Meet Our Pilots!

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Jack and his wife Sandy moved to Highlands Ranch in November, 2020 from the central coast of California where he was born and raised to be near their two grandsons Jackson and Decker. Jack is a retired Parks and Recreation Manager who worked for the City of Mountain View. He is an avid bike rider and golfer taking advantage of the great trails and golf courses in Colorado. Why he loves being a pilot? He enjoys being around smiling people while sharing and listening to stories.  

John is a native of Littleton, CO.  He grew up playing baseball, soccer, wrestling, skiing, golf and cycling. He still is an avid cyclist, skier and golfer as well as a volunteer for CWAL, Brent's Place ( A safe home for kids fighting cancer ), Denver Senior assistant center and HoBo Boxer care and rescue.  John first heard of CWAL from Phil Cernanec, one of the co-founders - he thought how fun it would be and a great workout. He quickly learned he was wrong, as it was SO much more than that. As a pilot, the smiles that he gets to put on people's faces, the stories that he has heard and the relationships that he is creating are life changing.

 Melanie grew up in a Navy family, crisscrossing the country but always living near large bodies of water. After graduating from college in Florida, she decided to live somewhere new and different, and has lived in Colorado for more than 40 years. She converted from water sports to mountain activities and now hikes, bikes, and skis. She thinks becoming a pilot for CWA Littleton is a terrific way to meet new people and hear their stories, enjoy being outside, and have some fun. 

 Mary is a native Coloradan - she grew up in Golden; lived in Boston, Moscow (Russia), Chicago, NYC and San Francisco for school and work, but moved 'back' to CO in 2000, currently residing in Littleton. Hobbies include eating delicious food (created by others!), hiking, biking, skiing, traveling, volunteering at her kids' schools and attempting to make time to read. Why she loves being a pilot? Being a part of something that brings joy and smiles to others while being outdoors. She looks forward to meeting new people and hearing all about their adventures in life. 

Allen grew up in Rockville Centre on Long Island, New York.  He worked on Wall Street with CitiBank before moving to Denver 35 years ago to continue his finance career.  Allen next headed up Business Development in the mountain region with a major finance company for large corporate opportunities.  He and his wife Seanna are avid skiers, cyclists, tennis and pickleball players.  They also enjoy hiking and backpacking the mountains with their border collie, Dax.  Allen enjoys the peace and serenity of fly fishing.  He is one of the founders of Team Evergreen Cycling Club, having done the Triple Bypass ride many times.  Their two adult children continue to live in Denver.  Allen heard about CWAL from his wife after she ran into a group of trishaw riders along the Platte River trail.  Allen was intrigued about the opportunity to meet new friends, hear their stories, create relationships and to share his love for cycling and the outdoors with others. 

Ted is from Arvada, Co and currently lives in Aurora.  He enjoys hiking, pickleball, and spending time with friends and family. Ted loves being a pilot for CWAL because he can share his enthusiasm for cycling and the outdoors with others. 

 Bill is originally from St. Louis, Missouri.  He graduated college from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri and was also a Naval Flight Officer, flying A-6 Intruder aircraft.  Bill's career spanned 30 years in human resources and 15 as a financial advisor.  He retired in 2019.  Bill has been married for 41 years, has two daughters, two grandsons, ages 6 and 4, and two granddaughters, ages 4 and 2.  He enjoys biking, hiking, golf, pickleball, travel (particularly beaches). I am looking forward to enjoying the great outdoors and meeting interesting and great people. 

 Jerome was born in Michigan, is a Michigan State alumnus (Go Green!) and has lived in the Denver area for over 40 years. He worked on many interesting and challenging projects during his career at Martin Marietta / Lockheed Martin. With his wife, Julie, he enjoys time with their family, travel, camping, hiking, snowshoeing, golf, and - of course - bicycling. Jerome considers piloting a great opportunity to be outdoors and meet wonderful people! 

Jeff moved from Detroit to Colorado some 44 years ago. He has lived in Littleton for the past 41 years and never left. He guesses he must really love Littleton! Jeff is married to Theresa and they have 2 sons. He likes cars, golf, hiking and biking and cool man cave basements! Jeff is recently retired and this opportunity to serve our community is a great fit and something he is really looking forward to. 

