The Joyride Foundation began with a simple observation: the people who know how to keep classic cars alive are getting older, the young people who could carry that knowledge forward rarely get the chance to learn it, and all around us are people — kids in hospitals, seniors in care, families having a hard year — who could use a moment of pure joy. A classic car, it turns out, can answer all three at once.
Founders Isaac Haugen and Stuart Odell set out to build an organization where classic-car owners could share what they love — the cars, the craft, and the joy of the open road — in a way that gives back. What started as conversations among enthusiasts became a California nonprofit with a threefold mission: preserve automotive heritage, teach the next generation, and spread joy to the people who need it most.
"We preserve automotive history and skills while enriching our community by connecting generations through the restoration, maintenance, and sharing of classic automobiles — bringing education, joy and smiles to those who need it most."
We are a volunteer-led organization, actively recruiting additional directors — including automotive experts, educators, and healthcare professionals — to grow our board.
Isaac Haugen
CEO & Co-Founder
Isaac Haugen was raised in a car shop during the late 1970s and '80s, developing a lifelong passion for classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles that remains as strong today as it was in his youth. Deeply rooted in the national car scene, he regularly connects with collectors and enthusiasts at local and national events, celebrating the history, artistry, craftsmanship, and community that define classic car culture.
With over two decades of experience across business development, auto and land auctions, construction, management, and agriculture, Isaac brings proven expertise in sales leadership, team management, customer service, and creative problem-solving. As a partner in his company, he leads the sales team and oversees online auctions, consistently delivering top results through efficiency and innovative solutions.
Through the Joyride Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Isaac channels his experience and passion into empowering young, underserved car enthusiasts. The Foundation provides hands-on training in classic car rebuilding, restoration techniques, and the preservation of automotive heritage — ensuring the next generation can carry forward this rich culture while building valuable skills, confidence, and community.
Family and health remain his top priorities, alongside a commitment to passing on the joy of the wrench, the road, and classic car enthusiasm to those who need it most.
Stuart Odell
CFO & Co-Founder
Stuart is a lifelong car guy who still spends his weekends under the hood, these days on his own Ferrari, which he attempts to maintain himself. He trained as a mechanical engineer and has always liked taking things apart and getting them to run again. Cars are where that has stayed with him the most.
He started Joyride because of the car community itself. In Northern California it brings together people of every generation, ethnicity, and background, though they don't always cross paths. Joyride helps them meet, through events, education, and time spent working on cars together. Longtime owners share what they own and what they know, and younger enthusiasts learn how to keep these machines running. The cars and the people behind them also bring some joy to others who need it.
That engineer's mindset has carried through his career. Stuart earned an MBA in finance and went on to work on Wall Street, spend many years at Intel, and consult to the institutional investment community. It is why he is set on building Joyride properly, with careful documentation, sound operations, and a commitment that every dollar donated becomes a dollar of benefit for the community. He also served for years on the board of Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, which taught him what it takes to run a nonprofit well and to earn the trust of the people who support it.
Jeff Haugen brings over two decades of expertise in technology, business operations, strategic project execution, and organizational leadership. Having co-founded and bootstrapped a Managed Service Provider (MSP), he spent years growing the business to support a diverse range of clients, from education to nonprofits. Jeff now applies that practical, ground-up experience to The Joyride Foundation, ensuring the organization has the operational infrastructure it needs to scale its initiatives successfully.
Drawing on this broad background, Jeff helps advance the Foundation's youth trades training goals. He understands the importance of creating accessible, hands-on learning pathways that empower the next generation.
With a deep appreciation for classic car culture and automotive preservation, Jeff is committed to Joyride's mission of keeping internal-combustion history alive. He is passionate about bridging the gap between underserved youth in need of practical trade skills and the senior enthusiasts who preserve the memories of classic car culture.
Based in Northern California, Jeff enjoys spending his free time swimming, playing bass guitar, and practicing yoga and meditation.
