Dr. Xu Simon, Ph.D.

Dr. Simon earned her motorcycle endorsement in 2011 and became an MSF certified RiderCoach in 2022. She teaches at the Motorcycle Riding School in Beverly, MA and is passionate about using research to make motorcycling safer for all. She regularly attends RiderChoices (Tribe Talk) meetings and MSF vRETS seminars to help keep motorcyclist education best practices front of mind. She has a PhD in Biology from MIT, an MBA in Global Business from Bentley University, and currently serves as Chief Technology Officer at Enozo Technologies, Inc. Xu also speaks, coaches, and consults on using science to improve the world. Xu earned her PhD in 2007 and completed postdoctoral research in structural biology at Brandeis University in 2012. She then served as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow placed in the US Department of State’s diplomatic anti-chemical weapons office (ISN/CTR/CSP). She worked for two years as Program Officer to implement education and empowerment programs to reduce chemical weapons development and use in high-threat countries. Her placement spanned the 2013 Syria chemical weapons crisis, giving her high-visibility international crisis management experience. At the conclusion of the fellowship, Xu earned her MBA with the goal of helping transfer scientific research into the broader community, where it can do the most good. Since graduating from Bentley University in 2015, Xu has worked her way from technical to leadership positions in two Boston-based technology startup companies and served as Adjunct Professor of Biology at both Bentley and Brandeis Universities. Dr. Simon was elected to the SMARTER board in March, 2023 and elected as President and CEO in January, 2025.

Dr. Donald L. Green, Ed.D.

Dr. Green has more than 35 years of experience in leadership, training, education, experiential learning, and organizational management. His formative background comes from decades of application in leadership development, organizational change, and quality assurance systems which have been critical to his rider education roles. He is the founder, owner, and Chief Executive Officer of Rider Choices - a Motorcycle Rider Education and Consulting company. Don’s formal education includes a Doctorate in Adult Education Leadership and Administration, an M.S. in Adult Education, attending the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and a B.S. in Computer Science. His research on Rider Instructor Selection is published in The Journal of Safety Research. He is the 2014 American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Outstanding Road Rider Award winner for his rider education work. Initially Certified by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in 2010, he is currently certified as a RiderCoach/RiderCoach Trainer in almost all MSF curriculum offerings. A Veteran of the Iraq War, he served as a deputy commander of an embedded training team guiding Iraqi General Officers. Don’s experience as a helicopter pilot and commander also supported being a Chief Operations Officer conducting Quality Assurance inspections to build training programs and overseeing training for deploying aviation units. As a State Motorcycle Safety Association (SMSA) member, he serves on the Executive Committee as the individual member representative, Assistant Chair of the Policy and Research Committee, and a Motorcycle Safety Program Committee member. Don hosts a weekly peer-to-peer professional development workshop called Tribe-Talk to promote RiderCoach/Instructor development knowledge sharing. Dr. Green was elected to the board in March, 2025 and elected as vice-chair in January, 2025, and Elected as Chairperson in January 2026.

Eugene Pratt II

Eugene’s enthusiasm for powered two-wheelers started at age six when his father and mentor, Eugene Pratt Sr., gave him a Briggs 5 h.p. minibike. His dad taught him to put needs before wants and to do only what means allow, but he learned on his own what a governor was and that without one he could beat any 7.5 h.p.! He soon after got a CT 70 Honda and put thousands of miles on it riding every day after chores were done. Next was a 250 Yamaha he bought from his great uncle and used to compete with friends on tracks they built in their parents’ backyards. A lifelong resident of Michigan, Eugene is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying with family and friends a number of hunting and fishing trips throughout North America, even some with pack mules in tow. As a child, his parents set out on many motorcycle trips without him, but after graduating from high school, he got a 1982 GL 500 to ride on weekend trips with them and their friends. They stowed everything in duffle bags, until 1987, when Eugene bought a GL1100 to pull a pop-up camper. That was the life: no more tents! Two years later, he got married…and a roomier popup. Then in 1992, Eugene bought a GL1500 Gold Wing, adding a Champion Daytona 2+2 sidecar, the first ever sold to the public. He called it the “grocery-getter” and still rides it to this day, now using the hack for his grandkids. Eugene took his first MSF RSS rider training class in 1981. He just got his driver license and wanted his CY endorsement, too. Subsequently, he took three advanced rider classes, and in 1997, as a member of GWRRA, he became an MSF RiderCoach, realizing this was the best way to share his passion for riding with others. He was very competitive in events taking place at rallies, which fueled his desire to teach others how to control motorcycles at low speeds as well as other techniques that would give them a positive riding experience. During his RiderCoach training, Eugene was hired by the Ferris State University motorcycle training program. He and a group of fellow instructors went to Orlando in 2002 for a week of intensive training to become Harley-Davidson Rider’s Edge coaches, and he remained with the program for two years. Eugene practices what he preaches, riding with full gear and employing risk-reduction strategies as he rides, and he has 225,000 accident-free miles under his belt. As president of Ace Tool & Engineering Inc., he rides less now (but still averages three to six thousand miles a year) and he trains more, which gives him the opportunity to meet a lot of great motorcyclists. He shares with his students that he will ride with any motorcyclist who rides smart and rides safe! And for added safekeeping he tells them, “Keep the shiny side up. God bless.” Eugene was appointed to the SMARTER board October, 2012 and has been subsequently reelected to serve additional terms. He was elected as Vice Chairperson January 2026.

