Nedra Deadwyler guides equitable processes to bring community voices into defining and shaping places and the story of place. She is a social worker, cultural preservationist, and creative. She centers our humanity, lived experiences, community care, and our beautiful world. Through her organization, Civil Bikes, she leads tours, provides bike education, advocates for mobility justice, and runs youth bike camps. Save Your Spaces is a skill share that brings everyday people into preservation. She continues to write, think, and challenge the systems governing our quality of life and invites our collective transformation towards just interdependence.

Dr. Shelley Francis is a public health executive, tech entrepreneur, transportation disruptor, and former medical school professor. She is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of EVNoire, a consultancy advancing multimodal e-mobility (or electrification) solutions within electric, connected, shared, and autonomous vehicle technologies. She and fellow Co-founder, Terry Travis, lead a team of engineers, data scientists, urban planners, charging infrastructure specialists, policy experts, and multimodal electrification analysts. EVNoire uses their expertise, a human-centric approach, and data-driven frameworks to integrate and amplify electrification best practices for all communities in the transportation sector. The firm partners with utilities, automakers, the 25 largest cities, along with rural communities, transit agencies, governments, charging infrastructure companies, rideshare and delivery network companies, autonomous vehicle companies, aviation partners, nonprofits, and more to accelerate electrification and decarbonization strategies. Dr. Francis also co-founded EVHybridNoire (EVHN), an international 501 (c) (3) membership-based organization. EVHN has members across the United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia who engage with communities and key stakeholders to advance clean transportation. A recognized national voice, Dr. Francis has advised the White House, U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and spoken at forums such as VERGE, ACT Expo, ETS, the National E-Mobility Conference, Roadmap, and the Essence Festival. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Energy News, the Columbus Times Dispatch, and The Baltimore Sun. She has been named one of the Top Global Women in EVs and serves on several industry boards, including the Transportation Electrification Partners and GreenBiz’s Transport Advisory Board.

Katrina Julien serves as Senior Program Officer, focused on the Foundation’s place-based portfolio. Katrina’s commitment to the Atlanta region aims to uplift and amplify resident voice in decision-making to advance social and economic mobility in their communities. Katrina provides vision and leadership that support the preservation and development of affordable housing, advance community-centered economic development, and promote safe, inclusive neighborhoods as a right for all metro Atlanta communities. Her role in the community supports the Foundation’s mission to increase equity and shared prosperity throughout the region. Before joining the Foundation, Katrina worked as Principal Program Specialist in the Community Partnerships Division at the Atlanta Regional Commission. There, she planned and implemented the Community Partnerships division’s leadership development programs and coordinated the agency’s Poverty, Equity Opportunity (PEO) Committee, where the ARC facilitated conversations about poverty and economic inclusion for all residents in the Atlanta region. Katrina earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia State University and her Master’s in Public Administration from Walden University.

Jason Lathbury acts as the Transportation Committee Chair for the Georgia Sierra Club. In that role, he advocates for minimizing pollution from transportation and the built environment in ways that address historic injustices and improve mobility for all. He is an Aerospace Engineer by education and trade, but has been a clean transportation advocate for ten years, gaining knowledge and experience in clean, efficient, and just mobility.

Odetta MacLeish-White is a twenty-three-year career professional in affordable housing, community development, and systemic change. She has worked on systemic vacancy as Director of Engagement for the Center for Community Progress; led the TransFormation Alliance, a partnership of nonprofits, government agencies, and businesses working with residents to improve housing, transit, and jobs access; supported comprehensive community stabilization efforts and nonprofit capacity around the country as a Senior Program Director with Enterprise Community Partners; and created affordable housing recommendations as staff director for Florida’s Affordable Housing Study Commission. She started her career as a developer building tax credit units and managing small commercial properties. Odetta earned her Juris Doctorate and LLM in International Law from Duke University School of Law, and her bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard-Radcliffe University. She lives in Marietta, GA, with Todd, her husband of 27 years, and their two children, Isaiah and Adria.

