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Women's Summit

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Photo Credit: Brian Alexander

Join us for the 2022 NEMBA Women’s Summit! Designed to empower all women mountain bikers, the NEMBA Women’s Summit offers a supportive and fun atmosphere to learn and share experiences, build confidence, and get motivated to participate in the mountain bike community. We welcome riders of all levels to enjoy this year’s offerings of a keynote speaker, varied and exciting breakout sessions, a social, and more! This year’s Women’s Summit is being offered as part of the NEMBAfest weekend experience.

The Women’s Summit schedule, programming, and details can be found below. We hope to see you there!

Mission Statement

The NEMBA Women’s Summit aims to increase women’s involvement, experience, skills and knowledge as participants, advocates, and leaders in mountain biking.

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Photo Credit: Brian Alexander

2022 NEMBA Women's Summit Details: 

Date: Friday August, 5th

Time: 1:30 - 6:00pm

Location: The Sugarloaf Outdoor Center, 3001 Outdoor Center Road, Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947

Please note: Access to the Women’s Summit is free with the purchase of a NEMBAfest pass, but we require all participants to RSVP. 

Women-only group rides will also be offered throughout the NEMBAfest weekend. Details coming soon!

Programming Schedule 

TIME

1:30-2:00pm

1:50-2:00pm

2:00-2:45pm

3:00-3:45pm

3:00-3:45pm

4:00-4:45pm

4:00-4:45pm

5:00-6:00pm

ACTIVITY

Summit Check-in

Welcome/Opening Remarks

Keynote Speaker: Kristin Motley

Break #1

Breakout Session 1A

​Breakout Session 1B

Break #2

Breakout Session 2A

Breakout Session 2B

Happy Hour Social

DETAILS

Registration Table

 Topic: Building Community in Mountain Biking

Panel: Getting Women & Girls Involved in MTB + NEMBA

Your Brain on Bikes: Fear Management w Annie Pendygraft

Trailside Mechanics w Emily Thibodeau

Food as Fuel: Cycling Nutrition w RD Rebecca Labonte

Snacks & Drinks: Meet Group Ride Leaders + NEMBA

2022 Keynote Speaker: Kristin Motley 

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Kristin Motley is the co-director of Rooted Vermont, an endurance athlete for Bicycle Express Racing, a community builder, and advocate for women in cycling.  A self-described empath and deep thinker, Kristin works to empower anyone who rides a bike to create spaces where they can be both connected to their own athletic journey and feel part of something bigger than just themselves. Kristin lives in Waterbury, VT, is the mother of two boys, and loves all bike rides that lead to trails and forest roads.

 

 Kristin is an inspiring athlete and advocate in the gravel and MTB world. NEMBA is excited to have Kristin join this year’s Women’s Summit to share her knowledge, passion, and excitement!

Follow on IG: @kristin.motley 

https://www.rootedvermont.com/

Breakout Session Presenters: 

Annie Pendygraft

Annie Pendygraft can most often be found in the middle of a righteous pack of women. After earning her doctorate in counseling psychology from Oregon State University, Annie cultivated her adult learning skills through training other mental health professionals in both clinical and academic settings. Her passion for adult learning led to her interests in the specific techniques and approaches to supporting women to learn action-based sports traditionally dominated by men.

 

Driven by her passion for supportive, encouraging, and effective learning environments for women, Annie combined her love of mountain biking and enthusiasm for teaching to develop a brain-based approach to build confidence, understand fear responses, and improve skills in higher-risk environments. She is a PMBIA certified mountain bike coach and licensed psychotherapist. She combines her expertise in brain-based learning, fear management, and mountain biking to support all genders to find flow and harmony in their sport.

 

Annie can most often be found on the trails of Central Oregon or Western Maine. She is a practicing psychotherapist specializing in trauma recovery and sports-based trauma. In addition to her private practice, she also works as a head coach for Ladies AllRide mountain bike skills camps for women.

Emily Thibodeau

Emily grew up on the coast of Maine, where she started working in a bike shop during high school. After graduating from the University of Maine, she went on to work in bike shops in Maine & Oregon.

 

In 2010, Emily started her own business, Hub Bicycle Co, a bicycle service shop in Cambridge, MA. She ran Hub Bicycle Co for 7 years and eventually shifted her focus to bicycle event management and community-based programs. She has worked in Events and Training for Cannondale, taught mountain bike skills classes for REI, and supported the Boston Cyclists Union Bike to Market program. 

Emily loves to use her connections throughout the bike industry to connect new riders to the sport. She is excited to help NEMBA promote and protect riding here in New England.

Rebecca labonte (rd)

I have been a dietitian for 15 years, first implementing medical nutrition therapy to hospitalized patients then later as part of an interdisciplinary care team providing primary care to homebound Veterans. I have taught a wide-range of classes from college-level nutrition courses to healthy cooking classes through the hospital's teaching kitchen. I've also partnered with Hannaford Dietitians to provide in-store programs.

 

When I'm not talking about food and nutrition, I enjoy spending time camping, snowmobiling and hiking with my husband, 2 kids and dog. Recently, my sister has introduced me to the joys of mountain biking and bikepacking! 

 

 

 

We will discuss nutrition recommendations/tips to fuel your body before, during and after your ride. 

Panel Speakers

Cathy Morton

Carrabassett Region NEMBA and Central Maine NEMBA

Former CRNEMBA board member.

Founder of Spinnin' Sugar women’s group rides in Carrabassett Valley, started the Titcomb Women’s Clinic in Farmington Maine, member of the Barker Mountain Bike Race Team

Mary McCarthy

Ride Guide for many GB NEMBA weekly rides including Ride Organizer for the wildly successful Monday Night Beginner/Novice ride.  This ride holds a special place for Mary as it was her first introduction to the incredibly challenging and rewarding world of mountain biking.  It marked the start of her love affair with NEMBA, where she has been fortunate to be welcome into an remarkably supportive and encouraging community of athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.  The Monday Night Ride is also where Mary met Brandon Morphew and Adam Glick in 2014, who taught her almost everything she knows about MTB - not only about body position and line picking, but about service, stewardship, and trail etiquette.  While her bikes may have changed over the years, her commitment to welcoming the newcomer has remained the bedrock of her passion for NEMBA.

Michaela Lawlor

Fairfield County NEMBA

FC NEMBA Board Member

FC NEMBA Ladies Co-Ride Leader

Big thanks to our Women's Summit Sponsors! 

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