2021 Washington Region Vision Zero Summit

Welcome: Kristin Frontiera, Acting Executive Director, WABA

Opening Remarks: Kimberly D. Russo, MBA, MS Chief Executive Officer – GW Hospital, Group Vice President – Washington, DC Region

Kimberly Russo, MS, is the Group Vice President of the Washington, DC Region and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the George Washington University Hospital.

Prior to becoming CEO in 2016, Russo served as Chief Operating Officer, as well as in numerous other management roles. Under her leadership, GW Hospital has significantly advanced its programs and services to elevate its lifesaving, critical care and expand access to care for the region. In addition, Russo has been pivotal in the development and management of the organization’s accountable care network – GW Health Network. 

With more than 20 years of clinical and operational healthcare experience, Russo has received numerous accolades for her impact on healthcare in the Washington, DC community. Most recently, in 2019, she was named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s Most Powerful Women. In addition, she was recognized as one of The Washington Business Journal’s 2016 “Playmakers,” a list of business leaders who made an impact on the DC area in 2016. Furthermore, in 2010, she was also an honoree of The Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” and “Up and Comer Under 40” honoree by Modern Healthcare and Becker’s Hospital Review.

Russo holds a number of positions in which she works to advance healthcare throughout the D.C. region, including:

• Voting Member, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformation 
• Past President of the Board of Directors, District of Columbia Hospital Association
• Current Chair of the Nominating Committee, District of Columbia Hospital Association
• Board Member, Healthcare Council National Capital Area
• Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, National Capital Area
• Member, Women’s Healthcare Executive Roundtable
• Board Member, AHA Regional Policy Board 3
• Board Member, The Economic Club of Washington
• Board Member, GW Ron and Joy Paul Kidney Center
• Board Member, GW Heart and Vascular Institute

She holds a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; a Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois; and a Bachelor of Science in Speech- Language Pathology and Audiology from Illinois State University.

Keynote Speaker: Dara Baldwin, MPA Director of National Policy, Center for Disability Rights, Inc. (CDR), Co-chair of the Transportation Equity Caucus

Born in Torrejon, Spain to parents involved in serving their country, the desire to serve has continued through her education and current career journey.  She started her first career while attending college and worked in Healthcare Administration in various operational and finance executive positions, for almost twenty years. In 2004 she changed her career to advocacy in the social justice/equity realm of work. Currently Ms. Baldwin is the Director of National Policy for the Center for Disability Rights, Inc. (CDR). The (CDR) is a not-for-profit, community-based advocacy and service organization for people with all types of disabilities. CDR uses a peer model where people with disabilities show other people with disabilities how to live independently and advocate for themselves. The Center for Disability Rights, Inc. is an unique fusion of advocacy and supportive services. She works within the Disability Justice movement and with an intentional strategy to end racism and systems of oppression.

In her position Ms. Baldwin is responsible for the legislative work, from research and writing comments, testimonies, letters and reports to assisting with advocacy outreach and working with Congressional staff, the Administration, coalition partners and others on multiple issue areas for improving the lives of persons with disabilities.  She has extensive knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), The Access Carrier Act of 1986, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other disability laws. She is an expert analyst of pertinent legislative proposals and enactments. She has a keen ability for networking and outreach to grassroots national and international advocates. She has organized and facilitated several national meetings with the White House, Congress and civil and human rights organizations covering issues of importance and providing recommendations for immediate actions.

She has led multiple national and international advocacy campaigns. She assisted with writing the disability provisions and was a leader in the advocacy campaign to get the Violence Against Women Act 2013 passed in February 2013. She is highly skilled in social media outreach and advocacy. Ms. Baldwin worked on 12 bills that passed in Congress and signed by President Barack Obama during his term in office, as well as budget bills. In the last Administration she worked on four bills and multiple budgeting bills that were signed by the President. She is the Campaign Manager for the passage of the Disability Integration Act and works on Housing, Transportation, Justice Reform, Violence and Abuse and other issue areas. She also works on fiscal year funding for Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD), Criminal Justice, Education and other appropriations and budgets.

