MEET OUR TEAM

Erin Rushing

  • Natural State native and enthusiast Erin Rushing currently resides as the Chief Executive Officer of the Trailblazers, a local non-profit tasked with developing trails in this region. In Rushing's primitive years, he spent his time on a cattle farm in rural north-central Arkansas. Professionally, Rushing is a 1995 Landscape Architect graduate from the Fay Jones school of Architecture at the University of Arkansas, a collegiate entity providing design consulting work within the Northwest Arkansas market for the past 20+ years. During his time in Northwest Arkansas, Rushing has accumulated numerous design awards for the work he has completed. Rushing has been designing and consulting on parks and recreation projects in this area for over 20 years, including 70+ miles of Greenway Trails and 300+ miles of natural surface trails and versed in land development and a strong background in site and civil-related development projects with an emphasis and passion for bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

    Rushing, a proud father to three boys and two step daughters where he finds his comfort and motivation from their enthusiasm for all that Northwest Arkansas has to offer, the outdoors, and embracing cycling as much as he does.

Paxton Roberts

  • Paxton has been an avid cyclist for over 25 years. He started mountain biking recreationally in college and then spent several years racing road, cyclocross, and mountain bikes. He currently finds himself spending the most time on gravel roads riding with his 14-year-old daughter. Paxton has been an active member of the Arkansas bike advocacy community since 2010 when he started volunteering, and then became the advocacy director for Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks in 2012, and then executive director of BikeNWA in 2016. Roberts has a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology, a Master’s Degree in Geography, and has completed coursework towards a Ph.D. in Public Policy.

Gina Nida

  • Gina moved to Bentonville from Northern Michigan in October of 2015 to be near family. She loves all the natural beauty that this area has to offer. She is out walking every day with her 2 dogs. She is passionate about biking and hasn’t missed a day on two wheels since late 2018. She loves exploring new places on her bike. Gina has a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Art in Elementary Education. She has over 20 years of business management and administrative experience that she brings to our organization.

Community Outreach & Advocacy

Gabriela Ruiz

  • Gabriela Ruíz grew up in Houston, TX where her journey as a classically-trained flutist began. While studying at the University of Texas at Austin, she found the need to escape the music practice rooms and hopped on a bike. Riding a bike not only allowed her to commute to class but also allowed her to explore the social and competitive cycling scene of Austin. By the time she received her Masters in Music Performance from Boston University, she had adopted a love for mountain biking and had worked for two of the “Top 100” bicycle shops in the country. Though still a regular performer and teacher in the flute community, she hopes to promote active transportation and recreation for all. You can find Gabriela spreading her love of cycling as a Program Manager for Trailblazers or as Mountain Bike Ride Leader with Arkansas Latinas en Bici.

Trails, Infrastructure & Active Transportation

David Criswell, PE

  • After growing up in Oklahoma and living as a transplant in Fort Collins, Colorado, David moved to Northwest Arkansas to live closer to family and to be a part of the bike culture that has been accelerating in the region. A resident of several college towns, David loves bikes and is passionate that active transportation is accessible, safe, and useful for the public at large. After working as a water resources engineer in the Western U.S., David brings his GIS and engineering experience to the team to help people explore the ever-changing trail systems in our area. He believes life is full when friends meet for breakfast by bike and he loves witnessing his kids’ pure joy when they go on a bike ride. So, if you want to talk mapping or want to bike off some biscuits and gravy, he’s your man!

Shelby Frank

  • Shelby found her passion for riding through Collegiate racing at her alma mater, University of North Texas. From that moment, she was hooked on all cycling disciplines, with a particular fondness for mountain and road riding (even racing for a USA crits team at one point!). With a degree in Public Health and Emergency Management, she discovered GIS, through an elective, as a newfound way to make a difference in the community. In 2020, after completing her undergraduate degree, Shelby simultaneously worked at a family bike shop and pursued a Master's certification in GIS, followed by a Master's Degree in geography and Public Administration. Her research on existing cycling infrastructure and cycling collisions is still used by local government councils to identify and bridge gaps in Denton County, ultimately enhancing cycling networks for the entire community's benefit. Coming to Trailblazers has provided an unbeatable opportunity to continue that type of work and help make NWA the nation's benchmark for cycling infrastructure!

Daniel Marley

  • A Fort Smith, Arkansas native, Marley moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2011 to pursue his career in trail design. Graduated from John Brown University, obtaining a degree in construction management and minoring in business administration, Marley has worked on the NWA Trailblazer team since 2016 and is the hard surface project manager. Daniel Marley is an avid bike rider and has a deep passion for trails of all types. During his downtime, you can find him spending time outdoors with his family or riding his bike around town. Some of his most notable projects to date include Coler Mountain Bike Preserve and Osage Park.

Uriah Nazario

  • Uriah Nazario is a designer and project director for soft surface trail projects in the OZ Trails network. Having been born and raised in Northwest Arkansas, Uriah has seen the entirety of impact and benefits that these trails have provided. With years of volunteer and professional trail-building and an education in architecture and design, Uriah now sits on the Friends of Arkansas Singletrack Trails board and volunteers for the OZ Mountain Bike Patrol and Arkansas Enduro Series. Uriah has now played various successful roles in hundreds of projects with the NWA Trailblazers and strives to be an important role in building a capital of innovative and all-embracing trails.

In-House Construction & Maintenance

Thomas Houlihan

  • Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Tommy cut his teeth in building on some of the most renowned BMX trails in the world. He has been building trails since 2000. Transitioning to NWA in 2013, he was stoked to learn what the area had to offer in regards to the bike scene. "My mother always laughed when I said I was going to be a professional trail builder. I joined Trailblazers/Ethic in 2021 and this has been a career change for the ages. I am honored to be part of this organization. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to work with...hands down! “ When Tommy isn’t slinging dirt, you can find him spending time with his family, shredding the local trails, playing some hoops in the gym, or shooting a round of golf with the guys.

Jake Ingram

Dustin Fairbanks

  • I was born in northwest Arkansas and grew up in Bella Vista. Spent much of that time exploring creeks fishing, hiking, and hunting the area. I have a wife and 2 kids and we still reside in Bella Vista. I was working at Compton Gardens in Bentonville when I heard about an opportunity to work on the trails I got to watch begin built around me and couldn't wait to be a part of it. Have been building trails for two years with a longer history operating heavy equipment and working in the outdoors.

Caleb Schoeppe

  • Caleb was born and raised in Rogers, AR spending most his life in the outdoors. Riding, climbing, kayaking, fishing...if it is outdoors, he is in. He takes this love and experience of the outdoors and utilizes these while on the trails working with Trailblazers. He currently lives in Lowell with his wife Sydney and his two kids, Monroe and Oxford, where they operate a wildflower farm. When he is not on the trails you can find him at his farm spending more time outside.

Phillip Friese

David Greer

  • Greer lives in War Eagle with his wife Andrea and two daughters, Piper (2) and Quinn (6). He studied geology/geoscience and graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Greer has worked in geology, business management, and construction and is an avid outdoorsman and native Arkansan. Greer enjoys camping and outdoor sports and photography in his spare time and can be spotted riding around town on his beloved Santa Cruz mountain bike, riding rock tech, and single track.

Seamus Brown

Jacob Smith

  • Jacob has lived in NWA for 5 years now. He recently graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Soil, and Water Science where he gained experience in wetland studies and soil identification. Jacob loves spending time outdoors hiking, riding bikes and adventuring with his dog.

Brenna Bulin