MEET THE RUSCH VENTURES TEAM
Aerah Hardin
Rusch Ventures, COO
While Aerah is Rusch Ventures’ Chief Operating Officer, she likes to call herself ‘Chief Rebecca Wrangler’ and that title may just suit her more. Originally from Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aerah has been living in Ketchum, Idaho since 2020. Aerah and Rebecca connected during the 2019 MTB LAO trip and stayed in touch.
“She knew I had started looking at doing something different and called me one day in June and offered me a job running the operations of all three companies,” says Aerah. “I sold my house in 24 hours, found the best replacement ever for my position at a company I cared deeply about and had worked at for 18 years, and I sold what didn’t fit in my car and camper and drove up to Idaho sight unseen!”
You can find Aerah on her mountain or gravel bike, venturing far and high into the beautiful Idaho wilderness, or walking her beloved cat, Cosmos.
Contact:
Cierra Smith
Rusch Ventures, Digital Communications & eCommerce Coordinator
Cierra is our go-to, do-it-all digital master. Officially the Digital Comms & eCommerce Coordinator for Rusch Ventures, Cierra has been engrained in all things Rusch for four years now. Originally just part-time, Cierra has proven her worth and our social media would be nowhere without her.
Raised in Reno, Nevada, Cierra still lives close to friends and family—including her miniature dachshund, Noodle—in the sagebrush state. Along with being an irreplaceable member of our team, Cierra is also a mountain bike skills coach, specializing in teaching kids how to mountain bike and grow their potential in and out of the saddle
“My favorite activity is hands down mountain biking,” says Cierra. “There is nothing like being with a group of friends on the mountain, you're all working hard yet having the most fun imaginable. There is something about being deep in the trees with your best friends that is magical and always fills my cup.”
Annemarie Hennes
Rusch Ventures, Creative Director
Annemarie first joined Rusch Ventures as a freelance videographer for the 2016 RPI event. Her unique perspective behind the lens and Rebecca’s unwavering passion for connecting humans on the bike has led to an inseparable bond. Originally from Griffith, Indiana, Annemarie now lives in Santa Cruz, California, with her partner, Kristen, their two pitbulls, Scout and Hank, and their two horses, Estrella and Brodi.
You can find Annemarie riding her horses, her dirtbike or mountain bike, or these days—getting after it on a road bike. While adrenaline sports have been Annemarie’s main attractions since childhood, she admits that her age and her partner have successfully turned her on to endurance sports—as well as working for the ‘Queen of Pain’ herself.
In an effort to Be Good every day, Annemarie believes in rescuing Pitbulls, working with clients with similar values, and treating everyone with the same amount of respect, patience, and understanding. And tacos, eating tacos is always good too.