kids on bikes
Our People
Daniel Byrd
Executive Director
Daniel is a huge advocate for everyone-especially kids-utilizing bikes to explore, have fun, and enjoy the beauty only found in Colorado Springs. Daniel received his bachelors of Social Work from Colorado State University and has a vast background in working with kids as a coach, counselor, and social worker. During his time at Urban Peak, he started up the Bike Program to help homeless youth earn a bike of their own. Daniel brings together a huge passion for kids and bicycles and hopes to strengthen every aspect of Kids on Bikes in order to have a huge impact on his home town of Colorado Springs.
Jess Verplank
Deputy Director
Jessica is a Colorado native with deep roots in the local mountain bike community. She wants to change the world and have a big impact on our Colorado Springs community. She has a huge passion to get more women and kids on bikes and brings that passion to Kids on Bikes. “I believe that we all need to experience the freedom that bikes allow”. She has volunteered for the Women’s Mountain Bike Association of Colorado Springs, coached women’s mountain bike clinics around Colorado and volunteered and coached for summer camps with Kids on Bikes. She loves gardening, cooking, bikepacking and traveling with her family searching for the best locations across the US to camp, mountain bike, paddle board, ski and adventure together.
Emily Shields
Program Manager
Emily has lived in Colorado Springs for most of her life and has a passion for helping the people in her community. When her husband gave her a mountain bike as a Christmas present in 2017, her first thought was, “what am I going to do with this?”. That bike was more than a bike though, it was freedom, it was happiness, it was joy, it was a challenge, and it was a new lifestyle. Emily now enjoys sharing her passion and love of cycling with those in her community. She is a volunteer ride guide for WMBA, she has volunteered for Front Rangers, will be a proud Highlanders mom/volunteer starting this year, and in her spare time she is always up to volunteer for any and all cycling events! As the Program Manager, Emily is thrilled to be able to partner with Kids on Bikes to help get more kids on bikes and give more kids access to bikes in the Colorado Springs community.
Ryan Bunge
Bike Mechanic/Retail associate
Ryan was born in Colorado Springs and after putting in some miles in California, Michigan, and South Carolina, he’s back on track in the foothills of the Rockies. He is happiest outdoors and has spent many years snowboarding, hiking, trail running and biking with his girlfriend Andrea. They even named their first son Fisher (yes, after Gary Fisher). Together with their two active sons (Fisher, Cade and 2 year old dog (Lachlan) they now call Manitou Springs home and Garden of the Gods their backyard. An early interest in photography led Ryan to study at Academy of Art in San Francisco. His cameras are always focused on nature, capturing all that is eye-catching outside. Ryan combines his love of photography and bikes and you’ll often find him snapping iPhone pics of bikes in awesome places.
Joining Kids on Bikes + Pedal Station is a perfect fit…
Austin Latare
Bike Service Associate
Austin grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio fascinated with snowboarding, skateboarding, and motocross. He spent high school and thereafter studying and working in the small engine repair and diesel mechanic field. After relocating to the Springs in 2018, Austin found the Colorado landscape rekindling his love for the outdoors. He enjoys hiking, snowboarding, biking, and camping with his family and friends. In 2020, Austin started maintaining family bikes and learning all he could about bike mechanics and the cycle industry. Through countless rides in the 2020/2021 seasons, Austin fell in love with the therapeutic benefits of riding bikes and decided to pursue bikes as a career. Today, he enjoys the opportunity the Pedal Station and Kids on Bikes provides to pass along those same feelings and benefits to the Colorado Springs community.
Isaac Remington
Bike Mechanic
Isaac has lived in Colorado Springs his whole life. While living here, he has grown passionate for all things cycling. Early on, Isaac raced BMX around Colorado and then discovered gears soon after. Since then, Isaac has been competing in cross country races, some of which have been Colorado State Championships in Durango and USAC Nationals in Winter Park. When Isaac is not racing, he’s working to GET MORE KIDS ON BIKES by volunteering as a coach and a board member with Front Rangers Junior Cycling and as a Summer coach for Kids On Bikes, both of which he has been doing for 4 years. This passion for getting more bikes into the community has also provided Isaac with an interest in how to make bicycles more efficient which is why he is currently studying Systems Engineering at UCCS. If Isaac is not in the shop or on the trail, he’s probably trying to rock climb or find time to eat a sandwich.
RAchel Xu
Program Assistant
Rachel has lived all across the USA but has considered Colorado her home since 2009. It wasn’t until she moved to sidewalk and bike lane filled Baltimore for college that she discovered the simple joy of getting from one place to another with her own two feet. It was also in the city that Rachel cultivated a profound appreciation for the power of community bonds and realized the transformative impact of organizations like Kids on Bikes. She is proud to be part of Kids on Bikes and working to bring more cycling programs to El Paso County.
Ashley Cormier
Program Assistant
Ashley truly has a nomadic soul, living in more places than she can even count. Most recently returning to Colorado Springs after taking a two year RV tour of the country with her family. She’s an avid hiker, kayaker, and camper with a passion for promoting mental health through outdoor activities. For kids, what better tool is there than a bike?
Kip Biese
Head Coach
Kip lives and breathes all things bikes. His personal passion is helping people live a happier and healthier life with cycling, especially kids all throughout the year. Kip obtained his bachelor degrees in Exercise Sports Science and Psychology as well as master’s degrees in Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology. He’s certified with numerous cycling coaching licenses and is a certified ACSM Personal Trainer. Kip serves on the Board for the Front Rangers/Highlanders and coaches for entities as well. As a competitor himself, he has competed at a professional level in just about every discipline and attained national rankings in Endurance MTBing while also setting a few records! Kip first joined Kids on Bikes as a volunteer coach in the summer of 2014 and has always been looking for ways to provide more opportunities for kids to ride as well as coach and train our current camp coaches.
