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.
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(She / Her)
Nessa Valenzuela is in charge of ordering chains and tires, making the computers work, and drawing pretty pictures. She likes bullhorn handlebars but thinks about switching to straight bars sometimes (Update: She's back on drop bars). 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.
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(They/Them)
I was homeless before I rediscovered bikes. Bicycles got me off the street. But someone stole my bike. And a Vilano fixie with brakes and a flip/flop wheel was the cheapest thing I could find, and I’m glad I did. That got me hooked. Wheelies, fakie, barspins once I removed the brakes…It gave me a sense of self worth and purpose. My first real father figure taught me to ride a bike at 3 years old. Took the training wheels off that first day. At 34 I’ve been beaten, broken, robbed, loved, cherished, and cared for like I never knew I could have been all those years ago on that first pedal down the street. Thank you bicycle, for everything.
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(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.
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(He / Him)
Chad has been in Eugene since 2020, he absolutely loves it here. Originally from the Midwest, he made his way out west by way of Minneapolis.
He is a dedicated and passionate cyclist who rides many different styles of bikes. You can find him bikepacking on the weekends throughout Oregon’s forests and deserts; road riding in the south hills pretending to not take himself too seriously; mountain biking on the many technical trails in our surrounding region; or simply just cruising around town, taking in the rivers, trees and birds.
Outside of bikes, he enjoys bubbly drinks, citrus both sweet and sour, skiing and the stillness of the snow, snacks, engaging reads, slow and meandering neighborhood strolls, scenic vistas, delicious meals and soft times shared with good company.
Bikes have created freedom, joy and expression for him. He is hyped on the beauty that the bicycle can help you experience and he looks forward to fostering that same joy within his community.
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(She / Her)
Hannah grew up riding bikes recreationally in Southern Oregon, and she is excited to bring that experience to youth in our community! Hannah moved to Eugene in 2021 for college and furthered her love for bikes here through bike commuting and exploring the area on two wheels. Hannah got connected with Shift right before graduating with her B.S. in Environmental Studies from the UO, and first began working as a summer camp counselor. She loves the opportunity to combine her experience in education and programming with her passion for community building and sustainable transportation. Outside of work, Hannah can be found reading a good book, knitting something silly, running for many hours on end, or doing many other crafty things!
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(He / Him)
Ian moved to Eugene in 2025 from South Florida and has been loving it ever since. One of the main reasons he chose Eugene was its reputation for great bike infrastructure, and the improvement to his daily life has been incredible.
He is a mechanic at Shift and previously worked at shops in Florida and Georgia. Ian loves all things mechanical and enjoys helping people keep rollin’. Outside of Shift, he is working toward a degree in mechanical engineering with aims at working in the cycling industry or systems design.
Ian has owned and ridden many kinds of bikes, but is currently fixated on his Salsa El Mariachi hardtail. He loves taking advantage of the nature and mountain bike trails Oregon has to offer, and is currently working on converting it into a bikepacking rig.
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(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!
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(She/her)
Ari is a bike enthusiast who has been riding bikes since childhood. Her favorite forms of biking are bikepacking, bike polo, and long day rides. She moved to Oregon in 2013 and has lived in Eugene since 2018.
She has been working in the field of environmental education for 8 years and has specialized in organic garden education, outdoor school, and ecology education, focusing primarily on helping marginalized communities increase access to the outdoors. She is excited to be helping people get on bikes and explore our scenic city.
In her free time she helps run a WTFNB (women, trans, femme, & non-binary) bike collective. When not working with bikes you can find her hiking with her dog, or foraging for snacks.
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(He/They)
Abe is an assistant mechanic with a deep love for all things bike. Currently he is also a student at the University of Oregon getting a degree in PPPM, although he much prefers working on bikes and being surrounded by the community of the bike shop. On his days off you might see him and his partner on their tandem or cuddling his very orange cat at home.
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(He / Him)
Emory, having grown up in Los Angeles, found and fell in love with biking as a way around the constant bumper to bumper. Spending much of his youth as a bike commuter he found fixed gear riding and bid derailleurs adew. Emory in his free time enjoys bike polo, skiing, camping, and chasing cars.
He has been organizing and leading youth programming for many of his employed years and has passion for the sharing of information and building independence in the next generation.
He found his way to Eugene pursuing school. With a passion for teaching and a desire to be a part of the local community he joined Shift as a camp counselor and continued his role as Youth Programs Lead.
