Bicycle Network Board Members
PRESIDENT
James Garriock
Elected: 2019, re-elected 2022, 2025
James is committed to a healthier, happier, more sustainable Australia.
Professionally, James is an engagement researcher. He works for a range of clients improving engagement between organisations and their customers, members, employees and other stakeholders with surveys, focus groups, deliberative forums and more.
James is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Williamson Community Leadership Program. In addition to his work-related directorships he is a director of the Melbourne Forum and past director of the Darebin Creek Management Committee.
James rides for transport, exercise, commuting, exercise and adventure. He was a committed BN volunteer for many years before joining the board, working on all our events and putting on training rides. In 2025 he was made a life member of the organisation.
Board member
Darryn Webster
Elected: 2023
Darryn is an avid (obsessed?) road cyclist, husband and father. He dusted off one of the bikes gathering dust in his shed and began with a 45km fondo event. The life-changing journey that is bike riding continues today and he is now as a sub-10-hour Peaks Challenge rider with a Strava addiction.
Professionally Darryn is a long-term technology executive, coach, mentor. He brings expertise in for-purpose and not-for-profit organisations, technology management, cybersecurity, governance and risk. He is also the founder of a company providing business strategy and culture outcomes, and is a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).
His personal health and wellbeing have benefited significantly from the efforts of the cycling community, the organisations and volunteers who make community change, advocacy and awareness possible, and he has joined the Board to give something back.
Board member
Samuel Butcher
Co-opted: 2023
Sam rides recreationally, and as a commuter and is a volunteer leader of BN training rides for Peaks Challenge and Around the Bay.
His professional background is in governance, with degrees in law and commerce. He started his career as a lawyer then held senior company secretary roles at various companies. His day job is advising boards and executive teams on all aspects of enterprise governance. Sam is a longstanding member of the Governance Institute Legislation Review Committee and received the 2016 President’s Award of the Institute.
Sam is a long-time member and passionate supporter of BN’s purpose, and is committed to doing what he can to help more people ride more often.
Board member
Karien Dekker
Elected: 2024
Karien commutes to the city from Preston three times a week, joined the 2024 United Energy Around the Bay, and rides the Great Vic Bike Ride annually. She is a Dutch woman in her 50s and values healthy, safety and comfort over speed when she is riding. She uses the Merri Creek Trail, St Georges Road, Canning Street and La Trobe Street to ride to her workplace at RMIT University.
Karien brings leadership experience in the private, public and not-for-profit sector and has bicycle consultancy experience in the Netherlands, which includes project management of bicycle parking projects. She has worked at Utrect City Council, Fietsersbond (Dutch Bicyclists Union) and Velo Mondial in Amsterdam and is connected to a network of urban planners and geographers Australia and Europe.
As an academic at RMIT, Karien’s focus is on codesigning inclusive housing and social infrastructure that includes public transport and public space such as bike paths.
Board member
Kathryn Whalley
Co-opted: 2024
Kathryn started riding bikes as a child on holidays, then went onto four-legged adventures and became a horse rider. She returned to bike riding as a 40-year-old and took up triathlon, competing nationally, and almost internationally in New Zealand in 2020; and that’s when she joined Bicycle Network. Nowadays, she rides – on road or gravel – runs and swims, all for health and wellbeing.
Kathryn is proud to be a part of the bike riding community and stood for election on the Bicycle Network Board as a way to give back.
She has a background in finance and fundraising experience for community and not-for-profit organisations, including triathlon and equestrian clubs.
Kathryn brings financial skills and a CPA qualification to the Board and will work to ensure members’ assets are monitored and maintained to produce positive and sustainable outcomes.
Her goals are to see improved bike riding conditions, increased facilities and fairer legislation for bike riders.
Board member
Dr Hannah Macdougall PLY
Elected: 2025
Hannah has spent her life being active in cycling, triathlon and/or swimming. The diversity is representative of her lived experience as an amputee and part-time wheelchair user. Through these lenses, Hannah is passionate about creating safe, inclusive, and accessible environments that empower more people—particularly women and people of all abilities—to ride and connect.
Professionally, Hannah is a well-being specialist with a PhD in Athlete Well-being. She works in Player Development at the Melbourne Football Club and has previously led community resilience and inclusion programs with the Victorian State Emergency Service and mental health organisations. Across these roles, she has championed accessibility, proactive well-being support, and inclusive leadership.
Hannah has served as Team Captain of the Australian Paralympic Swim Team and continues to advocate for participation and community connection through sport. Joining the Bicycle Network Board, she hopes to strengthen opportunities for all riders and help shape a cycling culture that is healthy, welcoming and achievable for everybody.
Board member
Paul Baker
Elected: 2023
Paul is an avid cyclist who rides both recreationally and as a commuter. He leads community group rides that all are welcome to join, showcasing the paths and rail trails across Victoria. Paul participates annually in Around the Bay in a Day, the inaugural Gravel Madison, and the 40th Anniversary Great Vic Bike Ride.
board member
Simon Woods
Elected: 2024 – current
Simon is a lifelong bike rider who puts commuter, recreational, events riding and touring – supported and unsupported – on bitumen, gravel and trails, on his list of two-wheeled achievements.
Simon has a background in leadership and governance in the healthcare sector and an awareness of the impact of medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, all of which can be combated by bike riding. He firmly believes that the health of the community can be improved through more people riding more often.
He is concerned about our society’s domination by cars, whether for for school drop-offs or work commuting, and says it is doing no one any good. Simon believes a long-term strategic approach is needed to get more people riding bikes, which will not only improve health, but also reduce road congestion and pollution and improve the amenity of our communities.
He aims to work towards addressing the safety barriers that prevent people riding bikes, including a better integration of our rail system with bike riding infrastructure.
Board member
Cherie Smith
Co-opted: 2024
Cherie has a long association with Bicycle Network as a member and Peaks Challenge participant. She is also a member of the Cams Cycling Collective, which has collaborated with Bicycle Network since 2014. It was this group that encouraged her to let dust gather on the mountain bike she had ridden in New Zealand, in favour of a road bike, when she moved to Brisbane in 2009.
Cherie is grateful for the Bicycle Network’s support and guidance after a friend was killed on Mt Hotham in 2022.
A recognised leader in the fundraising sector, Cherie has earned a reputation for her strategic vision and ability to inspire and lead high-performing teams.
Her expertise lies in creating and executing innovative fundraising strategies that drive sustainable growth while fostering meaningful relationships with all stakeholders.
Throughout her career, she has played a pivotal role in developing and scaling comprehensive giving programs, delivering exceptional results in both donor retention and revenue generation.
Annual General Meeting 2024
Bicycle Network’s 2024 AGM TOOK take place on Wednesday 30 October at our head office and virtually via Zoom from 5:00pm.
2024 AGM Minutes (to be updated)
Signed auditors report and statutory accounts 2024-25
Important documents
Our constitution, charter and corporate governance statement outlines how we’re set up and how we run.