Lindsey Richter

Founder & Director of Inspiration // Bend, OR

The founder of Ladies AllRide, Lindsey grew up in Portland, OR and started racing mountain bikes in 1996 as a means to stay in shape while she sat at a desk working in advertising and PR. She fell in love with the freedom mountain biking brought into her life, but also fell in love with the challenges, frustrations and excitement. She has raced Cross-Country, Downhill, Enduro, Super D and loves to teach ladies to jump, pump and jib on their bikes. She has dedicated the past decade to teaching mountain biking full-time which has allowed her to become one of the best coaches in the business.

She currently travels the world teaching as many women as she can with the mission to show them how mountain biking can change their lives. She is passionate about the symmetry between mountain biking and life and has a unique style of teaching that helps women develop a deeper relationship with their bikes, and themselves. She has gone through many certification courses through PMBIA (Professional Mountain Bike Instruction) and IMBA BICP since 2010 and constantly works on enhancing her education through Global Syndicate of Mountain Bike Coaches GSMBC.

Full Bio Here ​ Fun Fact: Lindsey was on season three of the TV show Survivor: Africa in 2001.  

Follow Lindsey and the team: Instagram @ladiesallride and Facebook.

Meredith Brandt

Chief Everything Officer // Bend, OR

As Director of Operations for Ladies AllRide and founder of Grit Clinics, Meredith is an Austin, Texas native who fell in love with mountain life and the outdoor recreation it offers. She moved to Bend, Oregon, in 2004, intending to stay for just a year—but over two decades later, she’s still skiing and mountain biking in Central Oregon.

The idea for Grit Clinics was born during trail rides with friends, where they would “session” technical sections repeatedly until they either conquered them or wore themselves out. Inspired, Meredith thought, “Why not teach women in Bend how to ride more confidently by breaking down skills in a fun and supportive environment?” Fourteen years later, she’s thrilled to see a thriving community of excited, passionate, and skilled female mountain bikers tackling trails with confidence. She has gone through many certification courses through PMBIA (Professional Mountain Bike Instruction) and IMBA BICP since 2012 and continually works on her coaching education through Global Syndicate of Mountain Bike Coaches GSMBC.

Meredith’s most rewarding coaching moment? Teaching women to pop their first wheelie. 

Follow Grit Clinics: Instagram @gritclinics and Facebook.

Kelli Esselman

 Bend, OR

Director of Operations / Coach

Kelli found her way to mountain biking early on, but it was Ladies AllRide that truly lit the fire in her to keep learning, growing, and pushing herself on the bike. After attending three camps as a student, she was inspired to deepen her involvement and pursue coaching, earning her PMBIA and GSMBC Level 1 certification.

Today, Kelli serves as Ladies AllRide’s Operations Manager, where she oversees camp operations, communications, and merchandise design. From organizing event logistics to creating fresh new merch and keeping all the moving pieces running smoothly, she brings heart, dedication, and incredible attention to detail to everything she does.

Kelli is simply a joy to work with - thoughtful, reliable, and deeply committed to the Ladies AllRide community. When she’s not behind the scenes making the magic happen, you’ll find her adventuring and traveling with her husband and daughter.

We feel so lucky to have her at the helm of operations.

Erika Schmid

Bend, Or

Erika was introduced to mountain biking in 1989 and it has been downhill for her ever since (and a bunch of uphill too). Known for her “Big Balls” - (Click here for more about that, and for a good shock and laugh) - Erika has fervently embraced the wide spectrum of mountain biking culture from freeriding at Whistler, finishing the 100-mile Cream Puff (twice), to clearing Bend area trails with her chainsaw. In the summers, Erika guides Cogwild guests through the wonderful Central Oregon trails, while during the school year, she guides high school students through the wonders of Physics and Chemistry. As a PMBI and GSMBC certified instructor, she applies the methods from her teaching profession to her mountain bike instruction to optimize each learner’s experience. In addition to mountain biking, Erika enjoys story telling, philosophy, popsicles, skiing, movies, and traveling to New Zealand with her husband Kiwi Paul.

