Joey Juhasz-Lukomski, Executive Director
Joey hails from the east coast, but has grown to love Southern California. It’s here that his passion for using the bicycle as a tool for change blossomed. After working as a chef in restaurants for 7 years, Joey started working for our neighbors at the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. He was the Operations Manager until November 2017, and is excited to lead BikeVentura in this next chapter of its life and his own.
Joey rode his bike across the U.S. in 2008, has toured from San Francisco to Santa Barbara and just rode his first double century, from Ragged Point to Ventura. He wants to hear from you about what you think Ventura needs and how bicycles can help accomplish community-driven goals.
Catch him riding to work from Fillmore in the morning or email him at joey@bikeventura.org
Tobias "Toby" Smith
Toby, former lead mechanic and Program Director, recently moved to Tucson. But as the HUB shop founder, we just couldn’t bear to take him off of our staff page! So, he’s honorary staff now and we will keep his passion for sharing the love and joy that is riding bikes alive and well at the shop when you visit. In his own words:
“I hope our programs reach as many people as possible and spread the vision of freedom of mobility, to bring the memories of joy and happiness into everyday life so that anyone who wants to is welcome to cruise around anywhere by bike!”
Alex Penaloza
Alex was born and raised in Ventura, Ca. Alex’s passions include bikes, music, eating and DIY. He is a strong proponent for bikes being so much more than just a way to get around, though still vital to transportation). In his own words, “bicycles are health, bicycles are joy, bicycles are freedom. They’re a literal and figurative vehicle to interacting with my community and I couldn’t imagine my living without them.
“I came to the Hub at a very confusing point in my life and the people here offered a space for me to grow in more ways than I could ever have imagined. With my mechanical skills, bilingual tongue, and dedication to inclusivity I like to think I facilitate a space that gives others that opportunity as well.”
Alex lives by the following, “Your heart is a muscle the size of your fist, keep on loving, keep on fighting.”
Zuleima “Zuli” Jimenez
Zuli joins the BikeVentura team from Oxnard, CA. She is a native Spanish (with Mayan influence) speaker and is passionate about learning and creating. She is a devoted community member and partners with the La Colonia youth to bring art to her community!
Zuli’s passion for cycling grew when she was in the Bay Area and was greeted with bright green lanes. This was a stark contrast to her hometown. She’s a fixie rider and is digging in to the mechanical side of cycling and is also ready to advocate for safer streets in Ventura County.
Pedro Barragan
Pedro has been with the Ventura HUB crew since 2019 and comes to us from Oxnard.
Adriana Diego
Adriana has recently joined our team to assist Joey with all sorts of organizing and paper work, and he is thankful! However, she has been coming into the HUB to volunteer her time for quite some. She also volunteers at Community Roots Garden in Oxnard (where she lives)
Benicia Jo Smith (AKA Toby's wife)
Benicia Jo is our social media magician, spinning advocacy meetings and action items into pure gold on Instagram! She also works on our newsletter and generally attends a lot of outreach meetings and events so she can get the scoop. Little unknown fact, she is one of the original founders of the Ventura Bike HUB, along with her husband and other folks who are still part of the HUB family!
She first began riding bikes when she lived in San Francisco, where she attended college. Once she moved to Ventura in 2008, she recognized a real need for better bicycle infrastructure and got to work. She has lived on the Avenue for 13 years where she raises her young son and works as an educator at a local elementary school. She believes that bicycles have the power to change lives because she has seen it firsthand in the shop! When she’s not slinging online content and writing stories, she’s going on desert adventures with her family, camping, eating burritos, and dreaming away in her garden.
If you have magical social media suggestions, email her here: beniciajo@gmail.com
