BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Susan Kolbush
Board Chair
Susan’s passion for mountain biking started in the ‘90s in Southern California. In the years since, she has not always lived in places with mountains or vibrant mountain bike communities… so she is super stoked to now call Colorado Springs home – and to have found the welcoming and energetic WMBA who are committed to empowering women to build confidence and get out there and shred!!
After 35 years in the energy industry and spending most of the past 20 years in London, Susan is now happily retired. She is grateful to be involved with the WMBA organization and is in awe of all the board members who have served over the years and created such an amazing community!
Niki Amidei
Board Vice Chair
Niki is so grateful to deepen her support for an organization she has been a part of for most of the past decade. As a native to Colorado, Niki finds ways to get stoked on all things outdoors. Her love for mountain biking really took off in 2012 (how is that 13 years ago now) and loves exploring the nooks and crannies of the expansive MTB trails in and near Colorado Springs.
For most of her professional career, Niki has been a middle school science teacher. She opened an elementary charter school as the founding principal back in 2020 and has since stepped into managing all operations for a charter network she has belonged to since moving to Colorado Springs in 2013.
Julie Yeagle
Treasurer
Julie joined WMBA in 2018 after moving to Colorado Springs from a very flat and very windy city. After years of enduring unmitigated pain on a road bike, she wanted to learn how to incorporate fast downhills, sweet jumps, tight switchbacks, and loose-fitting clothing into her sessions of unmitigated pain atop a bike. She also wanted to atone for that one time she attempted a mountain bike race on a borrowed bike, with tires inflated to 65 psi, and impaled herself on her handlebars and broke her sunglasses. WMBA provided an excellent opportunity to learn the desired skills, as well as an enthusiastic and encouraging community to support her in the process. Simply put, WMBA's weekly rides were the first place in Colorado Springs that Julie felt as though she had found her people. She became a WMBA board member to help ensure that the organization can continue to offer the same learning experiences and community to others.
Professionally, Julie works as an employment law attorney. She does not watch any legal drama series, so don't bother asking her about them. That said, she does love the Law & Order theme song dance videos. Truth be told, she loves all dance videos. She also loves ballads in minor keys, kits with polka dots, creating light gradations in charcoal, baked goods formed by looping, twisting, or knotting dough, and being in, on, under, or adjacent to the water.
Christina Bardsley
Secretary
Christina hails from the great state of Pennsylvania but has called ColoRADo home for the past seven years. Christina’s first mountain bike ride was on Christmas Day (2021) and since then, her two-wheel adventures have not stopped.
In 2022, Christina joined WMBA and was immediately drawn in by the supportive and empowering community. In 2024, she signed up for the race team and volunteered as a ride guide, where she spent many Thursday evenings spreading sweetness on the trails.
Christina is a proud boy mom who works in the Human Resources field. When not riding, Christina can be found on the tennis court; camping; or binge-watching true crime shows, like Dateline and 48 Hours.
Christina is thrilled to have the opportunity to volunteer as a WMBA Board Member and looks forward to lots of full-send fun on the trails!
Jennifer Dvorsky
Board Member
Jen joined the WMBA Board to help continue to cultivate a supportive and inclusive community for women in mountain biking. She started
riding while living in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she instantly fell in love with the freedom biking offered.
Professionally, Jen has a background in project management, which she brings to her role on the WMBA Board. She’s eager to leverage her skills to contribute to the organization’s growth, with a focus on fostering community and supporting long-term planning initiatives. Her goal is to help create a strong network of support for women who are passionate about riding trails.
Outside of mountain biking, you’ll find her dreaming up her next bicycle tour, sneaking in a quick overnighter around Colorado, or embracing her “wanna-be runner” status while climbing, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors.
Lauren Husek
Board Member
Lauren moved from New York to Colorado in 2011 and first dabbled in mountain biking before joining WMBA as a true beginner in the summer of 2021. Since then, she has become an enthusiastic and dedicated part of the community, riding consistently with WMBA and stepping into a ride-guide role for the 2025 season.
A passionate mountain biker, Lauren loves the sense of freedom and connection that comes from being outdoors. In addition to riding, she’s an avid runner, CrossFitter, and snowboarder. She joins the WMBA Board of Directors with the hope of giving back to the community of women who have inspired, supported, and motivated her over the years.
Lauren is a mom of two and enjoys staying active within the Colorado Springs community. A former high school teacher, she brings strong communication skills, patience, organization, and a collaborative spirit to the board—qualities that she’s excited to contribute as WMBA continues to grow and empower women riders.
Kate Vannoy Tluczek "Vanczek"
Board Member
Kate’s first mountain biking experience was best described as pure misery. Coming from her Ol' Kentucky home of rolling hills and zero altitude, she was met with a heavy rental bike, "just one more hill", and the thin mountain air at Beavercreek (no gondola). Facts she learned from this experience : Mountains are rude, and surprise—you have exercise-induced asthma. She did not die, but swore to herself “never again."
“I’ll try anything twice” is a her life moto and what led her to another attempt at mountain biking a year later visiting out west again -- this is time to Crested Butte, CO. Acclimating, wildflowers, singletrack, clumsy tip overs, Cackles with girlfriends, and the healing nature of complete freedom won her heart over.
Kate moved to Colorado Springs, CO winter of 2019, lived in her camper, and worked as a professional "gas-passer" (anesthesia) minimally getting on her bike. In spring 2022, navigating postpartum depression and a rebuilding phase after a brutally destructive divorce, Kate found WMBA on a late-night Google search. Hungry for connection and community she showed up to the kickoff party with her newborn son, Slade, in tow. She instantly felt seen and knew she’d found her people - strong, encouraging women who face hard things together. WMBA is more than just riding trails; for Kate it became a lifeline and a pivotal force in redefining who she is.
Kate believes we women are so capable of hard things—especially with the right community surrounding us. She is wildly clumsy, yet endlessly optimistic, always tries to share in joy/laughter, and often leaves trails scratched, bruised, or with a cactus-spined booty (bike involvement optional). She’s remarried to a wonderful military man and proudly raising her three wild and adventurous critters (children).