Meet the Riders Behind the Plates

Behind every number plate is a story. Our riders come from different countries, cultures, and lived experiences — each with a unique path that brought them to BMX. But they all share one mission: to LFT (lift) themselves and others, using the sport as a platform for growth, resilience, and community.

Today, LFT_NOLOGO proudly represents riders from Argentina, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, and Zimbabwe. Across these nations, we operate teams in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States — each supported by dedicated team managers and coordinated by global team directors based in Switzerland.

Below, meet the team who embody our mission — the individuals who give LFT_NOLOGO its spirit, heart, and diverse global identity.

LFT_NOLOGO Global Teams

HELENA SUND | TEAM MANAGER

Helena is one of Sweden’s most promising BMX racers and a dedicated coach committed to developing riders at all levels. Her career began almost as soon as she could walk: she started racing at the age of four and quickly progressed through the ranks, earning multiple national and international titles. By the age of nine, she had achieved a World No. 6 ranking, highlighting her early potential on the international stage.

After overcoming a serious back injury, Helena returned to competition with remarkable determination. Her comeback has been marked by victories in both European Cup rounds in Ängelholm and an impressive fourth-place finish (W4) at the 2025 UCI BMX World Championships in Copenhagen in the Cruiser Women 17–29 category — her strongest result to date. She has now competed in seven UCI BMX World Championships and has represented Sweden twice at the Pump Track World Championships.

Alongside her athletic career, Helena is pursuing a degree in Environmental Science at Malmö University. She also works within the sportfishing sector, where she leads sustainability initiatives and actively promotes female participation in sport.

With over a decade of coaching experience, Helena is deeply committed to developing riders with a focus on strong technical foundations, confidence-building, and long-term progression. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes joy, inclusion, and community, fostering an environment where athletes can grow both in performance and character.

Helena exemplifies the resilience, passion, and purpose that define our team, and we are proud to have her as part of the LFT_NOLOGO family.

Sweden

Cornelia
Folmanis Hahn

freja
haaf

(TBA)

(TBA)

Hannah Dawson | TEAM MANAGER

Hannah Dawson is a qualified physiotherapist who brings her professional expertise directly into her role, supporting the team with a strong understanding of injury prevention, physical development, and athlete wellbeing. She has extensive experience working alongside elite athletes across multiple sporting disciplines, including contributing to high-performance environments such as the Age Group Football World Cup in Jordan.

She currently manages NOLOGO Oceania and serves as Team Manager for the LFT_NOLOGO New Zealand Team, where she is deeply committed to athlete development, positive team culture, and long-term participation in sport.

As a former BMX rider and the parent of BMX athletes, Hannah has first-hand insight into the physical and mental demands of the sport. This unique perspective allows her to understand what riders need to progress, stay resilient, and perform at their best—both on and off the track.

Through LFT_NOLOGO, Hannah aims to empower riders to pursue their individual goals while fostering a strong team environment within what is often an individual sport. Above all, she encourages riders to enjoy the journey and have fun through the sport of BMX racing.

New Zealand

Harley Logan

Sam Hickey

Lilly Hansen

Daniel Chen

Mila McMullin

Indie McMullin

Hattie Berrington

Jordan Dawson

Hudson Hyslop

Kingston Hyslop

Millen Hamblyn

Finn Berrington

Jesse Surgenor

Brax Gillard

Max Whitelaw

Alex Whitehead | TEAM MANAGER

Alex is an elite BMX racer and the head coach of the LFT_NOLOGO South Africa team. A respected figure in the sport, he is known for his distinctive riding style and his ability to connect with athletes across all levels of development.

A former African Elite #2, Alex has competed at the highest levels of the sport and proudly represented South Africa as an Elite rider at the UCI World Championships in Rock Hill. He has also competed at multiple international events, gaining valuable experience on highly competitive stages. His performance highlights include reaching the last eight at the 2025 USA Grands, where he secured an impressive 4th place finish. He brings this international racing experience directly into his coaching, helping to elevate the standards, mindset, and performance culture within the South African team.

He has obtained his UCI Level 1 BMX Coaching Accreditation, reinforcing his commitment to structured, professional athlete development. In addition, Alex is currently being trained and mentored by one of Switzerland’s top BMX riders, further strengthening his technical knowledge and high-performance approach. He actively brings this exposure and experience back to South Africa, ensuring his riders benefit from international best practice.

