Champaign County Bikes thanks our board members who contribute their time, energy, enthusiasm and financial support to advocate for active transportation in Champaign County and ensure the success of the organization.
Get to know our board members for 2024:
Rich Furr
I am an avid bicycle enthusiast. I mainly ride for recreation with groups.
I started riding with the Prairie Cycle Club in 1999 but rode on my own prior to that. After joining the Prairie Cycle Club in 1999, I became Publicity Coordinator a year or two later. After that I was the PCC President for a few years. In that role, the main function was coordinating and managing its yearly invitational ride, C-U Across the Prairie. I have also been an on and off ex-officio member of the board at the request of the then PCC President. I have been on the CUAP planning committee on an occasional basis as well as volunteering for that event. As a part of the PCC, I have volunteered at the Champaign County Safe Kids events. I am also a PCC Ride Leader and ride on several weekly PCC rides throughout the biking season.
I joined Champaign County Bikes shortly after its founding. I previously was on the CCB board and was CCB Treasurer for one year. I have also volunteered at many of the CCB public events including Bike Month and Bike to Work Day. I have volunteered at the annual Light the Night event for several years.
I am dedicated to making cycling a safer activity for all and to introduce safe cycling and riding techniques to those new to cycling.
Phil Graff
I enjoy riding my Dutch-style Schwinn and advocating for active transportation. I volunteered with The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign from 2009 to 2018 and served on the steering committee. During this time, The Bike Project initiated a partnership with the University of Illinois, modernized their point-of-sale systems, and migrated their web site to a content management system.
I love how bikes can better connect us with ourselves, our community, and our environment. I joined Champaign County Bikes in 2022 to promote cycling as a fun, healthy form of transportation and recreation. As a League Certified Instructor, I hope to instill a confidence in and love of cycling in our community.
Rose Kaczmarowski
Rose grew up in a cycling family, the bicycle her primary mode of transportation with occasional doses of recreation. Her father tinkered and maintained his 3-speed Schwinn commuter every winter, built bikes for the kids, and focused annual family vacations around camping and cycling on the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail.
In 2010 Rose became a regular volunteer at The Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign (TBP) and soon thereafter a member of the steering committee. Amidst the shop volunteering and community rides, she was part of the grant writing team that initially expanded the services of the Campus Bike Project (now UIUC Campus Bike Center) to include student workers.
In 2013 Rose moved to Lafayette Indiana and quickly became involved in Bicycle Lafayette. Here she gained experience making connections with municipal and county officials, including engineers, planners, and mayors. Speaking at city council meetings and organizing to connect planners with the needs of the bicycling community.
In 2018 Rose moved back to Urbana, taking a job with the UIUC Theatre Department to be a member of the costume program faculty. That year, she and Anna Barnes organized the first annual CU-Santa Rampage. Also, that year, thanks to CCB Board member Jeff Yockey, she read Bicycle/Race by Adonia Lugo. The book opened her eyes to new ways of organizing for active transportation and her previously unrecognized privileged position. She joins Champaign County Bikes (CCB) with an interest in recognizing, advocating, and supporting the use of the bicycle as safe transportation and a tool for change. She is currently serving as treasurer.
John Lambert
I am an avid cyclist and outdoor enthusiast, and still remember the thrill of hopping on a bike for the first time. After spending the better part of a decade in northern California, I returned to my roots in the Midwest for a job at the University of Illinois. By day, I am an archaeologist and geospatial analyst working for the Illinois State Archaeological Survey. I look forward to serving on the CCB board for the first time, and am excited to use my GIS skills to help update the Champaign-Urbana-Savoy Area Bike Map and add a new web map component that will make bike routes and info more accessible online. Biking should be accessible for all, safe, and most importantly fun, and I want to do what I can to help promote cycling in our community.
Rick Langlois
I am a life-long bicyclist born and raised biking in the Chicago area. I love urban riding for transportation and recreation. I have toured by bike a bit as well. I’ve enjoyed riding RAGBRAI and the Hilly Hundred many times. I was the founding Chairman of CCB (2007-2010) and continue to serve on the Board to help in the effort of making Champaign County a great place to bicycle.
Annette Stumpf
I own many bikes, but I love mountain biking the best. Kickapoo Mountain Bike trails are awesome! So why am I involved in CCB? Because I wanted to help make our cycling and pedestrian infrastructure safer so everyone can move around safely without a car. I feel safer riding in the woods than I do on many streets with inattentive or reckless drivers. Every time a person gets killed or injured by a vehicle I get mad and want to see the changes we need happen. Vision Zero is one of those changes we can make happen in our community.
I’ve lived in CU since I came to the University of Illinois to study architecture. I’m a long time member of the US Green Building Council, and a LEED Accredited Professional. My career at CERL (Construction Engineering Research Laboratory) has taken me to communities all over the country and overseas working on sustainability. I can bring my facilitation skills and knowledge of sustainable buildings and infrastructure to Champaign County. I’m very comfortable working with city managers, builders, planners, engineers and transportation professionals on a daily basis.
Jeff Yockey
To tout my biking credentials, I always mention I rode a conservative 15,000 paper route miles as a kid on my trusty red Columbia single-speed bicycle. And likely 15,000 miles more riding to school, the park, and around town with friends. Bikes gave us kids great independence, agency, and responsibility. I started bike touring in college with my brother and have recently ridden the Katy Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage. The majority of my current riding is for daily short trips to campus and around C/U. And when I need to get out for a longer ride to think, the Kickapoo Rail Trail is my default route.
I’ve been involved in bike advocacy with CCB since 2010 helping with bike master plans, bike censuses, Bike to Work Day, youth education events, and bike summits. Big changes take time, lots of partners, and perseverance. I’m really thankful to be a part of CCB and our local cycling community in making Champaign County a great place to ride a bike.