2019 VMBA Board Candidates

Ryan Bent

Voting will take place at the 2019 VMBA Annual Meeting, Nov. 21st, 6:30 to 8:30PM.

VFW Hall
1 Pioneer St.
Montpelier, VT 05602

Light fare courtesy of Cabot Cheese, pizza provided by our friends at The Blue Stone. Full cash bar benefits the VFW.


Steph Baer

Steph Baer, originally a flat lander, decided to call Burlington home after earning her BA from UVM in 2009. She fell in love with mission driven work and worked for organizations that had positive and equitable impacts on the community. Inspired to learn more, Steph earned her MS in Mediation and Applied Conflict Studies from Champlain College in 2018. Currently, Steph is the Administrative Officer for The Federal Public Defender’s Office for the District of Vermont. She oversees and advises on all operational and financial aspects of the office and is the primary advisor to the Federal Public Defender for strategic planning. For the past three years, Steph has served on the Board of Directors for Fellowship of the Wheel, recently stepping off as VP in November 2019. From her experience at FOTW to her knack for business operations, strategic planning, and navigating conflict systems, Steph is motivated to serve all of Vermont’s mountain bikers in continuing to support and grow a vibrant and thriving community.

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Joel Chaudoir

8 years ago I moved back to Vermont with my family, after years of working in the Rockies.  I received my BA in Recreation Management from Eastern Washington University and years later an MS in development from the University of Denver.  I have spent my adult life pursuing outdoor recreation in the ski industry and as a guide, instructor, coach and most recently a recreation facility construction / program manager.  To my mind mountain biking is the single most exciting thing going on in the outdoor industry today.

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Ariel Kent

Hello, I’m Ariel Kent and currently am residing in Middlebury, Vermont. I have a Bachelors in Mountain Recreation Management from Lyndon State College (now Northern Vermont University), and a Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management from Harvard University. I currently work at Basin Sports in Killington where I manage their Marketing and Ecommerce Platforms. Since coming on board at Basin we’ve seen a 25% growth annually on digital platforms. I’m an avid Cyclist and Mountain Biker with a developing addiction for Downhill MTB racing, and have been an advocate/ influencer for smaller Vermont chapters and race events in the state- who are struggling to have their voices heard.

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Jason Rickles

A transplanted flatlander, my wife and I have called Vermont home now for five years.  I feel very fortunate to live in a place where Mountain Bike culture is so rich and well supported.  I teach English at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester, where I coach an MTB race team.  As a long time coach and passionate mountain biker, sharing outdoor recreation with kids living in rural communities, particularly riding, has become a passion of mine.  I feel I can bring to the VMBA board not only a passion for the sport and dedication to growing it, but a perspective on bringing access to those least likely to find their own inroads to mountain biking.

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Kim Stinson

 

I am currently working as the Director of Sports at the Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center where I recently obtained my MTB Instructor certification. I am passionate about increasing youth involvement in mountain biking and working to find ways to encourage participation from income sensitive communities in southern Vermont. Realizing the need to raise awareness, I assisted in the formation of the Windham County Trails Alliance where I served on the board as Secretary & Treasurer. In addition, I serve the National Ski Patrol as the Southern Vermont Region Bike Program Advisor and am currently working with Downhill MTB Parks to build a strong program for the local patrols which will serve as a model for the rest of the country. This year I accepted the invitation to fill an open position on the VMBA Board and am looking forward to continuing work with this amazing group of individuals to build and maintain mountain bike opportunities throughout Vermont. Besides my passion for mountain biking, I enjoy skiing, climbing, horseback riding and spending time with my family!

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