Cascade Members, Meet Your 2026 Board of Director Candidates!
E-ballots will be delivered to active Cascade members November 17, 2025 and must be submitted by December 1, 2025. For 2026, we have four seats up for election.
Sara Kiesler
The Cascade Board of Directors represents the voice of its members and is responsible to the membership. Their role is to ensure that Cascade’s resources are being used to the greatest benefit for all members, as well as the larger community.
For 2026, we have four seats up for election. Over the past months, we’ve received great nominations. After review, the search committee is happy to present the following new and returning candidates to the Cascade Board of Directors.
If elected (or re-elected), the board members will serve a three-year term beginning in 2026.
The candidates are:
- Demi Allen, Current Director Candidate
- Melanie Breitbach, Prospective Director Candidate
- Seema Chaudhary, Prospective Director Candidate
- Dennis Madsen, Prospective Director Candidate
Bios below
Demi Allen, Current Director
Demi was a corporate lawyer in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry for more than 20 years, commuting to work by bike in Seattle for much of that period. But the time came when he had to do work more aligned with his passions for active transportation and biking. So, he got his MBA in Sustainable Business and took a job as the General Manager for the first bike share system in Seattle. He learned a lot from the Pronto experience and moved on to work with JUMP, the shared e-bike provider that was acquired by Uber. JUMP showed that e-bikes can play a meaningful role in urban transportation and prompted many people to buy their own e-bike after trying the shared bikes.
After a final role working on deploying charging infrastructure for electric bikes and scooters (also known as light electric vehicles or LEVs), Demi retired. He is now focused on travel and exploration with his wife Cezanne, as well as advocating for better bike facilities on Bainbridge Island (his home) and elsewhere. He enjoys hiking and swimming along with biking and recently added a mountain bike to go with his gravel/commuter bike. He is pleased with the improvements in Seattle’s bike infrastructure over the past 10 years and looks forward to seeing even more safe places for people of all ages and abilities to ride for transportation or fun (or both!).
Melanie Breitbach, Prospective Director Candidate
Melanie is a two-time UW Husky (Mathematics and Master in Teaching) and has lived in the Northwest all her life. She is retired from both Microsoft and teaching high school math, both careers that she loved and excelled at. She rode (and ran) off and on over the years, but she left teaching in 2021 to bike across the country with her husband and hasn't stopped pedaling since. She believes the best way to see a new state or country is by cycling across it, so that continues to be a top priority.
Melanie is no stranger to Cascade. Besides participating in rides (including Flying Wheels, the Ride for Major Taylor, and RSVP), she has volunteered in the operations center for STP and RSVP, worked in the office, helped deliver bicycles through the Let's Go program, and represented Cascade as an ambassador at many community events. She is a regular volunteer for the Pedaling Relief Project and loves seeing its impact firsthand. She has also volunteered with Bloodworks Northwest and Cycling Without Age.
Always passionate about education for all ages and safer and expanded cycling infrastructure, Melanie is very proud of her connections with Cascade Bicycle Club and is enthusiastic about contributing to its continued progress and success.
Seema Chaudhary, Prospective Director Candidate
Seema Chaudhary is an accomplished Asian Indian professional whose career and civic engagement reflect a deep commitment to community building, cultural enrichment, and active lifestyles. She holds degrees in Architecture (University of Bombay), Landscape Architecture (SUNY Syracuse), and Executive Development (Foster School of Business, UW). Her professional experience spans strategic branding, growth, and international market expansion, currently leading Alliances and Sales across the Americas for Harbinger Systems Inc.
In civic leadership, Seema served two terms as Arts & Culture Commissioner for the City of Redmond, where she championed master planning of Redmond downtown, inclusive public art, and cultural representation. She continues to nurture her creative side as an urban sketcher, capturing everyday moments in her sketchbook.
Seema’s passion for bicycling was reignited in 2015 with her first Seattle to Portland (STP) ride. Since then, she’s participated in RSVP, Flying Wheels, the Tulip ride, Tour de Lavender, and Kitsap Color Classic, and is a regular rider on local roads and trails. Her enthusiasm led her to volunteer with Team Asha Biking, where she mentors over 50 riders each season, develops training programs, leads rides, and raises funds for Asha for Education. With her Alliances experience, she’s helped expand the program through strategic partnerships and media outreach, including collaboration with Cascade.
She also hikes and summits, having completed Mount Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp, with another Himalayan trek on the horizon.
Seema views bicycling as both a personal passion and a platform for impact – advancing empowerment, wellness, inclusion, and community. As a Cascade board member, she brings a multidimensional perspective, cultural richness, and a strong network to strengthen partnerships, elevate volunteer engagement, and expand the social resonance of Cascade’s mission.
Dennis Madsen, Prospective Director Candidate
A lifelong resident of Seattle, Dennis grew up in West Seattle roaming far and wide on a used Sears JC Higgins 26” one speed with a coaster brake. It was a great first bike except for one detail: his legs were too short to touch the ground! Cycling has been a passion ever since.
For many years, Dennis has ridden with friends and family on organized rides including STP, RAMROD, and tours in Europe. For the last several years, his riding has focused primarily on in-city commuting and forest service gravel roads and Rail Trails.
Dennis has been very involved in the cycling community both professionally and as a volunteer. For nearly 20 years, he served on the Bicycle Alliance Board. Professionally, he served on the Performance Bicycles Board and worked for REI Co-op for 39 years, starting as a stockboy and retiring after being CEO for five years. He has also served on the boards of Alaska Airlines, Islandwood, Forterra, and Western Washington University.
If elected to the Cascade Board, Dennis believes his background and experience in governance and HR systems could be useful as Cascade continues to grow its impact in the region.
To vote
Electronic voting will be available to all Cascade members on Nov. 17, 2025 via email. Keep your eyes out for an email from Cascade Bicycle Club with your personalized voting link, and review your cascade.org account to keep your email address up to date. Please contact Cascade if your membership is active and you did not receive your personal e-ballot.
Share this post
