Rider Spotlight: Dr. Ron-Li

Meet Psyched to Climb rider, Dr. Ron-Li, whose journey started long before her first mile. After moving to Colorado, she connected with the team through friends and colleagues and quickly realized this was something she wanted to be part of. Coming from Brooklyn, the altitude alone was intimidating, so she gave herself time to train before joining her first ride in 2022 with her wife and daughter. What began as a personal challenge, summiting Vail Pass together, has grown into a deeply rooted tradition, with more family members and neighbors joining in year after year.

Dr. Ron-Li's entire career has been dedicated to mental health, shaped by a pivotal shift during medical training when she saw firsthand that quality relationships, support systems and early intervention can change the course of a patient's recovery and life. Pediatric mental health, especially, represents a critical window where intervention is possible. That commitment runs in the family. Her daughter, Unni, is heading to The University of Colorado School of Medicine this summer with plans to go into pediatrics, and her son, Gabriel, works on the inpatient team at PMHI, making the Courage Classic something far more than a ride for this family.

Courage Classic is one of the few moments where Dr. Ron-Li gets to see that impact fully on display, surrounded by patients, families and care teams, all coming together in a way that is both joyful and deeply meaningful. One moment that captured it all was watching her daughter, Solvei, push through a tough climb, cheered on by crowds ringing cowbells and ultimately making it to the finish. By the end, her daughter wrote “I ride for my mom” on the team board, a reminder of just how personal this cause is. Each mile she rides and each dollar raised helps support PMHI, ensuring they have the resources, recognition and resilience to keep showing up for kids and families when it matters most.