What is NICA?

Alex Weier – Try-It-Out Coordinator, League Photographer & Coach

Life is better on a bike!

I was first introduced to NICA through the Texas league as a student-athlete. It helped me find passionate riders my age and connect with the mountain biking community.
At 15, I got my first job after regularly bringing people into my local bike shop to help them buy bikes—one of the employees finally suggested I should get paid for it! I’ve been committed to the cycling community ever since.

With over 8 years of mechanic experience, 4 years of coaching, and countless hours of trail work, my goal is to share the joy the biking community has given me.

Travis Moulton – Financial & Technology assistant

I have 23+ years supporting production activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory as a product, quality, process, and system engineer. I currently serve as the Co-Chair of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Bicycle Safety Committee and I am a League Certified Instructor by the League of American Bicyclists to teach their Smart Cycling curriculum. With strong Spanish speaking skills, I have also taught Ciclismo Seguro to native Spanish speakers. For over 10 years I ran my own IT consulting business for doctors and dentists in Los Alamos and Santa Fe. Currently, my 18-year-old son owns and manages that business with some mentorship.

Deborah Kearney – Assistant league director & GRiT Coordinator

By day I work in the banking industry where I developed a 20+ year career in information technology. Over the past two decades, non-office life has focused on all things cycling. Having spent my late 20’s learning my way around the skinny tire and road racing scene, I discovered the joy of dirt and tread on a three-day Colorado to Moab, UT mountain bike tour, where I was in quite over my head but had the time of my life. When I returned home, I promptly started looking for more mountain bike opportunities and never looked back.

I love to support the communities I am engaged in as well as continuously learn and through that passion, my cycling resume includes helping revive the local IMBA chapter, the Albuquerque Mountain Bike Association (AMBA), sitting on the board of AMBA as well as the New Mexico Bicycle Race Association (NMBRA) for numerous years, extensive experience as a USAC official as well as obtaining a Level II Coaching Certification through BICP. Most importantly, I found the joy of developing passion, skill, and community in the Albuquerque area kids through the last three years as a NICA coach for the Albuquerque team. The 2021 season included a girls only component, co-founded by Jen Robinson, to roaring success. The kids are a tremendous inspiration and I hope to support the growth and strength of this group for many years to come.

Mary Grow – LEague & Race Director

I was lucky enough to grow up in Southern Utah, surrounded by amazing outdoors access. Although I have always loved the outdoors, I didn’t really mountain bike until my kids couldn’t get enough of it and I started riding more. I fell in love with the sport and the inclusive community around it.

Not only were we having fun outdoors as families, I noticed the impact cycling had on youth riders. They were getting the physical and cognitive benefits of exercise and also developing more confidence and a connection with each other and the outdoors. In 2018 I jumped into coaching a NICA team with some good friends and loved seeing every rider, regardless of ability, get so excited about riding, improve over the course of a season, and get the chance to ride and race at youth specific events. I am so excited to help more youth and their families grow through mountain biking.