The Alliance for Biking & Walking welcomed Kristin Purdy as its new national campaigns manager.
Purdy comes to the Alliance with significant field organizing experience at both the national and local level on transportation and political campaigns. As a regional organizer with Transportation for America, she managed field operations for federal transportation reform efforts in 15 states. As a grassroots organizer with the Coalition for Smarter Growth in Washington, DC, she built support for local smart growth and active transportation policies through traditional community and online organizing.
Purdy also worked in Toledo, Ohio as a Regional Field Director for the 2012 Obama campaign. On the campaign, she managed a team of 25 organizers and activated a network of 500 volunteers to implement voter registration, support and turnout.
“We are very excited to have Kristin on board,” said Jeffrey Miller, President / CEO of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. “Kristin’s considerable skill and experience in grassroots and national organizing and her expertise with transportation issues will help build the Alliance’s capacity to coordinate national campaigns to boost biking and walking.”
The Alliance for Biking & Walking’s forthcoming national campaign will be designed and implemented with the United States largest state and local biking and walking advocacy organizations, and Kristin will play a leading role in coordinating the campaign’s design and execution.
A native of Lansing, Michigan, Purdy comes from a family deeply involved in the auto industry – her grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Ireland to work on the Oldsmobile assembly line. Even in the automotive capital of the world, however, Kristin recognized that car ownership wasnt an option or preference for everyone.
“I know that for my community to thrive, it is important that all community members have viable and safe transportation options for getting to their job, school and home,” says Purdy. “While biking and walking are healthy forms of active transportation, most cities arent doing enough to make their communities better and safer places to bike and walk. That is why Im so motivated to advocate for biking and walking and ensure healthy and livable communities.”
Purdy continued: “Im excited to join the Alliance. The Alliance’s members are working on some of the best local advocacy campaigns in the country, and to work with these organizations on a national scale is an awesome opportunity to elevate biking and walking. As an organizer and local advocate, I love the opportunity to share best practices and learn from others in the movement.”
The Alliance for Biking & Walking is the coalition of more than 200 state and local bicycle and pedestrian organizations working together to promote bicycling and walking across North America.