Ms. Baldwin was a Senior Public Policy Analyst at National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and an ADA Compliance Specialist in the DC Government. She was a policy analyst at The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) where she engaged members to get involved in advocacy work to make a change. She was responsible for the diversity and cultural competency outreach as well as working on coalitions to assist with better legislative outcomes for the community.

Prior to this work Ms. Baldwin worked as a Child Advocate in NJ, Sr. Policy Analyst on multiple criminal justice issues such as the Second Chance Act and as an Advocacy Manager at TASH. She has written numerous articles, served on advisory committees, facilitated focus groups, presented at many programs, appeared on Local news as a disability expert and conducts technical assistance training in multiple areas.

She serves on the Board of Directors for the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the Board of SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, the Board of The Daniel Initiative SET – Supporting, Equipping and Training program, the Board of Curious Communications, Inc. – The Laura Flanders Show and served as a Trustee for the American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) Board of Insurance Trustee (BIT) for two terms. She is an Ambassador for Health Equity Fellow – Cohort III through PolicyLink.

Currently she serves as an expert advisor on several research projects or policy movements with organizations such as African American Policy Forum, Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, Project South, Winning on Equity Working Group at PolicyLink, Smart Growth America, Transit Center, Justice 4 Women Task Force, Interrupting Criminalization, Compact for Thriving Communities – CSH, the Progressive Caucus Action Fund Progressive Governance Project Worker Power Table, One-Fair Wage and Urban Institute. She is a mentor in Women Changing Transportation Mentor Program hosted by Transit Center, on the Steering Committee of the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) and Co-chair of the Transportation Equity Caucus housed at PolicyLink.

L. Dara Baldwin has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rutgers University, Newark, NJ and was a Pi Alpha Alpha honors Graduate with a Masters of Public Administration from Rutgers University the School of Public Affairs and Administration, Newark, NJ.  She received a 2009 and 2010 Presidential Citation Award for her work in the American Society for Public Administration. She serves as an Associate Member of the National Academy of Public Administration’s Standing Panel on Social Equity. She has been an Adjunct Professor at Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ.  Ms. Baldwin believes that it is her duty to move forward with her career goals and at the same time, create a pathway for others.

Follow on: Twitter @CDRNYS; FB @rochestercdr

Priya Sarathy Jones, National Policy Campaigns Director, Fines & Fees Justice Center

Priya Sarathy Jones is the National Policy and Campaigns Director at the Fines and Fees Justice Center. She is principally responsible for supporting and leading national coalitions for fines and fees reform and for providing assistance to institutions, organizations and individuals who seek FFJC’s expertise on fines and fees reform across the country.  She is currently building and participating in national coalitions to abolish debt-based driver’s license suspensions and to reform fines and fees in the juvenile justice system, while working directly with more than a dozen Cities and Counties to develop a wide range of fines and fees reforms.

Prior to joining FFJC, Sarathy Jones worked at the Department of Justice for nearly a decade, serving in a variety of policy positions. Her portfolio included public defense, with an emphasis on 6^th Amendment issues, as well as wrongful conviction, capital case litigation, and tribal law enforcement. In addition to her policy work at the Justice Department, Sarathy Jones served as Senior Counsel for the House Oversight Committee and worked on Congressional and Legislative Affairs.  She holds a J.D. and B.A. in Psychology and Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina, and is member of the North Carolina State Bar Association. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and two children.

Jay Beeber, Executive Director, Safer Streets L.A.

Jay Beeber is the Executive Director of Safer Streets L.A., a public policy and research organization dedicated to the adoption of scientifically sound and sensible transportation practices.   Jay has extensive experience working on traffic safety issues both at the state and local level and has served on numerous traffic and transportation working groups, including California’s Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force.  Jay is a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and has authored numerous research reports on transportation safety issues and equity. His current research involves the effect of heightened traffic enforcement on low income and minority communities.

