About Us

Heather Kinal created Rooted in 2020 and continues holding the position of Event Director because she enjoys creating memorable experiences that are both valuable and enjoyable for participants. 

She recently began the Chautauqua Connection Collective to focus on meaningful gathering and strengthening community. 

You can find Heather outside staring at plants, birds or the night sky, and just generally being in awe of nature. 

Ally (she/her) is a retired Adapted Physical Education teacher now holding down a desk job. She is proud to serve on the Rooted MTB Festival board, where she helps coordinate the coaches, mechanics, and the daily schedule. 

When she's not behind a spreadsheet, you’ll find her gravel grinding, road riding, bikepacking, mountain biking, or getting my hands dirty in the flower and veggie garden. 

Ally also organizes an inclusive mountain bike ride for women and genderqueer riders in Erie, PA (@erie_women_mtb). 

She can’t wait to shred with y’all! 

@allylive_shreds

Meet Dawn (she/her)
Dawn's mountain biking journey began back in the early 1990s with her first bike, affectionately named the "Purple Dinosaur." As a dedicated middle school health and physical education teacher, she even used to take her students out riding during exploration periods—sharing her passion for adventure, outdoors, and movement.

Today, Dawn rides a much better bike and hits the trails as often as she can, especially with her significant other, Erik. Together, they love exploring places like the Erie Bluffs, Loud, Jake's Rocks, and any trail they stumble upon during spontaneous road trips.

Having just completed her 32nd year of teaching, Dawn is gearing up for retirement in January 2026. She's a proud mom of three—aged 29, 20, and 20—and one of her favorite traditions is attending Rooted every year with her daughter, Cheriden. It's a weekend they both look forward to all year.

At Rooted, Dawn is the creative mind behind the bike name tags and the enthusiastic host of the Chuck-a-Chicken tournament—a unique Rooted original game that keeps everyone laughing.

Jessica (she/her) is a 3rd grade teacher from Kentucky who brings the same energy to the classroom as she does to the trails. 

When she's not guiding kids through multiplication and marking up incomplete sentences with her purple pen, Jessica is out mountain biking, catching live music, getting lost in a good book or obsessing over my two black cats with her husband, Doug. 

As the Director of Sustainability on the Rooted MTB Festival Board, she helps keep things running smoothly—always cheering on and supporting fellow riders along the way. 

Find her on IG @jsdevine

Val is a long time cycling enthusiast with over 20 years of industry experience from bike shops to government advocacy to working for major brands.

 These days she works in fin-tech as a product owner but when she's not fussing over software you can find her on casual rolls on two wheels all around western New York and souther Ontario.

 Val is the secretary of the board at rooted and duties include keeping everyone organized and coordinating our ever so important base of volunteers.  

Can’t wait to see you all at our favorite weekend in July!

Justina (she/her) is currently serving as the Director of Development for the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, bringing 14 years of experience as a fundraising and development professional. 

Originally from the beautiful Eastern Sierra region of California, she has called Jamestown home for the past six years. A passionate outdoor enthusiast and amateur birder, she enjoys mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, and just about anything that gets her outside. 

This summer, she’s especially excited to camp and ride with friends new and old!

Whitney is a proud mom to a 10 yr old daughter who also loves riding, a passionate business owner, artist, and a mountain bike enthusiast who brings energy, heart, and a love for community to everything she does. 

Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, Whitney has been a dedicated nail stylist and entrepreneur for over 15 years. Her journey led her to the Rooted Mountain Bike Festival in 2022, where the amazing atmosphere and supportive community inspired her so deeply that after Rooted 2024 she relocated her life and business to Bemus Point, NY to be surrounded by the magic of Chautauqua County year-round. 

Now in her 4th year attending the festival, she not only celebrates the event as a rider and supporter but also contributes behind the scenes as one of the web designers and on the welcome committee.

You will see her face and hear her welcoming screams as you enter into the best weekend of your life!

Find her in IG @nails.n.trails

Rubecca is a trail runner, boy mom, garden groupie, and all-around outdoor enthusiast.  She picked up mountain biking at 37 as a way to scout running trails and has kept riding because it's fun.

She's helped with the Rooted scholarship team for the last two years and loves supporting efforts that make the outdoors more accessible for more people. She also owns and runs Pilates Native, a studio in Lakewood, Colorado that focuses on sports injuries and Pilates for all bodies. 

When she's not on the trails or in the studio, you can find her lost in a book or her hands (and feet) in the dirt.  She loves talking books, gardens, and all things outside, so feel free to chat her up at Rooted!

Christina (she/her/ella) is a school librarian in Brooklyn, NY. Outside of riding bikes, she’s involved in some projects to support incarcerated people, immigrants, and other community members. She enjoys live music, DJ dance parties, audiobooks, graphic novels, and crafts. 

Kara  is an environmental activist, plastic pollution ambassador, yoga teacher, and road rider/newly converted, minimal mtb rider. 

Kara is mother to a 3 year old daughter, 14 year old rescue dog from South Korea, and by the time of Rooted 2025 will be the mother to her newest family member - a newborn daughter, so unfortunately she will be missing this year’s festival. 

Prior to this year, Kara taught yoga at every Rooted festival and she can’t wait to come back next year. Prior to the fest she participated on the Rooted Sustainability Committee.

Claire is a Chautauqua County native who recently moved back to the area after living in North Carolina and Colorado for several years. 

She is a new-ish mom (soon to be mom of two!) and enjoys running, spending hours in the garden, and searching for cool furniture and clothing at yard sales and thrift stores. 

This will be her first time at Rooted and she is excited to help ensure that the event has successful composting and recycling systems! 

Bethany was born and raised in Alaska, and has lived in Chautauqua County for three years.

 Having worked in the Sustainability field in Portland, Oregon for the last 15 years doing waste minimization, composting, and recycling, she is pleased to now be working to help keep all the fresh water this area's lucky to have, as the Land Specialist for Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy.

 In her very little spare time, Bethany is a member of the Chautauqua County Planning Board, chair the Advocacy and Sustainability committees in Zonta, as well as am the US Caucus District Rep for Zonta. She is also the Jamestown Rep for Southern Tier Babe Ruth Girls Softball, as well as the 8U softball coach and the Vice President of the league. 

Bethany is captain of a Dragonboat team, a master recycler, a master gardener, member of Chautauqua County Bee keepers association and own my own hive, a  level one game logging chainsaw operator, fly fisher, bicyclist, annoying lover of playing board games, crazy gardener, and avid composter.

She loves living in this area with her two young daughters, a blue-eyed Husky, and her super rad husband who all keep her belly laughing when she's not busy double booking herself.