Meet the Candidates for Our 2022 Board of Directors Election

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. 24, 2022 and ends Feb. 2, 2022 at 9:59 pm PST.
• Members will each receive an individual e-mail on Jan. 24 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.
• Opportunities to meet and hear from candidates will be available at our virtual candidate forum on Jan. 26.
• Only current SF Bicycle Coalition members as of Friday, Jan. 14, 2022 at 11:59 pm PST may cast a ballot.
• Results will be announced in the Biker Bulletin email and on our website.
• 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 2022 board elections. A full timeline and detailed description of the process can be found here.

This will be our fifth 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.

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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. 

All candidates participated in the board interview process.

Allison Arieff

My name is Allison Arieff. I’m a longtime resident of San Francisco and I believe it should be a walking/biking/transit-first city. I’m frustrated and saddened by the battles over Safe Streets, the Great Highway and Car-Free JFK. But I’m also emboldened by these challenges. We can and must do more—much more—to make our streets safer and more equitable for all people.

I’ve spent the last decade advocating for better streets both through my work at the urban planning think tank, SPUR, as well as in my New York Times column, where I have regularly addressed the need for more thoughtfully designed, walkable neighborhoods. (I also wrote a piece called “Cars Are Death Machines” and I stand by it).

I want to live in a place designed for people not cars. I believe the Bike Coalition can be instrumental in making that happen and I’d be honored to be part of the effort. Thank you.

 

Sarah Barnes

I am a deeply optimistic individual working on the future of urban mobility, and in particular bike-riding and bikeshare. Since moving to San Francisco in August 2020, I have become an active member of SFBC’s Women and Non-Binary Coffee Club and have volunteered at events throughout the year, including Volunteer Nights, Winterfest, and Bike to Anywhere Day.

On the board, I would leverage my years working in bikeshare in the UK and US to help advance the organization’s mission. In particular, my years of experience working with governments through procurement of bikeshare systems has given me a detailed understanding of how to successfully work with diverse constituents to meet shared goals and lower barriers for riding.

I also have extensive expertise in urban and transportation planning, holding degrees in human geography and city design. I share my thoughts on the future of transport in a weekly transportation + technology newsletter.

I appreciate your consideration!

 

Jason Ford

Jason’s goal is to connect and expand San Francisco’s car-free and slow street network so anyone ages 8 and up can ride safely. He is best known for his Safe Routes Map.

Father to two boys, his family’s primary transportation is a pair of cargo ebikes. School, groceries, work, fun… you name it, the bikes are how they get around rain or shine everyday. This is why Jason is passionate about San Francisco’s safe routes.

A lifelong cyclist, he knows firsthand the bike’s power to transform physical health, mental health, and the earth’s health. No one should feel at risk in pursuit of these benefits.

Car-free and slow streets enable all San Franciscans young and old to bike, run, walk, stroll, or use a mobility device comfortably to any destination in the city.

I would be honored to have your support!

 

Marie Jonas

I’m an active member, volunteer, and incumbent board member, ready to serve this organization for a third term. 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.

What I bring critical is experience and perspective, having served on the Executive Committee and Transition Task Force (overseeing our Executive Director search). My professional experience as an attorney  who represents nonprofits supports our oversight role. This unique moment presents challenges and opportunities, which I can help take on.

Supporting our community is one of my priorities: like sharing my joy of riding by co-planning pandemic rides.  You’ll also find me at our Women + Non-Binary Bike SF coffee club. This year, I’m participating in AIDS/LifeCycle for the third time, fundraising and forging connections with an amazing crew.

I would be honored to have your support!

 

Jean Kao

I’ve been a member and volunteer for 15 years and I’m honored to serve as the current Board President. What I’m most excited about at the SFBC is the continued development of our bicycle education programs and bringing the joy of bicycling to more people in our community. 

For my next – and last – term my goals are to guide the organization through the process for our next strategic plan and build up a leadership pipeline on the board. My skills include strategic thinking, project management, team building, and group facilitation. In my time on the board I’ve served on the finance, board development, and personnel committees.

Outside of the board I work at Populus.ai helping cities provide safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation options. I also love bike camping when I can. If you see me around town on my green vintage mixte be sure to say hi!

 

Lisa Ratner

 

Karen Wiener 

I am a biking mom and co-owner of The New Wheel, an electric bicycle shop in Bernal Heights. My life’s work is to increase the ease, joy, and utility of using bicycles in San Francisco and the Bay Area.

I bring a deep understanding of the practical requirements of bicyclists, an appreciation for the role of small business in our community, and direct connections to key decision makers in the bicycle and electric bicycle industry. I have a focused interest in the success of bicycles as transportation.

I will work to help support the Bicycle Coalition to both advocate effectively for current cyclists and to support an increasingly large and diverse constituency of San Franciscans as they discover the joy, efficiency, and practicality of cycling as transportation.

I would be honored to be your representative on the Board and will work hard to be an effective advocate!