Executive Director

Jim took over as BRNW’s Executive Director in 2017, succeeding Sanna Phinney.

A longtime marketing writer and editor who owns Word Jones, Inc., Jim is also an avid cyclist and the author of “75 Classic Rides: Oregon.” He started doing marketing for Cycle Oregon in 2006 and quickly figured out that the bike-tour world is a pretty great place to work. He eventually developed and directed two brand-new events – Cycle Greater Yellowstone and Cycle Adirondacks – for nonprofit conservation groups. When he found out about the upcoming opening at BRNW, he jumped at the chance to get back to the Northwest (really, the best part of the country for cycling, right?). He came on a 2016 BRNW ride and saw how the organization runs tours: very well. He vows to maintain the feel and traditions of the BRNW rides, and maybe add a little pizzazz here and there.

Assistant Director,
Equipment Manager,
Social Media Manager

Emil has pitched tents all over the USA – from the wilds of Alaska, east to Maine and as far south as Missouri. This includes some out of anger, and one into a dumpster. After his wife, Sara – a veteran of three BRNW seasons in Rest Stops and Tent & Porter, including this year – promised him it was great fun, he signed up and is looking forward to being a part of the traveling circus. In reality, it was that or else stay home and feed/clean up after their cats while Sara had all the fun.

With a background in logistics, manufacturing, retail, cabinetry, bike mechanic-ing and kitchen design, he feels more than ready to do what Sara tells him. When not pretending to work on their house remodel project, Emil enjoys photography, woodworking, web design and eating Sara’s chocolate chip cookies.

Construction Director

Tosch has been working with BRNW since he was a wee lad of 14. For his first few rides he manned the Sunnyside Sports boutique operation, selling copious amounts of chamois butter and writing repair tags for bikes that had random, unidentifiable creaks. While working and riding with the mechanics was a lovely summer job (but mostly a vacation), the lure of the Construction crew was calling to him. So he lay down his pen and credit card machine and started hauling bags and setting up canopies. BRNW keeps him coming back for the great community, the beautiful roads and mountains, and of course the awesome food. When he’s not chatting with riders on the tailgate of a baggage U-Haul, you’ll find him in Bend, sewing skiing and climbing packs for Free Range Equipment or out enjoying the open space of the Oregon Cascades.

SAG Director

Stefan came to the USA from Switzerland in the mid’ 90s for work in the software implementation industry. These days he’s an independent consultant working on transaction tax solutions. Cycling has always been an escape from the long and stressful work hours – Stefan has participated in more than 20 week-long organized rides. He arranged, planned and directed a small tour for his riding friends in 2021 during COVID, where his exceptional organizing skills, empathy as a rider and mechanical skills came in very handy. Stefan looks forward to the role of SAG Director so he can help riders and crew have the best possible experience on our tours.

Stefan lives in Portland, where you’ll find him walking with his wife and dog around the neighborhood, or out on the roads riding his bike.

Rest Stops Director

Joe was an Executive Chef for 45 years, working in big casinos, small hospitals and pretty much everything in between. But now that’s all behind him, and the realities of retirement have given him way too much free time… what’s a guy to do? Well, riding bicycles comes to mind: road bikes, fat tire and even a trike keep him busy, and he loves both the solitude and camaraderie that being outdoors can offer. As a large guy pushing 300 pounds, he feels the uphill segments mock and laugh at him… but the downhills: watch out! Joe also spends time volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, driving their donation rig to pick up items they can resell to raise funds that provide housing for the less fortunate. His attitude is, “It’s not so much what you have done, but what you’re going to do now!” So he urges riders to come have some fun and knock out a great ride.

Tent & Porter Director

Maelynn is a prime example of what happens when you start doing BRNW rides: You have so much fun that we just suck you in. In the case of Maelynn and her husband Bob, we managed to convert them from riders to crew leaders (it’s not exactly going over to the dark side, but…). She was just planning to work one year, but now she’s our Tent & Porter Director, to our immeasurable benefit.

Maelynn is a regular bike-commuter to her job in Vancouver, WA, helping high school students learn and grow in an alternate educational environment. She’s been teaching for 33 years, and she loves seeing her students find their purpose. She, Bob and some friends started riding BRNW tours in 2016, and she relishes the positivity, support and camaraderie of the tour and the cyclists. In 2023 she decided it was time to give back to the BRNW community, and she hasn’t looked back. She’s overseeing the rapid expansion of our Tent & Porter program, which she leads with a solid plan, an encouraging smile, and more hard work than most people could take.

Route Director Emeritus

Chris, who keeps the entire event on track – literally – is a retired wildlife biologist with the state of Oregon. He’s also a long-time runner, Nordic skier and bike rider who rode on BRNW events for many years before transitioning to his route-marking duties with the 2012 Montana ride. 

He’s the first out of camp each morning, and he enjoys using his rider experience to mark the route so it’s easy for everyone to follow. An added bonus: At that time of the morning he gets to see a lot of wildlife most people don’t; he likes reporting back to us on his wild encounters in the early hours. 

When not marking routes, his other activities include serving as an assistant coach for the Bend High School Nordic ski team, and monitoring sage grouse population in the far boonies of southeast Oregon.

Incoming Route Director

photo/bio to come