Staff
Shift employees are a dedicated group of community members who have made it our mission to bring cycling access to as many people as possible.
-
(He / Him)
Fair weather rider and vintage bicycle fanatic, I am a true believer in the magical powers of the bicycle. I grew up and have lived in Eugene for my entire life, and for 15 years I operated and owned a small, independent movie theater. Honoring his memory, the theater was named after David Minor, a friend and cyclist. Bicycles became the theme at the David Minor Theater, and we were home to an underground bike shop that later became 360 Cycles. “Upcycle, Restore and Reuse, shifting into sustainable transportation," became our mission. In 2021, I joined Free Bike 4 Kids and volunteered in every position, learning from the best. I was hooked on helping kids and building community through collaborations with those that share similar goals. Shortly thereafter, in 2022, we built Shift, bringing back a nonprofit community bike shop for all of Lane County.
-
(She / Her)
Nessa Valenzuela is in charge of ordering chains and tires, making coffee, and playing jazz music sometimes. She likes bullhorn handlebars but thinks about switching to straight bars sometimes. Nessa has a BFA in garish tastes and uses it to do a myriad of unrelated jobs and tasks, all somehow heavily involving pizza. She likes dogs but prefers cats.
-
(He / Him)
Jarl Berg was born and raised in Eugene. A local who has spent most of his life in the outdoor industry in the marketing and community outreach circles, Jarl is also the current VP of Free Bikes 4 Kids and past marketing guru at Bike Friday. Born and raised riding the streets of Eugene with his family, bikes have always been a part of his story from his first Solid Gold Chromed-out Schwinn from Hutch’s to his handmade Bruce Gordon which he sold to buy a Yuba Mundo Cargo Bike to his current herd of Bike Friday bikes…the favorite is his Custom Bike Friday Haul-A-Day which went from kid hauler to now being one of the party bikes for events like the Moonlight Mash. Jarl can be found at many community rides in the area or helping customers out at the store. Be warned…he really likes talking about locally made bikes like Bike Friday and Co-Motion. See ya at the next community ride!
-
(She / Her)
Erin Carol grew up in rural Upstate NY and has called Eugene home since 2010. Erin holds an MA and PhD in Chicana/Latina/Latin American teatro, literature, and social justice movements. Beyond teaching university courses (en español) for 10+ years, Erin has dedicated her life to supporting local nonprofits, particularly around issues of food security, gender and racial equity, and Latine/Spanish-language access and initiatives in Lane County and beyond. Her prior experience includes serving as nonprofit Director, Board president/member, and grant writer and translator for dozens of Oregon nonprofits. In 2020, Erin founded a donation-based yoga nonprofit. Today, she offers donation-based and pro-bono classes, workshops, and events year-round, including at Checkered Past (Springfield), Blue Barn Farm & Animal Sanctuary (Creswell), and CALC (Community Alliance of Lane County). Erin currently rides a Trek FX3 - and in fact never owned a motor vehicle until age 36! Erin is thrilled to be a part of the Shift team - and to be the first Spanish-speaker on staff.
-
(He - Him)
Andy Holmes started in the bike industry sweeping floors and making tea at the local bike shop in 1986. Since then, he has worked as lead mechanic for numerous UK shops and distributors. In 1998, Andy moved to the US and began working as bike designer and product manager for some of the largest bike brands covering children’s bikes to high end race bikes. He has toured over 30 countries by bicycle, trying to experience as much dirt as possible. Andy designed and built his first bicycle in 1991 and now owns Penhale Bicycle Co, specializing in adventure bikepacking bikes. With 40 years of industry and repair knowledge, Andy is ecstatic to share what he’s learned with everyone.
-
(He / Him)
Thomas Holden spent 17 years in Tanzania managing a Kilimanjaro trekking business and co-founding a recycled bike enterprise. The company he ran was recognized by the United Nations for its leadership in sustainable business practices. In 2020, his passions followed him to Oregon where he began volunteering at Shift, working his way from regular volunteer to Volunteer Coordinator. Tom’s bike-centric life finds him at any moment commuting, wrenching, racing, building e-bikes (as ‘Cyclized’ in partnership with Shift CC), and being a bike-nerd.
