After seven amazing years at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, my time here has come to an end. I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to everyone who has shaped this experience for me.

Joining the SF Bicycle Coalition staff in 2016 was a full-circle moment for me. I moved to San Francisco when I was 17 and immediately found an adorable and completely impractical yellow Schwinn on Craigslist. I built up my courage — and totally freaked out my parents — by doing longer and longer trips around the city until biking became my primary mode of transportation. I biked to SF State every day from Judah Street, riding along the ocean and experiencing that feeling only people who bike know: the unique mix of total freedom and true connection with community.

During my tenure on staff leading the membership team, I have worked alongside the most dedicated, passionate, and talented transportation justice advocates.  I am so deeply grateful to the staff, members, and community partners who have worked tirelessly to transform our city’s streets. Now that I have a daughter, I can’t wait to show her the joy of biking — on the back of a cargo bike and, someday, on her own.

Leaving is so bittersweet, but I know that the organization is in amazing hands and that the connections I made with friends, mentors, and bike buddies will last the rest of my life. See you in the bike lanes!

With the deepest gratitude,

Kelsey