Marquese Averett

Jordan Hall

Kyle Kessler

Kate Dineen is the President & CEO of A Better City. Kate previously worked for the New York State Governor’s Office, serving as the Chief of Staff for State Operations, Assistant Secretary for the Environment, and Deputy Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery after Superstorm Sandy. She served as U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Policy Director and has worked in the nonprofit and media sectors. Kate holds a BA in English from Williams College and a Master’s in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was a Non-Resident Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. She lives in Boston with her family.

Sandy Johnston is the Deputy Director of Regional Transit Planning at the MBTA, where he leads regional coordination and long-range planning to help the T meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities. Before the T, Sandy worked for 6 years at the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in various roles. Sandy lives in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood with his partner, Gabriella, and two huge cats. He’s a regular Orange Line rider and just bought an e-trike. He has lived in numerous places around the country, including Chicago.

Brendan Kearney has led WalkMassachusetts since 2023 and has been part of the organization since 2013 – first in development/communications, then as deputy director and co-executive director. In these roles, he coordinated the organization’s public engagement efforts on safer streets for people walking, shared briefings with elected officials and reporters, and represented WalkMassachusetts on state and municipal working groups. A founding member of Boston’s Vision Zero Task Force, he has also served on MassDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (MABPAB). Brendan is the lead author of our annual crash report, which documents pedestrian fatalities across Massachusetts and highlights patterns to inform advocacy.

Robert King is the Deputy Commissioner for Operations at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), overseeing more than 450,000 acres of state parks and public lands. With over two decades of experience in engineering/transportation, capital project delivery, and infrastructure management, he has led major initiatives in Brookline, Somerville, Framingham, and at the Massachusetts Port Authority, including Logan International Airport. His career has focused on advancing safety, accessibility, sustainability, and resiliency through data-driven decision-making and collaborative leadership, strengthening public infrastructure to better serve Massachusetts communities.

Benjamin Muller serves as Program Manager for Regional Priority Projects for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)’s Highway Division. Through this role, he supports MPOs and municipalities across the Commonwealth in initiating, programming, and designing federal aid transportation projects. Previously, he has worked with various local and regional agencies across Greater Boston, Connecticut’s Naugatuck Valley, and New Orleans. He makes his home between the airport, the ferry terminal, and the subway in East Boston: a transportation nerd’s dream.

Tegin Teich is the Executive Director of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) in Boston, MA. CTPS is a 58-person organization that supports the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and provides transportation planning expertise to regional stakeholders. The MPO develops a transportation vision for the 97 cities and towns in the Boston region and allocates federal dollars to transportation projects, while advancing strategies to increase transparency and equity in transportation planning processes. Before taking on this role, Tegin worked for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, managing the city’s public transit program, serving as the city’s liaison for regional initiatives, and leading the conceptual design and public processes for major infrastructure projects. Before Cambridge, she was a consultant at IBI Group’s Boston office, where she worked on and managed transit, Complete Streets, and technology projects. Tegin received dual Master’s Degrees in Urban Planning and Transportation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Karen Winger, AICP, PMP, TDM-CP, CCTM, brings 25 years of public transportation experience. Starting as a student bus operator at UMass while earning her BA in Communication and MBA, she worked as a Transportation Planner for Old Colony MPO, contributing to the South Coast Rail Corridor Plan and creating an award-winning Human Services Coordination Plan. After three years with a private transit operator, she served as Transit Director in Gwinnett County, GA, improving on-time performance and ridership while pioneering Georgia’s first app-based MicroTransit pilot. Currently Director of Transportation Planning for the Longwood Collective, she leads transportation projects and oversees Transportation planning and one of the nation’s oldest Transportation Management Associations.

Reggie Ramos

Brad Rawson

Jen Rowe

Jack Cruikshank is the Electric Vehicle Policy Advisor at the Illinois EPA. He supports transportation electrification across Illinois, from public EV charger buildout to freight/fleet electrification. He advises on electric vehicle policy in coordination with other state agencies as part of a whole-of-government approach to meet the State’s goal of deploying one million EVs on Illinois roads by 2030.

Michael Lynch currently serves as Climate Policy Advisor in the Office of the Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, where he works on legislation and policy implementation relating to energy, water, and public transportation. In addition to other roles in the Office of the Governor and Department of Natural Resources, he previously worked as a Research Manager at the University of Chicago Energy & Environment Lab, collaborating with municipal governments across the country to study transportation and utility issues. Michael lives in Chicago and gets around primarily by bike, bus, and train.

