Laura Solis
If it involves bicycles in New York City, Laura is there — from fixed gear meetups to beginner brunch rides. She currently serves as the volunteer outreach coordinator at WE Bike NYC, is an active member of the TA Bronx Committee, volunteers with Boogie Down Rides, and is the development & community outreach manager at Bike New York. Her enthusiasm and kindness have the ability to make cycling new again for experienced riders, and to make it accessible for new riders.
Nominated by: Liz Jose
Frank Henson, AKA “Bicycle Santa”
Frank Henson serves as the President of Queen City Bike, Cincinnati's Bicycle Advocacy organization, volunteering countless hours to QCB's mission. For the entire month of December, Frank he rides his bike complete with bike trailer "sleigh" around Greater Cincinnati handing out candy canes and spreading the bike love. He has gained somewhat of a cult local celebrity status, with photos in the local newspapers and event partnerships with the local transit agency, METRO.
Nominated by: Nern Ostendorf
Tim Blagden
Tim is the first full-time director of the Bike Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, the state’s only statewide bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization. From the moment Tim started work, he began leading the organization with a new joy and enthusiasm that will take the organization to new hieghts as it serves bicycle and pedestrian advocacy throughout New Hampshire.
Nominated by: Larry Keniston
Carmelita Sams
As a volunteer at Chicago’s West Town Bikes and an employee of Ciclo Urbano, Carmelita was a great and patient mechanic who excelled at helping people through difficult situations. Her love of bicycling was an inspiration to all of us, always encouraging others to ride and grow. Carmelita passed away suddenly in December of 2013, and her absence has made waves through the biking community in Chicago.
Nominated by: Active Transportation Alliance and West Town Bikes
Sarah Shipley
Sarah has an incredible amount of enthusiasm and passion, and she's brought it into all of her active transportation work over the last decade. Sarah worked in DC with the Rail to Trails Conservance and the League of American Bicyclists, and she is a founder of BikeWalkKC in Kansas City, Missouri. Sarah is a tireless advocate, always looking for new ways to engage and excite community members who walk and bike.
Nominated by: Brighid O’Keane
Jessica Binder
Jessica has been a dedicated and innovative leader at the Wisconsin Bike Fed for near ten years. Jessica created and funded a successful Safe Routes to School program. She created and funded the nation's first state wide Ambassador program, providing bicycle education to over 100,000 people. She brings her passion to the most difficult advocacy work, is full of energy, and helps keep the staff's spirits up with her positive outlook and true belief that biking is a joyful solution to many of the problems we face today.
Nominated by: Dave Schlabowske
Mari Lynch
Mari’s enthusiasm for helping others bike led her to found Bicycling Monterey. Mari doesn't wait until all conditions are right and funds are available; she just dives in and gets things done! She founded a bike class for incarcerated teens, helped support Monterey County’s first Open Streets, and performs regular cheerful outreach by bike.
Nominated by: Holly Heimer, Laurel Thomsen, Sandi Laney
Katie Monroe
As an Education Fellow with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Katie launched Women Bike PHL, an initiative with the goal of getting more women in Philadelphia on bikes more often. Over the course of her 10-month-year-old program, Katie led 30 rides and classes, formed relationships with 20 community partners, penned 8 columns for Philly.com, and fostered a bustling Facebook group. Her enthusiasm is infectious: women who may otherwise be on the fence about bicycling contact her just days after the class with stories of their first commute to work.
Nominated by: Megan Rosenbach
Bevin Barber-Campbell
Bevin has given her time and energy to establish new walking and biking programs at each of the schools her children have attended in Fort Collins, CO. As a lead SRTS instructor, she has been helped the City's Safe Routes to School program move forward with creative, fun, ambitious initiatives to get at least 50% of local schoolchildren biking or walking to school on a regular basis.
Nominated by: Nancy Nichols
