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Check out the list of former Alice Award winners.
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Nominees for the 2008 Alice Awards: Commissioner Sam Adams* [nomination] * Sam Adams is an elected official running for office in 2008 and is therefore not eligible to win an award this year. A champion of Safer Routes to Schools, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams' passion for bike culture extends to cyclists of all ages. As the commissioner in charge of the Portland Office of Transportation, he is focused on safety, leading campaigns to help people share the road, pushing city bureaus to take steps to protect bike commuters and pushing the Portland Police to cite car drivers who violate traffic laws and harm cyclists. Sam implemented Bike Boxes and other transportation tools that reduce conflict between bikes and motorist, enhancing the safety of the transportation system for all users. Sam successfully advocated for funding for an update of the Portland Bike Plan and for PDOT's Transportation Options group. Sam is committed to his vision of stable, long-term financial support for bike improvements, lanes, and facilities and intends to see Portland become a "Platinum" bike city. He is driven to keep Portland a livable sustainable city, recognizing the important role bike rider ship and advocacy play in that goal. Currently, Hal Ballard is administrator of the “And We Bike” safety campaign to educate Washington County motorists about being careful around cyclists and advises the county on mitigating cyclists' concerns about rural roads as Vice Chair of the Rural Roads Operations and Maintenance Advisory Committee. Co-founder of the Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition, Ballard has a long track record of successful bike advocacy including seven years as chair of the Beaverton Bicycle Advisory Committee, five years on the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District's Advisory committee, and assistance with county and city transportation plan updates. In four years on the BTA's board, he was instrumental in developing our presence outside Portland. If you've ever used Metro's colorful, friendly Bike There Map, you may have benefited from the work of Bill Barber, a transportation planner at Metro from 1991-2005 who managed updates to several editions of the guide. Manager of the Regional Bicycle Program, which coordinates transportation planning for bicycles, he worked with local planners to develop a comprehensive, linked regional bicycle system and set the foundation for regional funding. Barber also assisted Metro Parks/Greenspaces staff with multi-use trail projects and tirelessly advocated for a bicycle travel demand model and online trip planner that will begin to be developed this year. From Breakfast on the Bridges to developing a “We Are All Traffic” rally, Eleanor Blue stays busy infusing the streets of Portland with her proactive approach to bicycle advocacy. She contributes to BikePortland.org and serves on the board of Umbrella, a new nonprofit organization that seeks to sponsor good ideas that promote community-based street culture. Most importantly, she always connects and encourages, as can be evidenced from her current work in organizing the North American debut of the Eighth International Towards Carfree Cities Conference, co-hosted by Shift and World Carfree Network and coming to the Portland State University campus June 2008. Focused on bicycle education, Bruce Buffington took up cycling in his mid-40s and had an early “head vs. pavement” incident that reinforced the importance of helmets and led to his lifelong advocacy of safety skills. After retirement, he founded a nonprofit corporation, NW Bicycle Safety Council (NWBSC), to advocate safety and harmony between cyclists and all who use the road. Buffington directs and hosts a monthly local cable television program about bicycle safety featuring cycling enthusiasts who are experts in a variety of fields; implements skills rodeos for children, helmet fittings, and senior citizen riding clinics; and serves as a ride leader for less experienced cyclists. An important aspect of bicycle advocacy is giving people opportunities to experience the sheer potential of being on a self-propelled, fast-moving, tough pair of wheels. Lovingly described by one nominator as a “group of knuckle heads,” the folks behind the terrifically popular Cross Crusade series have a dynamic mix of personalities that create a perfect team. They are admired by the cycling community not just for their hard work in putting on a series of family-friendly events throughout each season but their ability to be professional while still having plenty of fun. For the last five years, Kim Curley has been the Community Outreach Coordinator with Commute Options for Central Oregon in Bend. Her passion is to encourage safe cycling for children and adults, and it is consistently evident in the wide variety of programs she directs or assists with include school initiatives offering incentives for biking and walking, corporate outreach with over ninety Commute Options Partners, the Healthy Active Central Oregon coalition, area bike rodeos and health fairs, Commute Options Week, and Safe Routes to School. She also finds time to be the Central Oregon representative on the Oregon Safe Routes to School committee. More than 40,000 cyclists have experienced a fabulous ride in Oregon's beauty through Cycle Oregon tours. Visiting unique rural areas for the past twenty years, Cycle Oregon has connected riders to the land and local communities, showcasing the potential for bicycle transportation to encourage not just tourism but active participation in the life of a state. They have also provided more than $120,000 in local revenue to the areas through which the ride passes and raised proceeds designed to support community projects