Ian Savage has been a member of the faculty of both the Department of Economics and the Transportation Center at Northwestern University since 1986. His research has focused on two areas: urban public transportation and transportation safety. He has published widely on the economics of transit finances and operations. He has researched safety performance and the effectiveness of safety regulations across most modes of transportation.

Elizabeth Scott is a Principal Policy Analyst at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), where she works on regional planning and policy in northeastern Illinois. Recently, her work has focused on bringing the region together on shared challenges, such as ensuring the solvency of the Chicago region’s transit system. She holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from St. John’s College and a Master of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a former president of Chicago Women in Planning and Development.

Dave Simmons made the leap to the nonprofit world in 2019 after 25 years working in educational publishing to become Executive Director of Ride Illinois – the state’s nonprofit bicycle advocacy organization. Dave strongly believes in the many benefits of the humble bicycle and enjoys encouraging others to rely on non-motorized transportation for everyday trips. In his current role, Dave oversees the daily tasks of a nonprofit organization, including staff and board management, advocacy, finances, marketing and communications, and collaboration with partners at the local, state, and national level.

Remel Terry is a distinguished community leader and advocate based in Chicago’s West Side, with an impressive professional background spanning over 15 years in technical leadership, case management, advocacy, people leadership, program development, and community organizing. Her unwavering commitment to advancing the Black community and empowering its youth reflects the dedication and values instilled during her upbringing in a tightly knit community. She is renowned as a voice for the voiceless and a collaborative force within the community, working closely with residents, nonprofit organizations, and elected officials. She currently serves as the 1st Vice President and Political Action Committee Chair for the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP, reflecting her enduring dedication to civil rights and community development. Remel earned her Bachelor of Science in Aviation Administration with a Minor in Business from Lewis University. With over a decade of membership in the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP, she remains deeply involved in her community.

Maggie Czerwinski

John Donovan

Mary Nicol

Robert Schultz III

Audrey Wennink

Victoria Barrett is the Program Lead for Safe Systems at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. She has worked in multimodal transportation design and planning for more than two decades. Her current work focuses on improving travel safety while expanding mobility for vulnerable road users and historically excluded populations in the Chicago region. Her work centers on using a comprehensive, equitable, safe system approach that includes design, policy, education, and collaboration. Before joining CMAP, she was a planning consultant with Charlier Associates in Boulder, Colorado, serving clients nationwide to develop multimodal transportation plans and policy platforms that improve mobility and livability.

Hugo Coronado is a transportation and urban planning expert from Colombia. With a background in public policy and GIS, his work spans transit advocacy and equity-focused infrastructure planning. He has led Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) engagement with community-based organizations in Chicago and developed project prioritization methodologies for MPC’s Reconnecting Communities Report.

Sarah D. FioRito is an Evanston- and Skokie-raised transportation planner, community organizer, and artist with a deep love for the Chicago area, cities, flowers, design, and imagining, and working for a better world. Over more than a decade of work on transportation equity, Sarah has led bicycle mechanics-based youth and workforce development programs, coordinated a province-wide (state-level) campaign for universal childhood cycling education, initiated new intergovernmental collaborations, and brought diverse groups together for better transit and street designs. Sarah coordinates transportation policy, programs, and partnerships for the City of Evanston.

Francisco (Paco) Rubio started his journey at Big Marsh Bike Park, which led him to the WorkingBikes’ Community Mechanic program. After working at both of these nonprofits and recognizing the benefits of cycling and how the bicycle can be used as a tool for people to empower themselves, Francisco made the shift to help with supporting and educate communities through an introduction to bike maintenance and safe commuting. He is an instructor at WorkingBikes’ Bike POC & Queer Night on Thursday evenings. Francisco also mentors youth in local communities through track racing and cycle cross racing (TrackCatsChi).

