Silicon Valley Bike Summit 2025: Meet the Speakers
Welcome Address
Mayor Eddie Flores
he/him/él
City of South San Francisco
With longtime roots in the San Mateo County community and a lifelong commitment to service, Eddie Flores represents the historic and diverse District 5 on the South San Francisco City Council. He became mayor in December 2024.
With his election to the South San Francisco City Council, he is the first Salvadoran to serve on a City Council in San Mateo County, and in December 2024, Mayor Flores became the first Salvadoran-born immigrant to assume the role of mayor ever in the history of the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to joining the council, Mayor Eddie was elected to the South San Francisco Unified School District Board where he served as President during the start of the COVID pandemic.
A strong advocate in helping to create a community that values, includes, and encourages bicycling for all purposes for all people, Mayor Flores’ first vote when he first arrived in City Council in February 2021 was supporting and establishing Vision Zero in South San Francisco.
In early 2022, Mayor Eddie launched Every Kid Deserves a Bike. The grassroot award-winning initiative, connects students from low-income families with safe, independent, and joyful outdoor experiences. Since its inception, the initiative has provided more than 1,500 students with a free bicycle, helmet, safety gear, and training—removing a key barrier to mobility and physical activity. Over 30% of these students had never ridden a bike and thanks to the multiple partners and volunteers he helped organize, these youth became new bikers. The initiative received overwhelming support from San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, former Supervisor Pine awarding it $20K and in 2022, and a $200,000 earmark from the State of California, led by CA Assemblymember Diane Papan in 2023.
The initiative was awarded Program of the Year in 2022 by Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition and it has been replicated in Southern California and in the Central Valley cities amongst others. But his work continues, most recently Mayor Flores advocated and was instrumental in bringing reduced 15MPH speed limit in all schools in South San Francisco as well as voting for and advocating for numerous projects supporting bike and pedestrian infrastructure and biped mobility around the city.
Mayor Flores was the first in his family to graduate from a four-year university. He has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Public Policy and Public Health from UC Berkeley, and an MBA from San Francisco State University, where he is also an adjunct member of the faculty.
Mayor Eddie currently serves as President of the League of California Cities—Peninsula Division representing all 20 cities in San Mateo County and 16 cities in Santa Clara.
Opening Plenary
Funding our Future: Protecting & Enhancing Active Transportation in a Shifting Landscape
Zack Deutsch-Gross, Moderator
he/him
Policy Director, Transform
Zack leads the Policy team at Transform, working to reshape housing and transportation decision making to center community needs and combat the climate crisis. Born and raised in San Francisco, for Zack transportation is not just about getting from A to B, but fundamentally about how we engage with each other and build community. Zack brings over a decade of local, state and federal advocacy experience to the work and was previously the Advocacy Director at San Francisco Transit Riders before moving to Transform. He holds a Masters in Public Policy from UC Berkeley and a Bachelors in Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz.
Barnali Ghosh
she/her
BART Board Member, Community Historian, Designer
Barnali Ghosh was elected to the BART Board of Directors in November 2024. She represents District 3, which includes Richmond, El Cerrito Del Norte, El Cerrito Plaza, North Berkeley, Downtown Berkeley, and Ashby stations.
Public transit has been essential to Barnali as an immigrant who lived without a driver’s license for her first 15 years in the United States. She took BART to her first job and even to her wedding, and she remains a regular transit rider today.
Barnali served as Chair of Berkeley’s Transportation Commission and Vice-Chair of its Planning Commission, where she worked to connect housing, equity, climate goals, and pedestrian/bike safety to city transportation policies. A licensed landscape architect and project manager, she brings over twenty years of experience designing public spaces and championing environmentally sustainable solutions.
A long-time Bay Area organizer and community-builder, Barnali has also led efforts around transportation equity, arts, climate action, and local history for over two decades. She curates the award-winning South Asian Radical History Walking Tour, sharing stories of immigrant activism and solidarity in San Francisco and Berkeley.
Noelia Corzo
she/her/ella
San Mateo County Supervisor, District 2; San Mateo County Transportation Authority, Boardmember
Noelia Corzo represents District 2, including San Mateo, Foster City, and northern Belmont, on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. In addition to serving as a supervisor, Corzo serves as a Director for the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. Supervisor Corzo made history as the first Latina elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in a county with over 62% people of color. A lifelong resident of San Mateo County, Supervisor Corzo is a single mom, daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, and bilingual Spanish speaker.
