Trips For Kids National Appoints Robert Alan Ping As Executive Director

Trips for Kids (TFK), a non-profit national organization that provides transformative cycling experiences for kids of all communities, appointed Robert Alan Ping (pictured right) as its executive director. Ping will be responsible for leading the implementation of the national strategic plan to enhance and expand the Trips for Kids National organization of independent community chapters.

In April of this year, the TFK board announced it was separating the founding TFK Marin chapter from national efforts with the formation of TFK national and was conducting a search for an executive director. Ping is the result of that search.

A passionate bicycling and youth advocate, Ping is a nationally recognized leader with more than 25 years strategic management experience specializing in bicycling, walking, social equity and youth development. Prior to joining Trips for Kids, Ping was executive director for the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute, an educational community health organization, and worked for eight years as the technical director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a public health effort to increase the number of children walking and cycling to school and in daily life.

“Robert’s proven leadership and depth of experience, enthusiasm and commitment make him ideally suited to launch this next phase of the Trips for Kids National organizational development” said Chuck Lesem, Trips for Kids board president. “We are excited to work with Robert to help us achieve our vision of a world where every kid in every community has the opportunity to know the joy of riding a bike and the freedom to explore the natural world on two wheels.”

“I am thrilled to join the Trips for Kids team,” said Ping. “I remember the natural beauty and the feeling of freedom and accomplishment the first time I rode a mountain bike, and look forward to helping community leaders around the country to bring that life-changing experience to many more of America’s youth.”

Trips for Kids is supported by individual donations and corporate sponsors such as CST Tires, Giant Bicycles, Kali Protectives, Highway2, SRAM, Primal, Raleigh Bikes, ESI Grips, Bike Flights, Adventure Medical Kits and Park Tool.

For more information on Trips for Kids’ programs and how to start a chapter, visit tripsforkids.org.

Photos courtesy Trips for Kids