Board of Directors
Who are we?
The Directors of the NSMBA are community members dedicated to advocating for the goals of the Association and its members as outlined in the Constitution and bylaws. They are all volunteers, and responsible for planning for the future of the organization.
Directors are elected by NSMBA members at the Annual General Meeting and each one has the duty to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the society.
They meet on the third Tuesday of every month, but you can also catch them at community pop-ups, Fivers, trail days and out riding the trails. Meeting minutes from BOD meetings are published quarterly and can be found here: https://nsmba.ca/board-meeting-minutes/
2025 Board of Directors
Take a look at the current Directors down below and be sure to give them a high five the next time you see them out on the trails! They all volunteer significant amounts of their time to support mountain biking and the community of trail users on the North Shore and in British Columbia.
Steve Lionais
President
I’m relatively new to mountain biking having bought my first bike in the spring of 2020. I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much and get so much from the community of riders out there with me. I’ve consistently met friendly, happy & open people who clearly get a lot out of this amazing resource we have in our backyards. I was surprised to learn that these trails are maintained by a passionate community of riders led by local organizations. I felt like I just had to get involved and help maintain and grow this amazing community.
Professionally my background is in entrepreneurship, leadership and marketing. I’ve founded, grown, and sold a software business and I’m currently working on another. I’m pleased to be on the board and bring my experiences to the trails.
Ali Shuparski
Vice President
I grew up on the North Shore on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations, but I only started mountain biking a few years ago. Since I started I have tried to embrace every aspect of biking, both on the trails and off the trails. I was introduced into the wonders of the mountain biking community through Indigenous Women Outdoors (IWO), and my participation on their race team last season.
My time riding with the rad ladies of IWO and meeting so many incredible women in the community inspired me to try and make mountain biking a more inclusive and less intimidating space. A natural step for me on this journey was to join the board of directors for the NSMBA and focus on the continuous community growth of Trails for All.
Raj Brar
Treasurer
Despite being born in Vancouver, I had moved away at a relatively young age and was raised in Ottawa, Ontario before inevitably making my return to BC in early 2020. Mountain biking was never really on my radar until I started experiencing envy as a trail runner… I watched these mountain bikers glide across Baden Powell on Fromme effortlessly, smiling and stoked while I hobbled down slowly in pain. I’ll use any excuse to spend a day in the North Shore Mountains, so why not add a hobby to the ever-growing list? Best decision yet.
On a professional front, I’m a CPA currently working for Natural Resources Canada. Despite the less adrenaline-pumping nature of my day job, my accounting and financial knowledge has allowed me to contribute meaningfully in various volunteer settings and I’m very excited to work alongside the NSMBA Board to channel this expertise towards enhancing the accessibility of the sport and ensuring the longevity of these incredible trails.
Ella Walmsley
Secretary
Anjulie Latta
Director
Born and raised in Vancouver, I am a legit local and feel so lucky to have called North
Vancouver my home for the past 8 years. From as early as I can remember, I was
fascinated by science and loved movement…a combination that led me to pursue a
bachelors degree in Kinesiology from SFU and start my own personal training business.
I’ve always loved the mountains and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to fundraise for
Alzheimer’s research – truly a life-changing experience.
As my career evolved, I became drawn to sales and sports marketing, and found myself
passionate about strategy, brand, and sponsorships. I was instrumental in creating
opportunities to support emerging athletes, teams, and events and developed
partnerships with the Whitecaps, BC Lions, Mount Seymour, Crankworx, the Vancouver
Giants, BC Bike Race, and varsity programs nationwide. My introduction to mountain
biking came during this time, as I figured I should walk the talk if I was going to work in
this field! Bobsled was one of the first trails I rode, and I remember holding on for dear
life, but feeling so exhilarated when I finally made it to the bottom in one piece. New
activity unlocked!
After completing an Executive MBA at SFU, I returned to my roots of entrepreneurship
and launched my brand, Adventure Consulting (www.adventureconsulting.ca). My
focus and interest lie at the intersection of creativity, innovation, and impact. I love
creating compelling brand experiences that foster connection, engagement, and
advocacy. My happy place is on the trails – whether on foot, on 2 wheels, on skis, or
snowshoes, and I hope I can help more people make it their happy place too.
Ben Organ
Director
I’m a software engineer working in web technology, and ran my own digital agency in the UK before moving to Canada. I love using technology to make the world a better place.
I’m proud to be part of the NSMBA; caring for the trail network, supporting an incredible community, and ensuring the trails are always here and accessible to everyone. My focus on the Board is ensuring we’re using technology in the best way, supporting the strategic and operational work we do, as well as working on our “trails for all” vision by making the trails accessible to everyone.
Eleri Harris
Director
I moved to Vancouver from Wales in 2015 and have been an avid mountain biker here ever since. I started mountain biking in Wales, but nothing I’d ridden at the time prepared me for the technical baptism of fire of the Shore! I swiftly joined Muddbunnies Riding Club BC, where I learned my way around our mountains and was provided the encouragement to help me get through the jank in one piece.
