The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce that longtime motorcyclist and rider safety coach Maggie McNally has been appointed to the AMA Board of Directors. McNally, who resides in Albany, N.Y., will represent individual members from the country’s Northeast region on the AMA Board.
"Maggie’s fresh perspective and enthusiasm for riding will certainly be welcome," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Her dedication to safety training and her outreach to potential riders gel very much with the goals of the AMA, and we’re looking forward to her contributions to the Association."
McNally, whose appointment was approved at the Board’s July 27 meeting, fills the vacancy created when former Board Member Joe Bromley joined the AMA staff as the director of racing. Her term expires in February 2011.
"I am thrilled to be joining a team of motorcycling giants in the joint effort to continue the promotion of the motorcycling lifestyle," McNally said. "I look forward to bringing my personal experiences as a female rider into the mix, and hope to further the growth of female riders in all aspects of our sport. I believe the most important issues to motorcycling today are ensuring access to affordable motorcycle training programs throughout the country, the availability of the motorcycling experience to persons with disabilities, and a drive to make our sport enticing to youth of the inner city. Motorcycling is not just a suburban or rural sport anymore."
McNally’s love for riding began when she was 11-years old and her cousin took her for a ride on a Triumph. A few years later, eager to disprove a naysayer who suggested that women don’t ride motorcycles, she got her riding permit and a 1972 Suzuki GT380. McNally continues to be an avid motorcyclist and is a Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoach.
In addition to her motorcycling activities, McNally is active in Albany’s Irish-American community, as an Irish 2000 Music and Arts Festival board member, Albany St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee member, and an assistant instructor at the Farrell School of Irish Dance. She also participates at the local and state level of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.
McNally works for the State of New York as a voice/data communications specialist and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration degree.