Melissa was born in Ohio but moved to Colorado at an early age. She enjoys cycling, camping, hiking, paddle boarding, traveling and reading. She is a former software engineer who now uses her math skills to tutor high school students.  What she loves about being a pilot? She loves sharing her passion for cycling and the outdoors with others, meeting new people, taking them on a beautiful ride and hearing their interesting stories from the past.

 Scott grew up on Long Island east of New York City, but ended up going to college in Texas. After college he served 7 years in the US Navy.  The Navy gave him the skills to work for United Airlines for the past 34 years.  His hobbies include boating, biking and telling jokes.  What he loves about being a trishaw pilot? He loves sharing his love of biking and his love of smiling. 

Melissa is a Colorado native who grew up in the nearby Green Mountain area. She and her husband live near downtown Littleton with their feisty Maltese, Lily.  Melissa is a retired elementary and middle school teacher who now enjoys time in the classroom as a substitute teacher two or three days a week.  She enjoys cycling, traveling, camping, hiking, reading, sewing, and cooking, then eating! Why Melissa loves being a pilot?  She gets to share time in the Colorado sunshine enjoying the seasons with friends new and old.  She loves to hear people's stories. 

Trudee was born in Sturgis, SD and grew up in CA and OK. She moved to Evergreen, CO from OK with her husband 32 years ago.  After raising their 2 daughters in Evergreen, they downsized and currently live back and forth between Evergreen and Arvada. Trudee is a retired real estate appraiser and her children live in NC and CA.  She has one grandchild.  Trudee's hobbies include mountain biking, hiking, swimming, fitness classes, pickleball and reading. Why does Trudee love being a pilot?  She is excited for the opportunity to share in nature and the outdoors with her riders while having a one on one interaction with them.  

Cathy moved to Colorado in 1981 from Idaho.  She enjoys spending time with family - eating, playing games and traveling.  Her favorite pastimes are biking, pickleball, paddle boarding and reading.  As a pilot, Cathy is looking forward to connecting with others, being outdoors and sharing life experiences and love for the area.

 Jonathan grew up in Texas and Oklahoma and moved from Alaska to Littleton, Colorado in 2013. Jonathan enjoys biking, art, music, games, hiking, traveling and visiting local eateries. As a pilot, Jonathan is excited to engage with people and share the picturesque Platte River trail. 

Niels was born and raised in the Netherlands, and moved to US in 1983. He has been a Colorado resident since 2009 with no plans of ever leaving. Adventures and travel runs in his veins. Niels has visited all 50 states, and is now working on the rest of the world. In his spare time he hikes 14-ers, runs ultra trail races, competes in Ironman triathlons, skis with his 2 daughters, snowshoes with his wife, and explores the Colorado mountains by bike. Providing others the chance to also experience the great outdoors is a passion, and being a pilot is a wonderful way to give back to his community. 

 Otto grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and moved to Colorado 25 years ago. Since then, he and his wife have raised two boys.  As a family they took full advantage of Colorado’s outdoor beauty. He recently retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managing grant programs for fish and wildlife conservation projects throughout the west. Otto loves outdoor activities that include fly fishing, upland hunting, hiking, camping, snow skiing, and of course bicycling. He looks forward to sharing stories with CWAL trishaw passengers!
 

  Jason has lived in Colorado on and off again since his parents moved the family here in 1978.  After nearly 20 years as a middle school social studies teacher and secondary school administrator, working in the United States, India, and the United Arab Emirates he and his wife Kim started an international educational consulting firm in 2016.  To date, they have worked with schools on 5 continents.  Jason loves two wheels be it motorcycles or bicycles.  He also enjoys hiking and most things involving the outdoors, especially when the family dog, Eleanor comes along.  Jason feels fortunate to have both his and Kim's parent living in Riverpointe- so you may see him there. If you do, please say hello. 