As I progressed, I became a ride lead for Muddbunnies and spent 4 years on the club’s board of directors as Vice President and President. Not only am I so passionate about providing an ever improving safe space for women to thrive in the sport, I’ve really wanted to give back to the mountain biking community that quickly embraced me as a newbie and made North Van feel like home. When I stepped down from the club’s board, I knew the NSMBA was where I wanted to go next to serve the wider community. It’s a different challenge, and I’m really loving the opportunity to learn more about, and contribute to, the ins-and-outs of running a trail association.
As well as the more serious Board of Director duties, I love volunteering for our community events. Trail days and the Fivers, in particular, are so full of joy and positivity, and are a great place to forge strong social connections. You should all give them a go!
Professionally, I work as a Carbon Project Manager with academic training in Geography and Climate Change and work closely with Indigenous groups.
I’m hoping my skills in these roles will translate well to the NSMBA board, to help nurture diverse connections and advance our world-class trail network that are trails for all and trails forever.
Mike Nelson
Director
Born and raised in North Van, I bought my first mountain bike in the early ‘90s from the old North Star Cycles on Lonsdale. A few years later, I started tagging along with the On Top staff and was introduced to riding The Shore. I’ve been exploring the trails ever since. Riding has always been a great way to connect with nature, friends, and the community. Now, as a parent, I get to share that passion with my family and the next generation of riders.
With a background in design, technology, and experience working with land managers, I understand the balance between access, sustainability, and long-term planning. I’m excited to support NSMBA’s builders and strengthen relationships with land managers to maintain and develop trails for our members and the broader community.
We’re incredibly fortunate to ride here, and being part of NSMBA is my way of giving back to something that has given us all so much. Whether riding, digging, or planning, I’m here to help shape and preserve the Shore’s trails for all users to enjoy.
Nara Henderson
Director
I have been riding the North Shore trails since the late 90’s – the shore is my home, it’s where I have raised my children and for me, like all of our members and broader community, it’s my backyard playground. From the first time I rode the beautiful gnarly downhill trails (with no suspension!) on Fromme and Seymour over 25 years ago, I was hooked. I have never looked back – mountain biking is my solace, my joy, the place where I explore my edge with friends while wearing a big smile on my face. Over the decades, I have personally experienced the remarkable evolution of the trails, along with a shift in our community around what we each desire to ride based on where we are at in our personal mountain biking journey. I have always appreciated that there were advocacy groups like the NSMBA working hard and taking responsibility to ensure our trails continue to be world class. I decided to join the Board to become a more active part of the solution and our trail network’s evolution.
Professionally, I am a leader at a large tech company. My expertise is in executive business and people leadership, creative problem solving, and growing/scaling values-based organizations.
It is my honour to be on the Board. Let’s go build some awesome trails!
Rachid Nayel
Director
rachid@nsmba.ca / Q&A with Rachid
Richard Grimes
Director
A born and raised BC resident, I grew up in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Only starting mountain biking in my mid-twenties after moving to Vancouver, I grew up spending a lot of time in the mountains. As an avid skier growing up, the mountains are my happy place.
Mountain biking opened my eyes to another level of adrenaline that I had not experienced before. I quickly registered for some races to force myself to get better and successfully completed many of the legendary races that no longer exist, such as the Cheakamus Challenge, Test of Metal, and Nimby 50 to name a few. My greatest accomplishment in the racing world however has been the completion of the BC Bike Race on two occasions, in 2021 and 2024.
My passion for mountain sports has spread to my family, with my wife, daughter and son all being avid mountain bikers. My son is an adaptive mountain biker and we spend many hours on the trails scouting out safe lines and finding fun new trails that we can ride on. The Trails For All mentality that is engrained in NSMBA is very aligned with my family’s values as they relate to the outdoors.
In my professional life, I am a Chartered Professional in Human Resources in the education sector in the lower mainland. I am an avid challenger of the status-quo and passionate about change management.
I am honoured to be a part of the NSMBA board and look to add value in the areas of adaptive trail development and human resources.
Rob Donovan
Director
I am from Kingston, Ontario, but left the land of warm lakes for the cool forests of the North Shore in 2013 and have been an avid mountain biker ever since.
I soon became involved in trail building after being drawn to the local mountain bike culture. Now I volunteer with the NSMBA as a trail builder on many Fromme trails including Lower Oilcan, the Griffen’s, and Baden Powell.
Professionally I work as a building commissioning provider – making sure buildings are designed, built and function properly. My role includes project management, problem solving, thorough organization, and coordinating various stakeholder groups. These skills have transferred directly to trail building and will be an asset as I take on more projects.
I am excited to work with the NSMBA on the Board of Directors and look forward to making our great trails enjoyable for all.