Our Team
Jim Gardner
Founder & CEO
Jim Gardner grew up riding bikes along the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach — and that early sense of freedom on two wheels never left him. He founded Good Karma Bikes to provide reliable transportation to homeless and low-wage workers, and grew it into a comprehensive program that builds self-esteem and teaches job skills in bike repair, eCommerce, and retail. His guiding principle: give away for free half of all that we make. A PhD physicist, NASA intern, Wharton graduate, and certified bike mechanic — who also shares his home with three rescue cats and a wife he met while rescuing a cat at USC — Jim is living proof that the right mission can bring a whole life into focus.
Carly Beard
Development Director
Carly Beard believes that wheels — of all kinds — carry people forward. As Development Director, she leads the fundraising efforts that keep bikes and opportunity moving through the community. With a background in nonprofit development and a deep commitment to equity, she has a gift for connecting generous people to powerful impact. A seasoned park roller skater, newly minted BMX rider, and granddaughter of a San Jose Speedway racer, Carly brings the same joyful energy to the fundraising floor that she brings to the rink — always moving, always forward.
Amy Bassett
Operations Manager
Amy Bassett started in the Southeast and just kept heading west until she found the warm weather in California. Now based in San Jose, she brings a lifelong love of bikes and a formal credential from the United Bicycle Institute's bike mechanic program to her role as Operations Manager at Good Karma Bikes. She rides for the snacks and the scenery — no destination required. What drew her to Good Karma Bikes? Everyone here is genuinely kind and excited to be doing the work — and that energy, she'll tell you, is worth showing up for every day. One more thing: Amy loves ice cream in all its forms, and a life-changing cinnamon scoop once set the bar impossibly high.
Jay Cobb
Sales Associate
Jay Cobb has been on a bike since he was four years old, and his enthusiasm hasn't slowed down since. Originally from Oakland, Jay brings degrees in Business and Media Arts — and a lifetime of riding — to his role at Good Karma Bikes. His mission is to get every person who walks through the door on their perfect bike. He'll size you up, listen to your needs, and find the ride that fits your life. A recent e-bike convert and lifelong adventurer, Jay is always chasing the next new experience. (Except banana-flavored anything. Hard pass.)
Kenneth Lounge
Staff Mechanic
Kenneth Lounge has had a bike under him for as long as he can remember. He raced mountain bikes in college, worked in bike shops, and in 2005 served as a professional mechanic for Race Across America. His path here has been wonderfully winding — hospital worker, winemaker in France and Greece, and a recent transplant to the Bay Area. At Good Karma Bikes, he's part mechanic, part coach, part mentor. What keeps him coming back? The moment a kid's eyes light up when they get a free bike.