Monika Kaleps lives in Columbus, but she was born and raised in the Dayton area and is often found enjoying the local MVMBA trails year-round, biking solo, with friends, or mentoring new riders. And she’s always up for some trail maintenance.  She refers to John Bryan as her happy place and loves the challenges that MoMBA has presented her with over the years.  Monika began her mountain biking journey in 2013 on an ancient 26” Giant without suspension in an effort to “conquer fears.”  After suffering from a life-threatening fall while vacationing in CA she found herself confronted with something unfamiliar: Fear, a fear of heights, and fear of falling in particular.  After setting a series of challenges to address these fears, including hikes, with steep climbs and drops and indoor rock climbing, it was mountain biking that presented her with her greatest challenges, ultimately becoming her greatest passion.  The sport terrified her, and she was terrible.  At that time there weren’t many women riding the local trails, and those who did were pretty darn good.  While she did have some friends who occasionally “coached” her, she found that setting new challenges or goals every time she rode, which was often 4 or 5 times a week, was her best training.  As her fitness and ability grew, so did her confidence.  Sometimes it was two steps forward and one step back, but her fear of falling went away, as she got really good at falling a lot!  She began her journey in the spring riding locally and in the fall she headed (with her ancient Giant) to Big South Fork, in Tennessee, an IMBA Epic ride.  While she didn’t soar, and the climbs about killed her and she walked a lot of features, her heart soared!  It was one of the best days of her life.  After that ride, she upgraded to a new Trek, her Superfly 100 Aluminum.  She continued to challenge herself, eventually racing in the Fast Laps series, the John Bryan 6 hour, and the TMBA 4 hour, and exploring parks outside of the Dayton area.  Monika is very excited to be apart of the MVMBA board so she can encourage others to find their mountain biking journey and promote opportunities and new trails to make that possible.

Jordan is an Outdoor Recreation Program Specialist for Five Rivers MetroParks helping to support cycling, backcountry and paddling programs. He has a background in photography, is a local scout leader.  When he’s not hitting the local trails he sometimes takes off on long distance adventures, like a 2016 cross-country bicycle tour. A current Bike ICP Level 1 Ride Guide and Fundamentals Instructor. 

Paul has been riding bikes as a kid and grew up riding bmx/freestyle.  After growing up with quarter-pipes, half-pipes, and launch ramps sprinkled in his backyard, Paul discovered mountain biking during his time in the military in the early 90’s (the OG era of John Tomac) which combined his enjoyment of nature and cycling.  Having done mountain bike and road bike racing throughout the Midwest when he was younger, Paul continues to enjoy the same pleasure in riding he did as kid and the freedom of exploration with his friends, family, and meeting people from different backgrounds at any cycling venue or event. Whether its commuting to the office on the extensive paved trails in the Dayton area, riding the surrounding mountain bike trails in the Miami Valley and beyond, or going to Mike’s Bike Park to dust off the jumping skills, cycling will always be part of Paul’s recreational activities.  Paul is also the President of Bike Miami Valley, which operates a bike share system in core of Dayton, Ohio and also advocates and promotes cycling in surrounding communities.  Paul is married with 2 boys that enjoy riding and is a CPA by profession.  

Fred has been riding trails since he got his first mountain bike in 1984 (a made-in-the-USA Schwinn High Sierra featuring state-of-the-art cantilever brakes and 3x5 gears quickly 'upgraded' from a 48 to a 52 tooth big ring).  He joined MVMBA as soon as he could (membership card #008) and enjoys riding & racing single track as well as developing riding skills & trails.  His three kids (Ana, Jake, and Jude) all grew up racing the MVMBA Fast Laps and 6hrs of John Bryan series.

Beverly’s biking adventures started when she moved from Texas to Ohio and purchased a Trek steel framed mountain bike with lugged joints and no suspension. That bike could do it all by just switching out tires and adding packs. She logged many miles across the U.S., including Utah’s Slickrock, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier NP’s to name a few. She misses that bike! By day Beverly is an IT Project Manager in healthcare and in her free time, along with biking, she enjoys running, hiking, and backpacking. She also appreciates everything the Miami Valley has to offer and supports local music, art, and restaurants.

