AoB is a team effort and we highly value our members, volunteers, staff, and board. Thank you all for your many contributions that help make Asheville a better place. When you show, we grow!
Executive Director:
- Mike Sule
Current Board Members:
- Ben Hanna, Board President
- Kent Cranford, Board Treasurer
- Jen Thompson, Board Secretary
- Brian Randall, Board Member
- Sophie Mullinax, Board Member
- Laura Richardson, Board Member
- Emily Richter, Board Member
- Philip Aschliman, Board Member
- Ren Dey, Board Member
- RJ Bast, Board Member
- Sid Law, Board Member
Our Standing Committees:
- Policy
- Events
- Development
- Executive
Our part time staff:
- Abby Walker, Executive Assistant
Recent Board Responses & Announcements
Meet the AOB Board
Ben Hanna
Board President, He/Him
Why do you live in Asheville?
We live in Asheville because of its access to nature, the strong local community, and the people we call friends.
Why do you invest in AoB?
I commute downtown from WAVL on my bike, and take my kid to school on a bike as often as I can. I spent a few years on the west coast, and came to appreciate the bike infrastructure that was present there. More importantly, the drivers have a better understanding of what it means to “Share the Road” and I want to facilitate that here in Asheville.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
I biked Coastal HWY 1 from San Francisco to Los Angeles and bike-camped the whole way. The views and experience were life changing and made bicycling my preferred way of getting around.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
I have always been more of a cross country / road biker and I love the greenways. I am starting to get more into mountain biking and am always open for trail recommendations!
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
I hope that Asheville makes smart choices building back from Helene and is able to increase the bike infrastructure and park access as part of it. We have a unique opportunity to radically change some of our landscape.
Kent Cranford
Board Treasurer, He/Him
Why do you live in Asheville?
I visited the NC mountains many times as I grew up and in 1993 made them my permanent home.
Why do you invest in AoB?
I love the advocacy for multi-modal transportation that AoB has been a leader for in Asheville.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
Recently it was riding across NC previewing the Cycle NC Mountains to Coast ride.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
Everywhere
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
Well-designed bike lanes on every corridor in the city and connections to our neighbor communities.
Jen Thompson
Board Secretary
Why do you live in Asheville?
My husband Kyle and I moved here in 2005 from Missoula Montana! I was like, hey I was a camp counselor in 1997 in Brevard and it seems like a great place for kayaking and biking and will bring us closer to our family. We can also find great paying jobs as we had both just graduated from grad school and Missoula is a tough spot to find a good paying career (insert Irony here!).
Why do you invest in AoB?
I invest in AoB for the community; I love bikes! I want to live in a city and raise my kids in a city in which I can have easy and safe access to trail systems and greenways. Asheville has a long way to go AND has come a tremendously long way since we moved here in 2005.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
Oh boy, that’s a tough one! Bike packing into the Pioneer Mountains in Sun Valley Idaho was a great adventure! I was with my husband Kyle and I was completely ill equipped with gear. I used our daughters’ school backpack It was comical on many levels and also spectacular! The view was ridiculous! It was a really fun way to explore on a bike and get out of town without using a car or backpack in somewhere.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
Bent Creek!
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
My big wish for Asheville is for our city council to make decisions more through the lens of our local community and its direct needs and less through the lens of tourism.
Brian Randall
Board Member, He/Him
Why do you live in Asheville?
I love mountains
Why do you invest in AoB?
AoB advocates for children to experience their city safely on a bike. AoB education events and Bike Club create wonderful communities of youth centered on the adventure of biking. I invest in AoB because it is transforming the infrastructure of Asheville so my family can safely commute to school and fun around town.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
Watching my 5 year and 7 year olds complete the Wilma Dykeman Greenway with huge smiles on their faces because they felt safe were motivated to ride!
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
Dupont is my favorite dirt system but my family has truly come to love the Wilma Dykeman greenway.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
My wish for Asheville is for it to be a place where everyone can experience success and safety, joy and community, peace and bike love!
Sophie Mullinax
Board Member, She/Her
Why do you live in Asheville?