-
(He / Him)
Mark came to Shift after nearly two decades dedicated to building, fixing, and selling cycling products. A former volunteer, his penchant for treasure hunting and exceptional organizational skills landed him the role of Shift's Donation and Online Sales Manager. Mark meticulously sorts and organizes donations, ensuring they are ready for sale, repair, refurbishment, or recycling.
In the early months of 2023, Mark bid farewell to his home bikeshop, prepared to part ways with the remnants of his enduring hobby. Little did he know that his first visit to Shift triggered a U-turn in his cycling journey. Immersed in the hum of bike chains and the camaraderie of like-minded enthusiasts, he realized that his love for cycling was far from over – it was a new beginning. Inspired by Shift's spirit of giving, Mark seamlessly transitioned from donor to a passionate volunteer, proving that a single visit can reignite the fervor for pedal-powered adventures.
Explore Mark's curated treasures on our eBay store and begin your own cycling resurgence at Shift!
Shift Community Cycles is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization governed by an active Board of Directors. Along with our dedicated staff and volunteers, our Board helps to enact our mission of providing bicycle access, outreach programs, and bicycle education to our underserved communities.
Board of Directors
-
(He / Him)
Stephen Flanagan is a lifelong outdoors nut whose love of bikes, mountains, and people has spurred adventures across multiple landscapes. Around town, you might see him on a gravel-ready Salsa Vaya; up in the mountains you might see his Surly Ogre outfitted for bikepacking excursions. Raising his kids in Davis, CA, opened the world of two-wheeled city life, and Stephen continues today volunteering with learn to ride events for local kids. Having retired from a science career at the University of California in 2022, Stephen now lives a bike and community-focused life here in our PNW wonderland.
-
(He / Him)
As an ex-pat in Singapore, Brian was bitten by the cycling bug in High School while on a multi-day supported cycling trip through Western Australia. Later in his twenties, Brian continued to ride in Critical Mass type group rides as well as bike commuting to work in his car-loving hometown of Los Angeles. After a long hiatus, Brian rediscovered cycling after moving to Eugene in 2021 thanks in large part to the vibrant bike culture here, which he hopes to pass on to his three young children.
With a background in Technology Architecture and Management Consulting, Brian is passionate about using technology to help Non-profit organizations scale their operations and optimize thier impact on our communities. Brian is also an advocate for BAS (Bike Acquisition Syndrome), and his first real bike was a 90's era 21-speed Gary Fisher Marlin in silver.
GO DUCKS!
-
(He / Him)
I was taken with cycling at an early age. The freedom it provided growing up in Michigan was incredible. I provided bike repairs for my friends and family in my early teens. By high school, I was employed as a mechanic and progressed to shop management, independent sales rep., and finally landed at Avocet in CA. After 30 years away from the bicycle industry, and riding, I retired and moved to Eugene with my wife. I am now an avid rider with GEARs and try to ride at least three times a week, rain or shine. I still enjoy working on bikes, and I volunteer with Shift and FB4K. My 20 years of experience in the bicycle industry provides the board with hands-on perspective in running the shop. My corporate finance roles, and treasurer roles of other nonprofits, also bring experience and a sharp focus to financial oversight.
-
(She / Her)
Lynn Stearney is a lifelong touring cyclist who rides a single Jamis and a CoMotion tandem with her husband, Jonathan. Her background is in higher education and nonprofit management. Her current gigs are fostering cats for the local feline rescue, cleaning kennels for Greenhill Humane Society, and, of course, serving as a Board Member for Shift. She retired from the University of Oregon in 2017. Although cycling is her first love, she also rafts, canoes, hikes and enjoys long distance walks in Europe. She hates traveling anywhere that requires reservations. She loves everything Italian - language, food and music. Her first bicycle was one her grandfather won in a raffle at the factory where he was a machinist in Chicago, IL. She is a native midwesterner, spent twenty years in New England, and has called Eugene home since 2004.
-
(She /Her)
Claire Roth moved to Eugene in 2018 and was immediately impressed with the area’s bicycle culture. She works with Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST) as Program Manager, working to advance safe and comfortable transportation in our area. Claire’s interests include bicycling along the river path, estate sales, plants, and cats.
Advisory Board
-
(She / Her)
Goddess of grants
Interested in applying to join our Board? Fill out the application at the link below, submit it to info@ShiftCC.org, and we'll get back to you. We are especially seeking Board members with nonprofit experience, Spanish-speakers, and diverse personal and professional backgrounds.