Kelsey Carson

Bend, OR

Kelsey is a native Bendite and the town's biggest fan. She picked up mountain biking after her college and travel adventures when she moved back to Bend in 2006. It was love at first ride. Since then she's had the opportunity to ride all over the northwest. Her ideal 'bike' day would be to gather all her friends in a van with a shuttle driver and do laps of single track goodness. Laughs and banter required - followed by beers of course. Cyclocross and Super D's (races under an hour) are her favorite forms of bike competition. Kelsey's new loves are her two sons, one who was born on New Years Eve. Through cycling she has met amazing people (including her husband) and gained confidence and skills that have transferred to all aspects of her life.  She loves using this knowledge to inspire other women. Fun fact: Kelsey is an avid polo competitor and plays matches all over the NW. Yes, horses!

Liz Arollo

Bend, OR

Liz currently lives in Bend, Oregon. Her hometown is in the hot Sonoran Desert of Glendale, AZ. One of her favorite places to ride is Sedona, AZ where her mountain biking journey began. She started mountain biking in 2014 and that same year went to Moab as a novice mountain biker and broke her arm. After this misfortune, she completely lost confidence in herself and getting back on the bike was scary. That next summer (2015), she signed up for a Ladies AllRide Camp. There she learned that there are skills to mountain biking, and said she gained the confidence to continue to mountain bike with new techniques. Who knew, there is a method to the madness of mountain biking!? The coaches were very supportive and I felt empowered, which led to her taking more clinics. She soon started volunteering with Ladies AllRide because of the atmosphere that inspired and empowered participants. This motivated her to start on the path of becoming an assistant coach, co-coach and now a head coach. She ran track and field competitively starting at the age of 9 and competed at the collegiate level. After 6 knee surgeries, she had to give up running and ultimately mountain biking has become a major part of her life. She says: “Coaching for Ladies AllRide has been rewarding on so many levels. It has, and continues to provide me with a platform to continue to grow as mountain biker, a mountain bike coach, and an advocate for the cycling community through my role as an ambassador for Liv cycling. Liz is a proud mom to Abe.

Sara Perry

Bend, Or

Sara was born and raised in Bend, OR. She started racing mountain bikes in 2001 as a freshman in high school and fell in love with the sport. By 2008, Sara had moved on from mountain bike racing and started guiding with Cog Wild Bicycle Tours, where she met Lindsey. Sara loves riding with people and showing them new trails! Adapting her Master's in Teaching degree, coaching mountain bike skills became a natural passion. Helping women conquer their fears by attacking technical sections gives Sara an unparalleled level of stoke and emense pride in her new found friends! She uses techniques learned in her PMBI certification. Coaching with Ladies Allride has become one of Sara's favorite times on the bike. The challenge of figuring out how to help each individual person is her true love. Sara is mom to three amazing kids!

Laura Bales

bend, Or

Laura Bales is a native Oregonian who grew up bouncing between Portland and the wide-open spaces of rural Northeastern Oregon. She now calls Bend, OR home—where she spends as much time as possible on two wheels. By day, Laura works in the medical field; by every other spare moment, she’s chasing dirt, trails, and good times on her mountain bike.

Laura discovered mountain biking in 2020 thanks to a group of inspiring friends—and it didn’t take long for a casual hobby to turn into a full-blown passion. She honed her skills through lessons, camps, and countless rides with friends, earning her PMBIA certification in 2023. Since then, she’s been coaching riders to build confidence, skills, and a love for the sport.

When she’s not shredding trails, Laura can be found hanging out with her husband, their three dogs, and getting a little dirtier while playing with her horses. 

Taylor Snider

hood River, OR

Give her all the bikes, all the trails, and all the adventure — Taylor is in.

A cyclocross racer, mountain biker, and PMBIA Certified Coach, Taylor brings vibrant energy and serious skill to every clinic. Her fun-loving personality is contagious, but when it comes to coaching, she’s focused, intentional, and deeply committed to helping riders grow.

Taylor’s journey with Ladies AllRide is especially meaningful. She started as a student, fell in love with the community, stepped into a volunteer role, and has since grown into a trusted coach who now travels with the team. Her dedication, reliability, and heart for this community have taken her as far as Switzerland to coach alongside us — a true testament to how valued and respected she is.

Taylor knows firsthand what it feels like to be on the learning side of the tape, which makes her coaching relatable, encouraging, and empowering. She’s passionate about helping women build confidence, push their limits, and have a whole lot of fun doing it.

