Profile

Hickory, NC

Bruce is a Naval Intelligence Officer veteran, lifelong avid cyclist, scrappy runner and owner of Breitz! “be bright, be seen!” cycling and run performance wear.  He currently represents the BikeWalkNC Western North Carolina Hickory area, serves on the Western Piedmont Council on Government Movability Advisory Committee, and is president of the Hickory Velo Club.

Bruce came to North Carolina from Westborough, MA, where he served as a school board member, selectman, bike and pedestrian advisory committee (BPAC) chair, and Earth Day coordinator.

Dr. Noah Lenstra is an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) where he brings a community organizing approach to the study and teaching of public librarianship.

Notably, Noah founded the “Let’s Move in Libraries” initiative, which focuses on supporting healthy living in public libraries through community partnerships. The project was inspired by Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative, which focused on increasing Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) among Americans. Let’s Move in Libraries continues Obama’s legacy by working to increase physical activity and nutrition through library partnerships in the U.S., Canada, and other places in the world.

Dr. Lenstra is a member of Bicycling in Greensboro (BIG) and has presented at the League of American Bicyclists National Bike Summit and the Project for Public Spaces Walk/Bike/Places event.Noah will be speaking at the Summit on how libraries are strong partners for modernizing mobility by being safe roads advocates.

Huntersville, NC

Brendan is fairly new to North Carolina, and is passionate about cycling, walking, running, hiking and most activities that allow him to spend time outside. Growing up in Michigan, he is familiar with cycling, running, and walking as methods of transportation as well as ways to explore new areas. He loves to compete in local duathlons, marathons, and other events.

Brendan is an advocate for making walking and cycling more accessible and safer for everyone in North Carolina, knowing that these activities are important for strengthening individuals and communities.

He has a background in finance and has previously served on a Student Athlete Advisory Committee in 2018. He is eager to be a part of BWNC and to help support its many efforts.

Asheville, NC

Ritchie gets twitchy when he goes longer than a day without riding a bike. It’s his exercise, therapy, and entertainment. As a dad, riding his son to school or on errands, on his cargo bike, is a favorite part of parenting.

As a part-owner of The Flying Bike, an ebike tour company in Asheville, bikes are also his livelihood. When Ritchie was a kid, and through college, he saw bikes primarily as a toy that extended his range of play. It wasn’t until moving to Washington DC and committing to commuting by bike everyday for 4 years that he saw bikes as needed transportation.

When he moved to Asheville in 2012, he continued functional cycling despite the impediments of hills and lack of bike lanes. The hills can’t be changed, but the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure can, and he committed to improving road safety through work with BikeWalk NC, Asheville on Bikes, serving as Blue Ridge Bicycle Club’s Board Vice President, and as Asheville’s Greenway Committee Secretary.

Charlotte, NC

Ann Groninger has been a consistent supporter of BikeWalkNC and has been a board member since 2016. As a North Carolina attorney since 1995, she has been representing cyclists around the state for over 20 years. She is a member of Bike Law, a national network of attorneys who focus on advocating for individual bicyclists and their families, and work to make cycling safer.

In 2016, Ann authored the Ride Guide, a compilation of the North Carolina laws that apply to bicyclists, and the explanations for how they apply. The Ride Guide’s second edition came out in 2019. Ann also speaks to groups to educate cyclists about their legal rights and has been involved in local advocacy groups to promote cycling and improve cycling safety. Ann lives and works near Center City Charlotte and loves getting around town by bike. She and her husband (and sometimes her son) also enjoy the outdoors, riding a road, mountain or gravel bike.