Lindsay Bayley

Jeremy Cuebas

Kate Lowe

Molly Poppe

David Powe

Joe Schwieterman

Ian Harwick is a Colorado resident with over twenty years of experience in business, community development, and municipal government. He holds a degree in Business Management from Johnson & Wales University and has dedicated his career to public service. Ian works for the City of Denver in the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency on mobility policy. He also has private-sector experience and has been actively involved in organizations such as the New Leaders Council, Transit Alliance, and YIMBY Denver. Ian has been a vocal advocate for transit, cycling, and pedestrian infrastructure for the last 15 years. He currently serves as a Director on the Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board of Directors, a position he secured through a successful write-in campaign in 2022. He resides in a suburb of Denver with his wife and their daughter. In his free time, he enjoys home improvement projects, playing volleyball, and reading science fiction.

Erin Maruzzella is a large systems architect and age-equity advocate. Founder of Healthspan Business Partners, she collaborates with government policymakers, academic researchers, nonprofit organizations, and industry leaders for better design of longevity products, systems, and spaces. As incoming Director of Business Development at NOCTI Business Solutions, Erin will bring her cross-sector design expertise to advance workforce solutions through innovative industry-aligned credentialing. Erin serves on the Colorado Commission on Aging, co-chairs the Innovation and Social Impact Advisory Council for the American Society on Aging, and advises the Institute for the Built Environment, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the International Hospital Federation.

Aylene McCallum is the Director of Partnerships & Development at the Open Mobility Foundation. She has over 20 years of cross-sector leadership experience in mobility, urban planning, and economic development. She is passionate about stakeholder engagement in cities, mobility, and economic opportunity, as well as building great organizations, strategic planning, and co-creation. Her professional background centers on solving complex civic challenges by aligning diverse stakeholders, designing strategic solutions, and building the organizational infrastructure to deliver results. Whether improving equity outcomes, building sustainable funding models, or guiding organizations through change, she leads with clarity, curiosity, and follow-through.

Dani McLean serves as Transit Equity Specialist at the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, where she supports implementation of the agency’s Title VI Program and advances equitable service delivery and civil rights compliance. She contributes to data-driven equity analyses and community engagement, leads RTD’s Language Access Program, and serves on the project team for RTD’s Bus Stop Infrastructure Accessibility Assessment. Dani previously worked at the Colorado Department of Transportation researching gender and transit. She holds a Master of the Environment from the University of Colorado at Boulder (Urban Resilience and Sustainability) and a double B.A. in Socio-Legal Studies and French from the University of Denver.

Ken Schroeppel is the Master of Urban Design Program Director and faculty member in the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado Denver. Prior to teaching, Ken worked for many years as a planning consultant in land use and transportation, urban design, and urban development. He is well known as the founder of DenverInfill and DenverUrbanism, popular websites that offer news and commentary on urbanism in the Mile High City. Ken frequently gives presentations and walking tours on Denver’s urban design, and is a relentless advocate for prioritizing people over cars on Denver’s streets.

Andrew Iltis

Nathan Pope

Natalie Bondis is a Land Development Project Manager at Bedrock, where she manages district-scale infrastructure and design initiatives, master planning efforts, and strategic partnerships focused on mobility and innovation. Prior to joining Bedrock, Natalie was a planning consultant with McKenna, an urban planning firm, where she supported communities across Michigan with master plans, mapping, and design services. She also served as a Land Acquisition Manager for M/I Homes, a residential builder and developer, where she advanced site selection and entitlement strategies for new communities. Natalie studied for her MS in Community and Regional Planning and Geography at Western Michigan University.

Drew Coleman is the senior director of MichAuto at the Detroit Regional Chamber, overseeing the implementation of MichAuto’s key pillars of talent, advocacy, and next-gen mobility, as well as the program’s research, convening, events, and marketing efforts. Coleman joined the Chamber team in July 2022. Coleman spent 10 years with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation leading the State of Michigan’s foreign direct investment program and business attraction strategy. Coleman earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alma College and an MBA from Davenport University. Additionally, Coleman is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional through the National Development Council and, in 2024, participated in the Young American Leaders Program at Harvard Business School. Coleman currently serves on the board of the Michigan Workforce Training and Education Collaborative and is a Senior Advisor to the Council on Future Mobility and Electrification.