DeAnna Ward

DeAnna has been an avid motorcyclist since 2009, following her attendance in a Basic RiderCourse. She made fast friends with one of her RiderCoaches who was a major source of her riding development. He encouraged her growth and she soon completed the Experienced RiderCourse and also participated in track days. He was pivotal in her pursuit of motorcyclist knowledge and promoting a safety mindset. DeAnna is a huge advocate for All The Gear- Every Time you Ride (The SMARTER update to All The Gear All The Time). DeAnna is a SNELL Memorial Foundation Ambassador and an advocate of not only helmet use, but quality helmet use. DeAnna became a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) RiderCoach in 2016 and began coaching for Grand Rapids (Michigan) Community College. Within two years her expertise and leadership skills led to her becoming a site manager, site supervisor and project manager. In 2021, she took a travel coaching position with American Motorcycle Training (AMT) and the U.S. Navy to provide rider training courses to members of the military and their families. She also achieved certification by Harley-Davidson and has experience coaching and managing rider training sponsored by HD dealerships. DeAnna has worked diligently to expand her motorcyclist safety knowledge and rider coaching abilities. She is certified in almost every curriculum MSF has to offer, has worked with beta testing for MSF curriculums and in 2023, she became the first female RiderCoach Trainer in the State of Michigan. As a State Motorcycle Safety Association (SMSA) member, she serves on the Policy and Research Committee and the Motorcycle Safety Programs Committee helping to develop standards for use within the motorcycling community. DeAnna is also co-chair of the Michigan Motorcyclist Safety Action Team, a sub-committee of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission. DeAnna obtained a BS in Nuclear Medicine from Ferris State University 2011. She worked for over 16 years in the healthcare industry and was also an Adjunct Clinical Instructor for nuclear medicine students at Ferris State University. DeAnna was appointed to the board and the treasurer position in November of 2023 to fill an unexpired term.

Justin McDonald

Justin holds a BS in computer science from the University of Wyoming. From 2000 to 2003 he worked as a computer technician with Wyoming Technical Institute and from 2003 to 2022 as Assistant Research Scientist with the Office of Academic Affairs at the University of Wyoming. He became a Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoach in April of 2002 and was a lead RiderCoach with the Wyoming Department of Transportation through March of 2021. Justin relocated to Nevada to become the Motorcyclist Safety Program Administrator, State of Nevada, Office of Traffic Safety, the position he presently holds. He earned his MSF RiderCoach Trainer certification in the fall of 2022. In addition to motorcycling, he pursues his interests in Olympic lifting/CrossFit, dog training and continuing education in motorcyclist safety, and nutrition/chemistry. Justin was elected to the SMARTER board and the board secretary position in March 2023.

Ken Condon

Larry Crowe

Rita Murphy-Lybek

Rita Murphy Lybek grew up on a dairy farm in the Madison, Wisconsin area. She started riding dirt bike at six years old as a way to get around the fields and pastures. She became an MSF-certified RiderCoach in 2003 and RiderCoach Trainer in 2010. With an addiction for learning and Motorcyclist safety and education, she has earned certifications in multiple MSF courses. Her daughter, Becca, inherited her powered two wheel addiction. Santa gave her a dirt bike when she was five. Not only did Rita use MSF-style learner-centered techniques to help Becca learn to ride, Rita raised her children in the same style. It’s no surprise that Becca also became an MSF-certified RiderCoach when she was 18. Rita is passionate about transportation safety and is certified by the Transportation Professional Certification Board as a Road Safety Professional. She works for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in highway access management. She has extensively traveled the United States paved roads on two wheels and looks forward to soon getting back to her dirt roots, hopefully along with her spouse, children, and grandchildren. Rita was elected to the SMARTER board in January 2024.

Henry "Hank" Waters

Hank has 17 years’ experience in the motorcyclist safety and training community. He has worked at the State level, within military programs, private schools and state managed programs. Hank has performed work as an individual trainer, quality assurance, 2 wheel and 3-wheel programs, basic and advanced curriculums. He is currently an investor with Be Crash Free, Inc. in business and product development. From December, 2021 to January, 2023 Hank served as the Motorcycle Safety Program Manager with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Highway Safety Office. Hank was elected to the SMARTER board in March, 2023.

Dr. Dan Peterson, Ed. D.

With the support and encouragement of Dr. Don Smith, Dan was the driving force behind the formation and development of SMARTER. He served as the associations president and CEO from 2007 through January, 2025. He served as a board director in 2025 and was appointed a non-voting ex-officio board member in January 2026. His individual work and his efforts as CEO of SMARTER earned national recognition. Dan is the recipient of the following awards: * 2003 RiderCoach Trainer of the Year - Motorcycle Safety Foundation * 2011 one of five individuals nationally to receive recognition by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation for “Extraordinary Contributions to Motorcyclist Safety.” * 2014 recipient of the Silvernale Award, the purpose of which is to recognize persons nationally who have made outstanding contributions to traffic safety education by the Michigan Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (MDTSEA). * 2021 Richard H. Austin Traffic Safety Award for long-term contributions and commitment to traffic safety for the Skilled Motorcyclist Association - Responsible Trained and Educated Riders, Inc. by the Michigan Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission (GTSAC).