I live in Asheville because it’s been my home since 2001. Much of my family is here and I deeply appreciate and enjoy the natural beauty and vibrancy of our city and surrounding areas. I love getting to see it become friendlier and safer for all types of transportation – car, bike, pedestrian, and transit.
Why do you invest in AoB?
Asheville on Bikes’ mission and work aligns with my vision for a more livable, joyful, and resilient city that is easy to navigate by bike and foot. AoB works hard to address systemic harms, racist policies, and societal inequities, and I’m heartened by AoB’s commitment to the never-ending work of becoming anti-racist.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
The 50 States’ Ride in Washington, DC takes you on a 63-mile ride covering all the state-named streets in DC. I have ridden it three times, and once in the pouring rain. Tied with that is the first time I rode with my oldest daughter on our cargo bike when she was seven weeks old – on an AoB Summer Cycle ride!
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
In protected bike infrastructure.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
To fully embrace and realize a vibrant, resilient, and healthy citizenry that isn’t dependent on cars
Laura Richardson
Board Member, She/Her
Why do you live in Asheville?
AVL is appealing for so many reason including access to the outdoors, fresh food and amazing community!
Why do you invest in AoB?
It’s important to work on issues that increase equity for all in our community; everyone should have safe, reliable ways to move about our City via all modes of transportation including walking and biking and for recreating.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
Most memorable, biking in Belgium to a farmhouse brewery was simply magical! We love to travel & explore the cities on bike/walking ~ most recently a visit to Miami, bike and pedestrian infrastructure everywhere connects us to multiple parts of the city!
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
I’m a commuter, so anywhere and everywhere.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
Affordability, otherwise, we’re going to lose our most valuable resources: the residents of AVL. Everyone should be able to earn a fair wage, find affordable housing, access fresh healthy foods, child care and healthcare.
Emily Richter
Board Member, She/Her
Why do you live in Asheville?
The community and cooperativeness of the people I have met here have made me at home. I love the mountains and being outside in all the natural beauty that surrounds us, as well as the cultural and art scene here as well. Overall it’s a great place to call home and to come home to.
Why do you invest in AoB?
I want all people in our area to have access to safe trails and lessen the use of cars. Also having experienced the opposite- areas that are just plain dangerous to walk or ride in at all, reading news of cyclists or pedestrians being hurt or killed, motivates me to help everyone realize that it is everyone’s right to feel safe and to have access to the outdoors and have the option to use alternative means of transportation.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
During a trip I took to Spain with a friend. We rented gravel bikes and chose a “moderate” 22 mile route from Strava rolling through the countryside. Things took a turn when the route entered a national park and the terrain got really rough. I had a flat that even after changing, would not hold air. Relying on the kindness of strangers and working around the language barrier, they helped us get out of the park and back to the safety of the small town we were staying in.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
Gravel biking is my favorite, and I love riding (and running) in Bent Creek. It’s easy to get to and has such a variety of trails.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
To see EVERYONE using greenways and trails and feeling safe!
Philip Aschliman
Board Member, He/Him
Why do you live in Asheville?
I first came to the region for the whitewater paddling. I met my wife in 1999 when we were both raft guides for the Nantahala Outdoor Center. We developed strong bonds with friends and neighbors here though adventures with boats and bikes.
Why do you invest in AoB?
I wholeheartedly believe in the mission of Asheville on Bikes. We need liveable streets for a healthy community. My grandfather lived to the age of 96 riding his trusty 3-speed cruiser regularly up until the week he passed. I want Asheville to be a place where people of all ages and all abilities can experience the freedom of roaming the streets without a car.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
It was only 10 miles. Summer Cycle 2021 with my daughter was an epic adventure. She was just 5 years old at the time. We had been practicing for the big climb up Waynesville Ave. On the day of the ride we were embraced by the community. She made the big climb without help. Experienced riders surrounded us for the busy stretch on Haywood Rd. Then we did a side mission slow race, rode through a big thunderstorm, saw a rainbow, and ate ice cream.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
I love riding to festivals and concerts in RAD and Downtown from West Asheville. Last fall we rallied some friends for a ride to Boomtown Arts and Heritage FestAVL. On our return ride we were joined by one of Asheville’s City Council members. We created a symphony of bells on the cruise home.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
More bells less honking. Every child should have the opportunity to walk, ride, or roll to school safely, independently, and joyfully.