Jay has been interviewed on numerous television and radio programs including Good Morning America, MSNBC, CNBC, Reason T.V., KNBC Channel 4 News Conference, NPR’s AirTalk with Larry Mantle as well as other national and local T.V. and radio shows. 

Moderator: Jeremiah Lowery, Advocacy Director, WABA

 Jeremiah is a Washington, D.C. area native and activist who has worked on issues ranging from workers’ rights to environmental justice to early childhood education. He is deeply passionate about grassroots organizing and believes that DC can have the most sustainable transportation system in the U.S. Jeremiah is also the Advocacy Director at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and currently lives in the Petworth community of Washington, DC.

Ellen Gottschling Senior Program Manager, Streets & Equity

Ellen manages Spin’s Streets and Equity Programs by working to make streets and micromobility more accessible to all. Prior to joining Spin, she worked in transportation planning, design, and advocacy at Sam Schwartz Consulting, Bike New York, and Street Plans Collaborative. Ellen has a Masters in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a BS in Environmental Management from Indiana University. 

Shannon Dulaney Head of Community Partnerships

Shannon leads the Community Partnerships team at Spin, working with local and national partners to deliver a safe, equitable, sustainable, accessible, and economically inclusive micromobility service. Prior to joining Spin, she worked as a lobbyist for Honda, advancing the company’s environmental and safety policy priorities at the federal level. Shannon has an MBA and Masters in Environmental Management from Yale and a BA in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego.

Debs Schrimmer Senior Manager, Future of Cities

Debs Schrimmer is a Senior Manager, Future of Cities at Lyft, where she oversees transportation policy development and research for the company’s micromobility division. Prior to Lyft, she worked as a digital policy strategist at Code for America and as a transportation planner at the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. Debs received her B.S. from the University of California, Davis in Community and Regional Development, is an honoree of the Women’s Transportation Seminar, and has served on the Board of the California Transportation Foundation.

Sarah Cormack-Patton Manager, Policy Research

Sarah Cormack-Patton leads the Policy Research team at Lyft, where she and her team use cutting-edge research methods to answer critical questions about shared mobility and Lyft’s business for policy makers and interest groups. Sarah earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2015, following which she held a Postdoctoral Scholar appointment at Stanford University. Prior to joining Lyft in 2019, Sarah was a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen, during which time she continued her doctoral and postdoctoral research on the political economy of immigration and citizenship policies. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Sarah spent her childhood outside of London, England, and her adolescence in the metro Atlanta area. Prior to her doctoral studies, she earned a Master of Science in International Affairs and a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs and Modern Languages (French) from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA.

Michael E. Doyle – Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS)

Mike is the Founding member of Alexandria Families For Safe Streets (AFSS), a 501.c3 not-for-profit that he, along with four other volunteers, started in August of 2017.  AFSS is a grassroots organization dedicated to building an awareness of, and support for, safe streets in Alexandria, where all people can walk, cycle, and drive safely.  In 2019 Mike helped to start an Arlington FSS chapter and in late 2020, start a Fairfax FSS chapter.  The three chapters are under an umbrella organization call Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS).  Today, the collective NoVA FSS chapters have a core membership of about 400 citizens and a mailing list of over 1,000 residents in the Northern Virginia area.   All three chapters seek to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and injuries on our streets and will be a voice for and tell the stories of those people whose lives have been harmed and impacted by a traffic crash.  With those stories and the data behind them, we will empower our leaders to invest in vulnerable road users’ safety on our roads. One project the NoVA FSS group is working on is collecting near miss crash data. Check out the near miss survey and new Esri map to add you near miss crash

Mike is an investment banker by trade.  He worked at JP Morgan; Charterhouse, Inc. and BHF Bank in Frankfurt Germany.  He started his own firm, Novahill Advisors, in 2002 and provides M&A advisory services to Health Care Technologies companies across the U.S.   In addition, he is a member of the Housing Affordability Advisory Committee in Alexandria, Virginia.  Mike graduated from Villanova University with a B.S. degree and received an MBA from New York University Stern Graduate School of Business.