We’re beyond proud to have Taylor representing the spirit of Ladies AllRide wherever the adventure takes us.

Give her a follow on Instagram: @22taytertots

Stephanie Gruner

las vegas, nv

Stephanie brings decades of mountain biking experience and a deep passion for progression to the Ladies AllRide team. Based in Blue Diamond, Nevada, she calls the incredible trail network of Red Rock National Conservation Area home and loves sharing the magic of desert technical terrain with riders from near and far.

Coaching full-time for the past six years, Stephanie works with beginners through advanced riders, offering group and private instruction as well as guided rides. Her approach blends strong technical knowledge with encouragement and clear communication, helping riders build skills, confidence, and flow on any terrain.

Stephanie holds multiple respected certifications, including PMBIA Level 1 and Level 2 Air, BICP Level 1, and Fluid Ride Instructor Training Levels 1 and 2. She is also an Instructor Trainer for Ninja Mountain Bike Performance, one of the largest mountain bike coaching organizations in the world, and regularly guest coaches with leading programs throughout the Southwest and Pacific Northwest.

Stephanie is passionate about helping women level up — whether that means mastering technical features, getting comfortable in the air, or simply feeling more confident and capable on the bike. We’re thrilled to have her expertise and leadership on the Ladies AllRide team.

Annick Chalier

hood river, OR

Annick is a full-on fun seeker with a deep love for bikes, adventure, and building strong community on two wheels. Whether she’s coaching on singletrack or grinding gravel miles, she brings infectious energy, positivity, and a fearless spirit to every ride.

As a mountain bike coach with Ladies AllRide, Grit Clinics, and Brave Endeavors — and a cycling coach with Special Blend Gravel — Annick works with riders across disciplines to help them grow stronger, more confident, and more connected to their riding. Her coaching style blends stoke with substance: she creates an encouraging environment while delivering clear, intentional skill development.

An ambassador for Smith Optics and Mt. View Cycles, Annick is deeply rooted in the cycling community and passionate about uplifting women in the sport. She believes bikes are more than just a ride — they’re a gateway to confidence, adventure, and lifelong friendships.

We’re so excited to have Annick’s spark, leadership, and love for the ride on the Ladies AllRide team. 

Jane Quinn

 HELENA, MT

Jane started mountain biking on the steep, rocky singletrack trails of Montana in 2007 and quickly fell in love with it! She and her husband were drawn to Bend as an outdoor mecca in 2012, and Jane started doing local races. She won the Oregon 24-hour cross country MTB race in 2014, and hopes to try her hand at Enduro in the coming season. Jane became director of the Dirt Divas women's mountain biking program in 2013 and loves working with her team of ambassadors to help women build confidence in their mountain bike skills and to share the love of singletrack!

Lindsay Nohl

Driggs, ID

Lindsay's personal mission is to help others realize that they are strong and capable through movement, experiences, and reflection. Her avenues for doing this are through work as a certified life coach (CLC) for Lindsay Nohl Coaching, as a strength coach for Wright Training, as an instructor for NOLS, and as a PMBIA certified mountain bike coach. Her passion for mountain biking took off in 2013 while living in Tucson, Arizona after two years of knee surgeries forced her to give up playing competitive soccer and tackle football. She loves the physical nature of mountain biking and how the sport is a combination of endurance, strength, technique, and flat-out grit. Lindsay believes that mountain biking is beneficial for both physical and mental health and that it's a direct avenue to overcome fears and build both community and confidence. Her favorite outdoor adventures are long bikepacking trips in the desert southwest. Follow Lindsay on Instagram: @lindsay.nohl

Jessie Kay

BOZEMAN, MT

Jessie brings over a decade of experience in instructing youth, teens, and adults in outdoor endurance sports. A PMBIA certified instructor, Jessie works with multiple nonprofits in Southwest Montana to build community around bikes. In the winters she works as a nordic ski coach. She is primarily interested in how sports can teach lessons about mastery, mental flexibility, resilience, and self-compassion.

As a rider, Jessie is all about finesse, flow, and fun. After attempting (and failing) to complete the Colorado Trail in 2019, Jessie’s itch to dig deep on multi-day adventures continues to grow. Apart from riding her bike, Jessie keeps her fire fueled by trying to lift heavy weights, dancing to progressive house music, and jumping into any nearby body of water.

