Board of Directors
Steve Messer
President of CORBA
CORBA Director since 2010, President since January 2014
“The Gabrielino Trail in the Angeles National Forest has been one of my favorite places to be since I first rode it in 1987. These days I spend much more time with my hands on the grips than on the steering wheel. Bicycles are freedom, mobility and health…things that make people thrive, especially in a natural outdoor setting. I see cycling, and especially mountain biking, as more than just recreation, sport, or transportation: bicycles are a key to changing lives.”
Wendy Engelberg
CORBA Director since June 2014
A resident of the San Fernando Valley who has been mountain biking since 2005, Wendy Engelberg is a cofounder and director or Girlz Gone Riding (GGR), an all-female group of mountain bikers welcoming all levels from beginner to pro. GGR holds skills clinics, rides, workshops, day trips, road trips, social outings, and an annual big fund raiser and CORBA membership drive every October. GGR is a non-dues club that offers an alternative to co-ed riding. It is a non competitive, social environment that empowers women of all ages.
Wendy’s very 1st mountain bike ride was at the CORBA Fat Tire Fest at MCSP back in 2005. She was hooked from the start. Her 1st love is the Santa Monica Mountains, then you can find her in Big Bear when it gets too hot to ride in LA
Joyce Deprest
CORBA Director since November 2016
“It is my joy to be in the vast canyons either hiking or biking… and always looking for a great photograph. I have deep peace when I am surrounded by the mountains. The visual experience is breathtaking, whether I am sitting on the bench at PMO enjoying the ocean view, or when I am climbing any of the many trails and seeing the wildlife, hearing the birds and being surrounded by the incredible landscape. I have a strong sense of community; I believe strongly in all “trail people” sharing, respecting and protecting the parkland. Having a congenial and helpful disposition on the trails is my signature; having people tell me that they remember me or that I helped them find their way is the highlight of my open space experience.”
Peter Sullivan
CORBA Director since February 2017
An advocate for our local trails and cycling community, Peter has been active in cycling since his Schwinn Stingray days in the 1970s. A competitive cyclist since the age of 15 and raised in the Conejo Valley, he has been exploring the Santa Monica Mountains and the Conejo open space by bike and on foot. Sharing his passion brought him to coaching in the NICA SoCal League and mentoring kids about the gifts our open space provides.
Juan Carlo Mendoza
CORBA Director since 2023.
Juan Carlo has been giving back to trails for most of his life. He’s served as a volunteer patroller with the Mountain Bike Unit since 2010, and is often seen out on the trails of the Santa Monica Mountains. He serves as CORBA’s Trail Crew Leader for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and has been working on trails for more than a decade.
Past Directors
- Scott Mabbutt, Director from 2016 to 2017
- Mark Langton, Director from 2009 to December 2016 (CORBA founding member and Steering Committee Member 1987-2000; President 2009-January 2014)
- Danusia Bennett-Taber, Director and Treasurer from 2007 to 2012
- Hans Keifer, Director from 2003 to December 2010
- Louisa Bonnie, Director from 2003 to 2010
- Jeff Klinger, Director from 2003 to January 2011
- Jen Jacobson, Director from 2013 to June 2020