From left: Holly Houser of Puget Sound Bike Share, Deb Salls of Bike Works, Barb Chamberlain of BikeWA, Elizabeth Kiker of Cascade Bicycle Club and Cathy Tuttle of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways.
Seattle Neighborhood Greenways posted this photo to their Facebook page recently. It marks an interesting moment in Seattle bike history.
As we reported last month, nearly every top leadership position in Seattle-based bike organizations is now held by a woman.* Since men still greatly outnumber women among bike commuters, programs and policies that make cycling a more inviting option to women is one way to dramatically grow the number of people cycling regularly in our city, region and state.
All five women met recently to conspire for a working lunch. They all have expressed a strong desire to make cycling appeal to everyone, regardless of income, body or background. I am excited to see this work grow through the very different organizations they lead.
* Seattle has had a long history of women at the head of bike organizations (see also: Barb Culp). But this is the first time, at least to my knowledge, that a woman has held every top spot.
A power-packed pantheon of professionals–I can’t wait to see what comes of this!
An impressive group, all of whom I admire.
Go Seattle!! :) So many good things to come…
Not in photo: Jessica Szelag, chair of Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board (and member-elect of Cascade Bicycle Club Board).
Yes! And Sam Woods at the head of the bicycle program at SDOT. And if we start naming all the women who are helping to organize neighborhood greenways groups near their homes…
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