accountancy. During his undergrad, he spent a semester studying in Luxembourg and travelling throughout Europe. After graduation, he moved to Seoul, South Korea to teach English Kindergarten for a year where he found his students' eagerness to learn inspiring and developed his love of the outdoors. Climbing and hiking the picturesque mountains throughout the country, it would have been difficult not to fall in love. Upon returning home, he was drawn to Seattle because of the availability of bicycle commuting and "climb-ability" of the surrounding mountains. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, running, hiking, reading, and playing with technology.
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| Peter Verbrugge, Event Producer |
| Wheels: |
Bianchi San Remo, Colnago Altain, Norco Fluid MTB, Ritchey Breakaway |
| Commute: |
12 miles from Seward Park |
| Most memorable ride: |
Self-contained 2000 west Coast, 2004 Tour de France Alps tour & 2007 Vietnam |
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In 1960 Peter was born to English parents in Toronto, Canada. In 1969 he moved to London, England, competing in many different varsity sports and landing his first job in the promotions field (age 16), operating a mobile Deejay service. In 1979 the entire family immigrated back to North America and landed in San Diego, California. During 1980-91 Peter owned and operated three different alternative rock clubs (before alternative became mainstream!), and promoted hundreds of concerts. Deciding a change of lifestyle was in order he decided to move to Seattle in 1992. In 1996 he graduated College with a Video Production degree and started his own production company (Pep Productions Inc). He also at this time spent five years as the Crocodile Café's (Seattle's top rock music club) promotions manager. During this time Peter also interned at King 5 televisions "Almost Live" comedy show, where he appeared numerous times on different skits. Peter has also been lucky enough to co-produce many top Seattle events, including the Fremont Fair, Fremont's original outdoor cinema, Absolut New Years Eve party, Renton Outdoor cinema and 4th of Jul-Ivars Music festival. In recognition for excellence in the field Peter has won three KEPA (King County Event Producers) Awards, including 'Best Millennium Event in the Pacific Northwest".
In 1997 Peter started riding his bike again after a 20 year break, and after watching Lance bounce back from cancer, became a full blown cycling addict. He has been a member of Cascade for about 8 years and actually learned about the opening for the "2003 Bike to Work coordinator" while on a daily bike ride with the club! Now a full-time Cascade employee, Pete enjoys producing events that draw in a varied and wide audience of cycling enthusiasts to the Cascade family. When not training and racing with the Cycle University race team, he also enjoys winter sports, international bike touring and watching international soccer.
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| Tarrell Wright, Development Director |
| Wheels: |
Raleigh road bike named Happy |
| Commute: |
10 miles, from Golden Gardens |
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Tarrell got into cycling through spin class. Not naturally athletic, cycling was the first time she ever felt like a jock and she was hooked. She remembers her first foray into the city streets not long thereafter and being terrified. But she kept it up, soon finishing the MS150 with a friend's team.
A graduate of Lewis and Clark College (Class of '91) and a longtime Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Tarrell has been helping non-profits raise money for over 18 years. In 2008, Tarrell made the move from at-home consulting to a fulltime Development Director position at an environmental organization downtown. That's when she started commuting by bike year round. "Bike commuting changed my life in ways I could have never imagined possible. Who knew, I could arrive at work (maybe a little wet and a little sweaty) awake, clear-headed, and ready to take on the day?"
A passionate environmentalist, Tarrell believes that bikes can save the world. (Or, at least make us a lot happier while we try). Tarrell lives in Ballard with her two sons, Sam (11) and Eli (14).
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