Members, Elect the Next SF Bicycle Coalition Board

UPDATE: We’ve extended our voting period one week, so you have even more time to cast your vote and elect the next Board of Directors. 

  • Voting is open online beginning on Monday, November 10, 2014 at midnight and ending after Friday, November 28, 2014 at midnight.
  • Voting is also available during office hours at the SF Bicycle Coalition office.
  • Voting is available at the Winterfest Member Party on Sunday, November 16.
  • Only current SF Bicycle Coalition members as of November 10, 2014 may vote.
  • Results will be announced in an upcoming Biker Bulletin and Tube Times.
  • If you have any questions, please contact Frank.

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About SF Bicycle Coalition Board Elections

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is governed by a volunteer board of directors. Any San Francisco Bicycle Coalition member can run for the board. The board is responsible for ensuring the organization’s financial health and achievement of its mission. The 15-member board is elected by the membership. There is a board election each year and terms are two years. Eight seats on the board of directors will be elected by the membership this year for the term from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016.

This year, openings for the board were announced in the Summer edition of the Tube Times newsletter and in several Biker Bulletin emails. The deadline to apply was in August. In each election, the half of the board of directors whose seats are not up for consideration may select and endorse a slate of candidates. This Board Slate meets the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s goals for board leadership with respect to commitment to the mission, specific skills (e.g., organizational development, finance, fundraising), representation of bicycle and allied organizations, and diversity.

Even the most impressive candidate may not have the specific characteristics the board seeks in a given year to ensure that San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is governed by the most committed, skilled, representative, and diverse board. This year, a Board Slate was endorsed including eight individuals for the eight open slots on the board. Several other qualified individuals were not selected for the slate. (All but one of them chose not to run at this time.) If you are a member who is interested in learning more about board service in future years, please contact Leah Shahum, Executive Director.

Candidates marked with an asterisk (*) are endorsed by the current Board of Directors.


Candidate Statements

 

Beach_746x488Rocky Beach (*)

Rocky has been on the Board of Directors for two years and is a long-standing SFBC member dedicated to making San Francisco a better city for bicycling! As both an urban and recreational cyclist, he uses our bicycle lanes on a daily basis and is passionate about SFBC’s work to combine advocacy, planning, and education to promote bicycling for everyday transportation. Rocky specializes in outreach, fundraising, marketing, volunteer management, membership and relationship building. As a board member, Rocky has secured gifts and memberships from new businesses and has helped guide fundraising strategy.  You will find Rocky biking to work every day rain or shine and advocating for others to do the same.

 

Jean Fraser (*)Jean Fraser

I am a daily bike commuter through the City and onto Caltrain to San Mateo.  I have been on the SFBC board for many years, contributing my legal training, my experience running organizations, and my deep passion for biking for every day transportation.  I founded the Freedom from Training Wheels program and love seeing so many families and kids using bikes to get around.  I am proud of all that the SFBC has accomplished, but there is so much more to do.  I will do be my best to help us reach our goal of everyone feeling comfortable biking in SF.

 

Edward HasbrouckEdward Hasbrouck

Bicycling is central to my life and identity. I’m a former professional bicyclist (as a messenger, not a racer), I’ve never owned a motor vehicle, and the ability to rely on bicycles and mass transit for year-round transportation is one of the reasons I’ve lived in San Francisco since 1985.  I write about travel, including bicycle travel, and work for a travel-related human rights organization. I’ve ridden and observed bicycling in cities around the world, and I think bicycling has a key role in any sustainable human future.

I would bring to the SFBC Board of Directors a focus on policy advocacy, on bicyclists’ rights, and on participatory decision-making and internal transparency and democracy within the SFBC.

Events over the past year, from vehicular killings of bicyclists to the backlash by some motorists against bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users expressed by Proposition L, make clear the need for us to renew our commitment as a civil rights organization to defend bicyclists against discrimination and to realize the full potential of the “transit-first” clause of the city charter. Bicycle-friendliness requires more than just bicycle-specific infrastructure. Too many bicyclists in San Francisco are still subjected to bias and harassment by motorists and police.

I’ve posted more information about my candidacy, including my complete answers to the candidate questionnaire, at:

http://www.hasbrouck.org/sfbike

I would welcome a chance to talk with SFBC members about my candidacy and about what you want the SFBC to be doing.  Feel free to contact me at 415-824-0214 or sfbike@hasbrouck.org.

 

Amandeep Jawa (*)Jawa_746x488

Amandeep Jawa is a software engineer at Apple and local environmental activist. From his activities as President of the San Francisco League of Conservation Voters, to his involvement in numerous political campaigns, to his parklet (the “Deepistan National Parklet” – the first in the country at a private residence), he has worked to create a better world on a local, regional and national level. In addition to being involved with the Bicycle Coalition (and serving on its Board) for many years, he is an avid urban bicyclist, bike commuter and a committed part of San Francisco’s booming bicycle-culture with his sound-system bike, Trikeasaurus.

 

Lainie Motamedi (*)Motamedi_746x488

As a board member since 2009, I am proud to have served the SFBC in many capacities including as Board President, and currently as Treasurer. I am also chairing the search and selection effort to land another outstanding Executive Director to lead this incredible organization.