Sonya Breehey, Northern Virginia Advocacy ManagerCoalition for Smarter Growth; Board Member, Fairfax Families for Safe Streets

Sonya Breehey is the Northern Virginia Advocacy Manager for the Coalition for Smarter Growth where she works promoting walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most equitable and sustainable way for our region to grow. Sonya volunteers on the Board to the Fairfax Families for Safe Streets and the Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling.  She received her Master’s in Public Policy at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs in Albany, NY.  She enjoys the outdoors and has long worked to promote active transportation, outdoor recreation, and environmental sustainability.

Brian Shankman, Board of Directors, Alexandria Families for Safe Streets

Brian Shankman lives in Old Town Alexandria, and is a board member of Alexandria Families for Safe Streets. Brian spent most of his career in travel-related industries, has walked in all 50 US states and in dozens of countries. Prior to moving to Alexandria, he resided both in pedestrian-friendly cities, such as London, as well as several car-friendly cities in Texas. 

Brian holds a masters degree in mathematics from the University of Texas and an MBA from the University of Dallas.  He is an avid walker, enjoys playing and teaching piano along with traveling the world.

Faith Hall, Co-Chair, DC Families for Safe Streets

Faith Hall has co-chaired the DC chapter of Families for Safe Streets since its early inception and formal establishment in 2019. She lives in Ward 7 with her family and is an active member of the Friends of Kingman Park civic association. You can reach her and the chapter at dcfamiliesforsafestreets@gmail.com 

or https://dcfamiliesforsafestreets.org/contact/.

Gillian Burgess, Arlington Families for Safe Streets

Gillian has been advocating for better transportation in Arlington since moving there in 2008.  She and her family – husband Grant and three, elementary school-aged kids – live in Cherrydale and get around mostly by bike, but also enjoy walking and Arlington’s great transit network.  In order to encourage more family biking, Gillian founded Kidical Mass Arlington, which organizes group rides for families with young kids, in 2013.  Traveling around with children has made children acutely aware of the dangers posed by our car-centric transportation system, and she hopes that her children can benefit from improved independence, confidence and health from traveling around on their own as we make our streets safer. Gillian is an Arlington for Families for Safe Streets Board Member.

Kristy Daphnis, Montgomery County Families for Safe Streets

Kristy Daphnis, Executive Steering Committee, Montgomery County Family for Safe Streets.   Kristy has been an active pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic safety advocate for nearly 10 years. She is particularly interested in advocating for safe and equitable transportation infrastructure and mobility options in economically disadvantaged communities, and for our most vulnerable road users.  In addition to her role with MoCo Families for Safe Streets, she is Chair of the Montgomery County Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, a Co-Founder of the Open Streets Montgomery Coalition, and a Member of the Montgomery County Council of PTA’s Safe Routes to School Committee.  Kristy lives in Wheaton, Maryland with her husband and their two school-aged children. 

Moderator: Peter Gray, Board Member, WABA Board of Directors and Co-Chair, Montgomery Families for Safe Streets

Peter Gray has been an advocate in the active transportation space for over 20 years, and has been a member of the WABA Board of Directors since 2012.  He is also a co-chair of the recently formed Montgomery County Families for Safe Streets and can be reached at peter@waba.org.

Jesse Cohn McGowan, AICP, Transportation Planner, Montgomery County Planning Department

Jesse Cohn McGowan is a transportation planner at the Montgomery County Planning Department, where she works on how the Planning Department integrates Vision Zero in master planning and development review processes. Jesse has eight years of transportation planning experience, and is passionate about making multi-modal transportation options accessible, affordable, and safe for all. Jesse has a Masters of City & Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University.