Justine Johnson is the Chief Mobility Officer for the state of Michigan. She leads the state’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, working across state government, academia, and private industry to strengthen Michigan’s mobility ecosystem, including developing dynamic mobility and electrification policies and supporting the startup and scale-up of emerging mobility technologies and businesses. Justine plays a critical role in driving a first-of-its-kind partnership among the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Labor and Opportunity, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, and the Governor’s Office. Justine Johnson is an accomplished economic development and mobility executive with more than 10 years of experience in external affairs, strategy, and government and community relations. Justine holds two Master of Arts degrees from the University of Southern California in Urban Planning and Public Administration. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government from Hampton University.

Lauren Mattar is the Director of Mobility Initiatives at NextEnergy, where she leads programs that support the testing and deployment of emerging mobility technologies across Michigan and beyond. Her work includes managing multimillion-dollar grant initiatives, operating the Detroit Smart Parking Lab, and supporting projects focused on electric, hydrogen, and shared mobility solutions. Focused on real-world implementation and cross-sector collaboration, Mattar works closely with startups, municipalities, and industry partners to advance practical transportation innovations that meet community needs.

Kaylee Page joined Seamless Ventures in 2016, an innovation program for enterprises, where she led a 2 year autonomous vehicle deployment project downtown Grand Rapids, MI, pulling together both the private and public sectors, managed an air quality initiative for the city, and oversees the program management of FLITE at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, one of the first airport-based initiatives in the nation to provide grants and live environment testing to companies focused on bringing emerging air travel technology solutions to market. She has 15 years of experience supporting and managing the creation of new world systems, experiences, and businesses.

Konner Petz is a Senior Innovation Strategist with the Mayor’s Office of Mobility Innovation at the City of Detroit. He has extensive experience working with and leading innovative projects, from automated vehicles and robotics to policy development. Konner has a formal education with a Master’s in Urban Planning from Wayne State University, a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science from Oakland University, and over 6 years of experience working in the public sector for organizations such as the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART Bus), and the City of Detroit.

Jean Ruestman is the Administrator of the Office of Passenger Transportation (OPT) for the Michigan Department of Transportation, where she has worked for 34+ years. OPT oversees the state’s public transportation programs, including distributing state and federal public transit funds. She is vice chair of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO’s) Council on Public Transportation, serves on the policy committee for the Automated Bus Consortium, is the former co-chair of the Transportation Research Board’s Standing Committee on Innovative Public Transportation Services and Technologies, and serves on several transit technology working groups aimed at advancing the state of the industry.

Jacob Smith

Brittany Carpenter

Rey Leon

Eric Spikes

Keshia Thomas

Courtney Aguirre is the Mobility Planning and Goods Movement Manager for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). In this role, she oversees teams building a more robust, integrated mobility ecosystem and advancing key initiatives such as the regionwide mobility hubs network, studies to increase transit and rail ridership, and planning efforts to support efficient, resilient goods movement across the six-county region. In preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, she leads the Games Mobility Executives Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Subcommittee, supporting more coordinated strategies across agencies. Courtney’s collaborative approach extends to statewide and national efforts, including her contributions to CalSTA’s Transit Transformation Task Force Technical Working Group and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations’ Safety Leadership Team.

James Giblin is a public sector professional with experience in Los Angeles area mobility planning. His work has focused on advancing shared mobility and active transportation initiatives. He attended the Summit in a personal capacity while on leave, and his views are his own and do not represent Los Angeles Metro.

Salvador Gutierrez is a Supervising Transportation Planner I with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s (LADOT) Office of Planning and Innovation, Commercial and Rideshare Mobility Division. As the lead for LADOT’s Mobility Hubs work program, he focuses on enhancing transportation infrastructure and mobility solutions for Angelenos. With extensive experience in implementing transportation technology projects, transit planning, and fostering cross-sector partnerships, Salvador is dedicated to advancing safe, sustainable, and efficient mobility solutions. His work emphasizes the intersection of multi-modal transportation and equity, ensuring inclusive and accessible mobility for all communities. Salvador holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Carlos Hernandez is a Senior Transportation Planner with the City of Santa Monica, managing projects that improve conditions for people walking, bicycling, and taking transit. His career spans more than 10 years, and he has worked in the non-profit sector, in consulting, and with four cities throughout Southern California, focusing on delivering active transportation projects. He has volunteered as a board member for Cycles of Change in Oakland, L.A. Walks in Los Angeles, and the Vision Zero Network.