and bicycling advocacy. Cycle Oregon's recent projects include an annual policymakers’ ride and working with Travel Oregon to sponsor the Oregon Bike Summit. A bike safety teacher, community activist, and dedicated cyclist, Justin Dean is a model of bike advocacy. His educational activities began with teaching two different “Bike Safety Clubs” per week for the Community Cycling Center as a volunteer while working full-time on a graduate degree in sociology, and his success with those classes lead to instructing bike summer camps to kids and his current work as Adult Programs Coordinator. Dean also spearheads the “Create-A-Commuter” program, which teaches bike safety and helps get free bikes to adults transitioning out of homelessness or under Department of Human Services care, and in his spare time does bike building and repair. At the Portland Development Commission, where his efforts tripled participation in the Carefree Commute Challenge and September Bike to Work Challenge, Karl Dinkelspiel is not just a passionate event organizer but also takes the time to connect individually with staff members who need support in getting on their bikes. He assists people with finding comfortable and safe routes and arranges his schedule to bike to work with timid riders at a gentle pace. Dinkelspiel does so well at building individual cycling relationships that his coworkers hold him directly responsible for their dreams of new, expensive bikes! Ann Donaca-Sullivan and Patty Verzani Both mothers of children with special needs, Ann and Patty watched anxiously as their youngsters struggled to learn how to ride a bike. When they read about a national organization that helps kids with disabilities become independent riders, Ann and Patty knew instantly that they had to bring the program to Portland. The week-long camp was a remarkable success; now in its third year, Bike First!, the Portland, Oregon affiliate of Lose the Training Wheels (TM) will forever change the lives of more than 100 children and their families this summer. Ann and Patty exemplify the spirit of bicycle advocacy, devoting their time and talent to this unique program that offers he opportunity to experience the joys of cycling . Together they enabling Portland's biking community to embrace riders of all abilities. Jim Fox bikes to work nearly every day and was instrumental in encouraging his company to install bike covers and provide TriMet passes. More importantly, his commitment extends to encouraging others to ride, and he has gone out of his way to show coworkers how to navigate journeys such as the 14-mile MAX and bike trip from SE Portland to Beaverton. Fox helps people with the selection, fitting, and accessorizing of bikes and takes them on trial runs to learn the rules of the road from a bike perspective. In the words of one nominator, without him “I'd be rolling a monstrous SUV and burning tires on my lawn, not to mention, I'd be fat.” A woman who has ridden Race Across America, and holds the women's cross state (North-South) record, Susan France's passion drives her volunteer work organizing long distance cycling events that enrich the lives of many cyclists. Since she took the reins of Oregon Randonneurs, a chapter of Randonneurs USA, about four years ago, it has become one of the most successful randonneuring clubs in America. Last year France organized about 20 “brevets” (the long, timed tours of randonneuring), including a ride from Portland to White Fish, Montana. Without compensation, she devotes most of her vacation to running these events and most of her free hours to preparing routes, buying food, and managing logistics so that others may enjoy a day of cycling in the countryside. In 1994, Roger Geller jumped wholeheartedly into a coveted part-time position as City of Portland Bicycle Program Specialist; fourteen years later he often works sixty-hour weeks but still uses his bicycle almost exclusively as a means of transportation. A dedicated leader, his many accomplishments include numerous bikeways, shared lane markings, and the beloved bikeway signage and bike boulevard markings program. He has raised more than $2 million for bikeways through outside grant sources and is spearheading the Bicycle Master Plan Update. Recently, he has led PDOT’s thoughtful response to Tracy Sparling and Brett Jamorlink’s deaths by researching, developing, and gaining approval for an innovative intersection treatment. Many people are aware that Mark Ginsberg has a remarkable ability to bridge gaps between cyclists and other segments of the Portland community and that he takes a lot of bike cases that will not be profitable for his law firm, but an equally outstanding aspect of his service to the cycling community is his willingness to be a resource for attorneys. He is always available to take phone calls not just from cyclists but also from lawyers dealing with difficult issues in their cases. This ensures his accumulated knowledge is not limited to his own practice as a “bike lawyer” but enriches the efforts of everyone in the community dedicated to assisting cyclists. And he still finds time to ride! After losing her mother to cancer in 2001, Norrene Godfrey created Team Rubicon, whose twelve young riders race hard, raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and take time to encourage those struggling with cancer to perservere. They have raised over $58,500, sold 2200 Livestrong wristbands, visited children's hospitals and schools, and connected with patients and survivors in the community. Among other supports, they provide pedicab rides to kids that are unable to ride in the Livestrong Challenge. For Norrene, it's not enough just to be passionate about racing herself; she puts her beliefs in making a difference in the community in motion using cycling as a vehicle. Paul Gribbon is the Willamette River Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Tunnel Program Manager