Ren Dey
Board Member, He/Him
Why do you live in Asheville?
Asheville’s surrounding outdoor access blends perfectly with its vibrant music and arts scene.
Why do you invest in AoB?
We live in the outdoor recreation hub of the southeast. Our bike infrastructure within city limits should reflect this claim, in addition to providing safe routes to areas like Bent Creek and access points along the French Broad River.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
In 2018 I completed a bike tour down the west coast from Portland, Oregon to Big Sur, California.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
I love riding from the Rice Pinnacle trailhead in Bent Creek, with sometimes adding additional miles dropping down into North Mills River.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
I want to create safe viable infrastructure to get to and from the different neighborhoods within Asheville. Most importantly, we need to complete the Swannanoa River Greenway to provide safe access from the east side of town.
Additionally, as the surrounding Asheville area is boasted as one of our countries greatest areas to mountain bike, I want to be able to have a safe route to get to Bent Creek from West Asheville.
RJ Bast
Board Member, He/Him
Why do you live in Asheville?
From the outdoor adventures in Pisgah National Forest, to the arts, music and great food, the area offers a lot to love.
Why do you invest in AoB?
I want to live in a community that has safe trails and greenways for cyclists and pedestrians. The majority of residents in modern cities are in support of these items and we need to keep focused so these projects get done.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
In 2022 I was fortunate enough to participate in the Westfjords ultra-endurance stage race in Iceland. Over 4 days we road 600 miles across a dramatic landscape and unpredictable weather. The best way to experience a country’s nature and people is by slowing down and riding your bike.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
When on the road, I like to take a trip up Town Mountain and get on to the Parkway and then come down Elk Mountain Scenic Hwy. When going off road, I like to head over to the Big Ivy area for a big gravel climb and then some mountain biking.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
Cities across the country are investing a lot of resources in biking and walking infrastructure. Creating the correct infrastructure is the biggest factor for making streets safer for cyclist and pedestrians. I think there is a big opportunity now for connecting communities so more people have access to sidewalks and bike lanes for recreation and commuting.
Sid Law
Board Member, He/Him
Why do you live in Asheville?
We live in Asheville for the connection to the outdoors and cooler climate.
Why do you invest in AoB?
To push for the building of community along with safer cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.
What’s your best adventure on a bike?
Cycling from Copenhagen to Berlin then cutting across to Amsterdam. Riding bike paths and Eurovelo the whole way, spent all of 10 miles on actual roads. Couchsurfed with locals and ate every baguette I could along the way.
What’s your favorite place to ride in or around Asheville?
Early morning Elk Mountain Loops when the fog is still settled among the Blue Ridge Mountains. Bonus points if you can crest as the fog clears and the sun rises.
What’s your big wish for Asheville?
ZERO cycling and pedestrian deaths caused by cars.
Interested in Joining our Board?
Asheville on Bikes is expanding our board of directors. Are you interested in serving on AoB’s board? If so, please use this form to tell us about yourself, your experience, and your interest in Asheville on Bikes.
We are actively looking for members with diverse lived experiences, particularly people who identify as BIPOC, who are not currently sharing their perspectives on our board. We acknowledge that systemic harm can and has occurred from predominantly white groups, and we are actively working to address and mitigate the effects of internalized and institutionalized white supremacy culture.
Before applying, please note the following:
- Board Service is unpaid, and regular donations of time and other resources are expected according to your means.
- Serving with the Board represents an average time commitment of 2-4 hours per month over a 3-year term. Time commitments include monthly Board meetings, committee meetings, preparation for board and committee meetings, and advocacy/outreach/engagement efforts.
- Being a Board member involves fiduciary duty, on-boarding training, and at times, public scrutiny. Please discuss these with your family and be sure you are prepared for these commitments before applying.
Please reach out to sophie@ashevilleonbikes.com with any questions. Thank you!