Eli Akira Kaufman is a lifelong bike commuter dedicated to making Los Angeles more livable through sustainable transportation. He brings over a decade of leadership experience from roles at Film Independent, GOOD, River LA, and Swell Creative Group, where he helped pass LA County’s Measure W. Eli holds an MFA in Directing from UCLA and a BA from Oberlin College, where he played Varsity Lacrosse. A founding parent of the IKAR ECC Garden and youth soccer coach, Eli enjoys weekends outdoors—gardening, kayaking, and biking with loved ones. He proudly advances biking as joyful, equitable, and climate-friendly mobility.

Wesley Reutimann has almost two decades of experience in diverse nonprofit settings, including community-based organizations, government, and educational institutions. His public service has focused on realizing healthier, more sustainable communities via evidence-based public policy, infrastructure, and community programs. As Deputy Director for Active San Gabriel Valley, Wesley has managed multi-jurisdictional projects that touch the lives of over 2 million Californians in east Los Angeles County. Examples include the region’s ambitious greenway development campaign (2014), the SGV’s first e-bike incentive program (2016), long-term cargo/family e-bike share (2021), and some of the nation’s largest open streets events (2017).

Lena Williams, Program Director at People for Mobility Justice and General Manager at Ride On! Bike Coop, is a bike and community organizer and pet care expert. She develops classes and cycling education programs, and curates bike rides and tours centered on communities of color. Having cycled over 1,000 miles across the South and now throughout California, Lena continues to champion mobility and joy. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and making lasting memories with her family and partner.

Vladimir Gallegos
Belem Lamas
Marcel Porras
Jacob Wessel

Tom Hewitt joined the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) in 2021, where he leads all aspects of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance as the ADA Coordinator and Program Manager. With nearly 20 years of professional experience, Tom has grounded his work in accessible transportation projects that connect people of all ages and abilities to the places they want to go, whether by transit, bike, and/or walking and rolling. Tom promotes network connectivity, community input, and interagency coordination to deliver safe, accessible capital improvements and transportation operations. Tom previously served as Director of Service Development for the Maryland Transit Administration, where he oversaw service planning, scheduling, and bus stop capital improvements. He holds a Master of City and Regional Planning, as well as a double major in Criminology and Sociology, with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), from the Ohio State University, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Kirk Hovenkotter leads the Transportation Choices Coalition, Washington State’s non-profit advocate for fast, frequent, and reliable transit. Prior to Transportation Choices Coalition, Kirk served as Executive Director of Commute Seattle, the non-profit that makes walking, biking, and transit the first choice for everyone in the Emerald City. Kirk previously served as the Executive Director of Move Redmond. During his six years at TransitCenter, he developed the organization into a nationally recognized leader in transit policy. He has spoken about ridership trends and what makes transit useful in national outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Governing.

Phirun Lach is the Director of Transportation at Sound Generations, where he leads accessible mobility programs serving older adults and people with disabilities across King County, WA. With over a decade of experience in transportation operations and community-based service, Phirun brings a collaborative and equity-driven approach to mobility planning and service delivery. He has a strong background in coalition building, cross-sector partnerships, and managing complex grant-funded programs. A U.S. Army veteran with experience in human resources and leadership, Phirun grounds his work in discipline, service, and a deep commitment to building inclusive, people-centered transportation systems.

Staci Sahoo is the Director of Mobility Management at Hopelink, a community action agency based in the Greater Seattle area. Staci oversees collaborative initiatives and projects to improve transportation opportunities for historically underserved communities. Before joining Hopelink in 2016, Staci earned her Master of Urban Planning from New York University and coordinated mobility management programs worldwide, including in New York City and India.

Matthew Weidner leads strategic planning and systems analysis for King County Metro’s demand-responsive transportation (DRT) practice. Matthew leads the agency’s DRT research and spearheads translational technology initiatives to turn theoretical research into operational reality for DRT. He also advises the agency’s DRT strategic technology direction and guides its investment in innovative and emerging mobility programs. With nearly 20 years in the industry, Matthew has been honored to speak at numerous conferences both nationally and internationally, and serves on numerous transportation technology committees across the United States.

