The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is happy to welcome Jo-Anne Burgess as our new program coordinator! Jo-Anne will be leading our Bike It Forward program and Valet Bike Parking.

Can you tell us about your role at the SF Bicycle Coalition?

Part of my job is to work with event organizers to provide valet bicycle parking at large events around the city. This is definitely a huge motivator for people once they find out that secure, monitored parking is available for bicycle riders. Another part of my job is to take bikes that have been abandoned and reclaimed by city agencies, refurbish them, and then work with organizations in San Francisco to identify people who would benefit from a bicycle donation and would not otherwise have access to or be able to afford a bicycle.

What makes you passionate about biking?

So many things. My carbon footprint is smaller if I bike to BART and then from BART to work. I also believe that everyone should be able to safely get around in whatever way suits them. Having a reliable form of transportation is really important for a variety of reasons and everyone should not have to depend on a car if it doesn’t suit their lifestyle or budget. Fortunately there are so many different kinds of bicycles and different ways to customize a bicycle so that it suits the rider. I think that’s really cool! And I love not having to worry about gas or expensive repairs to my car.

I know you love fixing bikes. Is there a particular problem that you particularly like to fix? If so, why?

I like working with derailleurs. They usually require some fine adjustments and little tweaking to get them perfect. And I like sitting down and just listening to the changes that happen from the slightest turns in a barrel adjuster or limit screw until each shift in gear is seamless and the ride is quiet.

You’re going to be working a lot in the community, sharing the joy of biking with people who might not otherwise have access. What makes you excited about this aspect of your work?

I think that most people who are able, enjoy riding bicycles. If they don’t have a bike they just don’t know it yet. There’s nothing like cruising down a hill with friends or feeling the changes in your body as you get stronger from riding regularly. I’m excited to be a part of providing a certain level of freedom that comes from riding to people who may not have experienced that before. And maybe giving families the resources to engage in a new activity in each weekend.

When you’re not working or biking, what fills your time?

I spend most of my free time watching movies or hiking with my dog. My most frequent sentence is probably “Have you seen (insert movie here)…?”

Is there anything else you’d like SF Bicycle Coalition members to know about you?

I’m extremely excited to be working in this position at the SF Bicycle Coalition and looking forward to getting to know and work with as many members as I can.

To get to know Jo-Anne, come out to one of our Bike It Forward events.