About Us

Laura has a BA in Journalism and Communications, and has had many different careers – college teacher, communicator, journalist, sporting goods guru and public education advocate. One constant has been her connection to and support of public education. She’s been on 10 school councils in two provinces. She recognized the simple freedom of getting on a bike to get places is not available to many kids in our city. Which makes it even more frustrating that teens, like her children,  that have the opportunity and tools, don’t because it’s somehow uncool. Covid provided the push to get her vision of a new non-profit into reality.

A proud albeit often expatriated Calgarian, Shiv is a public and economic policy professional who has worked for both the private and public sectors in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and France. He is a passionate believer in the ’15-minute city’ and an advocate for sustainable urban mobility, including as Policy Coordinator & Strategic Lead for Bike Calgary and through various civic election campaigns. Shiv holds a BA in International Studies and Economics from Vassar College and the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po); he is bilingual in French and English.

A long time parent advocate, volunteer and community association board member, Larry brings a strong safety and community building perspective to our board. He’s currently the Executive Director of 12 Community Safety Initiative (https://12csi.ca/) that does great work in communities east of Deerfoot Trail. He’s also Past President of the Crossroads Community Association, Board Chair of Cornerstone Youth Centre and board member at Phoenix Education Foundation.

Dimitri loves Youth En Route because it merges four of his favourite things: biking, volunteering, urban geography, and biking! He works as a municipal planner, but has previously worked in the realms of mainstreet vibrancy and bike-share systems.

Born in Mexico and having lived in New York and Canada, Ivan holds a BA in Industrial Design from Mexico City’s UAM, partial studies in Product and Furniture Design at the Centre for Design, Television and Film in Mexico and a Master’s in Planning from the U of C.He has been involved in social entrepreneurship, social innovation, planning and sustainable tourism projects. He has collaborated in different roles with Start Alberta, the Downtown Ambassador Program, the International Avenue BRZ and the 12 Community Safety Initiative, as well as the Victoria Park BRZ. He is currently an urban and regional planner at Township Planning + Design in Calgary, Alberta and enjoys climbing, hiking and biking in Southern Alberta and wherever he can travel to.

Chris is a retired accountant with more than 40 years of varied financial experience. While working he was an active transportation commuter (biking and walking), now in retirement he is a keen bike rider on Calgary’s many pathways. A lifelong believer in the value of cycling and walking, he is keen to see active transportation adopted by many more of Calgary’s youth. Chris is also a director and treasurer of a significant Calgary-based environmental charity.

Kimberley has been on the Vélo Canada Bikes board of directors since 2014. She is the former president and an active volunteer of Bike Calgary, and a founding member for Bicycle Bells, Vision Zero Calgary and  Calgarians For Transportation Choice. She has also contributed to CARSP, Walk21 and was on the Government of Canada National Vulnerable Road User working group. Kimberley first fell in love with biking when commuting 11km to high school.

Stuart is a Forest Lawn High School graduate alumni, born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. He is currently studying to become a teacher at SAIT. Not only is Stuart an an avid vintage bike rider, he loves to partake in races with them and is an excellent bike mechanic too! In his free time when he is not riding, he enjoys to rock climb and volunteer his time with youth in the city, from doing tours in downtown to after school programs. As a bonus, Stuart is MHFA certified and is fluent both in English and Spanish. 

Chris is an athletic therapist, strength and conditioning coach, and mountain bike coach with years of experience working with youth programs and running his own coaching business. He is passionate about making cycling accessible and improving communities through better bike routes. For ten years, he commuted to work by bike, a routine that improved his health and saved on parking. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors.

Sam has 14 years of experience in competitive cycling, including road, track, mountain, and cyclocross racing. She spent five years in Belgium competing on the UCI circuit with European teams and has a strong understanding of cycling, from racing and commuting to bike maintenance. Sam enjoys teaching young riders and helping them see how biking can be both practical and fun.  In her free time, Sam cooks, hikes, and love to spend time outdoors.

Mario’s journey with bikes began in Chile and grew in Calgary, where he worked as a mechanic and shop manager for over a decade. At Youth en Route, he maintains the bike fleet, leads the Bike Giveaway program, and teaches cycling and repair skills to students. Passionate about community and accessibility, Mario believes bikes can change lives and works to ensure more people experience the freedom and joy of riding. In his free time, he enjoys biking with his daughter, creating art from bike parts, and exploring the city.