Board of Directors

Meet the team that guides our strategic vision

COTA’s Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for the organization’s financial health and implementation of its mission and vision. COTA is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to develop, protect, and enhance the Central Oregon mountain biking experience through trail stewardship, advocacy, collaboration, and education. COTA’s vision is for a robust and diverse mountain biking experience that will endure for generations. ​

COTA’s Board consists of up to 15 members. Board members are elected by COTA’s membership and serve for a term of 3 years. Because COTA has a small staff, COTA’s Board is very much a working Board, meaning members of the Board do much of the work of running the organization. 

Board members should have a collegial spirit and a passion for stewarding Central Oregon’s mountain bike trails. Desired skills include trail work, business management, fundraising, finance, law, IT, marketing, communications, advocacy, and more.
 
Board members are expected to spend a minimum of 15 hours a month on COTA business. Most Board members spend much more time than this due to their passion for our work. Being on COTA’s Board of Directors is a volunteer position. Board members are not compensated for the work they do.

Board meetings are held six times a year. Board members are expected to be well-prepared for and attend all meetings and may be subject to removal if they miss multiple meetings.

Position Descriptions

Each Board member officially fills one of the following roles: 

  • 4 Officers - President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary

  • 3 Chapter Liaisons - Serve as the board interface with the Chapter Leaders across our six regions.

  • 4 Finance – Help advance activities to bring revenue into the organization, including fundraising, grants, and membership.

  • 3 Advocacy and Community —Focused on community engagement, the membership program, and education.

  • 1 Trail Planning – Sits on the Trail Planning Committee to advance the work of planning new trail projects.

  • The President is COTA’s principal Officer and, in general, oversees COTA’s affairs.  The President works closely with the Executive Director, Executive Committee, and Board to set COTA’s direction, ensure COTA’s financial health, and oversee implementation of COTA’s mission and vision. The President presides at Board meetings, represents COTA publicly, and helps resolve issues. Being COTA’s President requires near daily attention and a willingness to do a wide variety of tasks as needed. 

  • The Vice President performs the duties of the President in their absence and is a training ground for the President role. As a member of the Executive Committee, the Vice President helps define and support COTA’s overall direction. Being COTA’s Vice President requires near daily attention and a willingness to do a wide variety of tasks as needed.

  • The Treasurer is responsible for the proper management and control of all of COTA’s funds and is a member of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer (1) records data and keeps appropriate financial records, (2) oversees income and expenditures, (3) leads the annual budget process, (4) reviews financial reports, (5) presents financial reports at Board meetings, (6) files taxes; (7) maintains appropriate insurance, and more. COTA’s bookkeeper and staff support the Treasurer with many of these duties.

  • The Secretary is a member of the Executive Committee. will perform or oversee the performance of the following duties: (1) record and keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board in one or more locations provided for that purpose; (2) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; (3) be custodian of the corporate records; (4) keep a register of the contact information of each Director on the Board as provided by each individual Director; (5) ensure that all required state and federal reports are prepared and filed in a timely fashion; and (6) perform or oversee all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Board. COTA’s staff supports the Secretary with many of these duties.

  • 3 members who will serve as the board interface with the Chapter Leaders in COTA’s 6 regions.   

    • Bend and SoDeCo liaison - 1 member

    • Madras and Crook County liaison - 1 member

    • Sisters and Redmond liaison - 1 member


    • Chapter Liaisons will serve as the communication channel between the board and the 6 regional chapters and will report to the board at meetings.

    • Liaisons will be responsible for representing the chapters and advocating for them within the board. 

    • They will attend chapter meetings in their regions and engage on the ground with work being done there.

  • This position offers an opportunity to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of our region's trails and natural environments. As an at-large board member, you will collaborate with existing board members, provide valuable insights, and help guide strategic initiatives. Ideal candidates should have a passion for outdoor recreation, strong communication skills, and a commitment to community engagement. This role is perfect for those looking to make a meaningful impact on trail advocacy and development in Central Oregon.

    • Finance – Four members that help advance activities to bring revenue into the organization, including fundraising, grants, and membership.

    • Advocacy and Community —Three members focused on community engagement, the membership program, and education.

    • Trail Planning – One member who sits on the Trail Planning Committee to advance the work of planning new trail projects.

In addition, Board members are expected to take on additional tasks as needed to advance the organization’s goals and engage with the communities we serve and to be good stewards of COTA’s reputation.  

Board members must maintain an active, paid COTA membership for the duration of their service. Board members are encouraged to support COTA’s financial health by participating in its fundraising efforts.

COTA strives to have a Board whose diversity reflects the community it serves. COTA looks at diversity broadly and inclusively and does not discriminate for or against any person on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, place of origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, economic status, age, or mental or physical disability.

If you are interested in running for COTA’s Board and would like to speak with a current Board member to learn more, please email us here.

Yearly Election Information

Elections are held every year in the spring, and our Board members are elected on a rotating cycle to ensure functional stability. We currently have 15 Board members, so typically, 4-5 Board positions are up for election each year. Nominations for Board members are usually due at the end of April, with the election cycle taking place throughout the month of May. New Board members are then onboarded during the month of June.