Leana Bulay | San Dieguito River Park

Leana is the Manager of Interpretation and Outreach with San Dieguito River Park in San Diego, California. She has been with the Park since 2010. Leana studied tropical ecology in Costa Rica and then transferred to the University of California, Santa Cruz where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Conservation Biology. While in college, she worked with the U.S. Forest Service as a Lead Biological Technician, Interpretive Specialist and a Wildland Firefighter. After graduating, she moved back to San Diego and worked with the Soil Ecology and Restoration Group and San Diego Conservation Resources Network as a Project Manager. She also continued to work for the Monarch Program as the Assistant Director. She is still on the board of directors for the Monarch Program, which she has been involved with since 1996. During her time with San Dieguito River Park she has worked with thousands of students, volunteers and the community developing numerous programs.

Christina Fernandez | the unpavement mission control

Christina has degrees in mathematics, accounting, and computer information systems. She uses her experience as a business owner and as a professional in the publishing and music industries to serve as “Mission Control” for The UNPavement. Her roles include support rider, photographer, creative consultant, editor, administrator, advisor, and investor. Most business that involves long-term planning, budgeting, and paperwork finds its way to Christina’s desk.

Meredith McConvill | top rope media

To grow from a wild idea to a fully operating company takes guidance from experts like Meredith. That’s why we chose her to coach The UNPavement from its inception. Meredith is the Co-Founder and CEO of Top Rope Media, and she has more than 20 years’ experience marketing and fundraising for outdoor adventure brands in the US and abroad. With a wide reach in the industry, and a gift for bringing brands to life in the digital environment, her coaching has helped non-profit organizations generate over $2M in corporate sponsorships, grant funding, and donor support. Everyone needs a Meredith on their team—someone who can connect with people where they live, work, and play—and we are lucky to have her.

Jeremy P. McGhee | the unpavement ground forces

Jeremy is an adaptive athlete and founder of The UNPavement Project. Before being paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 2001, Jeremy was a runner, surfer, semi-professional snowboarder, and lifeguard. After becoming paralyzed, he continued his athletic career as an adaptive adventure athlete, learning to surf, ski, climb, paddle and mountain bike all over again. In 2012, Jeremy became the first paraplegic to ascend and ski a major backcountry peak in the Eastern Sierras and went on tour with the documentary film Drop IN: Bloody Couloir. Today all of Jeremy’s time is dedicated to The UNPavement, whose aim is to provide better and safer access to nature and wild places for adaptive mountain bikers.

Chris Orr | International Mountain Biking Association

Chris’ resume is a several-decades-long adventure in mountain bike advocacy, trail conservation, and adaptive living. He previously led operations for the Sage Trail Alliance (formerly the Santa Barbara Mountain Trail Volunteers). He has worked with the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) since 1999 and is currently a specialist for their Trail Solutions Program, traveling the world educating, designing, and building trails. Chris partnered with the US Forest Service to train the conservation staff and directors of Brazil's National Parks in all aspects of Trails and Community. This five-day training included two days of field training and sessions on trail building, conservation, management, economies, stewardship and community. Recently, he helped reconstruct parts of the Santa Cruz and Buckhorn Trails in the Los Padres National Forest.

Chris also has a second career as an orthotic and prosthetic technician making gear, arms, legs, and braces. In the midst of such bad-assery, it’s easy to miss that Chris is an adaptive rider himself—he was born with one leg 2 inches shorter than the other, missing a fibula, ankle and several toes. Chris has gone through many surgeries, and now he gets around with a lifted shoe and multiple braces.

For Chris, mountain biking is easier than walking, and bicycling is everyday life. He continues to use his personal and professional experience to develop a World of Trails for others through advocacy, adventure, trail building, and coaching. At the UNPavement, we all agree that to watch Chris on a bike is to see art in motion.

Emily Quandt | UCSD Medical Center

Emily is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, California where she helps people regain physical health and mental well-being after suffering injury, stroke, and heart attack. Emily has a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology and a Bachelor Degree in Exercise Science with a Minor in Nutrition. As an athlete herself, Emily understands the relationship between physical activity, nature, and mental well-being.