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(She/Her)
Kendsie recently moved to Eugene from Grand Rapids, MI. She rides a bikefeit cargo bike and avidly advocates for biking as transportation.
Kendsie spent 5 years teaching middle school and has over 13 years of experience organizing folks to make a difference in their communities.
She loves tapping into people's gifts, talents and passions and is excited to connect the next generation to bike riders through fun and engaging kids' activities.
You can find her among beehives or community gardens when not on a bike.
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
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(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.
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(He / Him)
Andy Leisner is a lifelong enthusiast of various cycling disciplines, including road, mountain, cyclocross, BMX, and commuting. He has dedicated the majority of his career to the two-wheeled industry, serving as a senior executive at several motorcycle, e-bike, and bicycle companies. Currently, he is the Chief Operating Officer of IKONIX Bikes.
Andy is committed to the de-carbonization of transportation. He actively works towards this goal through his roles and consulting in the EV sector and by promoting the use of bicycles for daily transportation and last-mile logistics solutions.
He is excited to collaborate with Shift Community Cycles to bring transportation independence, enjoyment, and improved health outcomes to the underprivileged communities of Lane County.
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(He/ Him)
Caught up in the bike boom of the early 1970’s, studying Eugene Sloan’s The Complete Book of Bicycling and little else, Matt had the family garage artfully depicted as a bike shop on stationery. Carefully typed letters to the major bicycle parts distributors around the country established “Spokes & Wheels” as an actual bike shop. Wholesale access as a pre-teen (and Daniel Rebour’s evocatively illustrated catalogues!) were the gateway drug to a half-life in the bicycle industry. Mechanic, salesperson, shop manager, and 12 years at Burley Design Cooperative—a life in shorts and branded T-shirts —eventually gave way to suits, ties, and the financial services industry. Weaving cycling together with banking was a solution to a problem no one recognized. Soon, US Bank’s Eugene Main location featured branded cruiser bikes for client deliveries and lunch pick up. Northwest Community Credit Union’s new brand, Northwest of Banking, became anchored in consumer consciousness by bicycle powered blenders. Now a management consultant, Matt continues to ride recreationally and to client engagements and is thrilled to get “more people on bikes more often.”
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(He / Him)
Rob has biked for everyday transportation since he was a college student in Philadelphia in the late 1980s including stints in Somerville, MA, Washington, DC and Chapel Hill, NC and Eugene since 2005. He is passionate about making Eugene a more livable and bikeable city and is excited to work with Shift to further these goals. In his day job as Transportation Planning Manager for the City of Eugene, Rob’s leads a highly productive team that works on a wide range of transportation issues including development of protected bike lanes, creation of the PeaceHealth Rides bike share system, and new transportation options programs.
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(She/ Her)
Lucy believes bikes are magical machines for freedom, joy, and environmental change that have the power to make cities more livable and transportation more equitable — plus, they just look cool!
Growing up in Germany, riding with friends in awesome bike infrastructure fostered a lifelong love of cycling. After moving to the suburban sprawl of Atlanta, GA, she noticed the differences in urban design and sought out places that value active transportation as much as driving. After living car-free in Washington, D.C. for nearly a decade and a two year layover in California, she moved to Eugene, drawn by its easy access to the outdoors and strong bike and pedestrian-friendly community.
A longtime advocate for active transportation, Lucy has served on the city’s Active Transportation Committee and volunteered with Shift before joining the board. She enjoys everyday bike commuting to work or social activities, and has a love of bicycle touring. Some of her most memorable bike tours include mountainous rides in California, scenic canal paths in the D.C./Maryland area, and a week-long tour down the Oregon coast.
Professionally, Lucy is an IT Project Manager specializing in products and strategic initiatives, with a background in management consulting. She takes pride in bringing great plans to life, whether in the tech world or the cycling community. Outside of work and biking, she enjoys teaching yoga, gardening, reading, playing the violin, and spending time with her fluffy orange cat Pretzels.
Co-Founders
Shift Community Cycles was co-founded in 2021 by Jim Nevada and Josh Goldfarb, who identified a need of affordable access to bicycles in the Eugene community. Driven by the belief that an organization dedicated to affordable and accessible transportation for all could address this need through a used bike shop, DIY workspace stands, and mechanics education workshops, Jim and Josh brought their vision to life.