It’s time for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition annual election of our all-volunteer Board of Directors. Here you will find information about the process, statements by the candidates, and links to questions you may have.
The timeline is:
- Online voting begins on Jan. 22, 2020 and ends Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020 at 9:59 pm PST.
- Members will each receive an individual e-mail on Jan. 22 with a code and link enabling them to vote. This code will be sent to the e-mail address on file through which the member receives communications from the SF Bicycle Coalition. Please add invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com to your contacts. If you do not see your invitation in your inbox, please check your spam folder.
- Voting in person is also available during office hours at the SF Bicycle Coalition office (1720 Market St.) for the duration of the voting period.
- Opportunities to meet and hear from candidates will be available at our annual Member Meeting on Jan. 22.
- Only current SF Bicycle Coalition members as of Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST may cast a ballot.
- Results will be announced in the Biker Bulletin email and the Tube Times magazine.
- If you have technical questions regarding voting, please contact our election administrators at boardvoting@sfbike.org.
About SF Bicycle Coalition Board Elections
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Any SF 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. Seven seats on the board of directors will be elected by the membership this year for the term beginning at the first board meeting following this election until the new board is seated following the 2021 board elections. A full timeline and detailed description of the process can be found here.
In each election, members of the board who are not running for re-election may select and recommend a number of candidates. The board-recommended candidates meet 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. The SF Bicycle Coalition Board developed the following list of top skills/qualities to consider when recommending candidates given this year’s organizational priorities as well as ongoing needs from the organization’s leadership.
This will be our third board election using ranked-choice voting, giving members the chance to rank their votes in order of preference. Our board of directors adopted ranked-choice voting in the hope that it will encourage increased member participation in our elections and our work. For more information about multi-winner ranked-choice voting, click here.
If you are a member who is interested in learning more about board service in future years, please contact us at boardnomination@sfbike.org.
Candidate Statements
*All candidates completed an online questionnaire to declare their interest in running for the board. You can view all candidate questionnaire responses here.
Audrey Harris
Board recommended
Building community, advocating for people-informed improvements, and sharing in the joy of biking as a choice are what drive me to the coalition.
I am running to be a board member this year to continue this work and leverage my personal and professional experience in delivering SF Bicycle Coalition’s Strategic Plan.
I have faced the woes of lack of bike infrastructure, dangers of uninformed drivers, and lack of safety that is rooted in being an exposed women of color on a bike. Now with a family, I face even more decisions that complicate my relationship with the bike.
My background is in transportation planning, racial and social equity planning, and people-powered decision-making from my leadership role in my union. As a board member, this would be an opportunity for me to advance its intersection – mobility justice.
I look forward to the work ahead and to continuing the legacy of this organization!
Constance Cavallas
Board recommended
I’ve been a proud and active member for more than 10 years because of how deeply I believe in the SF Bicycle Coalition’s mission and recognition of the bicycle’s power to influence a safer, more accessible, and livable city for all.
My passion for enriching public and community space and has led to a career in both the government and non-profit sectors focusing on identification, implementation, and oversight of projects and programs that serve community-identified needs.
I am most interested in expanding the demographic reach of membership to include communities who bike but whose voices have not been elevated, and communities who have not had the opportunity to experience the freedom and joy of bicycling.
I’ve been grateful for the opportunity to support the organization’s initiatives as an intern, member, and volunteer and look forward to the possibility of expanding that support by serving on the Board of Directors!
Danielle Thoe
Board recommended
I started bicycling during college to compete in the Little 500 bicycle race, but it wasn’t until I moved to SF that I became a bike commuter. I joined the SF Bike Coalition, worked on Caltrain advocacy, and served on Caltrain’s Bicycle Advisory Committee.
I am running for the board to ensure:
- Recent wins like the Quick Build program shape the future of SF’s transportation infrastructure.
- The SF Bike Coalition continues to diversify membership and engagement.
- Voices of all cyclists are represented.
- Accountability to SF’s Vision Zero goals and an end to cyclist deaths on city streets.
I am an urban planner and work in affordable housing development in the East Bay. I sit on the SF County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) Citizens Advisory Committee, representing D6, and on the board of the SF Spikes LGBT+ Soccer Club.
I will bring my passion and hard work to serving on the board.
Esther Gallagher
I’ve been a bicycling doula in SF since 1992 and became a SF Bicycle Coalition member over 15 years ago. Being a member has always meant that I was putting my political dollar where it matched my values of environmental activism/lifestyle, AND that my voice meant something when it came time to do the political work, like showing up at City Hall to testify about conditions for cyclists. I appreciate the staff’s work and enjoy engaging with them when it happens.