Alex strongly believes in the “leave no one behind” philosophy. He is intentional about supporting every rider in the program, regardless of background, experience, or starting level, and works to create an environment where each athlete feels seen, supported, and challenged to grow.

Over time, Alex has evolved from being an accomplished rider into a true leader. He has inspired many young riders both within the team and beyond, not only through his results, but through his consistency, integrity, and commitment to others.

He is deeply committed to sharing his knowledge and experience with riders of all levels, from novice to pro, and has a genuine passion for teaching and helping others reach their peak potential. He continually pushes both himself and his athletes to be better, faster, and stronger, setting a high standard through his actions and expectations. Alex is widely regarded as a leader within the BMX community and has earned strong respect for his contribution on and off the track.

South Africa

Anrie van Staden

Torres Perregil

Nathan Brits

Courage Tshuma

Jace Berry

Donovan Wilson

Tyler Morello

Sibusiso Khupe

Pablo Perregil

Valentine Mpofu

Brandon Pratt

Massimo Perregil

Hana Taylor

GERT
VAN STADEN

ASSISTANT TEAM MANAGER

Sabrina MUSIO | TEAM MANAGER

Sabrina’s BMX journey began at the age of five, when she first discovered the sport and quickly fell in love with it. From that moment on, BMX became a constant in her life for more than eleven years. During this time, she competed in numerous races and achieved an impressive third-place ranking in Switzerland in the girls’ category.

After taking a longer break to focus on family life and becoming a mother of three (and now four) children, her passion for the sport never truly faded. In 2022, she returned to BMX in a new role by completing her J&S (Jeunesse+Sport) coaching qualifications. These highly regarded certifications, combined with her more than a decade of racing experience, make her a particularly well-rounded and highly qualified coach who understands both the technical and human side of the sport.

Sabrina went on to coach at BMX Club Ticino for over three years, where her strengths in competitive sport, organization, and structured training quickly stood out. A natural perfectionist, she approaches everything she does with care and commitment, believing that if something is worth doing, it should be done properly.

Warm, cheerful, and full of positive energy, Sabrina brings a sense of fun to her work and always tries to keep spirits high. She may not always be calm, especially when she cares deeply, but she is always guided by what is best for the riders. Having four children has further strengthened her ability to handle stress and embrace responsibility with resilience.

For 2025, she has been closely involved in planning together with Velosolutions, taking responsibility for the technical aspects of the rebuilt track in Ticino. She continues to train privately and, as a team manager, places great importance on cohesion and collaboration, fostering a family-like team environment because she firmly believes that great achievements are only possible when people truly support one another.

Switzerland

Lorys
Luthi

Stella
Musio

Elia
Habermacher

Sasha
Shepherd

JEFF UPSHAW TEAM MANAGER

Jeff is a professional BMX racer and the founder of Driven Cycling Academy, recognized not only for his performance but for his character and commitment to athlete development. A lifelong student of high-performance sport, Jeff combines real-world elite racing experience with proven training systems to support riders at every stage of their journey. His work extends beyond his immediate community through active mentorship of underserved athletes in South Africa, where he contributes time, guidance, and structure to help create meaningful opportunities for young riders.

He currently holds the title of USA BMX Vet Pro Champion and rides the number 1 plate — an achievement that reflects years of consistency, discipline, and dedication. While this milestone is significant, Jeff remains grounded in his purpose: using his experience to help others grow. His focus continues to center on mentorship, development, and the belief that strong athletes are built through structure, accountability, and long-term thinking rather than short-term results.

As a team lead and coach, Jeff prioritizes discipline, responsibility, and sustainable progression. His approach is centered on building riders who are confident, prepared, and capable of performing under pressure — both on and off the track. The mission of Driven Cycling Academy reflects this philosophy: to develop complete athletes through intentional training, clear structure, and an ongoing commitment to improvement.

USA Driven

Ward Sensil

Hayden Roden

Zayne Sensil

Riley Beaman

Chris
Mireles

Tyler Brown | co-Team Manager
Chris Mireles | co-Team Manager

Chris Mireles is a BMX racer, coach, sports scientist and Co-Team Manager of LFT Prophecy America, combining elite-level competition with a deep understanding of human performance. A multiple-time national champion and former BMX World Champion, Chris continues to compete at the highest level internationally.At the 2026 BMX World Championships in Australia, he delivered an exceptional performance, earning W2 in both the 20” and Cruiser categories.

Away from the track, Chris holds a PhD in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, bringing a scientific and analytical approach to training, biomechanics and athlete development. As Co-Team Manager of LFT Prophecy America, his racing experience, technical knowledge and leadership make him an important part of the team both on and off the track.

Jason Tyler is an LFT Co-Manager and one of the original Prophecy believers, with a connection to the brand going back to its earliest days. He still owns one of Prophecy’s unique early-design frames—a reflection of his long-standing passion for the brand and BMX.

Silent but strong, Jason leads from the background, identifying opportunities and recognizing potential in riders, with an eye for developing raw talent into diamonds. His engineering and technical background has also been a real asset to LFT Prophecy America, bringing a practical and analytical perspective to the program.

His tenacity, work ethic and attention to detail bring significant value, particularly in coordinating and managing activities across the USA and Latin America.

Jason embodies an important part of LFT Prophecy’s philosophy: leadership doesn’t always need to be loud—sometimes the strongest influence comes from behind the scenes.

Jason Tyler | co-Team Manager

Jason Tyler is an LFT Co-Manager and one of the original Prophecy believers, with a connection to the brand going back to its earliest days. He still owns one of Prophecy’s unique early-design frames—a reflection of his long-standing passion for the brand and BMX.

Silent but strong, Jason leads from the background, identifying opportunities and recognizing potential in riders, with an eye for developing raw talent into diamonds. His engineering and technical background has also been a real asset to LFT Prophecy America, bringing a practical and analytical perspective to the program.

His tenacity, work ethic and attention to detail bring significant value, particularly in coordinating and managing activities across the USA and Latin America.

Jason embodies an important part of LFT Prophecy’s philosophy: leadership doesn’t always need to be loud—sometimes the strongest influence comes from behind the scenes.

Chris Mireles | co-Team Manager

Chris Mireles is a BMX racer, coach, sports scientist and Co-Team Manager of LFT Prophecy America, combining elite-level competition with a deep understanding of human performance. A multiple-time national champion and former BMX World Champion, Chris continues to compete at the highest level internationally.At the 2026 BMX World Championships in Australia, he delivered an exceptional performance, earning W2 in both the 20” and Cruiser categories.

Away from the track, Chris holds a PhD in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, bringing a scientific and analytical approach to training, biomechanics and athlete development. As Co-Team Manager of LFT Prophecy America, his racing experience, technical knowledge and leadership make him an important part of the team both on and off the track.

USA Prophecy

Jose
Chavarria

Cruz
Duran

KOHEN
PARSON

"COWBOY"

FINN
CLAYBROOK

Kevin
Mireles

TRENTON
MOORE

Pake
Evans

IGNACIO
Cattana

"NACHO"

Mayo
Perez

Emily
Wells

Metz
Gonzales

Global Coordination

Davorka Shepherd

Team Director, Global

Davorka is the Global Co-Director of LFT_NOLOGO and brings over 20 years of international development experience in senior leadership roles with the Swiss government and international organizations, including the World Bank Group. Her career has centered on building effective partnerships, mobilizing resources, and shaping strategies that enable initiatives to scale and deliver meaningful impact.

She brings deep expertise in strategic partnership development, stakeholder engagement, resource mobilization, and strategic communications, working closely with donors, foundations, public institutions, private sector partners, and civil society organizations. This experience positions her strongly to support LFT_NOLOGO’s performance and developmental objectives by structuring collaborations that strengthen athlete pathways, expand access, and reinforce the long-term sustainability of the platform.

She is also an accredited executive coach, working with leaders and high-performing professionals to navigate complexity and strengthen performance, mindset, and leadership capacity — experience that further informs her contribution to building resilient individuals and systems within the LFT_NOLOGO ecosystem.

Colin Shepherd

Team Director, Global

Colin is the Global Co-Director of LFT_NOLOGO and the Managing Director of Leaf Development Advisory Group, with over 20 years’ experience across the World Bank Group and other international financial institutions. He brings deep expertise in supporting development-focused organizations to deliver impactful projects in emerging markets.

Beyond his professional work, Colin is deeply committed to community development. He founded a BMX-focused NGO dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for underserved youth, reflecting his passion for empowering those often left behind.

Through his development experience, Colin has come to strongly believe that BMX can be a powerful platform for youth development—not only athletically, but also in terms of leadership, discipline, confidence, and character. He sees LFT_NOLOGO as precisely such a platform and is driven by the conviction that creating inclusive pathways can unlock potential and enable meaningful change, both on and off the track.