Cecelia Black
Anat Caspi
Darryl Sierra

Kaela Bloemendaal has been with HOURCAR’s Community Engagement team since 2022, when they joined as an MN GreenCorps Member. In collaboration with other wonderful HOURCAR staff and outside partners, they have built the Community Engagement team into a competent and versatile team that talks to thousands of people in the Twin Cities about carshare and multi-modal transportation every year. Kaela has also worked on HOURCAR’s Fleet team and brings that experience of daily carshare operations to their work expanding HOURCAR’s service area and member base. A lifelong Twin Cities resident, Kaela holds BAs in English and Environmental Studies from Macalester College, where they applied an interdisciplinary lens to behavior and systems change for climate adaptation.

MJ Carpio is the Executive Director at Move Minnesota and Move Minnesota Action. In her previous role as Campaign Manager, MJ focused on successfully securing dedicated funding for public transit and championing our nation-leading climate law. Her work today draws on a breadth of past experiences—serving as a policy aide at the Minneapolis City Council, organizing candidate and issue campaigns, conducting research at a neuroscience lab, and working in customer service. MJ is a lifelong public transit rider and sees the expansion of multimodal public transit systems as integral to improving everyday lives, connecting communities, and adapting to climate change.

Tammi Hagen is a lifelong resident of Bemidji, Minnesota, where she and her husband have raised two children and enjoy 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. With a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology, Tammi combines academic knowledge with a vibrant personality that naturally draws people in. Helping others comes naturally to her. Over the years, Tammi has had the privilege of working with people of all ages across various professions, leading to a broad and compassionate perspective on the world. In a close-knit community like Bemidji, she recognizes the power of meaningful connections in building a brighter future.

Michelle Kiley is a Shared Mobility Planner at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). In addition to her work with regional transit and transportation organizations, she also supported community and economic development programs across Greater Minnesota. Michelle has extensive experience in grantmaking, project management, and creative placemaking. She recently completed a public art project in partnership with the City of St. Cloud and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The project aimed to gather neighborhood input on the land surrounding City Hall. This work culminated in a temporary, three-dimensional art installation placed at the building entrance that represented the role of cities in engaging residents in the planning process. As an MnDOT employee, Michelle continues to illustrate the power of government partnerships in shaping thriving communities.

Meredith Klekotka works at Metro Transit as Shared Mobility Program Manager. Meredith provides strategy and leadership to integrate innovative transportation options and collaborate with new services such as bike share, car share, and ride sourcing services. She works closely with staff across Metro Transit and the Metropolitan Council as well as with external partners at the local and national levels. In this position, she launched the agency’s first microtransit pilot, Metro Transit micro, oversees secure bike parking facilities and investments, and designs and constructs mobility hubs. Meredith joins Metro Transit from the City of Indianapolis, where she served as the Principal Planner for Transportation Integration. She wrote the city’s USDOT Smart Cities Challenge application, crafted the city’s shared mobility policy, and led development of the Indy Moves transportation integration plan. Prior to her role in Indianapolis, Meredith worked in transportation and advocacy in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Chicago; and St. Louis. Meredith brings a wealth of knowledge regarding integrating multiple modes of transportation into existing infrastructure, plans, policies, and developments. She has an undergraduate degree from Carleton College and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Kyle Shelton is the director of the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies. In this role, he oversees all Center operations, research, education, and partnerships. Shelton has led research and policy work in transportation, urban development, and housing. Shelton has a PhD in American urban history from the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of Power Moves: Transportation, Politics, and Development in Houston (2017). His own research interests orbit around the intersections of the human, built, and natural environments.

Aaron Westling joined the Great Plains Institute in 2024 as Shared Mobility Program Manager, where he is developing a VMT reduction initiative focused on shared and active mobility. He began his work in the shared mobility space at Bublr Bikes in Milwaukee and, most recently, worked at the High Road Strategy Center, where he developed the Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety, a program to help mayors create safer streets for everyone. He holds a master’s in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and BAs in economics and political science from the University of Wisconsin.

Max Gonzalez
Erin Kayser