Meet the Iowa Bicycle Coalition Staff
Matt Burkey – Director of Safe Routes to School
Matt has led the Iowa Bicycle Coalition’s Safe Routes to School program for three and a half years and has supported the Coalition as a member since 2013. He is proud to work for an organization whose mission he believes in. One of his favorite events is Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day, a national celebration that encourages children and families to use active transportation.
Matt began riding bikes as a child and rediscovered cycling while living in Iowa City. Faced with a 45 minute bus ride to travel just two miles, he realized he could get there faster by bike. Before long, he had fallen in love with cycling all over again.
Today, Matt rides year round and commutes by bike nearly every day, even in the snow. During his more than 13 years of cycling across Iowa, he has explored roads, gravel, singletrack, and trails while learning plenty along the way.
Matt’s philosophy is simple: Every ride should be fun, and whenever possible, bike there.
Bree Darr – Program and Grants Manager
Bree joined the Iowa Bicycle Coalition in 2024, bringing her writing skills to the organization through grant development and project management. Ready for a career change, she initially joined the team part time and quickly discovered that grant writing was a natural fit, especially when she could use her talents to support a cause she cares about. As part of IBC’s small but mighty staff, Bree is also quick to jump in wherever an extra hand is needed.
For Bree, biking is about community. Supporting the Coalition gives her an opportunity to protect and strengthen that community while helping make bicycling better for people across Iowa. One of her favorite IBC events is the Pigtails Ride, which she sees as a great way to meet other women cyclists and support local vendors. She also enjoys participating in the Bacoon Ride.
Outside of work, Bree rides RAGBRAI with Team Cow and is a member of the Velorosa Cycling Team in Des Moines. One of her most memorable days on a bike came during RAGBRAI 49. Day four featured a 105 mile route that generated plenty of speculation beforehand, but it turned into a beautiful day with a tailwind for much of the ride. Bree averaged 17 miles per hour without feeling like she had to work for it, making the century one of her most enjoyable days on RAGBRAI.
Katie Bowden – Events and Outreach Director
Katie joined the Iowa Bicycle Coalition in late 2023. She organizes events including the Iowa Bike Expo and IBC’s Summer Bike Ride Series, along with everything that happens in between. She also leads outreach and program planning and pitches in wherever needed to keep the organization’s wheels turning. If you receive emails from IBC, there is a good chance a few of them came from Katie.
As a newer cyclist, Katie has enjoyed discovering Iowa’s extensive trail system. Her first “long” ride took place on the crushed limestone of the Wabash Trace Nature Trail during an Iowa Trails + Bike Summit group ride. She sees bicycling as a way to help people get outdoors, connect with nature, and choose a more sustainable form of transportation.
Katie has also enjoyed supporting the Coalition’s advocacy work, especially the effort to pass Iowa’s hands free driving law. For her, one of the most rewarding parts of working at IBC is seeing how the Coalition’s work positively affects the lives of Iowans.