I would like to join the board to represent and show solidarity with older women, SF bicyclists who are out there every day AND whose experience may prove valuable in developing and implementing the organization’s goals. I would make it my priority that we take a strong stance to rectify the anti-environmental laws which favor car travel and “car-sharing” corporations.
I am proud to be endorsed by SFBC Momentum.
Jean Kao (Incumbent)
Board recommended
I’ve had the honor to serve as President, and previously as Treasurer, in my first term on the board. I joined the SF Bicycle Coalition 10+ years ago for selfish reasons – because I wanted a better commute. But I continue to devote my time and energy to this community because I believe our work is essential in transforming San Francisco into a safe, just, and sustainable city.
Achieving our mission will require us to find ways to make transportation in San Francisco better not just for members but for everyone. It will require more than bike lanes and better infrastructure but also addressing issues around access and inequality.
My role on the board would be to continue to help change the conversation – from “us vs them” to “we” – and guide the organization towards strength in our diversity.
Thank you for your vote!
Manoj Madhavan
Board recommended
As a kid growing up in India, my first taste of freedom was riding a bike! It inspired me early on to build my career as an urban planner.
At the SF Planning Department, I worked on projects including Safer/Better Market Street, & Central SoMa/Hub plans. It was then that I realized the importance of SF Bike Coalition’s members in their tireless advocacy towards advocating for project approvals.
Currently as Director of Transportation Demand Management for the Golden State Warriors, I ensure that most trips made by people coming to Chase Center are through sustainable modes.
With over 15 years of experience as a transportation planner, I am excited to run for the board to assist in building more bike connections. I hope that one day every kid in SF gets a taste of the same freedom I had as a kid.
Marie Jonas (Incumbent)
Board recommended
I’m an active member, committed volunteer, and incumbent board member, eager to serve this organization for another term. The SF Bicycle Coalition helped get me on the bike and keep me there. I want to pay it forward, building a strong, resilient, inclusive organization. On the board, I bring my professional experience as an attorney who represents nonprofits to support our oversight role, along with fundraising and organizing experience. I also remain a dedicated street-side volunteer!
I am passionate about bicycles, as a commuter and recreational rider. Supporting our community is one of my priorities (and joys!). Monthly, you’ll find me at our Women Bike SF coffee club, helping foster a supportive environment for women riders. This summer, I’m riding AIDS/LifeCycle for the third time, fundraising and forging connections with an amazing crew.
I’m grateful to be recommended by my colleagues to serve another term.
Robin Abad (Incumbent)
Board recommended
My name is Robin and I am passionately committed to the work of the SF Bicycle Coalition! I have the skills and experience to continue serving you well on the Board of Directors. I have extensive professional experience in nonprofit and public sectors; also in volunteer leadership capacities on several nonprofit boards and board committees. In my current role as an Urban Designer in the Policy Division of the SF Planning Department, I’ve worked with dozens of community and advocacy organizations on partnerships to advance open space, active transportation, and public space projects and legislation. I bring technical and policy fluency in urban planning and design, especially in street design; as well as deep knowledge of how our local government functions. Previously, I worked with LADOT People St. and the Mayor’s Great Streets Project on advocacy and performance evaluation of Complete Streets projects throughout L.A.
Stephen Braitsch
Board recommended
I am passionate about empowering our community with data that can supercharge our advocacy work and keeping the pressure on our elected officials and the SFMTA to get safety improvement projects in the ground.
I am an active SF Bicycle Coalition member, Bicycle Ambassador and Co-Captain of our Mid-Market Bike to Work Day Energizer Station. I commute by bike daily and think constantly about how we can make our streets safer for everyone in San Francisco.
Last April I created the Safe Lanes reporting and data analysis platform to help us identify dangerous conditions on our city streets and have been helping the SFMTA leverage the data we’re collecting to inform new safety improvement projects and optimize enforcement.
If elected, I’ll help lead our fight for a car-free Golden Gate Park and a safe, protected bike lane network that connects the entire city.
I am proud to be endorsed by SFBC Momentum.
Tyler Morris
A daily cyclist, father, and courier. A long-standing SF Bicycle Coalition member and passionate believer in bicycle advocacy. Bike lanes should be protected, car-free, and the rights of cyclists enforced. If elected, I’ll strengthen the fundraising skills of the organization, and serve as your advocate for the rights of cyclists throughout SF.
I own and operate Underdog Couriers, a Bay Area messenger company and SF Bicycle Coalition business sponsor. As a messenger, I know the joy and frustration of cycling in SF.
I majored in Political Science and am a former Southern California city councilman. I’m well-versed in fundraising, staff development, and leadership through example.
I believe the board can be more impactful to support cyclists’ rights, and better empower its members. I’ll unequivocally fight for all communities, regardless of race, ability, or gender identity.
Endorsed by SFBC Momentum and a previous SF Bicycle Coalition board of directors.
