VMBA’s Board of Directors plays a vital role in guiding the organization’s efforts to strengthen Vermont’s mountain biking community and further the implementation of our 5-year Strategic Plan. This year, the Board of Directors has two (2) open seats for appointment to a three-year term beginning April 2026.
In accordance with VMBA Bylaws, the current Board of Directors has nominated a slate of candidates and are presenting them to members in good standing for approval on or before the VMBA Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Online voting is open until 11:59PM ET on April 8. Members may also vote in-person during the first hour of the Annual Meeting.
We’re excited to introduce the two nominees for the open seats – both bringing strong professional experience, passion for mountain biking and Vermont, fundraising and financial acumen, and unique areas of expertise to the Board to help VMBA continue to grow.
Additionally, two terrific Board Members are seeking their 2nd term. Bios are included below for all nominees.
With the exception of Chapter Representatives, board members must be elected by you, the membership. Please take a moment to review the candidates and vote* to approve their appointments to the VMBA Board of Directors by Thursday, April 9.
*To be eligible to vote, you must be a 2026 VMBA member. You can purchase your 2026 membership here.
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RUNNING FOR OPEN SEAT:
Andrew Kimpton (Warren)
I grew up on the east coast of the UK in a very flat landscape, far from the mountains and trail systems that would later shape my life. My 35 year career as a software engineer working for both large Fortune 500 companies (Digital Equipment Corp. & PTC Inc) as well as small startups, has given me opportunities to work throughout the world including Australia, Asia and both West and East coasts of the United States. I led teams ranging in size from 5 to 75 people in both a single location and spanning four countries. Software I helped design and develop is used by brands familiar to us in the outdoors including Trek Bicycles, BOA lacing systems and K2 Skis.
After working in Asia until 1998, I moved to San Francisco and began biking in Marin County, California, where my wife and I owned and operated a brewpub at the foot of Mount Tamalapais. There I discovered mountain biking and developed a lasting passion for the sport and the trail community.
In 2006, I relocated to Boston, and began teaching adaptive skiing at Sugarbush. Six years ago as adaptive mountain biking began to develop and as trail access improved, I added summer time teaching adaptive mountain biking, deepening a long-standing commitment to making outdoor recreation more inclusive and accessible. After retiring in 2024, I’ve chosen to focus on adaptive sports and outdoor accessibility for everybody. I hope to bring to the Vermont Mountain Bike Association board a combination of professional experience, community perspective, and dedication to access, stewardship, and inclusion.
Emily Cayer (Stannard)
Hi, I’m Emily, and I’m excited to be considered for a seat on the VMBA Board of Directors! I live in Stannard in the Northeast Kingdom and spend as much time as I can outside – most often on my mountain bike, exploring local trails and Class IV Roads. In the winter, I love backcountry skiing. When I’m not on two wheels or skis, I’m likely riding Sam, my big old draft mule, through the woods – same love of trails, just a slightly slower pace.
I’m the founder and Executive Director of Tiny Seed Project, a Vermont-based nonprofit that supports grassroots environmental and community-led projects through fiscal sponsorship and back-office support. My work focuses on helping small, place-based organizations grow through collaboration, fundraising, shared resources, and strong leadership.
I’ve been mountain biking for 33 years, lucky to have an older brother/coach/fellow adventurer that shares this passion and has made sure I am always equipped with an awesome bike. Mountain biking is a big part of how I connect with both my community and the landscape here in the NEK, and beyond. I care deeply about trail stewardship, access, and keeping our trail networks strong, sustainable, welcoming, and FUN!
I’d be honored to bring my professional experience and my love of mountain biking to the VMBA Board. Hope to see you out there!
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RUNNING FOR REELECTION:
Kelly Dolan (Waterbury)
Kelly is the Executive Director of Salvation Farms, a Vermont-based nonprofit that works to create a future where all are fed and farms are thriving through integrating surplus produce from local farms into the food system. During her first term on the VMBA Board, Kelly has brought her passion for community impact and improving the lives of Vermonters to service, and has led VMBA’s Fundraising Committee to successful Annual Campaigns in each of the past three years. Kelly also serves as the Board’s Vice Chair and helps ground our work in our mission to make mountain biking more accessible and available to all Vermonters, while also sharing a personal passion for riding. The entire Board emphatically supports Kelly’s reelection.
In her own words, “VMBA is an organization rooted in connection, thriving not because of any one individual, but because of all of us – riders, trail builders, friends, staff, and board members alike. With a strong personal belief in service, I joined the board seeking a meaningful way to give back to a community that has given me so much including countless muddy rides and close friendships. As Fundraising Chair and Vice Chair, I’ve shown up as a thought partner and a happy worker bee, grounded in the belief that trails bring people together. I would love the chance to keep that momentum going for another term.”
Annie Strout (South Burlington)
Annie is a Financial Advisor with the Wealth Management division of Morgan Stanley in Colchester, Vermont, where she focuses on comprehensive financial planning and 401(k) and retirement plan consulting for individuals, families, corporations and non-profits. During her first term, Annie helped establish the Board’s Finance Committee, responsible for not only overseeing VMBA’s day-to-day financial operations, but also helping chart a path for long term fiscal health and the ability to effectively fund the goals laid out in our Strategic Plan. Annie’s passion for riding has already made an impression on her 3-year-old, Ralph, for whom Annie is excited to help build an even better future for mountain biking in Vermont. The collective Board enthusiastically supports Annie’s reelection.
According to Annie, “I joined the VMBA board because I care deeply about mountain biking in Vermont, the local trails, and the community that uses them. I hope to be re-elected to the board to continue to bring another perspective to the table and to push the organization’s progress and momentum forward.”
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Please cast your vote online by April 8th, or in person at our Annual Meeting at Lawson’s on April 9th! Your voice is vital to our organizational growth and the pursuit of our mission to ensure the sustainability of mountain biking in Vermont and thoughtfully promote exceptional riding experiences for all through advocacy, education, and community-driven stewardship.