2019 Board of Directors Nominations
2019 Board of Directors Nominations
Running for President: Dale Mikkelsen
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
I am the current President of WORCA and have been in the role for one season. I feel that our 2019 season has been very successful, in part due to our very effective Board, our Ops Manager, and an open approach to what WORCA does well and what WORCA needs to improve upon. I feel that part of this was my part as President, and being both progressive and aggressive in regard to supporting and exploring change. I have deep respect for the history of the organization, but also understand that not for profit organizations need to listen to their membership and represent growth and change in the programming and work that we do. I also believe I have good capacity building skills and the ability to negotiate important items in win-win situations - this is evident in the growth of our funding from $50,000/annum to just over $115,000/annum. This has allowed for meaningful change in our trail maintenance structure and the work we can do. I also believe I have a great understanding of leadership within the organization. This is evidenced by the success of our camps programming this year, entirely in the hands of Sam White. In our early season communications and programming meetings, it was clear that Sam had the drive and skills to take an independent approach to running the camps and she has delivered meaningful programming with only soft leadership from me. Finally, I feel that I am passionate about riding and our trail system and strongly support the work and advocacy of our Trails Subcommittee and being one representative on the multi-party Trails Working Group. This support for trails from the level of President has empowered our Trails and Planning directors to help shape a strong and supportable forward vision for WORCA.
Your capacity to commit to a volunteer role, and why you are interested in being on the WORCA Board:
I am interested in maintaining my role on the Board. I believe that I have shown the capacity to adequately fulfill my role and hope that the membership continues to support me in this role with my re-nomination.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Layla d'Emanuele
Huw Jones
Running for Vice President: Omer Dagan
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
Two years as WORCA Secretary. Whistler Blackcomb MTB School Supervisor. B.A. Political Science.
Your capacity to commit to a volunteer role, and why you are interested in being on the WORCA Board:
Having spent two years on the WORCA Board of Directors as Secretary, coupled with my job as a Supervisor in the Whistler Blackcomb Bike School, I feel I am uniquely positioned to help the mountain bike community. I have a clear understanding of the time commitment required not only of the VP, but of all Board Members, and the need for the entire Board to work cohesively. My understanding of the industry through my professional experience, time spent interacting with members at various WORCA events, and work done on various WORCA sub-committees has given me a broad range of experiences from which to draw. I see the potential for WORCA as it moves forward with the entire mountain bike community, and want to be a part of that. Those I have worked with will attest that I always aim to balance the needs of our local members, the experience of visitors to our trail network, and the mountain bike industry as a whole.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Dale Mikkelsen. Huw Jones.
Running for Treasurer: Moira-Ann Handford
Skills/Experience
I have the CPA, CGA designation and am a member in good standing. I have significant previous experience as a volunteer Treasurer for not-for-profit (NFP) sports clubs.Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club (2009-2017)Callaghan Valley Cross Country (2011-2017)I also worked on a contract basis with a NFP sustainable enterprise (Light House Sustainable Building Centre), as their controller, from 2009-2012. My main role was to hire and train a book-keeper for the company and then to report to the Board on a quarterly basis on the financial status and sustainability of the enterprise.
Capacity to Volunteer
I have been visiting Whistler and riding the trails for 26 years. I recently moved to Whistler permanently from the Lower Mainland (July 2018) and work part-time as the Controller for Coast Mountain Brewing in Function Junction. As such, I am now a local (finally!) and have the time available to commit to support WORCA as a volunteer.
Motivation
I am interested in being on the WORCA board because I have benefited from the organization's programs in the past and will continue to do so in the future. My kids went thru the WORCA camps and I am an avid trail rider and Toonie attendee. My husband, Andy, and I are huge fans of the trail work and advocacy that WORCA takes on. I strongly believe in giving back to those organizations that I believe in and/or have benefited from. WORCA fits this bill.My area of expertise is financial management and oversight. So applying for the Treasurer role is the natural fit for me. I have a lot of experience working with diverse volunteers on sports-related boards and feel I am able to collaborate and communicate effectively to help these organizations achieve their goals. I am also someone who is happy to chip in where needed, beyond my stated role in any organization.
Nomination Support
My nomination is supported by the two following full-time WORCA Members: Brent Murdoch, Jen Knowlton
Running for Secretary: Matthew Tirrell
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
I am determined and passionate professional with a proven track record in managing complex budgeting requirements. Running the programmatic advertising buys for 25 clients and ensuring they all remain within their budget has taught me about the beauty of spreadsheets and how to use them to their full potential.
Your capacity to commit to a volunteer role, and why you are interested in being on the WORCA Board:
I am ready and able to commit to the requirements of the Board. I am interested because I love riding the trails in the region and I want to give back to the association. I am also very interested in learning about how a trail association operates. Furthermore, I believe taking on this type of challenge is good for personal growth, developing new skills, and meeting new people.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Quinn Lanzon and Felix Jauvin.