Amaryth Gass

Sedona, AZ 

Amaryth (Amo) was born and raised in the woods of New Hampshire,
spending her childhood outside.  A strong sense of wanderlust
eventually carried her far across the globe, though she’s spent the
past decade calling Sedona home.

Mountain biking has become her passion and profession, as co-founder/co-owner of the Sedona Mountain Bike Academy.  She has bike-toured through both Europe and Asia, and continues to be inspired by the universal language of bikes. A frequent group ride facilitator with the Flagstaff Lady Shredders, she is committed to creating inclusive spaces where riders can connect and feel empowered. 

Amaryth loves to ride, guide, and instruct the technical and ever-changing terrain of Sedona because it increases rider's confidence in (and out of) the saddle.

Amaryth is a Level 3 BICP/GSMBC Level 2 Certified Instructor,
Wilderness First Responder, yoga teacher, licensed social worker
specializing in wilderness therapy, and donut aficionado.  She
believes wilderness experiences are a metaphor for growth, costumes
belong in a well-rounded closet, and blue cheese is unequivocally
superior (though less versatile) than ranch.

When she’s not on her mountain bike, you'll find Amo appreciating
stylish dance moves, Asian cuisine, and a well-curated thrift store.

Follow Amo on social media: @roseypear

Julie Sebby

arizona and montana 

Julie learned to mountain bike on the technical challenges of the Denver front range. She now splits her time between Sedona, AZ in the winter working on technical skills and summers in Whitefish, MT coaching for The Whitefish Shuttle and the Flathead Area Mountain Bikers. Julie completed her PMBI certification in Boone, NC and enjoys traveling to mountain bike. She honeymooned biking in Patagonia and has ridden in Slovenia, Italy, Austria, and Scotland. She is especially passionate about coaching new lady shredders.

Tara Alcantara

Tucson, AZ

Tara is the Owner of Home Grown Mountain Biking Tours, a shuttle, rental, and guiding company in Tucson, Arizona. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer, Wilderness First Responder, and PMBIA Certified Mountain Bike Instructor. Tara grew up and learned to mountain bike in Boise, Idaho. When she moved to Arizona and met her husband, she introduced him to mountain biking and the two of them have dedicated their lives to progressing the sport and making Tucson a better place to ride. Tara spends 20+ hours per week volunteering for TORCA, the local advocacy and trail maintenance organization she co-founded. A rider with 25 years experience, Tara continues to push the limits on the bike. With several Downhill MTB Racing podiums under her belt, her first love is riding fast down big mountains. Favorite places of all time to ride are Retallack and Whistler, BC, Angelfire, NM, and Moab, UT.  Additionally, she can be found cross-training at the gym, cooking up delicious vegetarian food, and obsessing over her three K9 children! Tara spends as much time as she can on Mt Lemmon, a magical place where the riding is exhilarating and the beauty is unmatched.

Karen Kenlan

Bend, or

Karen is one of our awesome Girls AllRide Coaches! Karen began a lifelong passion for the bike with road and track racing. After realizing it was more fun to ride in the dirt she switched over to mountain biking, then cyclocross and now gravel mixed in with everything dirt. Although officially in the real world Karen has been and sometimes still is a Graphic Designer, her second career has been coaching both adults and kids in mountain biking and nordic skiing. She has coached adults for Wenzel coaching and kids for the Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation kids mountain bike program. For the last 7 years she has been the head coach for the MBSEF Stevenson Youth Nordic program for kids age 7-11 in Bend, OR. Coaching young people and watching the skills progression and confidence-building sports can give them has been the most rewarding journey. 

Agnès Castellan

Toronto, Canada

Agnès started coaching to share the stoke and smiles that mountain biking brings. She loves helping riders of all abilities and walks of life. She helps her students build strong foundational skills and trust their skills, allowing them to progress safely and confidently and, above all, have fun on their bikes! As a yoga teacher, Agnès weaves into her coaching mind/body connection and body awareness concepts. Agnès is also a graphic designer, marketing consultant, and MTByogi.com founder.