for the City of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services. Stationed at the main access shaft at the Hampton Opera Center on the Eastbank Esplanade, with all of the construction and chaos Paul makes it a priority to ensure the safety of cyclists trying to get to the Springwater Corridor from the Eastbank Esplanade adjacent to the largest capital improvement project in the history of Portland. He is continuously striving to create appropriate signage and safe routes on all of the project's construction sites. Paul also not only rides his bike to and from work every day; rain or shine, but he makes sure that the office has a whole room dedicated to bicycles to safely park inside the building. Don and Sally Hopkins, Bill and Gail Bonniksen, Scott’s Cycle and Fitness For the past nine years, students at Highland Elementary School in Salem have had an extra incentive to finish their schoolwork. Every six weeks, the names of those students who have completed all their reading homework assignments are entered into a drawing to win a bicycle, and two lucky students hear their name announced. So far, more than 140 new bikes have been awarded by this initiative, which was started in 1998 by Don and Sally Hopkins and joined by Bill and Gail Bonniksen in 2005; $50 of each bike's cost is subsidized by Scott's Cycles & Fitness, where owners Larry Lewis and Steve Lewis assist the child and parents in choosing a properly fitted bike and helmet. Senior planner at Metro Parks and Greenspaces, Mel Huie has spent years facilitating the creation of the regional trails system, coordinating regional planning with Vancouver, Washington, withstanding oft-threatened budget cuts, and thinking outside the box on projects including the Fanno Creek Trail. He is appreciated by the community for his ability to constantly spot new possibilities for trails and get them entered on the regional map as well as his work ethic and dedication to bicycle advocacy on the infrastructure level. Huie's efforts make the everyday positive experiences of the thousands of cyclists exploring our trails possible. Steve Jorgensen is an advocate for cycling in Deschutes County who is currently collaborating with the City of Bend to lay out sensible, convenient, and interconnected bicycle and pedestrian trails within the Parks District. A planning manager for Bend Parks and Recreation Department and former Deschutes County transportation planner, he helped develop an online version of the bicycle guide to Deschutes County and was also instrumental in making sure the needs of cyclists were incorporated into the 1998 Transportation System Plan. Jorgensen has served on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and uses his bike in his professional duties as much as possible. Involved in hands-on trail advocacy, including building and maintaining the Scappose-Rocky Point, Stub Stewart and Banks-Vernonia trails, John Joy is a dedicated cyclist who gives freely of his time teaching both children and adults technical riding skills. He is an active member of Portland United Mountain Pedalers and stays engaged with community bike issues as well as participating with the Wheelmen. Most importantly, Joy inspires the bike community by always being an outstanding human being, demonstrating the qualities of patience, persistence, and kindness that are in the best spirit of cycling. Greg, Antonia (age 10) and Curtis (age 11) MacNaughton True ambassadors for cycling and a great example to other children and families, the MacNaughtons are committed to commuting to school or work by bike no matter the weather or the snarled traffic conditions. They have been devoted to cycling as a way of staying healthy, reducing their impact on the environment, and being one less car on the road since the children were old enough to ride their bikes responsibly (age 6 and 7). In fact, Greg not only commutes to his kids' school and his job by bike, but transports the family's puppet show business by bike to birthday parties and events throughout the city. When Brian Manning moved to Portland in 2005, he was already a committed cyclist, but the city gave him an new opportunity: discovering his love of working with children on bicycle safety. He was hired by the Community Cycling Center after being an apprentice there, and in both his work and personal time he has helped many get on bikes, learn about safety, and develop skills in maintaining and repairing their own bicycles. Assisting children and teenagers are his favorite things, and he has also taught some free classes at The Waypost. Manning is an inspiration to the community because of his ability to relate well to youth and keep them constructively engaged during their free time. A Portland Police Officer who has worked tirelessly to create bridges between law enforcement and the cycling community, Robert Pickett has participated thoughtfully in countless meetings, worked to understand the issues that cyclists face every day, and strived to find innovate ways for law enforcement to support cycling in the city. He is an avid cyclist and has been leader of the SE Precinct bike patrol unit; his love for both all things cycling and his job is obvious to those who meet him. Pickett believes in the value of bikes as a tool to establish relationships in the community and encourages citizens to become informed about police policies and procedures as they relate to cycling. Floyd Prozanski represents Southern and Eastern Lane County and Northern and Eastern Douglas County in the State Senate. As a prosecutor, he is acutely aware of the need for improved public safety; as a dedicated cyclist he has proposed and passed important legislation to improve the safety of bicyclists. In 2007 he was a driving force in passing several important bicycle safety bills: SB 108, creating the offense of "unsafe passing of a person operating a bicycle”; HB 3314, imposing harsher