Bob is a Colorado native and has lived in Littleton for over 45 years. His hobbies include skiing, cycling, golf and pickleball but his biggest hobby is seeing his 5 grandkids. Bob has served on various boards over the years including Children’s Hospital Colorado, Junior Achievement, CSU Strata, and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Prior to graduating (retiring) in 2021, Bob served as Managing Partner and was a founder of the accounting/consulting firm EKS&H (now Plante Moran). What he likes best in life is serving others. When a friend sent him the video of Ole, the founder of CWA, he was hooked. He has seen the trishaws on bike rides many times and is now honored to be part of the CWAL family and enjoy the ride with new friends.

 Brian grew up in eastern Nebraska playing soccer, basketball and riding his bike amongst the cornstalks and windswept plains before moving to Minnesota during high school. After attending college in Wisconsin he spent a few years on the south side of Chicago before following his family to Colorado. Over the past 25+ years he and his wife Lisa have raised their two children in Littleton where they both attend Columbine High School. He enjoys snowboarding, snowshoeing, cycling and traveling the Western United States. He is a parent/coach with the Columbine cycling team and loves sharing stories about the local community. 

Jennifer grew up in Michigan and has a degree in business marketing from Western Michigan University.   Following college, she moved to Breckenridge and after several years went to the police academy in Glenwood Springs. After 10 years with the Vail Police Department,  she moved to Denver and now is an Engineer for the Denver Fire Department at Station 30. 

Rose, as she is called, is into fitness and enjoys golf, pickleball and her dog. As a CWAL pilot, she is looking forward to the thrill of seeing smiles on our passengers' faces.  

Tom is originally from Des Moines and moved at an early age to a rural Ohio farming community. In 1977, he moved to Colorado.  Tom is married and has three grown daughters.  His hobbies include cycling, motorcycle touring, skiing and camping.Tom's interest in becoming a pilot is to share in the stories and conversations with others that always seem to have fascinating backgrounds and often common interests. 

Bob lives in southern Jefferson County (Ken Caryl Area).  He likes to do just about anything outdoors (bike, ski, hike,  ...) with friends and family.    His professional career was in public land management (parks, open space).    He is a pilot because he wants to meet people, learn their stories/perspectives and help provide great outdoor experiences!    

Marquez (aka Kez) is an Iowa native who has been visiting Colorado his whole life! Before moving to Colorado in 2008 at the age of 12, he spent many weekends on his great grandparents' farm where he fostered a hard work ethic at a young age. When Kez is not working as a realtor, he truly cherishes his time with family, friends, attending events and giving his Rottweiler Kane attention! Some of his hobbies include juggling, cycling, traveling, mediating, volunteering and studying different languages.  

What Kez is looking forward to as a CWAL pilot is getting to know his passengers, listening to the stories they share and soaking up their wisdom while enjoying the fresh air, the nature and beauty of cycling along the Platte River!

 John is originally from Pittsburgh, attended the University of Pittsburgh was a state champ gymnast.  He moved to Denver in 1979 after discovering that Taco Bell isn’t Mexican food and that he was in love with Lynn his wife who was already living here.   They have 2 sons and 3 grand kids.  John is a retired general contractor, avid cyclist, skier, musician, studier of languages and in general a fun-loving person.   He looks forward to using his experience with older adults in connecting to his passengers as a CWAL pilot.

  Clay grew up in Kansas City, KS, studied geology at the University of Kansas, and worked the bulk of his professional career in Calgary, Alberta. He loves adventure, exploring the country in a sprinter van with his wife and cat, riding anything with two wheels, and snow skiing. The reason he volunteers with CWAL is to give back to the community and make meaningful connections with older adults and the less fortunate. Clay thinks offering volunteer service and riding a trishaw at the same time is about as good as it gets.

Dan is a born and raised Colorado boy growing up in Westminster. Having lived here his whole life, he was fortunate to grow up skiing, fishing, riding bikes, upland bird hunting and playing golf, of which he still participates. Travel, scuba diving, beekeeping, volunteering and grand kids have been added to the list to complete a busy life. He worked for a biotech company Genentech as a representative; Genentech produces the drug that is saving lives in the treatment of heart attacks and embolic strokes. Why he loves being a pilot? To help people realize that they still matter and know their contributions to this world have made it a better place.

