Emma Maaranen
Position: Board Member at-large
Q: Please describe why are you interested in becoming a member of the COTA Board of Directors:
As an active member of the local bike community and avid used of the local trails I would like to give back and get more involved with support, vision, etc..... to ensure that the Local trails and bike community are carefully and creatively managed.
Bends extensive trail system is moving into a maintenance focus as other Central Oregon communities are expanding their systems. I want to ensure our trails meet the needs of all riders and user groups. This does not mean all trails are ideal for every user, but that there are trails for novice riders, advanced riders, ability groups such as hand-bikers, and of course visitors to our trail systems.
• I would like to see challenging terrain sustained by designating black diamond lines and a green or blue line, or similar solutions to keep the stoke high for all riders. Increasing and rehabbing signage at trailheads and on trails will help users make educated ride choice decisions.
• I would also like to see increased community pride and stewardship of our trails. I am interested in Adopt-A-Trail programs where groups of people organize trail care and experience gratitude for their stewardship efforts.
• And parties! Central Oregon is special, and our MTB community is amazing. Let’s bring the community together more with a few fund-raising events such as Bike Prom.
Q: Describe your experience serving on a Board of Directors or comparable experience:
• As a co-founder of the KS Kenda Women’s Elite Professional MTB Team I have had the opportunity to develop the vision and more importantly do the heavy lifting of realizing the vision. In this role I am responsible to raise and allocate funding, organizing events, media relations, and athlete management. I am actively involved in the professional MTB racing community and have built many contacts and relationships.
• As the CEO of Focus Bodywork I was responsible for all aspects of business development. This included strategy development, Infrastructure, budget management, team management, and being the public face of the company.
Q: Please note any experience you have overseeing groups of volunteers or other groups of people:
• In my role as an instructor at COCC, I oversee curriculum development and implementation in my courses, ensure hands-on education is accessible and relevant while sustaining cohesiveness within a diverse learning population, and work with the greater department to create a symbiotic program for faculty and students.
• I successfully started and grew a business over 15 years and grew from a 1 person show to a thriving multi person organization that is thriving to this day.
• I develop and implement MTB skill clinics as a coach with Wenzel Coaching. These groups vary in size and ability ranges, keeping me adaptable! These sessions often include showing participants trails new to them, trail etiquette, and good Samaritan trail and environment stewardship.
Q: Describe any experience you have in trail design, construction and maintenance including safety, education, stewardship, public outreach, and advocacy:
• Over the past 10 years I have been fortunate to get the opportunity to volunteer on COTA trail work events and on trail crews in Utah.
• I have been an invited panelist annually for the Fat Bike Summit in Jasper, Alberta and Fat Bike Nationals in Grand Rapids, discussing strategies for trail stewardship and advocacy with other user groups.
• I educated MTB racers in UT about trail stewardship while racing and organized clean-up and repair crews after Mid-Week MTB Race Series events.
• My passion for cycling goes beyond racing and is something I strive to share with others. I have focused on sharing my excitement by founding #LadySwarm. This is a movement whose mission is to get more female participation in events and races through talks, clinics, and increasing turn-out at targeted races with cooperation from race directors and local bike shops.
• In partnership with local bike shops and bike industry partners, I do talks and hands-on seminars on various topics from Bike Racing 101 to tubeless tire set-up and maintenance.
Q: Describe any other skills that you may bring as a member of the Board of Directors (ex. financial, GIS, etc):
• Time and desire!
• Professional relationships with the large bike industry
• Fund raising within and outside the bike community
• Bike Event promotion
• Extensive social media marketing for profit and non-profit organizations
Q: Please indicate if you may have a possible Conflict of Interest (COI) for being on the Board. This will not omit you from the pool of candidates, but we need to make it known to the public. For example, you could have a conflict of interest if you have a financial stake in a business that could profit from COTA’s activities or if you hold an elected political office.
No known conflicts of interest.