Dave Anspacher, Transportation Supervisor, Montgomery County Planning Department

David Anspacher is a Transportation Supervisor at the Montgomery County Planning Department and oversees the department’s Multimodal Transportation Planning team. He led the Transportation Working Group for Thrive Montgomery 2050, the update to Montgomery County’s General Plan, and was the Project Manager for the county’s Bicycle Master Plan. Mr. Anspacher has a BA in Economics from Wesleyan University and a Masters in City & Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Wade Holland, Vision Zero Coordinator, Montgomery County Office of the County Executive

Wade Holland is the Vision Zero Coordinator with the Montgomery County Office of the County Executive. Wade wrote the County’s Vision Zero Action Plan and works with over 22 internal and external partner organizations to implement the plan’s 41 action items. Prior to becoming the Vision Zero Coordinator, Wade spent 6 years as a Performance Management and Data Analyst in the County’s CountyStat Office helping departments use data to drive better outcomes.

Regan F. Patterson, Ph.D., Transportation Equity Research Fellow, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

Dr. Regan F. Patterson is the Transportation Equity Research Fellow for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF). Prior to joining the CBCF, Dr. Patterson was a postdoctoral research fellow at The University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, where she examined the linkages between racial residential segregation and air pollution. She earned her PhD in Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. While at UC Berkeley, she was a recipient of the US EPA STAR Fellowship, the Switzer Environmental Fellowship, and the UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Fellowship. Dr. Patterson’s dissertation research focused on the impact of diesel truck emission control regulations and freeway routing policies on air pollution and environmental equity. Parts of her dissertation are published in the peer-reviewed journals Atmospheric Environment and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Additionally, she has conducted air quality research in Kenya and China. Dr. Patterson has taught courses on the environment, environmental justice, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In the past, she interned with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in their Community Engagement Office. She also interned with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Dr. Patterson is passionate about volunteering with environmental justice organizations. She has volunteered with Communities for a Better Environment on their Just Transition climate justice initiative. She has also volunteered with Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, where she served as a member of the Bayview Hunters Point Environmental Justice Response Task Force. Dr. Patterson is also passionate about her engagement with underserved youth by critically engaging environmental issues and STEM topics. She was awarded the inaugural Kapor Center Impact Award for increasing access to STEM education. Dr. Patterson holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UCLA and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley.

Dara Baldwin, MPA Director of National Policy, Center for Disability Rights, Inc. (CDR), Co-chair of the Transportation Equity Caucus

Currently Ms. Baldwin is the Director of National Policy for the Center for Disability Rights, Inc. (CDR). The (CDR) is a not-for-profit, community-based advocacy and service organization for people with all types of disabilities. Please find Dara’s full bio above.

Joe Reinhard, Activist, Young People for Progress (YPP) in Montgomery County, Maryland

Joe is an activist with the youth organization Young People for Progress (YPP), a leading member of the Montgomery County Maryland Defund Police and Reinvest in Community Coalition. Joe has led the Coalition’s and YPP’s efforts to build police free traffic safety in Montgomery County. Their efforts focus on creating a system that reduces racial bias in traffic enforcement and creates sustainable, long-term traffic safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers. Joe is an Ohio transplant and currently lives in downtown Silver Spring.

Moderator: Jeremiah Lowery, Advocacy Director, WABA

 Jeremiah is a Washington, D.C. area native and activist who has worked on issues ranging from workers’ rights to environmental justice to early childhood education. He is deeply passionate about grassroots organizing and believes that DC can have the most sustainable transportation system in the U.S. Jeremiah is also the Advocacy Director at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and currently lives in the Petworth community of Washington, DC.

Daniel Mckenna-Foster, Housing Planner, City of Corvallis

Daniel began his planning career working in the federal planning division of the AECOM office in Arlington, Virginia, and then several years working as the long-range planner for the Kodiak Island Borough in Kodiak, Alaska. He is currently the housing planner for Corvallis, Oregon. 

Robert Hanifin, AICP, Project Development Lead Build America Bureau, U.S. Department of Transportation (OST)

Robert is the Project Development Lead for transit and transit-oriented development projects at the Build America Bureau. In this capacity he works to expand and diversify the Bureau’s portfolio through industry outreach, market research, intergovernmental coordination, and project development activities with prospective project applicants. As an urban planner with a passion for transportation and economic development, he strives to integrate multimodal infrastructure investment, economic policy, and land use planning decisions to advance long-term, equitable, and sustainable outcomes for communities.

