Safe Routes to Schools - National Conference 2009

Confirmed Keynote & Plenary Speakers

Tim Blumenthal
Executive Director, Bikes Belong Coalition

As Executive Director, Tim Blumenthal has led the Bikes Belong Coalition, the U.S. bicycling industry association dedicated to putting more people on bicycles more often. He also the Bikes Belong Foundation, an affiliated 501(c)3 national non-profit group that supports children's bicycling and bike safety projects. Previously, Mr. Blumenthal served as Executive Director of the International Mountain Bicycling Association for 11 years. Under his leadership, IMBA grew from a single staffer and $60,000 annual budget into the world’s largest mountain bike advocacy group with a staff of 24 and a budget of $2.1 million.

Scott Bricker
Executive Director, Bicycle Transportation Alliance

Scott is a ten-year BTA veteran. Joining the BTA staff in 1998, Scott developed the organization’s Safe Routes to School program, including the BTA’s award winning Bicycle Safety Education curriculum. Scott went on to then serve as the Policy Director and Lobbyist from 2002-2007, where he helped pass state, regional, and local legislation promoting increased and safer cycling. Scott holds a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University, and Bachelor’s of Political Science from the University of Albany, New York. A firm believer in stylish and practical cycling, Scott is a proponent of wool clothes and leather saddles.

Troy E. Costales
Administrator, Transportation Safety Division, Oregon Governor’s Highway Safety Representative

With over 20 years experience in Transportation Safety, including 12 as the Administrator of the Division, Troy Costales was appointed Governor’s Highway Safety Representative in 1997. Under Mr. Costales’ leadership, Oregon has seen a dramatic decline in traffic fatalities and injuries, to the lowest level since 1958. The number of individuals injured in traffic crashes has also declined by more than 30% since the peak of 39,000 in 1996 to 29,000 last year. In addition, Oregon started a strong graduated driver license program that includes an incentive for driver education.

Howard Frumkin, M.D., Dr.P.H
Director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR) at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

NCEH/ATSDR works to maintain and improve the health of the American people by promoting a healthy environment and by preventing premature death and avoidable illness and disability caused by toxic substances and other environmental hazards. Dr. Frumkin’s research interests include public health aspects of urban sprawl and the built environment; air pollution; metal and PCB toxicity; climate change; health benefits of contact with nature; and environmental and occupational health policy, especially regarding minority communities and developing nations.

Deb Hubsmith
Director of Safe Routes to School National Partnership

Deb Hubsmith has worked on Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program implementation as well as state and federal legislation for more than ten years. She is the founding director of the SRTS National Partnership, a growing network of more than 400 organizations. Deb strongly believes that SRTS will play critical role in improving the health of children, communities, and the environment nationwide.

Richard Jackson, M.D., M.P.H.
Chair and Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, UCLA

Richard J. Jackson has done extensive work in the impact of the environment on health, particularly relating to children. Over the past decade much of his work has focused on how the 'built environment' including how architecture and urban planning affect health. Currently, Dr. Jackson is working on policy analyses of environmental impacts on health ranging from toxicology, chemical body burdens, terrorism, sustainability, climate change, urban design and architecture.

Lauren Marchetti
Director, National Center for Safe Routes to School, University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center

Lauren Marchetti has worked for 10 years on promoting safe walking & bicycling. Much of her recent work has focused on bringing together the health, transportation and safety communities to promote safe walking and bicycling and to provide communities with tools and resources for creating behavioral and environmental change. She has conducted projects for NHTSA, FHWA, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CDC and EPA to increase physical activity for youth and to create safer environments for walking and bicycling. She was one of the initial organizers of Walk to School Day in the US and helped to launch the first International Walk to School Day.

Lawrence A. Selzer
President & CEO, The Conservation Fund

Lawrence Selzer is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conservation Fund, a national non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Conservation Fund protects the nation’s legacy of land and water resources in partnership with other non-profit organizations, public agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals.

Loel S. Solomon, Ph.D.
Community Benefit Program, Kaiser Permanente

Loel Solomon joined Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit Program in 2003 as the National Director of Community Health Initiatives and Evaluation. In that position, Dr. Solomon was responsible for the design, implementation and evaluation of a national strategy to improve health in Kaiser Permanente communities through multi-sectoral, place-based efforts focusing on environmental and policy change. He is on the Steering Committee of the Healthy Eating/Active Living Convergence Partnership, a collaborative of national funders working to support policy and environmental approaches to community health.

Joseph Toole
Associate Administrator, Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Safety, Washington D.C

Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Office of Safety is the focal point within the Federal Highway Administration for efforts to reduce highway fatalities and serious crashes on our Nation’s roadways, and building partnerships with those throughout industry who share that objective. Prior to 2008, Mr. Toole served as the Associate Administrator of the FHWA Office Professional and Corporate Development, which focused on the development of the transportation workforce and accelerating the deployment of innovative technologies and practices.

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National Safe Routes to School Conference