Sergio Lopez
he/him
Mayor, City of Campbell / Chair, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
At 30, Sergio Lopez is simultaneously the youngest chair of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in its history and the first Latino Mayor of his hometown of Campbell, California. He is a monthly columnist and a noted author on topics such as transportation, housing, and cultural criticism, with his first book forthcoming and his work published in TIME, America, Teen Vogue, and more. He has steered VTA through issues such as a regional transit measure and one of the largest public transit capital projects in the nation. Having experienced housing insecurity growing up as well as relying upon public transit to get around, he understands firsthand the importance of addressing the housing crisis as well as how it presents a win-win for transit agencies seeking to create a sustainable revenue source and opportunities for future ridership.
Morning Breakout Sessions
From Barriers to Belonging: Centering Identity & Claiming Space in Bike Culture
Andrew Yee, Moderator
he/him
Director of Social Enterprise & Bikes, Live in Peace Bike Shop
Andrew has spent a lifetime evangelizing bikes, cycling and bike racing. At Live in Peace, he mentors East Palo Alto youth as both bike mechanics and cyclists, and champions affordable bikes and bike repair for residents in need. Outside of work, he’s riding bikes, racing cyclocross, coaching high school mountain biking, and dreaming of snowboarding in fresh powder.
Emily Seelenfreund
she/her
Executive Director, BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation
Emily Seelenfreund has devoted her career to advocating for people with disabilities and is currently serving as BORP's Executive Director. Prior to joining BORP, she worked for the City of Oakland as their Programmatic Access Coordinator and for Disability Rights Advocates as an attorney litigating disability rights class-action cases nationwide.
Emily has been an adaptive sports participant since age five and her priority is ensuring that everyone has access to BORP's programs, which foster confidence, community, and independence in the disability community.
Jessie Fernandez
él/he/him
Bicis Del Pueblo Program Coordinator, PODER
Jessie Fernandez is from South Central Los Angeles. While at San Francisco State University he studied Ethnic Studies and Urban Studies and Planning. He has experience on issues ranging from educational equity, immigrant and workers rights, and equitable development through inclusive community planning. At PODER, he focuses on advancing environmental justice by offering low-income immigrants and BIPOC youth and families with the knowledge, tools and resources to incorporate bicycling into their everyday lives.
Natalia Cortes
they/she
Chapter Leader, Radical Adventure Riders (RAR), Bay Area Chapter
Natalia, they/them, is a Mexican-American child of immigrants. Currently residing in San Jose, ancestral lands of the Tamyen Ohlone tribe. Always keeping it real, unafraid to stand up for their beliefs and for other people on and off the bike. Typically unafraid to learn, to have hard conversations, and always looking for people to join them in trying new things. Currently works for the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council as the Event and Volunteer Manager.
Reclaim the Streets: Strategies for Car-Free Spaces
Mackenzie Jakoubek
she/her
Executive Director, Downtown San Mateo Association
As an ALTRANS TMA contractor, Justine Burt serves half-time as the Executive Director of the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association, a non-profit that provides information, programs and incentives to help shift worker commutes from single-occupancy vehicles to transit or active mobility. She has an MA in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts.
Lucas Lux
he/him
President, Friends of Sunset Dunes
Lucas Lux is President of Friends of Sunset Dunes Park, a nonprofit focused on activating and improving San Francisco’s newest oceanfront park - Sunset Dunes - which voters elected to open full-time in 2024. Lucas was also the campaign manager for Yes on K. Lucas has helped run and organize free community events at the park since 2021, including large annual gatherings like the “Great Hauntway” Halloween that draws more than 10,000 attendees each year. Friends of Sunset Dunes Park has since partnered with San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks Department to appoint Sunset Dunes with temporary public art, lent thousands of volunteer hours to help transform the park for its opening, and gifted the city a bike course and pump track.
Lucas lives in the Outer Sunset with his wife and three-year-old son. In addition to his role with Friends of Sunset Dunes Park, Lucas serves as Senior Counsel at Google.
Justine Burt
she/her
Director of TDM and TMA Services, ALTRANS TMA, Inc.
As an ALTRANS TMA contractor, Justine Burt serves half-time as the Executive Director of the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association, a non-profit that provides information, programs and incentives to help shift worker commutes from single-occupancy vehicles to transit or active mobility. She has an MA in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts.
Pedals, Pavement & Place: Why Transportation Justice and Housing Justice Go Hand-in-Hand
Evelyn Stivers, Moderator
she/her
Executive Director, Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County
Evelyn Stivers comes to Housing Leadership Council with 20 years of organizing and advocacy experience. Prior to joining HLC, Evvy was the Development Director for Urban Habitat. From 2004 through 2013, Evvy worked for the Non-Profit Housing Association on regional initiatives, including the Housing Element and Inclusionary Housing campaigns.