Seema Thomas, Deputy Director for the Financial Management Division (FMD), US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Seema Thomas is the Deputy Director for the Financial Management Division (FMD). To date, she has been working on community development challenges for the past two decades. Her career has focused on developing and expanding innovative and inclusive initiatives to support communities from the neighborhood to the metropolitan scale, both domestically and internationally. Before joining FMD, she was an adjunct professor of urban sustainability at the University of the District of Columbia. In the past, she has consulted and worked for numerous organizations, such as the World Bank, DHS’s Science & Technology Directorate, Freddie Mac, the Urban Institute, and Oliver Wyman & Co.  She holds a BSE from the University of Pennsylvania, a MUP from Harvard University, and an MPA from Princeton University.

Martin D Dubroff, Community Planning and Development Specialist, Loan Management Team, Financial Management Division, US Department of HUD

Marty Dubroff is a Community Planning and Development Specialist working on the Loan Management Team for the Financial Management Division. He holds an undergraduate degree from Montgomery College in Construction Management and a graduate degree from the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.  Marty also holds a professional certificate from the University of California, Davis in Sustainability and the Built Environment.  Marty previously worked for the Redevelopment Authority of Prince George’s County, Maryland where he worked as part of a development team that assisted in the development of an Arts District in Hyattsville, Maryland, as well as a Senior Village in Palmer Park, Maryland.  Marty also worked for a developer in Baltimore City, and was involved in the development of HUD financed affordable housing projects.  Previously, Marty worked for several general contractors specializing in concrete restoration and commercial construction.  He is a veteran of the Naval Construction Force (Seabees).

Erik Pechuekonis, Community Planning and Development Specialist Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program, US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Erik Pechuekonis is a Community Planning and Development Specialist who works with HUD’s Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program. He has been with HUD for 5-years and most of that time has been spent working on the Section 108 program. Prior to joining HUD, Erik served in Albania as a Peace Corps Volunteer where he worked with local municipalities on urban planning related issues. Before the Peace Corps, he worked as an urban planner at a local government in South Carolina. He has a master’s in City and Regional Planning from Clemson University and a Bachelors in Geography from University of Colorado Denver.  

Moderator: Steph Piperno, Capital Trails Coalition Manager, WABA

Steph Piperno joined WABA’s team in April 2020 as the Trails Coalition Manager overseeing the Capital Trails Coalition. Prior to coming to WABA, she worked as a Market Coordinator for REI where she managed the Mid-Atlantic’s local philanthropy program as well as education programming in three Virginia stores. After graduating from Davidson College as an Environmental Studies major, Steph attended American University’s Kogod School of Business and received a Master of Science in Sustainability Management. Outside of work, you’ll likely find her on the soccer field, out camping, or trying to convince her friends to start composting. 

Nikita Luke, Senior Project Associate, Road Safety and HealthWRI Ross Center for Sustainable CitiesWorld Resources Institute

Nikita Luke is a Senior Project Associate for Health and Road Safety at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. Her work includes supporting global research and safe infrastructure projects, particularly in areas of sustainable transport, public health, traffic safety, cycling and walking, and application of the Safe System approach to road safety.

Nikita is an architect and urban planner with a specialization in sustainable urban environments. She is also a certified LEED Green Associate and TRUE Advisor specializing in zero-waste management. Prior to joining WRI, Nikita worked for Youth Build, Boston, as a Lead Designer. There, she led the team in developing a community vision for the redevelopment of dilapidated parks in the neighborhood of Roxbury. She has also mentored underserved youth in Boston on the skills needed to successfully enter the construction industry.Nikita believes that humanizing cities and their streets is the key to collective physical and emotional health and resilience of communities—now more than ever.