Kim McNamer

Whitefish, MT

Kim is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to play bikes and recreate in the mountains. She believes in the power of community and is passionate about getting more humans outside, especially youth and women on bikes. She first owned a mountain bike in college and recalls going out with her brother's friends to ride, completely oblivious as to what mountain biking was and unaware of the power it would later have over her. Fast forward 25 years, she strives to live and breathe biking. She is the co-founder/owner of Singletrack Adventures, a mountain bike company focused on providing private and group lessons, guiding, and kids days based at the Whitefish Bike Retreat. Kim is also on the sales team at Glacier Cyclery & Nordic. She has worn many hats working with Roam Events at Roam Fest Fruita and Roam Fest Sedona, Roam Rallies, and is a Roam team member for Rebecca’s Private Idaho. Kim is a board member for the Flathead Area Mountain Bikers (FAMB) and World Ride. She serves as a volunteer instructor for FAMB’s women’s and youth clinics, and has been a mountain bike instructor with Whitefish Legacy Partners’ Girls on the Trail program and works with See Jane Adventures and Legacy Bike Park coaching women's clinics, and is stoked to be a part of the Ladies AllRide team. Kim has her Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA) Level 1 certification and Bike Instructor Certification Program (BICP) Level 2, she is a Wilderness First Responder, and has avalanche training.

Lacey Cross

Durango, CO

Lacey’s contagious laugh and infectious personality make her an instant joy to be around. Raised in the Pacific Northwest of Washington State, she’s been grateful to call Durango, Colorado home for over 20 years. When Lacey discovered mountain biking, she knew she had found her sport — but everything changed after taking her first lesson. What began as curiosity quickly turned into certification, and soon her entire world opened up through coaching. She is an integral part of Dirty Wheels Biking out of Durango.

Lacey is beyond stoked to inspire women through bikes and believes deeply in the power of movement to create transformation. Having experienced her own personal growth journey, she has a unique ability to help riders drop into their bodies, quiet the mental noise, and ride with confidence and presence. Lacey is a true gem of a human, and we’re incredibly lucky to have her on the Ladies AllRide team.

Ginny Brady

Bentonville, AR

Ginny, a Mississippi native, life-long horsey girl and outdoor enthusiast, took up mountain biking when she moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2019. After riding with the Women of OZ, she quickly developed a passion, not only for the sport, but also for helping other women connect with the trails to find joy, confidence, accomplishment and community, both on and off the bike!

Ginny is a certified Women of OZ/BICP Ride Leader and BICP Level 1 Instructor who aspires to obtain her Level 2 certification, compete in the local enduro series, and finish her first 50+ mile race this year. Other interests include adoptable pets, karaoke, dad jokes and snacks. 

For more shenanigans, follow Ginny on IG: @fullsend_gin  

 Kelsey Lobato

Durango, CO

Kelsey has been mountain biking since her high school days, it was a long time ago don’t ask. She has been coaching for 2-years now and enjoys competing in local enduro races. She holds her Level 1 PMBIA certification and is working on getting her Level 2. She loves creating a positive atmosphere and camaraderie found by going out and riding with women of all ages!

Kelsey started a women’s group out of Durango, CO called Dirty Wheels Biking where she provides coaching, group rides, maintenance classes and she even created an “Injury Anonymous” group for people dealing with healing from injuries and surgeries.

Follow Dirty Wheels on Instagram: @dirty_wheels-biking

Kimberly Larson

Truckee, CA

Kim has always loved spending her time in the outdoors.  Over the years she has developed a passion for teaching (Scuba Diving, Skiing, Snowboarding, and Soccer) and inspiring others to spend more time outdoors learning new things! Kim took up mountain biking in 2007 as a way to recover from knee surgery and take a break from training for Ironman. Some of her first rides were with her husband on his hard tail with toe clips on technical trails in Northern California. Despite all of those challenges her mountain bike journey did not end. She found a local women’s mountain program through Team LUNA Chix where she connected with like-minded women and started improving her technical skills. Fast forward a decade later, Kim took over the local women’s program, and when Team LUNA Chix retired the program, she founded “Tahoe Mountain Bike Girls.” Through Tahoe Mountain Bike Girls, Kim and her team bring women together to learn a new sport, stay active, and encourage other women in their communities to participate in the two-wheel fun, while fundraising for local nonprofits. Kim is an IMBA ICP Level 2 Instructor. On top of running TMBG she spends her summers at TD Bike Works teaching women and kids the fundamentals of mountain biking and helps them build their confidence out on the trails.

