Board of Directors
Adam Speigel, President
Adam Speigel and his family relocated to the Comox Valley in 2013 to follow their pursuit of a better outdoor recreation lifestyle. Shortly after moving he began volunteering with local trail builders and the United Riders of Cumberland (UROC) to construct new trails and maintain existing ones in the Cumberland trail network. Seeing an opportunity to give back to the community with his professional expertise in finance, corporate governance, and accounting he volunteered for the UROC board in 2016. Adam’s first two years on the board were spent on the executive committee as treasurer with his focus on modernizing the society’s financial management practices. In 2019 Adam was elected as Vice President of UROC where he worked on special projects with the local landowners, municipal governments, economic development agencies, and user groups to build a sustainably managed trail system. Adam also currently volunteers his time as a director for The John Perkins Memorial Housing Society; a not for profit providing subsidized rent to over 50 senior citizens in Campbell River, BC and he is a past director of the Risk Management Association of Vancouver Island.
Adam Speigel is currently the Senior Account Manager for Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), overseeing business development and growth opportunities in the Comox Valley and Campbell River areas. In his current role Adam supports small and medium size enterprises with real estate, equipment, and working capital financing solutions, as well as, management consulting. Adam has over 10 years of experience working in finance with Canadian businesses. His professional roles have included positions with Bank of Montreal and HSBC. Adam holds an MBA from Vancouver Island University, a Master of Science in International Business from the University of Hertfordshire, and a Bachelor of Management from Dalhousie University.
Mike Tunnah, Vice President
Mike joined the board in 2020 and is looking forward to giving back to the community through the valuable work UROC performs. Mike has been fortunate to call Cumberland home for almost 2 years. He was drawn here by the amazing trail network and slower pace of island life. Since moving here he’s helped out with some of the UROC race organization and volunteered with BC Bike Race. He’s been organizing races for over 15 years and loves to see people smile after competing in events.
Mike will be taking on Races and Event organization with UROC with the assistance of the newly formed Race and Events Committee (REC). When not volunteering with UROC Mike teaches at Vancouver Community College in the Hospitality and Tourism program. He is also a board member of the Cumberland Lake Wilderness Society and volunteers for CCSS after school programs. His wife and 3 kids keep him very busy when not volunteering and working.
Adam Silverstein, Secetary
Adam arrived in Cumberland 10 years ago and quickly turned his passion for the outdoors and sports to mountain biking. Adam joined the Board in 2020 and is not new to the Not for profit sector, volunteer organizations and advocacy groups. An environmental professional with the federal government for over 20 years, Adam has served on Boards and worked with conservation groups and many organizations across BC. He is hoping to use his skills and experience to give back to the Trail network that is so important to his family, and to the Community.
Alex Blair, Treasurer
Alex moved to the Comox Valley from Germany after finishing her master’s degree in physics. She immediately fell in love with mountain biking and the Cumberland Trail Network. Alex joined UROC as a means of paying back the community and volunteers for their endless work that has made this trail network what it is.
Alex has been on the UROC board for over two years where she has applied her math skills to her role as Treasurer. Over the past five months Alex’s baby girl Olivia has been joining in and providing valuable contributions to our monthly board meetings.
Tabitha Donkers, Director at Large
Tabitha has lived in the Comox Valley for five years and started Mountain Biking with the ladies Wednesday night rides around the same time. She now loves Mountain Biking and often encourages others to try it out or ride more. Tabitha loves riding with friends, her partner, and her biking-addicted collie Fitz.
Tabitha joined the UROC board in 2023 to give back to the Mountain Biking community and with hopes that her work in First Nation Land Management will benefit UROC and its members. She is excited to be part of the team!
Shayla Hall, Director at Large
Originally from the North Island, Shay and her young family moved to Cumberland in 2016. She has been mountain biking for over 20 years and believes UROC plays a pivotal role in making Cumberland an amazing place to live. She is deeply committed to helping maintain the access and sustainability of the trails here.
Shay has been on non-profit boards for 7 years. Professionally, she brings experience in the sustainability sector – specifically strategic planning, communications, and program management. She has worked in non-profit, corporate sustainability, and regional government settings. Seeking a change, she completed a master’s degree from UBC and now feels privileged to help people directly as an orthopedic physiotherapist.
Jesse Bone, Director at Large
Jesse moved to Cumberland in 2017 with his wife and 2 kids to enjoy more outdoor activities. Mountain biking quickly became their shared passion, bringing them closer together and fostering a sense of community.
Jesse is excited about his role on the UROC board and is eager to contribute his expertise gained from serving on other boards. With a professional background in photography and filmmaking and skills in communications and marketing, he brings a valuable set of skills to the table. Jesse looks forward to facilitating UROC’s cause so that more and more people can enjoy what the Cumberland trail network has to offer!
Leah Ballin, Director at Large
Leah moved to Cumberland in 2013 to be near the forest and trails while pursuing her career with a growing environmental consulting firm located in Courtenay. The Cumberland trail network, UROC races and ladies rides gave her the opportunity she had been looking for to get out more, improve her riding and make riding friends. It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the broader community as well, and now it looks like she’s here to stay.
Leah joined the UROC board in 2018 as a means to give back to the community and trail system she values so deeply. While on the board, she aims to continually improve the condition and management of the trail network, the functionality of UROC, and communication between the organization and the broader community. In previous years she has also loved hosting races with the rest of the board.
Leah holds a master’s degree in sustainable forest management, is a professional forester and biologist, and brings with her a background in ecology and land use planning.
Joe Schwartz, Director at Large
Joe is the newest member of the UROC Board. He’s not new to mountain biking though, having been involved in the industry for over twenty years as a professional athlete, guide, coach, trail builder, brand and marketing manager, to name some of his MTB roles. He even competed in the Red Bull Rampage three times! These days his wheels stay closer to the ground, but still enjoys an occasional “civilized” air, and fast technical downhills.
Joe’s professional focus is on Marketing Communications, recently finishing a six-year tenure managing multiple facets of a successful Sea to Sky-based advertising agency. He’s currently focused on marketing consulting work for a number of brands and organizations.
Joe is honored to be involved with UROC and is looking forward to working with the rest of the board and the community as a whole.
Dougal Browne, Executive Director
Dougal joined the UROC team in 2019 as Executive Director. Dougal’s career path started in the British military, then going on to attain a Bachelor’s degree in construction management and then spending many years immersed in the action sports industry in South Africa. His interests beyond hard work are surfing, riding bikes, and an insatiable passion for trail construction. Dougal hails from Scotland, with family ties and years spent in South Africa. He has volunteered in non-profit community work and chaired a nonprofit housing project in Durban, South Africa. After emigrating to Canada over a decade ago he founded, built and developed a mountain bike trail network on the East coast of Vancouver Island which is the island’s best (or worst-kept) secret. Dougal enjoys family life with his wife and two young boys living just south of Cumberland in the Comox Valley.
As Executive Director, Dougal is responsible for further developing and implementing the UROC trail management and maintenance program while liaising with multiple land management parties and overseeing the Land Access Agreement. He will continue to develop community activations, community engagement, and support communications and media platforms. He will also be responsible for the organization’s sponsorship, funding and public relations programs, and other non-profit management duties with the support of the UROC Board of Directors.