 Dale grew up in Franklin, Ohio and worked in New Mexico for 35 years before moving to Colorado; he first settled in Highlands Ranch in 2011 and relocated in 2019 to downtown Littleton's VITA.  Dale enjoys running, riding (bikes), skiing, and hiking.   He is looking forward to the the thrill of meeting new friends as a trishaw pilot.   CWAL looks forward to Dale's assistance in growing the trishaw passenger base at VITA!

 Lisa is a retired school teacher educated at Iowa State University who was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.  She relocated back to Colorado 2 years ago, after teaching here at the start of her career and then living in Iowa for 23 years.

Lisa's hobbies include cycling, hiking, skiing, swimming, cooking, reading and spending time with family.  She is excited to be a trishaw pilot because it is a unique way to share laughter and the love of the outdoors while making new friendships.

Mary is originally from Michigan and was in the Incentive Travel business based in New York City for 25 years.  She moved her family back to Denver in 2003 (Mary had attended DU) which has been a great place to raise her two adopted children from Moldova.  As a family, they love to ski, golf, play pickleball, hike and bike.  Their love of the outdoors, sports and living on the Platte was a life saver during COVID!  Mary has been with Trader Joe's for 10 years and loves the happy work environment.  She really looks forward to spending time with people from all walks of life and hearing about their experiences.

 Dawn is a Pilates instructor originally from Iowa and has spent most of her adult life in the Denver area. She has lived in Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, & Tennessee. The beauty of living in different parts of the country has afforded her to develop a liking to many different hobbies, such as, hiking, biking, rowing, snowshoeing, traveling, and cooking. Having spent her career in health and fitness industry, CWAL was the perfect fit. She spends much of her time watching her boys play college & high school sports. Dawn looks forward to all of the stories shared on the trishaw and friendships made. She feels we can all gain a wealth of knowledge from the older adults in our community!

Scott was born in Denver and grew up in Littleton.  He graduated from Littleton High School, Denver University, and Gonzaga University.  Scott is retired and his hobbies include golf, fly fishing, and cycling. He and his wife live in Grant Ranch and have 9 grandchildren. 

Scott is excited to be a CWAL pilot because he enjoys cycling and volunteering. He is particularly motivated to put smiles on the faces of older adults and others unable to get outside and feel the exhilarating, freeing experience that cycling can bring. 

 Kerry is a Colorado native - he grew up on the western slope but has lived in the Denver Metro area for 30+ years. He is an Army Veteran and currently works for Littleton Public Schools in the Transitions Program which serves students with disabilities between the ages of 18-21 following high school. Kerry will be retiring soon and looks forward to traveling and volunteering to fill his time.  He is excited to join the CWAL team and looks forward to meeting new people and helping others enjoy the beauty of Colorado, specifically, Littleton. 

Marie was born in Nebraska, but moved to Colorado in the late 1970s and has been happy to be here ever since. 

She worked for 45 years as an RN in the OB field and is happily retired now. 

She and her husband have four children and seven grandchildren. Marie began biking around 2015 and never could’ve believed that she'd do some of the rides she does now! 

Marie's 95-year-old mother is her role model, as she is still riding her bike, (actually now a trike), as weather permits. She uses her cane or walker to get to the bike, throws it in the basket and hops right on. 

Marie is looking forward to meeting many passengers as well as allowing others to feel the wind in their hair on a bike!🚴 

 A 4th generation Colorado native, Mike was born in Boulder and has lived on the east and west slopes of Colorado. He attended Colorado State University (GO RAMS), where he met his wife of over 50 years. Over the years, Mike has spent many hours coaching soccer, football, and wrestling. His favorite part of being a CWAL pilot is meeting the riders, and listening to their interesting and unique stories. 

 Jeanne grew up in Fort Wayne, IN and has lived in California, Texas and now in Colorado for 30 years. She fell in love with biking as a child and never quit. Jeanne enjoys mountain biking, kayaking, cooking and exploring the beauty of Colorado. She is excited to be a pilot and share her love of biking with others and bring smiles and laughter to others while enjoying the outdoors. 