Diana Allen

baltimore, m

Diana is a California native and currently lives outside of Baltimore, Maryland. She is a level 1 PMBIA instructor. Diana has competed in a variety of bike disciplines, including road racing, criteriums, track, cyclocross, cross-country and downhill. She currently races pro enduro. Outside of racing, Diana is committed to promoting an outdoor lifestyle and getting more people on bikes. She loves to work with beginner women and kids. Diana is a volunteer staff member of the Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League (MICL). Her roles include coach supporter and the Girls Riding Together (GRiT) assistant. She is also a Little Bellas program lead and part-time mechanic at Crank It Up Bikes, a female owned and operated bike shop. Instagram: @di.animal

Cara Kropp

durango, co

Based in Durango, Colorado, Cara is a mountain bike coach and guide with deep roots in the San Juan Mountains and a passion for helping riders build confidence, skill, and joy on the trail. She has coached athletes of all ages and abilities through organizations including Trek Dirt Series, Durango DEVO, Four Corners Guides, and Ninja MTB, creating supportive and progression-focused learning environments.

Her coaching blends strong fundamentals with intentional skill development and a rider-centered approach, meeting each athlete where they are — from foundational skills to advanced terrain. She believes mountain biking should be empowering, safe, and fun, and she prioritizes confidence and connection to the outdoors in every session.

When she’s not coaching, you’ll find her riding Durango’s local trails, supporting youth cycling, and continuing to grow as both a coach and rider.

Hillary Marques

Frederick, MD

Hillary began riding and racing XC, and working as a bicycle messenger in DC in 1996. It was all downhill from there!  She was the NORBA national expert DH and DS champion in 2005, and went on to win numerous other titles in the professional category. She loves all types of riding, including road, cyclocross, dirt jumps and motorcycling. She has been coaching since 2006, and got her IMBA ICP level 2 certification in 2013. She currently works as a coach for events with Rays MTB park, Wheel Mill, Liv Ladies Allride, Snowshoe Womens weekend, M.O.R.E, and Take Aim Cycling. In the Metro DC area she holds the MadSkillz clinics. She manages and rides for the team BikeDR/Visit Frederick. Aside from cycling, Hillary is a professional contractor.  A founding partner of Backyard Ponds llc in 1996, she has also completely gutted and renovated a home in Historic Frederick, MD.  Many of her best friends throughout life have had fur, or feathers, or slime. Her goal is to share the personal growth and camaraderie gained through the cycling experience with others, using a methodical approach of confidence building, patience, personalized feedback, and skills progression.  ***Follow her on Facebook or Instagram: @downhillary

Karen Brooks

Pittsburgh, PA

Karen is doing her best to check off every square on the “Bike-Related Job” bingo card — wrenching and managing in bike shops, editing various magazines, advocating with Bike Pittsburgh, writing, consulting, hopefully getting into framebuilding, you name it — but by far the most rewarding part of her varied career is teaching. She is certified through BICP and PMBIA to teach mountain bike skills, and through the League of American Bicyclists to teach safe riding on the street. She works with the Wheel Mill indoor bike park in Pittsburgh to help women have a blast on pumps and jumps. Karen rides a bike for transportation most days (check #cargobikeolympics), but also enjoys the rocky-rooty-muddy trails of the Eastern woods, and goes on bikepacking adventures when she can. Like so many women, she first got into mountain bikes through a boyfriend, then ditched the boyfriend and kept the bike. She would love to help you skip that first step and find true love — mountain biking! — the easier way.

Marlie Smith

Richmond, VA

Marlie has been an avid mountain biker since 2006, instructing and leading rides for the following years before becoming a certified coach in 2014. Marlie started XC riding and quickly progressed into freeriding and downhill where she found her true home and love. Her focus is primarily on Women's specific freeride, XC, and DH clinics. She is a LIV Ambassador and races enduro and downhill for Coqui Cyclery in Richmond, VA. She mostly loves the camaraderie and awesomeness found through building confidence through skills with women on the trail....not to mention the undeniable freedom found on her bike.