IMBA Contacts & Links: Staff Bios

IMBA Contacts & Links: Staff Bios

Staff Bios
Mike Van Abel, executive director

Mike took the helm as IMBA's executive director in October 2004. With over 25 years of nonprofit leadership, Mike brings a depth of experience in association management, from advocacy and lobbying, to fundraising and volunteer development. Mike was most recently the national vice president of the American Diabetes Association, where he lead the rollout of the highly successful Team Diabetes marathon training and fundraising campaign as well as several affiliate based cycling events. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Mike enjoys it all ?including mountain biking, running, hiking, camping, skiing, snowshoeing and canoeing. His favorite singletrack? ?"Anywhere that takes me to beautiful landscapes - where it's so quiet that all you hear is the wind, birds, (frogs in the springtime) and your own breath."
James Buratti, webmaster

James has been IMBA's webmaster since 2000. He has led the effort to make imba.com a comprehensive, user-friendly resource for mountain bike advocates. James also serves as the University Webmaster at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. He has been mountain biking since 1991 and authored a very successful trail guide for Ohio.
Pete Burhop, development director

Pete began working at IMBA in September 2001. Pete leads IMBA's corporate sponsor and major donor efforts. Before coming to IMBA, he was a fundraiser for the Colorado Outward Bound School. Burhop is an avid mountain biker, trail runner and rock climber.
Jenn Dice, government affairs director

Jenn joined IMBA in June 2001 and directs IMBA's national advocacy efforts. Jenn previously worked as a political lobbyist and press director. She is an avid mountain biker who competes annually in the ultra-distance Leadville Trail 100. She also enjoys snowboarding and good espresso.
Rich Edwards, trails specialist

Rich is a nationally respected trail design expert who developed his skills during three years as a leader of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew. Rich has assessed, designed, constructed and maintained trails in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Wales, Scotland and England.
Mark Eller, communications specialist

Mark creates electronic and print publications to help spread the word about IMBA's various projects. His background is in magazine publishing ?he was Senior Editor of Ski Racing magazine before joining IMBA in spring '05. Mark competes in adventure races, road and off-road triathlons, endurance-oriented mountain bike races and all manner of foot races.
Erik Esborg, finance director

Erik has served as IMBA's finance director since 1999. He manages IMBA's $2.2 million budget, as well as key human resources duties. He received his Certified Public Accountant certificate in 1998. Erik is an avid cyclist, scuba diver as well as guitarist and vocalist for an up-and-coming rock band.
Scott Gordon, membership manager

Scott leads IMBA's efforts to garner individual support from mountain bikers and to boost IMBA's membership numbers. He is an experienced bicycle advocate as well as a seasoned non-profit fundraiser. In addition to his duties at IMBA, Scott is the President of the Boulder Off-Road Alliance. Scott graduated from California Polytechnic State University and currently lives in Boulder with his wife Lisse. Scott races mountain bikes at the semi-pro level in his spare time.
Aaryn Kay, Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew coordinator

After spending two years on the road as a member of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew, Aaryn now manages the complex web of Crew visits around North America. Aaryn also coordinates IMBA's Urban Hot Spots program. In addition to being an expert trailbuilder and organizer, Aaryn graduated from Duke with two Masters degrees. Aaryn is an avid mountain biker, trail runner and sea kayaker.
Joey Klein, trail specialist

Joey spent three years as a leader of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew. In 2002, Joey moved into a new role: trail specialist - a position that enables him to share his exceptional trailbuilding skills with trail groups and land managers worldwide. He spends his free time surfing and skiing.
Scott Linnenburger, Trail Solutions coordinator

After two years on the road as a member of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew, Scott has traded his car for a real bed, and is now managing the growing IMBA Trail Solutions program. Scott has a masters in Environmental Management degree from Duke University. Scott is also an avid mountain biker, hiker and fly fisherman.
Tammy Pickerrell, membership services coordinator

Tammy heads up IMBA's membership services operations and delivers great customer service to members. She also coordinates the Subaru VIP program, oversees shipping and fulfillment, manages office volunteers, and ensures that online product and membership orders are processed and fulfilled in a timely manner. A former professional downhill racer, Tammy enjoys it all on two wheels - from BMX to freeriding.
Spencer Powlison, membership assistant

Spencer is a vital part of IMBA's membership team, entering data, processing incoming mail, providing great customer service to IMBA's members. Spencer recently graduated from Saint Michael's College in Vermont, where he was the president of the cycling team. He's semi-pro racer and passionate about all things cycling. He has political experience as an intern at Senator Patrick Leahy's office as well as at USA Cycling.
Heather Sias, advocacy coordinator

Heather organizes and supports IMBA's affiliated clubs and representatives. She comes to IMBA from Yale Law School, where she just finished her JD. She has worked in several bike shops, and cut her teeth on the fine singletrack of Michigan's Fort Custer Recreation Area. She is an avid mountain biker (lifetime Dirt Rag subscriber) and a big fan of outdoor sports in general, the University of Michigan Wolverines, reuben sandwiches, and the work IMBA's clubs and reps are doing.
Gary Sprung, senior national policy advisor

Gary has been a mountain bicycling advocate since 1983, working for Mountain Bike Magazine since its inception and for IMBA since 1990. He now specializes in public lands management policy issues and advocacy advising. Gary participated in the original Pearl Pass mountain bike ride in Crested Butte, and is an expert photographer.
Zach Vanderkooy, national mountain bike patrol and product coordinator

Zach manages IMBA's Bike Patrol program, a network of mountain bike ambassadors who assist, educate, and inform all trail users. He also coordinates IMBA's product sales and e-commerce operations. A native of Portland, OR, Zach has a degree in political science from Cornell University. Zach is an avid singlespeeder, year-round bike commuter, cyclocross racer, amateur pastry chef and passionate proponent of multiple methods of human-powered recreation.
Pete Webber, membership & communications director

Pete joined IMBA in 1998 and directs IMBA's membership work. He also heads IMBA's communications effort, which include marketing, public relations and the IMBA website. His 15 years of mountain biking experience include six years on the professional circuit, where he was one of the top ranked riders in the world.
Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner, IMBA Canada

Lora Woolner and Mark Schmidt are professional trail experts who recently retired from three years on the road as Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders. Mark and Lora have been the lead instructors at more than 75 IMBA Trailbuilding Schools and have helped improve trails in more than 30 U.S. states and Canadian provinces. This dynamic duo will continue their work with IMBA as coordinators of IMBA's efforts in Canada - leading trailwork sessions, meeting with government officials and land managers, and working with bike clubs and associations to improve mountain biking opportunities north of the border. Lora and Mark's professional trail design, construction, and consulting services are also available through IMBA's fee-based Trail Solutions Program.
Nat and Rachel Lopes, Western Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew

Nat and Rachel Lopes began working on the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew in March 2004. For the past five years, Rachael worked as an archaeologist developing a breadth of skills that range from GIS mapping to soil sampling to burial exhumation. Nat worked as an independent marketing, design and photography consultant; he is also certified as a California Department of Forestry firefighter, a California State Park Docent and in Wilderness First Aid.
Chris Bernhardt and Jill Van Winkle, Eastern Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew

Chris Bernhardt and Jill Van Winkle, from Hood River, Oregon, started working for IMBA in May 2004. Before arriving at IMBA Chris was a land use planner, specializing in citizen involvement and working with public agencies. Jill worked in the plant biotech industry for five years, studying stress tolerance and water quality. Both are dedicated advocates in the Columbia Gorge area and are certified in Wilderness First Aid.