Meet the Team

Walk SF’s work is powered by our passionate staff, Board of Directors, Advisory Council, volunteers, and members.

Learn more about our:

• Staff
• Board of Directors
• Advisory Council

Become a member, explore volunteer opportunities, or check out job and internship opportunities.

Staff & Interns

Ben Barrett, Operations Manager

Ben is responsible for overseeing the execution and continuous improvement of office operations, financial management, and vendor relations. Ben joined Walk SF in 2015 as an outreach intern, then became a staff member as an operations assistant in 2016.

In addition to his position at the organization, he is a Spanish translator and research assistant at a nonprofit research and advocacy group. Previously, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala, where he worked with community-based organizations and rural entrepreneurs to encourage the adoption of sustainable and profitable practices to help curb deforestation. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University.

Contact Ben via email.

Aly Geller, Vision Zero Engagement Manager

Aly guides and supports Walk SF’s SF Bay Area Families for Safe Streets group and Safe Routes to School team. She has a Masters in Public Health from UCLA and is a traffic safety enthusiast. She has partnered with schools, community groups, and law enforcement to provide distracted driving awareness programs, workshops and leadership training, and has collaborated with MADD and We Save Lives founder, Candace Lightner.

Prior to joining Walk SF, she led community engagement for a K-12 school. Aly moved to SF from LA in order to get out of the car, know her community, and walk! She loves to explore SF’s stairways and picnic in the park with her family.

Contact Aly via email or call at 415.431.9255, ext 4.

Brian Haagsman, Vision Zero Organizer

Brian focuses on pushing the City to make the comprehensive, urgent changes needed on our streets to actually achieve Vision Zero, a goal to end all severe and fatal traffic crashes by 2024. As a member of the policy team, he identifies and pushes for bold action in a variety of ways while working with community-based partners, safe streets advocates, and our members. Brian joined Walk SF in 2016 in an outreach role, working on Walk SF’s annual events, volunteer, and membership programs.

Contact Brian via email or call at 415.431.9255, ext 5.

Vernon Haney, Family & Schools Coordinator

As a member of the San Francisco Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Partnership, Vernon will be focused on encouraging families and students to walk, bike, take transit, and carpool to San Francisco schools in the SoMa and Bayview neighborhoods.

Before joining Walk SF in June 2018, Vernon was an Environmental Education Associate at Department of the Environment, where he educated elementary, middle, and high school students about water conservation, pollution prevention, and zero waste. A native of Louisiana, Vernon has been an engaged member of the San Francisco community for the past 10 years and is happy to continue to be able to serve San Francisco communities and residents with his work at Walk SF.

Contact Vernon via email or call at 415.431.9255, ext 6.

Sam Kwan, Family & Schools Coordinator

Sam works to encourage families and students to walk, bike, take transit, and carpool to San Francisco schools as part of Walk SF’s role in the San Francisco Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Partnership. Sam studied Environmental Studies at San Francisco State University where she focused on sustainability and social justice in hopes to give a voice to those who often go unheard. Before joining Walk SF, Sam helped to preserve affordable housing at the San Francisco Community Land Trust and at SF Environment’s School Education Program, empowering K-12 students and their families to become environmental advocates every day.

Sam has lived in San Francisco for over 8 years and has lived in 6 different neighborhoods. She enjoys every pocket of San Francisco and can be found meandering throughout the city engaging in local events.

Contact Sam via email or call at 415.431.9255, ext 7.

Marta Lindsey, Communications Director

Marta oversees Walk San Francisco’s communications. Prior to joining Walk SF, Marta served as the communications director at TransForm, as well as the interim communications director at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. As a communications consultant, Marta worked with a range of nonprofits focused on transportation, land use, social justice, and sustainability.

Marta has lived in San Francisco for almost 15 years. She considers the fact that she can walk almost everywhere a key piece of her daily happiness. You will often see her walking with her husband and two kids in the Inner Sunset and Golden Gate Park.

Contact Marta via email or call at 415.431.9255, ext 8.

Jodie Medeiros, Executive Director

Jodie is responsible for leading Walk San Francisco’s strategic work. She has a long and successful history leading communications, fundraising, and advocacy at urban livability, active transportation, and poverty alleviation nonprofits.

Prior to joining Walk SF, Jodie was Deputy Director at the SF Housing Action Coalition, where her work was critical in passing Home SF, a policy to incentivize building more affordable and family-friendly housing in San Francisco. During her eight-year tenure as Development Director at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, she helped grow the organization from four to seventeen staff and collaborated on the Great Streets Project, which led to Sunday Streets and the now-thriving parklet program. Jodie earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Clark University.

Contact Jodie via email or call 415.431.9255, ext 2.

Board of Directors

Advisory Council

Sophie Maxwell Former San Francisco District 10 Supervisor, 2000-2011
Margie O’Driscoll Former Executive Director, American Institute of Architects, San Francisco
Bonnie Nelson Founding Principal, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting