Meet The Team

Richard Luo

President and Founder

Richard's interest in going outdoors stemmed from his renewed interest in biking. During the COVID-19 pandemic, sports were cancelled and school was becoming more and more disheartening, so Richard opted to try biking again. Over time, biking became more than a source of exercise, it became an escape, a hobby, and a way to refresh his mind. Within a few weeks, he would ride weekly with friends (wearing masks of course) and expand his horizons to mountain biking. As a student officer, Richard works with and oversees all departments.

Tej Mehta

Vice President and Co-Founder

Tej has always been interested in the outdoors, hiking on local trails as well as across the country. He recently got into biking after exploring the C&O canal towpath and other local trails. In his free time, he has found a passion in mountain biking, getting out onto the trails as much as possible. At Natural Highways, Tej leads the app development and assists in overseeing other departments.

Nathaniel Wu

Executive Content Creator

Nathaniel’s interest in the outdoors began when he was quarantined at home. He tried riding his bike again and he not only found love for biking but the outdoors. His favorite part about biking is going fast, and he often finds himself getting in close calls on trips. He loves going on weekly trips with his friends (socially distanced in masks). His favorite trail is the Cabin John Trail in Maryland because it is somewhat easy but still forces one to challenge themselves. Nathaniel believes that going outdoors is a great way to reset and have some fun. He is in charge of blogs, videos, and anything created. As an administrator, he oversees the Public Relations and Outreach/ Fundraising Departments.

Eric Yao

Chief Administrator

Eric has always thought being outdoors was nice, but his interest in hiking really began when he started lifting. As he learned more about how to stay healthy and in shape, he realized that doing outdoor activities such as hiking is a very fun, relaxing way to do just that. He also knows from personal experience that staying inside and gaming and watching YouTube all day makes him feel down and gloomy, and going outside to spend the weekend hiking with family or friends ensures that doesn’t happen. A few of his favorite trails to hike on are Harpers Ferry and Sugarloaf Mountain. Eric is in charge of all the logistics of the organization, such as fundraising and organizing events.

Andy Deng

Student Officer of Video Editing

Since a very young age, Andy has been around nature very regularly. Living very close to Great Falls National Park, Andy is used to going to different hiking and biking trails in the area on a daily basis. Andy is also very seasoned in filmmaking, as he is always documenting everything that goes on in his life through film. At Natural Highways, Andy is part of the Digital and Design Department where he creates and uploads videos.

David Song

Student Officer of Walter Johnson High School Branch

David Song is a high school Junior attending Walter Johnson High School. Biking has always been a part of David’s life, his interest in long distance biking stems from his daily commute to and from school on bike, which served as a break from the stresses of school life. Through these escapes he has discovered new trails which offer breathtaking scenery and ambience. At Natural Highways, David wishes others to appreciate the beauty nature has to offer. He has founded and operates the Walter Johnson High School Natural Highways branch.

Richard Huang

Senior Officer of Website

Richard recently got a new bike which has fostered his interest in biking and just being outdoors in general. He enjoys biking at C&O as well as around his neighborhood. In his free time, he likes to go outside as much as possible even though the pandemic has hindered that a bit. As a senior officer at Natural Highways, Richard mainly helps maintain and improve the website.

David Yao

Student Officer of Social Media

David’s interest in the outdoors first began when he started hiking with his family at many popular trails in the US, such as Harpers Ferry in Virginia and Watkins Glen State Park in New York. He understands the importance of outdoor activity, and has started to learn more ways to enjoy the Sun, such as biking. While he is an amateur at biking, he hopes to learn how to bike better and go on trails with friends. David is in the Public Relations department, and is in charge of managing the social media of Natural Highways

Jason Liu

Student Officer of Fundraising and Outreach

Jason has always been a fan of the outdoors, frequently hiking on nearby trails on the weekends. After being cooped up in quarantine for far too long, he decided to become a part of Natural Highways. At NH, he serves as a student officer for fundraising where he helps to manage money throughout the organization.

Luke Mehta

Student Officer of Fundraising and Outreach

Luke had always enjoyed hiking on trails or spending time outdoors, and over the pandemic this love doubled. Luke enjoys the soothing nature of doing hikes outdoors and experiencing the flora and fauna of trails. He enjoys mountain biking and hiking on the Cabin John trail and the C & O towpath’s many attractions. Luke is part of the outreach and fundraising team.

Julia Yue

Student Officer of Graphics and Design

Throughout her life, Julia has always admired the beautiful views and landscapes the wilderness has to offer. It resounds greatly within her as a way of relieving stress and calming down or simply getting some fresh air. She also gains inspiration from nature for her art, which she is very passionate about. As part of the Digital and Design department, Julia is in charge of designing and drawing logos for the Natural Highways non-profit and its campaigns.

Ilan Stein

Student Officer of Public Relations

Ilan thoroughly enjoys the outdoors, going on walks, runs, and bike rides decently often on the weekends. Ilan also plays soccer outside of school, and can usually be found playing the left back position on the field. Ilan has recently rediscovered his love for the outdoors during quarantine, and has been enjoying it ever since. At natural highways, Ilan writes articles for the Natural Highways column “The Trail Mix”.

Darren Hong

Darren has always been interested in biking and fishing. He recently started going on hikes after exploring the Billy Goat Trail and other local trails. In his free time, he bikes at local trails and takes hikes. At Natural Highways, Darren assists in the content creation department.

Katie Xiang

Student Officer of Graphics and Design

Katie enjoys playing tennis and jogging on a cool evening. Indoor exercise such as planks are convenient stress relievers for when she needs a break. At Natural Highways, Katie is part of the Graphics and Design department, helping out with designing visuals to create a cartoon style aesthetic.

Brendan Pham

Student Officer of Virginia Branch

Brendan has been an avid biker ever since the age of 8 and has been lucky enough to live next to a couple major trail systems. Mountain biking became his favorite activity when he discovered the CCT trail in Fairfax County, giving him a new experience of an exhilarating off-road ride that could be done within the county’s local parks and forest systems. As part of the Natural Highways Team, Brendan is the Virginia branch manager and coordinates trips in Virginia.

Editor in Chief

Ryan Farrell

Student Officer of Fundraising and Outreach

Growing up, the outdoors has always been a major part of Ryan's life as the backyard of his childhood home was a forest. However, after moving out of his old home, he had to search for a new way to enjoy the outdoors, which led to an interest in biking. Over quarantine, he biked at least 5 miles every day with his brother and loved being out and about again. He likes biking by himself, going on walks, exploring new trails, and even mountain biking with friends. He fell in love with Natural Highways immediately upon joining, and is excited to continue furthering his love for the outdoors.

Victor Levonenko

Student Officer of Fundraising and Outreach

Victor developed his love for biking in middle school when he got his first mountain bike. He began biking on trails, the C&O towpath, and around the neighborhood with his friends. As a freshman at Churchill, he discovered Natural Highways. At Natural Highways, he grew an even bigger love for biking and even started going on hiking trips. With Natural Highways, he discovered an alternative to being indoors: going outdoors and enjoying nature. He’s excited to be a part of the team and hopes more people find enjoyment in biking or simply exploring the outdoors.