The work of our Regional Network Program ended in 2020, and staff in the Pacific Northwest shifted their roles for 2021.
Our staff Becky Gilliam, formerly the regional policy manager focusing on the Salem-Keizer and Central Lane County areas, has transitioned to a new role as a Program Support Manager with the Safe Routes Partnership. She is currently developing a report on the current state of physical activity and Safe Routes to School, as we come up to one year of living with the pandemic. Becky has facilitated a series of listening sessions with Safe Routes to School practitioners from across the country and conducted interviews with national leaders to help inform the report, which will paint a picture of how Covid-19 has impacted physical activity and is expected to be released later this spring. Becky provides ongoing support to the Safe Routes Partnership's consulting work, providing campaign strategy and technical assistance to communities working on active transportation public policy. She also helps develop educational resources and advocacy materials for Safe Routes practitioners and advocates.
With generous support from Meyer Memorial Trust, our staff Kari Schlosshauer transitioned into a new role with the Safe Routes Partnership as a co-leader of the Getting There Together Coalition, a multicultural, multigenerational coalition that centers and uplifts the voices and needs of people most impacted by transportation inequities through education, advocacy, access, and leadership in the greater Portland region. Through this work, the Coalition is partnering with key organziations this year to:
- support and grow the coalition and its members
- conduct research and communicate findings
- engage with agencies on policy and funding
- support the community through events, webinars, and workshops
We are grateful to Meyer Memorial Trust for the opportunity to support this work in 2021 and to provide capacity funding to support organizations including Verde, Imagine Black, Coalition of Communities of Color, Unite Oregon, OPAL Environmental Justice, SunrisePDX, Neighbors for Clean Air, Community Cycling Center, and WashCo Rising to work more deeply on issues of transportation justice in our communities. For more information about the Coalition and our activities this year, check out the recently-updated website or sign up for the Coalition's monthly newsletter.