As an at-large board member, one of Beverly’s focus areas is trail safety at John Bryan State Park (JBSP) to ensure trails are clearly marked and accessible for first responders without compromising trail aesthetics and riding enjoyment. Beverly’s history with JBSP began as a collaboration with the park manager to dedicate land for the first mountain bike trails to be built, “Powerline” and “Abracadabra”. Since then, the MVMBA community of volunteers and members have spent countless hours maintaining and building new trails at JBSP. Beverly extends a thank you to everyone who supports and maintains the trail!

Sima Tavazoie is driven by a lifelong love for cycling and a deep appreciation for the connections it fosters.  Her journey on two wheels began nearly 25 years ago in the foothills of Boise, Idaho, where mountain biking first introduced her to the thrill of the ride and the endless possibilities the sport offers.

That enthusiasm led Sima to road racing, where she competed with Team Goldy’s before racing professionally with teams such as Colavita – Cooking Light and Subway. As a member of the U.S. National Team, she had the honor of representing the United States in UCI and World Cup Track and Road Races across the globe, competing in Belgium, Switzerland, Australia, Poland, Canada, and Russia. These experiences not only sharpened her skills but also deepened her connection to the sport and the sense of community it creates.

After stepping away from competitive racing for nearly 15 years, Sima rediscovered her roots in mountain biking and embraced the challenge and camaraderie of gravel riding. She has since enjoyed participating in events like the Fast Laps series and the Ohio Gravel Race Series, which reignited her excitement for cycling —pushing personal limits, immersing herself in nature, and sharing the experience with like-minded riders.

As a board member, Sima is passionate about making mountain biking more accessible, sustainable, and welcoming for all. She believes in the power of the sport to bring people together, spark new adventures, and strengthen the biking community. Whether on the trails, at an event, or simply sharing stories with fellow riders, she is always eager to connect with others and help grow the sport.

When she's not riding, Sima is a pediatric physical therapist and enjoys quality time with her husband, Corey, their daughter, Shayda, and their dog, Cookie.

A fan of bikes since he was too small for his first bike and had to borrow a friend's, Alex has always loved the freedom that comes with two wheels. A longtime bike commuter and self-proclaimed avid casual cyclist and weekend warrior, Alex wants to share the joy of bikes with as many people as possible, and knows the world would be a better place with more people on bikes. Trained as an engineer, Alex likes to tinker and pretend to be a bike mechanic, but he finds the most joy putting the finely tuned bike to the test on the trails and enjoying the company of the trees and two-wheeled friends. 

I got my first bike when I was ten years old.

It was an orange and black Huffy.  It was the the first bike that took me over the bars when I was trying to jump the curb and hit my parents’ planter box, successfully flipping all the way over it.  I got my first proper mountain bike in high school, a Trek 4600 that I rode as much as possible at Caesar’s Creek, then in college at Strouds Run and Lake Hope in Athens, Ohio. The Trek 4600 is still in commission now tackling the hills of UC in the good hands of an undergrad friend. I fell in love with biking all over again when I came back from Athens and discovered trendy new 29” wheels, air sprung forks, and single chainring mountain bikes. I now ride all over Dayton and Cincinnati weekly. I’ve been lucky enough to ride with friends all over the country.

I’m a certified NICA coach and this is my second year of coaching youth mountain biking.  Helping the local team, “True North” was one of my highlights of 2023.  

My wife and three kids have all been enabled by my love for biking and you will see us out on the trails together at John Bryan, MoMBA, and beyond. 

I am passionate about biking with others and inviting friends and strangers of all experience levels out on the trails. I’m excited to serve on the Board of MVMBA as a means of reaching more people with this great sport and helping make mountain biking even more accessible in our region. 

Trent has been a mountain biker for 27+ years. He has been married to his wife, Melissa, for 25 years.  He proposed to her while the two were on a mountain bike ride together. He has two children Madie (age 17) and Katelyn (age 20), both of which have been into mountain biking, for over 10 years.  When he is not riding or spending time with his family, Trent works for American Ramp Company helping to bring new technologies to bike park design and layout. When going on a family vacation, it isn’t uncommon for it to be near mountain biking locations, such as Whistler, BC , Park City, Utah, etc. On a side note, Trent prefers it when a trail points down but is okay with earning his turns.