Management Team

Matt Gunnell, Executive Director

Though Matt was a swimmer he bought his first mountain bike (a fully rigid Diamond Back Ascent) in 1985. He rode it, a Kuwahara, and a GT Zaskar (to which he affixed an original set of RockShox) throughout his years obtaining a BA in Art at Cal State Long Beach. After college Matt spent several years wandering the wilderness while doing odd jobs such as drummer in a rock band, high school water polo coach, substitute teacher, Explorer post advisor, US Army Infantry soldier, SWAT officer, motorcycle officer, and police detective. Along the way he picked up a Masters in Public Administration before becoming interested in triathlon which eventually led back to cycling where he raced (solidly back 2/3 of the pack) on the road, mountain, and cyclocross. He then expanded his involvement to promoting road and cyclocross races and being an officer and president of the Pasadena Athletic Association Cycling Club (one of the largest and oldest competitive cycling clubs in SoCal). When an injury forced his retirement from police work, he helped import the NorCal model into SoCal and helped found the Glendale Composite Cycling Club. When he’s not riding or facebooking or reading comic books, Matt spends time with his wife Lisa and daughter Jasmine — an avid water polo player.

Lauren Haughey, Operations and Accounting

Lauren’s love of bicycles started early on in her life as an 8 year old wheelie popping, bigwheel skidding, log jumper. She spent much of her childhood summers trying to out perform her siblings in the art of tricycle and bigwheel log jumping – and on steep, fast descents in the neighborhood streets. After a few broken bones, she decided to move onto safer sports and spent her high school and college years competing in long distance running, swimming and soccer. It wasn’t until after she finished college, married a cyclist and had a couple of kids that she started racing and riding bikes again.

Lauren comes to the league after a 16 year career stint in ecommerce, a few years at local cycling magazine, Cyclocross Magazine – and most recently a year at local cargo bike company, Xtracycle, directing fulfillment operations.

Mike Cruz, Program Assistant

Mike graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA (go Steelers!) with a B.S. in Decision Science in December ’07. Originally, he began college as a cello performance major, but quickly decided that wasn’t his calling. After he transferred majors, he needed something else to occupy his free time, so bike racing it was. By his senior year, he was elected president of the Carnegie Mellon Cycling Club. That year they experienced tremendous growth as well as won the mountain bike conference title. Currently, he races for the Wells Fargo Cycling Team on the road and works for Trips for Kids in San Rafael, CA leading at-risk youth on mountain bike rides all over Marin County.

Chris Spencer, Programs Manager

After Graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Global Economics, Chris got back to his roots and started working at the NorCal League. Starting in 2002, Chris raced in the League for three years as an independent for Roaring Mouse Cycles. In 2004 with the help of his coach, Dario Fredrick, Chris took his success in the League as encouragement to race the NORBA National series. He placed 3rd in the Junior Expert National Finals at Durango, CO and in the National Championships at Mammoth, CA. While taking a sabbatical from competitive racing at UC Santa Cruz, Chris stayed involved by coaching high school athletes. Chris says, “My current interest in racing is expanding opportunities for all high school athletes.”