Running for Director of Planning: Matt Cooper
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
1 year of experience as the Director of Planning (2019). Knowledge of the local trail network and riding community as well as years (five) working in the local cycling industry.
Your capacity to commit to a volunteer role, and why you are interested in being on the WORCA Board:
I am interested in continuing my position on the WORCA board and can fit the required meetings (board and local committees) into my work schedule.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Ben Arnott, Seb Kemp.
Running for Director of Public Relations: Felix Jauvin
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
I currently work full time at Origin Design in Whistler as a creative strategist. There, I specialize in brand strategy, social media strategy, and marketing strategy. I have experience running social media accounts that have over 50k followers including Smartwool Canada and black crows skis.I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and have a fundamental understanding of how businesses work and using resources in the most effective and efficient manner. As well, I am an experienced writer which has had me work in a previous position at Origin as a copywriter as well as publishing work for a number of different online publications.Y
our capacity to commit to a volunteer role, and why you are interested in being on the WORCA Board:
I’m interested in being on the WORCA board because, as someone who was born and raised in Whistler, I’ve seen our town transform many times over now. I feel like another one of these transformations is on the horizon as we begin to grapple with sustainability, over tourism, technology, and land management. These are all things I would like to become involved in at a greater scale and believe being involved with WORCA is the perfect avenue for that. In terms of capacity, I hold a full time job at Origin that keeps me busy but I believe I will have capacity for the position after speaking to Quinn Lanzon about what the position entails. I do plan to move temporarily to Squamish in January as my girlfriend is going to attend RMT school, but I will still be largely working in Whistler and deeply involved in the community. When you’re born here, you never really leave and we do plan to move back to Whistler once she completes the program.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Quinn Lanzon and Dale Mikkelsen.
Running for Director of Special Events: Quinn Lanzon
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
I bring to the table several years of experience in organizing mountain bike race events including several Quebec Cup downhill races, the New Brunswick Freeride Festival, LaBrute endurance XC race, and the Origin/Hunter Gather toonie this year. I’m well versed in all of the necessary steps to plan and execute a mountain bike event that is amazing both on and off the course. For 2020, i plan on bringing an endurance XC race to Whistler, building off the success of the inaugural Dirty Thirty, but elevating the experience in every regard.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Dale Mikkelsen and Felix Jauvin.
Running for Director of Fundraising: Sandi Wentzel
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
I have been involved, working and volunteering, with non profit groups for the last 20 years. I have had extensive experience writing grants and organizing fundraisers. I have held the position of fundraising director with WORCA for the last year and enjoy being part of the board.
Your capacity to commit to a volunteer role, and why you are interested in being on the WORCA Board:
I am able to fill the commitment of volunteering for WORCA. I would like to continue volunteering for WORCA because I am passionate about mountain biking and use the trail system 4-5x a week and want to give back to the biking community.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Caroline Lamont, Lorraine Vollmer.
Running for Director of Advocacy: Grant Lamont
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
Having been involved in WORCA for over 30 years I can bring an institutional memory to the board which I feel is important. I also have solid connections with stakeholders and local Govt agencies and have been very successful in helping to keep trails at the forefront of any development discussions. My 3 years on Whistler Municipal Council give me a good understanding of the funding process and how important trails our to not only our community but also our recreational tourism infrastructure.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Paul Rawlinson, Eric Crowe.
Running for Director of Race: Adam Francis
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
I have been a lifelong mountainbike enthusiast, and have seen the rise of the popularity in off road cycling in the Whistler valley for the last 3 decades. Upon my arrival in 1989, I recall fond memories of working as a bike mechanic seasonally in 2 local shops, getting to know the characters and trails and also see the inception and rise of the WORCA organization. I was fortunate to take part in the first ever Toonie race and see this event and WORCA membership rates flourish throughout the years. I feel now it is time to give back to the local cycling community and am interested in the role of Director, Race. I feel I have the capacity, skills and local knowledge to assist WORCA in organizing the Toonie Chiller/ Thriller series of races and rides that will support the organization's goals and vision to a high level. See you on the trails !!
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Cheeying Ho. Tom Laviolette.
Running for Director of Stakeholder Engagement: Rob McSkimming
The skills/experience that make you a strong candidate for the position:
I have been a WORCA member for more than 20 years. In addition, my experience working in a key role at Whistler Blackcomb in the development of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park provided many relevant experiences.
Your capacity to commit to a volunteer role, and why you are interested in being on the WORCA Board:
Having recently retired, I have the time and capacity required to be a productive member of the BOD. I am interested on being on the WORCA Board because I believe in the importance and value of the organization to Whistler's cycling community.
Full names of two current WORCA members who support your nomination:
Dave Brownlie, Ken Melamed.