Our Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Geoff Heller
Geoff Heller is a fifth-generation Colorado local who was born and raised in the small farming community of Del Norte. Geoff was extremely fortunate to be raised on two wheels often trying to keep up with his Dad at an early age. He learned the importance of trail clearing and maintenance while in Del Norte and has spent countless hours in the mountains carrying a chainsaw and maintaining motorized singletrack trails. Geoff moved into the Gunnison Valley after graduating from the Colorado School of Mines and still loves the beauty of a freshly cleared trail. When not on a dirt bike, Geoff can be found with his wife and two children enjoying the outdoors on mountain bikes and snowboards. Geoff hopes to bring a renewed teamwork mentality to the Gunnison G.O.A.Ts in working with the local mountain bike clubs, US Forest Service and BLM to preserve high-quality singletrack and ensure the future of motorized use in the Gunnison Valley.
VICE PRESIDENT
Seth Weiner
I came up to Gunnison in the late 80's and, through my sales position at the local motorcycle shop, became active in protecting my passion, riding motorized singe track. I am also an avid backcountry enthusiast that enjoys snowboarding, snowbiking and snowmobiling.
I recently started adventure bike riding and I am really enjoying exploring parts of the Gunnison Valley that I did not know existed.
I'm super stoked to be working with such great people in the G.O.A.Ts organization, helping to keep the dream alive through supporting multiple use.
SECRETARY
Carrie Chernoff Hicks
Carrie, a mom of 2 awesome girls and owner of synergy Athlete Crested Butte Cross-training, has lived in the Gunnison Valley for 30 years and loves being out on the trail with her family, friends and best dog, Shelby. Carrie loves the places dirt biking has taken her and the friendships it has made. She enjoys sharing this sport with her daughters and love watching the confidence it builds for them. Carrie serves on the G.O.A.Ts board to give back to a sport and community that has given her so much.
TREASURER
Matt Verona
Matt Verona is a Michigan native that relocated West in 2011 to pursue a rafting “career” on the Arkansas River in Buena Vista, CO. After the rafting season came to an end, he headed over to Crested Butte where he stuck around for a winter to ski and hasn’t left since. Matt was an avid mountain biker and picked up riding motos when he purchased a 12-year-old KTM 2-stroke that was in rough shape but got him on the trails. Since then, Matt has become interested in participating in motorized advocacy throughout the Gunnison Valley and resides in Crested Butte.
BORD MEMBER - LEAD TRAIL CREW
Ben Breslauer
Ben moved to Crested Butte in 2005 and bought his first dirt bike in 2008. He is also an avid mountain biker, snowmobiler and backcountry skier as well as a member of the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative (GPLI) Working Group since 2016. Ben currently serves on the board of the Crested Butte Avalanche Center and Crested Butte Mountain Rescue and is employed as the Clubhouse Manager at The Club at Crested Butte. Ben lives in Mt. Crested Butte with his partner Liz and small dog, Nori.
BOARD MEMBER
Braden Burton
Braden has lived in the Valley since 2011 after growing up in Maryland where all public ride areas were closed down. Braden leads global trips along with his local business, Wheelies and Waves, an adventure outfitter in Gunnison and Crested Butte. He is stoked to be a part of the GOATs and preserve the amazing riding in the Gunnison Valley!
BOARD MEMBER
Chris Miller
Chris Moved to Colorado in the year 2000 from maritime community Annapolis, Maryland. He has been in Crested Butte for 13 years with a passion for backcountry skiing, mountain biking, snowmobiling and dirt biking. Chris started mountain biking in the 90s on the East Coast and progressed to racing for CU and eventually doing endurance races like the Colorado Trail Race, a 500-mile self supported race from Denver to Durango. About a decade ago, a good friend sold him a 2001 KDX 200 for $1000 and he fell in love with dirt biking. The progression continues. Over the years, he has shot photographs for the newspaper, Adaptive Sports, Crested Butte Mag, Grand Traverse and now hopes to document the GOATS! Chris is also a Carpenter building custom homes for Crested Butte Builders.
BOARD MEMBER - TRAIL CREW
Gary Hicks
Tony Cussimanio
Tony grew up in Utah riding dirtbikes and a love for the outdoors. He lived in Austin, Texas, until 2015, when he moved to Crested Butte for his family's love of the outdoors. Working as a mortgage broker has given him the ability to work remote and live in this amazing area. He and his wife have 4 kids, 2 dogs and 3 cats. Their days are spent riding in the backcountry, skiing and hiking in remote places around Crested Butte.