David Pérez-Barbosa, Mobility and Road Safety Advisor, World Resources Institute

David Pérez-Barbosa is a Civil Engineer from the National University of Colombia and has got master and doctor degrees in the field of Transportation Engineering, from Hiroshima University. He works currently as a Mobility and Road Safety Advisor for WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities based in Bogotá, offering technical support on data analysis on road safety and urban mobility projects, which include evaluations for a variety of transport infrastructure projects and interventions, with design recommendations for safe speeds. His research interests have been linked to the promotion of traffic safety, designs and plans for the implementation of traffic signs, infrastructure for non-motorized transport and its relation to health-related quality of life and transport-based social exclusion. As an amateur triathlete and urban cyclist, he believes that we need to try any possible approaches to adapt our urban spaces into safe and human-friendly built environments, where vulnerable road users can travel safely and feel attracted to the city by enjoying the use of its public spaces.

Bruno Braga Batista, Active Mobility Analyst, Brasil Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, World Resources Institute

Bruno Braga Batista is an Active Mobility Analyst at WRI Brasil Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. He has worked on projects related to Active Mobility, Road Safety, Tactical Urbanism, Complete Streets, Cycling Infrastructure, Acessibility and Urban Planning in 20+ cities.

He holds a Master’s degree in Transportation Engineering at UFRGS (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul) and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, focusing on transportation, at the same university, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Prior to joining WRI Brasil, he also studied Urban Planning at the University of Groningen, in The Netherlands.

At-Large Councilmember Hans Riemer, Montgomery County, Maryland

Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer, first elected in 2010, represents over one million residents as an At-Large Member. He chairs the Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee, and serves on the Transportation and Environment Committee.  In Montgomery County Hans has championed Vision Zero by successfully advancing numerous measures to promote safer walking and biking. He proposed the protected bike lane networks that are under construction in various parts of the County and proposed the “Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Area” capital funding project, which is presently retrofitting aging infrastructure in various parts of the County for safety with millions of dollars of investment. He also has championed changes to rules such as allowing the County to lower speed limits to 20 on neighborhood streets, which has successfully passed the State legislature. He co-authored legislation to create the County’s urban road code, which prioritizes safety. In the County’s new “Growth and Infrastructure Policy,” he championed new regulations that prioritize safety in master plans, development approvals, and other key County decisions.  Prior to joining the County Council, Hans served in positions including as Barack Obama’s National Youth Vote Director, political director for Rock the Vote, an AARP senior advisor, and as campaign director to save Social Security from privatization. Follow Hans by signing up for his email at www.councilmemberriemer.com or @hansriemer on social media.

Kori Johnson, Program Support Manger, Safe Routes Partnership

Kori Johnson serves a Program Support Manager. In this role, Kori provide technical assistance to communities across the country that are working to advance safe and equitable transportation options.

Kori’s personal and professional journey centers on building accessible, inclusive, community- driven spaces that elevate underrepresented voices. Previously, Kori worked in arts administration and community engagement in New York City, the Washington, D.C. Metro, and the Bay Area. Kori began her career as a middle school English teacher through Teach for America (NYC ’07) before transitioning into arts management. At DreamYard, a nationally recognized arts education non-profit, she managed multidisciplinary arts programs in Bronx public schools. She then went on to manage partnerships with D.C. public schools through Turning the Page, a family engagement nonprofit. Kori also spearheaded community outreach initiatives and communications at Center for Community Arts and Bedford Gallery, both programs of the City of Walnut Creek’s Arts + Rec Department.

Kori holds a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Haverford College and an M.S. in Elementary Education from Pace University. She currently lives in Washington, D.C. and belongs to a vibrant community art studio in Northern Virginia.

Christine Sherman Baker, AICP, Principal Planner/Vision Zero Program Coordinator, Arlington County

Christine Sherman Baker, AICP, is a Principal Planner/Vision Zero Program Coordinator at Arlington County. Christine led the development of Arlington County’s recently adopted five-year Vision Zero Action Plan and manages transportation analysis, safety, and design projects for the County. Christine has almost 15 years of experience in transportation planning having consulted for Gannett Fleming and then RSG prior to Arlington. Christine has a degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from UVA and a masters in Transportation Policy, Operations and Logistics from George Mason’s School of Public Policy.