MADDIE GODBY
Velodrome Programming Coordinator
Maddie is a Colorado native and has called Colorado Springs home for the last decade. She has spent the last 13 years training as an elite track cyclist and represented Team USA at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. During this time, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Health & Wellness Promotion and a Master’s of Public Health degree in order to promote well-being through physical activity at the population level. Maddie currently works in public policy focusing on the construction of safe and connected bike infrastructure around the country so that more people can ride a bike more often. She is very excited to work locally in the Colorado Springs community to get more kids (and adults) on bikes and to share the excitement and thrill of ripping around a velodrome. When Maddie is not on a bike you can find her visiting local bakeries, hiking on Colorado Springs’ amazing trails, or attempting to grow things in her garden.
Jill Martin
Programs Coordinator
Jill grew up all over the world with Japan as her favorite place to live. However, that changed when Colorado became her home in 1999. She is an outdoor enthusiast who has engaged in pretty much every outdoor activity including backpacking, caving, snowboarding, mountain biking, and rock climbing. She recently retired from a 33-year career as a federal employee with the Department of Defense. After taking two years off to backpack the Colorado Trail, chase powder, learn to fly fish, and care for elderly parents; she decided to pursue an encore career. She wanted an encore career to provide greater personal meaning and social impact that weren’t always a factor in her previous career. Jill is excited to support the Kids on Bikes vision to inspire and empower ALL KIDS to lead HEALTHY, ACTIVE, and HAPPY lives through bicycling.
Clever Martinez
Velodrome Programming Coach
Clever Martinez is a cycling inspiration from Venezuela. Since his childhood, cycling was more than just a hobby to him; it has been a passion and an integral part of his life. He began cycling when he was only 5 years old, and as the years went by, it grew into a major part of his identity.Determined to become a professional cycling athlete, Clever trained hard and eventually became one of the best track and criterium racers in the USA. He has even participated in various cycling races across the world.With his inspiring story and passion for cycling, Clever Martinez continues to inspire cyclists of all ages to do their best and never give up on their dreams. His dedication to cycling serves as an inspiration for those who are chasing their own cycling dreams. He truly is an inspiration!By continuing to train hard, believe in himself, and never give up, Clever Martinez has managed to achieve great things in cycling – something that serves as an inspiration for aspiring cyclists everywhere. We can’t wait to see what else he will accomplish!
Andy Sparks
Velodrome Programming Coordinator
Andy has been fortunate enough to turn his passion for cycling into a successful career, coaching three Olympic teams to win four Olympic medals and break multiple world records. Beyond these accomplishments, he is most proud of working and learning in multiple countries with athletes and coaches from over 20 nationalities in the sport of cycling. This diverse experience has taught him countless lessons about working with different personalities in high-stress situations. In the earlier stages of his career, his focus was solely on winning and achieving more, but he has since learned that serving others is his true calling. As a head coach, he is passionate about applying the latest scientific research and practical knowledge to create a coaching style that emphasizes athlete psychology and leading by example. He has been honored with the United States Olympic Committee Order of Ikkos award three times for outstanding leadership and coaching excellence and is also a three-time winner of the USA Cycling Coach of the Year award.Through his work, he strives to inspire and guide the next generation of cyclists, leveraging my extensive experience and dedication to excellence. Serving others through the sport of cycling is his true passion, and he is committed to making a positive impact.
Micah Foster
Bike Mechanic
Micah has been riding bikes his whole life. When he was in elementary he would come home from school and ride his bike around the neighborhood every day. He was born in Colorado Springs and has lived there his whole life. He attends the University of Wyoming during the school year and works at the Pedals Station during the summers. He enjoys mountain biking in Colorado and commuting to his classes in Wyoming. Micah started at the Pedal Station as a volunteer at 15 as a way to help out the community and get more kids outside. He enjoys anything that has two wheels and rolls.
Tyler Lull
Bike Mechanic
Tyler was born and raised in Gunnison, Colorado where he developed a love for riding, building, and fixing bicycles at a young age while working alongside his grandfather. In 2023, Tyler took his passion to the next level by receiving an Associates Degree in Bicycle Design and Fabrication from Minnesota State College Southeast in Red Wing Minnesota. It has always been his dream to work with kids and use what is already on hand to recycle and fix bicycles in order to make them accessible to everyone, no matter their background. Tyler is excited to begin his career doing just that right here with the Colorado Springs community. When he’s not at the Pedal Station, you will find him hanging out with his family, paddle boarding, hiking, and, of course, riding his bicycle.
Brittney McDonald
Program Assistant
Brittney has worked with various non-profit organizations across the Pikes Peak Region for over a decade and is excited to bring her experience to Kids On Bikes. When she isn’t helping out in the community she spends her free time creating art, becoming a plant lady, and crashing into teammates with Pikes Peak Roller Derby.
Interested in joining our team? Click here to check out our available opportunities
Board of Directors
- President Joey A. Lee, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, UCCS-Beth El College of Nursing and Health Science
- Founder, Paige Carmichael, Co-Founder, Carmichael Training Systems.
- Treasurer, Felicia Geray, CPA, Senior Manager, Connor Group
- Secretary, Kevin Knapp, Founder & Owner, Tierra Plan
- Samuel Clark, Executive Director, Pikes Peak Real Estate Foundation
- Melissa McMartin, University of Colorado-Rocky Mountain Prevention Center: Sr. Health Promotion Coordinator
-
Edward C. (Ted) Maynard, MD. Physician-Founding partner of Iron Horse Pediatrics. Children's Hospital Colorado -
Trey Williams, Assistant Vice Provost, University of Michigan - Office of the Vice Provost for Equity, Inclusion, and Academic Affairs