Earlier in her career, she directed the Western States Field Office for the US Public Interest Research Group and served as the Livable Communities Associate Director for Greenbelt Alliance. She has served on the boards of TransForm, the League of Conservation Voters for the East Bay, East Bay Housing Organizations, and the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County.
Shiloh Ballard
she/her
Director, District 2, Santa Clara Valley Water District
Shiloh Ballard was raised in Santa Clara Valley in West San Jose. She joined the Valley Water Board of Directors in December 2024, representing District 2, which includes Downtown San Jose, Willow Glen, Rose Garden, portions of West San Jose, and most of Santa Clara.
Shiloh spent 15 years working for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, a high-tech trade association that coordinates policy needs between Silicon Valley companies and public agencies. She then served as Executive Director of Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition for 8 years. In both roles, she led critical initiatives to improve public transit and build more affordable housing.
Shiloh has also been active on various commissions, boards, and non-profit organizations, including the Association of Bay Area Governments Regional Planning Committee, SV@Home, Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters, San Jose Planning Commission, Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter Board, and the Silicon Valley Housing Trust Board.
Rachel Clyde
she/her
Westside Community Organizer, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
Rachel Clyde is a community organizer at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. A Bay Area native, Rachel fell in love with biking at a young age. With SFBike over the last 4 years, she has worked on major campaigns like Car-Free JFK Drive (now JFK Promenade) and Car-Free Great Highway (now Sunset Dunes).
Melissa Cerezo
she/they/siya
Transit-Oriented Communities Program Manager, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
Melissa Cerezo, AICP, is a queer, Asian American, 2nd-gen city planner focused on co-creating vibrant, transit-connected neighborhoods. At VTA, she leads the Transit-Oriented Communities Program, building resilient, sustainable communities through local and regional partnerships.
Previously, she worked at the NYC Department of City Planning, improving neighborhoods and public spaces. Melissa is a former board member of Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition.
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Thinking Outside the Bike Lane - Hands-On Communications Workshop
Carter Lavin
he/him
Author
Carter Lavin is a transportation activist based in Oakland, California, who helps organizations and individuals across North America hone their strategy and build political power. Carter has directly supported and trained nonprofits, candidates, grassroots groups, businesses, and hundreds of individuals to win on the issues that matter to them at the local, regional, and state levels. He is a cofounder of the transportation advocacy group Transbay Coalition and the author of If You Want To Win, You've Got To Fight: A Guide To Effective Transportation Advocacy.
Justin Hu-Nguyen
him/his
Co-Executive Director of Mobility Justice, Bike East Bay
Justin Hu-Nguyen (he/him) joined Bike East Bay as Co-Executive Director of Mobility Justice in February 2023. Previously lead community engagement for Bay Area bikeshare expansion and creating the Equity Policy team at Lyft. Prior to Bike East Bay, Justin served as the Director of Advocacy for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC). He looks forward to bringing the joy, freedom, and empowerment of biking to all communities.
Regulating the Road: From E-Bikes to AVs
Kendra Ramsey, AICP, Moderator
she/her
Executive Director, California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike)
Kendra Ramsey is the Executive Director of the California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike), which advocates for equitable, inclusive, and prosperous communities where bicycling helps to enable all Californians to lead healthy and joyful lives. Prior to CalBike, she spent 15 years as an active transportation planner in the public and private sectors. Kendra is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and holds an MS in Community Development from UC Davis and a BA in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz.
Noelle Duong
she/her
Policy and Government Affairs Manager, Waymo
Noelle Duong is the Policy and Government Affairs Manager at Waymo, a leading autonomous driving technology company. She plays a key role in supporting the development and expansion of Waymo's ride-hail services in the Bay Area. Noelle values collaboration and actively engages with local governments and community organizations to foster a shared vision for the future of transportation. Her dedication to safe and sustainable transportation solutions is informed by her prior experience as a legislative aide to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She firmly believes in the power of thoughtful policy to create positive change.
Asha Weinstein Agrawal
she/her
Research Associate & Education Director, Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University
Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal works at San José State University, where she a Research Associate with the Mineta Transportation Institute, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, and Education Director for an online graduate program in transportation management.
Next Gen Biketivists: Youth Leading the Way
Chloe Dahl
she/her/hers
Student Group Lead, Walk Bike Roll California
Chloe Dahl is a high schooler who has been passionate student advocate for active transportation. She is the Student lead for the Walk Bike Roll California Student Working Group, a grassroots organization that aims to implement walking, biking, and rolling education into all school curriculums across California. She continues her advocacy journey as a Safe Routes to School representative in Cupertino, and serves as a council member on the National Youth Bike Council. She is excited to help her fellow student discover the benefits of walking and biking.
