CAMTB Announces Exciting Updates to its Board of Directors for 2023

A message from outgoing CAMTB founding Board President, Jake Bayless, to CAMTB members and the larger mountain biking community in California.

It is my sincere pleasure to share some exciting leadership changes to CAMTB’s Board of Directors.  For the first time since our inception, and since our legal formation in October of 2019, CAMTB will be led by a new Executive team. The following executive officers were elected during the Board’s Annual Meeting on January 4, 2023:

• President, Steve Messer, Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists
• Vice President, Jake Bayless, California Trails Foundation
• Secretary, Susie Murphy, San Diego Mountain Biking Association
• Treasurer, John Terberg, Orange County Mountain Bike Association

I am honored to have been entrusted as CAMTB’s President these past four years, during the development of this unifying platform for the mountain biking community in California.  It has taken a village to get to here, particularly given the adversity of our complex geography and politics, and in the face of a global pandemic. CAMTB, though, is now making the waves we originally envisioned! We’re showing California that we are deeply invested in our trails, parks, and open spaces, and we’re proving that trail partners are the stewards those places need and deserve. I am deeply thankful for the hard work and dedication of the CAMTB trail partner community, our partners, and you, the mountain bikers of California.

As noted, Steve Messer is now the Board President of the coalition. Steve’s trail advocacy experience and diplomacy are unmatched, and I am confident in his ability to lead us through this crucial next phase. I will support Steve as Vice President to help ensure a seamless transition and transfer of institutional knowledge. I will also be serving as Board President of the newly formed California Trails Foundation, a 501(c)3 philanthropic organization which aims to secure broader institutional and corporate support for our work.

I’d like to take this moment to thank our outgoing Vice President, Vernon Huffman, for his invaluable contributions to the Coalition. His hard work and dedication have been integral to our progress these past four years. Fortunately for us, Vernon will continue serving as a Board Member in 2023.

Another exciting change is underway for Matthew Blain.  Matthew has stepped down as Treasurer to expand CAMTB’s political influence and action through our Legislative and Government Affairs Committee. Similar to Vernon, Matthew will continue serving as a CAMTB Board Member in 2023.

In Matthew’s place, John Terberg from Orange County will be taking over as CAMTB’s Treasurer.  John’s business acumen has provided CAMTB with an essential operational and fiscal guiding hand since joining the Board of Directors in 2021.  

Susie Murphy, our Rock, will serve as Secretary for a second term, and Lauren Haughey & Adrian Randal will continue as Board Members. It is also my distinct pleasure to announce that Rob Pettersen, Advisory Council Chair and founding Board Member of the Lowelifes Respectable Citizens’ Club of LA County, was unanimously elected to the CAMTB Board of Directors. Over the past year, Rob has deepened his involvement in the coalition, becoming a trusted advisor to our member, land manager, and political activities, and helped refine CAMTB’s external presence.

Thank you to all the CAMTB Board of Directors for your ongoing commitment to state-level mountain biking advocacy!

CAMTB Board of Directors as of Jan 4, 2023:

• President, Steve Messer, Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists
• Vice President, Jake Bayless, California Trails Foundation
• Secretary, Susie Murphy, San Diego Mountain Biking Association 
• Treasurer, John Terberg, Orange County Mountain Bike Association
• Director, Vernon Huffman, Access 4 Bikes 
• Director, Matthew Blain, San Francisco Urban Riders
• Director, Adrian Randal 
• Director, Lauren Haughey, Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay
• Director, Rob Pettersen, Lowelifes Respectable Citizens’ Club

I am deeply grateful for such a warm, supportive, and collegial group of directors, and I know that we’re all looking on board to support Michael in another exciting year of moving the mountain biking advocacy needle in California.  Onwards!

Sincerely,

Jake Bayless
Former President, California Mountain Biking Coalition
President, California Trails Foundation