Mike grew up in Washington State, served six years in the Marine Corps, and still enjoys being actively engaged in public service today through a role in local government. He spent 10 years in Arizona before moving his family to Littleton with their adventurous Yorkie, Josie. They love participating in Littleton community events like concerts, the Criterium cycle race, Western Welcome Week, and so much more. He felt an instant connection with the CWAL mission and community, seeing these shared trishaw experiences as an ideal way to connect with and learn from community members like you.

 Nadine is a Colorado native, but has lived in a few other places. Her cycling interest began in 2004 where she rode her first MS150 ride and did so for the next 13 years. Nadine enjoys being outdoors and hobbies include cycling, hiking, walking and reading. As a piot, Nadine is looking forward to sharing the beautiful outdoors with others while getting to hear their stories and putting a smile on their faces!

Marc was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and raised in Northern Ohio, along the shores of Lake Erie. He now lives in Littleton, where he serves as Chair of the Architecture Department at the University of Colorado Denver. He and his wife, Connie, have two daughters, one in college and one in high school. Marc commutes to CU Denver on his bike most days, along the Platte River, and he enjoys running, swimming, and skiing. He is an avid reader and sketcher. If you're interested in seeing his travel sketches, he'd happily share them before your next ride!  Marc looks forward to his rides with the CWAL Community, meeting and talking with new people and hearing stories from their rich lives!

Tim grew up around the US and beyond; born in North Carolina, in the mid-1960s his family lived on a small island (Kwajalein) in the south Pacific, graduated from high school in North Dakota, undergraduate in Illinois and graduate school in Arizona. Before starting a two-decade career in international sales management for information database firms he lived, studied, and worked in Japan and Taiwan.  After leaving the corporate world and before retiring in 2023 he used his private pilot license to start a second career as a commercial drone pilot and instructor.  Colorado has been his home since 1991 (except for three years in Hawaii) with his wife Kris and two sons. Tim’s hobbies are golf, swimming, playing the drums and traveling with Kris. He is looking forward to meeting you, piloting your trishaw and hearing your story.

Clare is a native of Colorado and grew up in Southwest Denver.  She currently lives in Morrison. Clare is an avid golfer, quilter, hiker, skier, swimmer, crafter and organizer.  She is happy to be a part of the CWA team because it is a way to meet people from all walks of life and share laughter and stories while enjoying the scenic trails in Colorado.

 Dave moved to Colorado as a kid in 1969 and grew up in Boulder where he gained his love of the outdoors and all Colorado has to offer. He now resides in Castle Rock and has been in the area 25 years. He is an avid mountain biker and hiker, and an occasional backpacker, bike packer and tent camper. He really enjoys spending time with his 4 grand kids. He also enjoys reading and playing the classical guitar.

Dave looks forward to volunteering with CWAL and providing an opportunity for all to enjoy the benefits of cycling and being outside. 

Dave has lived in Colorado, Los Angeles, New York, Boston and on the Gulf Coast of Florida. He treasures spending time outside and wants to help others enjoy a bit of sun, a breeze and a bird or three, too.  Dave lives in Denver with his two children, his wife and their dog.  He's worked in local journalism for about 15 years and loves hearing about people's lives, concerns, triumphs and tales.  He's looking forward to hearing passengers' favorite outdoor memories, accomplishments or wish lists.  

 As a kid, Kim traveled a lot as part of an Air Force family. Her dad flew B52s and then helicopters. As a result of moving to different bases, Kim had been to all of the states west of the Mississippi by the time she was 13 years old. Kim moved to Colorado in the mid-80s and her hobbies include gardening, cycling, pickleball and hiking.  

Why a CWAL pilot?

Kim heard about the trishaw program years ago, and after retiring in January finally has time to participate. It’s a great way to combine cycling, being in nature and getting to know new people. She looks forward to meeting new people and sharing stories!

 Caroyln was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada and has lived in various parts of the world, from the Philippines to Nigeria to the Dominican Republic. Puedo hablar espanol! She and her family - husband and four children - have lived in Colorado for almost 25 years now. She looks forward to meeting passengers and sharing adventures on the trishaw! Bike riding gives Carolyn joy and she hopes to share that joy with passengers. Nothing soothes the soul and enlivens the spirit like getting out in nature and feeling the wind in your hair.