Staff
Emily Gage
Executive Director
Emily provides overall leadership to Phoenix Bikes, ensuring the successful implementation of the strategic plan through effective administration, programs, fundraising, and community outreach. Emily has spent her entire career working in nonprofits and is passionate about seeing them succeed. Prior to joining Phoenix Bikes in 2018, Emily served in communication and development leadership roles at International Justice Mission, the largest anti-slavery nonprofit in the world. Prior to that, she worked for an international study abroad nonprofit that specialized in engaging students in issues of social justice. As a native of Vermont, she enjoys getting outside and getting a little muddy–whether mountain biking, hiking or running. She and her husband currently live in Northern Virginia and are proud parents of three daughters, two squawky parakeets, and one spoiled Havanese pooch. She received a B.A. in English from Messiah College and an M.S. in Development Management from American University, and is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Arlington.
Jahanna Schwab
Development & Communications Manager
Jahanna joined Phoenix in July 2023 to lead fundraising and communications efforts. Prior to Phoenix, Jahanna worked at Aidan Montessori School in Washington, D.C. for two years—starting as a Communications and Advancement Associate and working her way up to Director of Communications & Events. Before her time at Aidan, Jahanna worked at Rise25 Media, a podcasting agency, as a Writer and Editor. She graduated from Southern Wesleyan University with a BA in English in 2020.
Jahanna is a native of upstate South Carolina and moved to D.C. with her husband in the summer of 2021. They currently reside in Capitol Hill and still can’t get over how lovely it is. In her free time, Jahanna can be found curled up with a great book, cooking, crocheting, or spending time in the sunshine.
Kyle Knutson
Education Program Manager
Kyle joined Phoenix bikes in October 2023 as a way to combine his background in STEM education with his passion for bikes. Kyle fell in love with cycling at a young age as a means to stay in shape and explore the trails surrounding his hometown of Boise, Idaho. He received his B.S. in Environmental Science from Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah where he developed his love for the outdoors through skiing, mountain biking, and rafting. He continued on to achieve his M.A. in Science Education, while also managing the campus bike collective program. Prior to Phoenix, Kyle worked in Granite School District in Salt Lake City as a Science Teacher, Department Lead, and Training Specialist.
Kyle recently moved with his wife to Bethesda, Maryland and has gotten to know his new home by exploring regional mountain biking and hiking trails, sampling new foods, and cycling around the C&O Canal.
Noe Cuadra
Shop Manager
Noe joined Phoenix Bikes as an Earn-A-Bike student in May 2013 and so impressed us with his patience and attention to detail that he was hired on staff in September 2014. Noe soon took on additional responsibilities including instructing at school-based bike clubs, leading and helping plan Saturday youth rides, leading the Youth Advisory Council and serving as captain of the junior racing team. Noe was promoted to Shop Manager in 2021 and leads all things sales and service in our shop.
Noe graduated from George Mason University, with a degree in business management and a minor in environmental enterprise. He spends his free time squidding and customizing his bikes while eating cheese pupusas.
Jas Sanchez
Program Coordinator
Jas has worked in the bike industry since 2015 working at the bike shop at REI until the end of 2021. His passion for conservation and leading a more eco-conscious lifestyle led him to working for a company called The Rounds at the DC location before opening and managing the new Neighborhood Refill Center in Arlington.
Jas’ involvement with Phoenix Bikes began in his freshman year of high school when he went through the Earn-a-Bike program, and has continued over the years as he volunteered his photography skills at Phoenix events and rides before becoming the Program Coordinator. When he’s not riding or working on bikes, Jas likes to spend his time outdoors on hikes, paddling, rock climbing, cruising around on longboards, doing road trips, and tinkering around with CAD and 3D Printing.
Greg Hartley
Youth Instructor
Greg recently retired from a long engineering career in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) and relocated from Pittsburgh to the DC area, where he has family and friends.
To become involved in his new community, Greg participated in some of Phoenix’s adult volunteer nights in the shop and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Greg came to Phoenix Bikes with a background in instructing from his NNPP career—where he trained sailors in reactor plant operations—and was thrilled to be offered a position as a youth instructor with us. Greg has two children: a son who works as an ICU nurse and a daughter who attends law school in DC.
Anne Wittenberg
Service Technician
Anne started at Phoenix Bikes in March 2021 as a volunteer stripping bikes for parts. Soon she was cleaning and repairing bikes for sale and when offered a position on staff she jumped at the opportunity. She has loved riding and working on bikes since high school and is a self-taught mechanic.
Anne is a native of Minnesota and moved to Vermont, California, and Michigan to finish undergraduate and graduate degrees. She pursued careers in environmental policy analysis and project management, then in web-based software development. She and her husband raised two kids in Arlington and now live with Milo the cat and a basement full of bikes. When faced with the end of her web development career, Anne’s dream job was to work as a bike mechanic and she is thrilled to be working at Phoenix Bikes.
Donald Herndon
Service Technician
Donald’s journey with Phoenix began while he was in middle school, as an Earn-A-Bike student in the summer of 2012. That experience opened the door for him to work as a mechanic, his dream at the time, and he landed his first job the same summer at the Revolution Cycles in Clarendon (that is now a Trek store).
Nine years later, having lived and worked as a mechanic in Richmond and New York, Donald moved back to DC to begin a new career in software development. He is proud to work part-time at the shop that got him started and delighted to see how much the program has grown in the last decade. In his free time he likes to run the trails in Rock Creek Park near his home.
Mateo Otero-Diaz
Service Technician
Mateo discovered Phoenix Bikes through the Earn-a-Bike program, and has been a passionate member of the Phoenix community ever since. He is an Earn-a-Bike graduate and former Shop Intern, and he loves identifying problems, collaborating with others to find solutions, and practicing his Spanish in his role as a Service Technician.
Mateo is also a high school student and a future engineer. In his free time, Mateo loves learning guitar, plays competitive soccer, and endures the ups and downs of his favorite sports team.
Paul Wilee
Service Technician
Paul began his career as an Operator in the U.S. Navy, where he served in the Naval Special Warfare Group Atlantic for 6 years. After his time in the Navy, Paul worked as an Assistant Fire Chief for the U.S. Government for 26 years, which was followed by a 15 year stint as a Law Enforcement Park Ranger. When Paul moved to Arlington, he started working for Phoenix Bikes at its original location in Barcroft Park. Though Paul retired in 2020, he is delighted to be back at Phoenix as a part-time Service Technician to support the shop operations team.
Paul has been married to his wonderful wife for 50 years, and he is a proud father of three and grandfather of four. Paul and his wife settled in Arlington to be closer to his grandchildren, and they love spending their free time with family.
Sohrab Sarbaz
Service Technician
Sohrab started his journey at Phoenix in the Earn-a-Bike program and is proud to now use his mechanics skills every day as a Service Technician. Sohrab feels totally in his element when helping others discover the joyous world of biking!
Inside and outside of the shop, Sohrab’s passion is cycling. He loves exploring new horizions on two wheels and tacking challenges in cyclocross.
Suhieb Arumy
Service Technician
Suhieb was introduced to Phoenix after moving from Eritrea, Africa to the United States in early 2020 as a high school student. After graduating from Earn-a-Bike with a turbo speed road bike, Suhieb worked at Phoenix as a part-time paid Shop Intern, where he advanced his bike mechanics expertise and improved his workforce skills.
Suhieb graduated from Wakefield High School in 2023 and is currently a student at George Mason University. When he isn’t in class or working in the shop, he loves to race and fix bikes.
Careers
Want to join our team? We’re hiring a Youth Instructor. If you love bike mechanics, connecting with youth, and teaching, apply today!