I’m focused on implementing Connecting the City, raising awareness and dollars to support the SF Bicycle Coalition’s work, and working to create all-around calmer streets. I believe wholeheartedly that our streets are public space and should be designed to be safe, enjoyable, and reflect the many uses of our community with an emphasis on excellent facilities for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit-riders of all ages and walks of life.  As a parent, I am committed to making San Francisco a safer and saner place to bike for people of all ages. State of the art bike infrastructure and amenities are an absolutely essential part of a livable city and we have much left to accomplish to achieve the vision that we are working towards.

My background is in government and non-profit sector development and implementation of clean energy policies.  I am also a volunteer with the National Park Service as a horse patrol ranger, and an active fundraiser for my son’s public elementary school. I graduated from UC Santa Cruz, received an MBA from the University of Washington, and was a Coro Public Affairs Fellow

 

Brianne O’Leary Gagnon (*)Brianne O'Leary Gagnon

My name is Brianne O’Leary Gagnon and I am running for the SFBC Board.  As a member and volunteer, I am continually inspired by the SFBC’s programming, events, advocacy work, passion, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to making San Francisco the most bicycle-friendly city.  I am running for the Board because I strongly believe in the SFBC’s mission to promote bicycling as everyday transportation, and as a daily bicycle commuter, woman, and parent, I have a personal responsibility and vested interest in making bicycling safer and more accessible for all San Franciscans.

I am confident my skills and passion for bicycling could benefit the SFBC.

I have 10+ years of experience in human resources in the legal and tech industries, undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Politics from NYU, and a graduate degree in Organization Development from USF.  My areas of expertise include recruiting, performance management, communication, group dynamics, professional training and development, strategic planning, change management, and coaching.  I have also served as the Board President of a professional league and was responsible for all aspects of the organization, including program development, membership, budgeting, and compliance.  Finally, while in college, I produced two charity events that raised over $25K in support of Burton Snowboard’s CHILL Foundation, a non-profit focused on mentoring at-risk youth.

In closing, I love my bike, I love this city, and I am committed to advancing both as a Board member of this amazing organization.  Thank you.

 

Zack Stender (*)Stender_746x488

A bicycle industry stalwart and co-founder of Huckleberry Bicycles in San Francisco, I have followed my passion since I learned to ride. I am a strong believer in thinking globally and acting locally, and I believe the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (“SFBC”) is one of the best channels to make this belief a reality. As a six-year veteran of the SFBC’s Board of Directors, I have enjoyed my position and felt that I have made a difference, particularly in the areas of fundraising and SFBC’s communications with the bicycle industry. When I am not at the bike shop, you can find me out riding road, mtb, or around town. If you can’t find me, I’m probably at home with my wife Sky, baby boy Atticus, and our dog Rook.

 

Paul Supawanich (*)Paul Supawanich

Dear SFBC Members,

Hi! I’m excited to introduce myself and share my reasons for running for the Board. I’m an Alamo Square resident who has made commuter and recreational bicycling a part of my personal and professional life. When riding on our expanding bicycle network, I always think about the tireless efforts of the SFBC and hope to have the opportunity to add to that momentum. Professionally, I share a similar passion, working as a transit, biking and walking consultant to support these modes of transportation around the United States. In addition, I have served as the previous Chair for the Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee and Young Professionals in Transportation. I hope to share these experiences to support the SFBC’s mission and goals.

Why do I want to serve on the board? Bicycling plays an important role in the success of my favorite city, San Francisco! While transportation is the clearest benefactor, bicycling has a measureable impact on public health, economic vitality and our own personal happiness (commute independence). We know that San Francisco will continue to grow. To maintain our great city, bicycling is the best way to accommodate new trips in a cost-effective, healthy, and space conscious way. The SFBC has been blessed with incredibly talented and dedicated leadership and staff. As the SFBC considers a new executive director, I hope to have the opportunity to support this individual (with fellow board members and staff) as he or she carries on the mission and attempts to fill Leah’s very big shoes. Thank you for your consideration, I would love your vote!

 

Andrew Toebben (*)Andrew Toebben

I have been biking in San Francisco for more than a decade.  For the first six years, I commuted to Silicon Valley and my rides were limited to the weekends.  In 2009, I transferred my legal practice to SF, upgraded from a Toyota Camry to a Surly Long Haul Trucker, and traded a two hour commute on Highway 101 for a forty minute ride down Market Street.

Today, I bike every day and everywhere.  So does my wife and our circle of friends.  Whether travelling to work, bike party or Big Basin, riding bikes is a source of pride and solidarity in my community, and it is one of the gifts I most treasure from San Francisco.

I am a partner at my law firm and have sat on its executive committee since 2010.  My legal practice focuses on business law for entrepreneurs, high-tech startups and investors.  In 2008, I took a leave of absence to lead the Obama campaign’s legal efforts in Virginia.  I am excited to bring these experiences, connections and skills to the SFBC board and am honored by your consideration.

My goal is to make San Francisco the most bike friendly city in the world.  Having recently married a Catalan teaching in the Netherlands, I see we have a ways to go, but I am enthusiastic about where we’re at.  Ramping off decades of efforts by thousands of SFBC members, I am thrilled to continue this ride with grandmas grabbing groceries on the left and a mischief of mice roaring on the right.

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