penalties on drivers who injure "vulnerable users" of roads; and SB 789, giving us “Share the Road” license plates whose proceeds will fund bicycle education. For Tom Ralley, cycling is more than a means of transportation. It's his way of life. Since moving to Portland 15 years ago, he has been active in the Portland cycling community in a variety of ways, including participating in Roger Geller's bi-weekly rides around Portland, Cycle Oregon and Bridge Pedal events, looking at the current challenges for cyclists, and brainstorming about how to make things better. Now retired from Portland State University, he has also been helping young children learn how to repair their bikes and ride safely through the Lent Elementary bike club and volunteering at the Community Cycling Center, where he was recently named to the board. An avid cyclist, Teri Redwolf is a biking ambassador who not only rides her bike to work nearly every day but displays great skill in helping others become comfortable with transforming their commute. She understands how to relate to people who are just beginning to get into cycling and have never tried riding to work, and knows how to walk them through the steps of getting a personal biking plan in working order, including dealing with mechanics, strategizing how to navigate busy sections of Portland, practicing routes, and finally keeping up the new routine. This practical advocacy increases the ranks of cyclists in the city and promotes health and sustainability. In the 18 months since Susan Remmers became Executive Director of the Community Cycling Center, the vibrant, beloved organization has clarified its vision and adopted a long term strategic plan. Remmers has been a solid, steady guide in a period of transition: decisive, yet measured in her considerations, and confident enough to inspire high quality work. Her service to the cycling community in helping put the Community Cycling Center on a path to long-term sustainability and getting medical insurance and paid time off for staff ensures that this community treasure will continue to grow stronger and give back to Portland. The Resource Development Coordinator for Green Empowerment, a nonprofit that provides renewable energy solutions to developing countries, Stephanie Routh is also President of Umbrella, which provides financial and administrative support to local community groups. Until November of this year, she was also the Treasurer of Exchange Cycle Tours. Routh contributes to the cycling community in many ways, including arranging meeting space for fellow organizations, helping with Shift's Breakfast on the Bridges on the Hawthorne Bridge, and planning for the Towards Carfree Cities Conference 2008. An active advocate for the biking community for many years, Bill Stites volunteers at bike events, serves on committees, recruits members for local organizations, and invents and builds innovative new biking gear. Most recently, he succeeded at gaining local business and neighborhood support and a grant for on-street bike parking on SE Belmont St. in Portland, which has turned out to be extremely welcome. Stites has been car free for most of his adult life and has worked tirelessly to advance, promote and improve the safety of bike transportation. Sara Stout is a key player in the bicycle universe, but to her great credit her efforts are so timely, collaborative and well-integrated with Portland's bicycle culture that it takes a moment to figure out what precisely her strong visions and hard work have brought us. Whenever Portland needs support for a bicycling project, she is there: she became one of the founders of Portland Critical Mass, she donated art to the Community Cycling Center's founding auction, and along with Alyeen Crotty she is the voice of KBOO's bike show. For the past few years, Stout has focused on car free street and car free day events in Portland, nationally, and internationally, and will be bringing more and more car free culture to us as a constant force to improve our world. Scott Weber works in the security department at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, where he advocates for alternative transportation in addition to his work responsibilities. His coordination of alternative transportation fairs and activities, efforts to secure bike parking for patients and affiliated people, and highly informative monthly newsletter have substantially improved cycling awareness at St. Vincent. True to the spirit of hands-on advocacy, Weber also always makes time to mentor and encourage new bike commuters and ensure their long-term success as cyclists. Bike lawyer, activist, and enthusiastic participant in bicycle culture, Margaret Weddell is a regular participant in Oregon Cycling, presenter for Portland Department of Transportation's Women on Bikes Series, and Alice volunteer. Her legal work on behalf of injured cyclists and pedestrians with Swanson, Thomas and Coon and contributions to Pedal Power and the Oregon Pedestrian Legal Guide energize Oregon's non-motorized advocacy effort. As a bike commuter, Weddell brings real world experience to projects including the Bells On Bridges and Safety on Eastside Riverbank campaigns, and has served as board member and chair with the Community Cycling Center. Police Chief Jon Zeliff of Central Point is committed to bicycle safety, education, and the use of bicycles in law enforcement. Within the police force, his efforts to ensure that bike patrol officers have the finest equipment available to do their jobs safely and efficiently are deeply appreciated. He has been supportive of the department's bicycle education program as well as community-wide efforts to promote cycling participation and safety. Chief Zeliff has also purchased bicycle helmets for children, helped the bike patrol put on three children's bike rodeos, and supported the officers' leading the annual “Ride of Silence” with Siskiyou Velo. |
