Mission: to create the Calumet-Sag Trail through the Chicago Southland region, from the I&M Canal in Lemont to Lake Michigan, as a green corridor connecting 14 communities and providing the backbone for linking regional recreational trails.

Rebranded and re-directed a stagnant non-profit to fulfill its mission by focusing on three areas: Making Trails Count, Making Trails Work, and Making Trails Fun. * Making Trails Count—Published the first report of trail use on six trails statewide and its impact on economic, environmental and wellness metrics (a Triple Bottom Line). Key tasks included identifying and securing grant funding, creating a partnership with Rails to Trails Conservancy and University of Illinois to develop a repeatable methodology for trail counts and user surveys; establishing relationships with key stakeholders; coordinating with multiple local and state agencies; training teams of trail survey volunteers across the state; authoring and managing the design and publication of final report.* Making Trails Work—Established the first conservation corps in Illinois dedicated to recreational trail projects. Housed, trained, equipped and deployed Americorps teams to projects in Shelbyville, Danville, Charleston, and Clinton, Illinois to provide trail construction and maintenance services to resource-challenged state and local agencies.* Making Trails Fun—Developed and managed annual overnight bike camping trips for 50–90 participants that showcased multi-use trails and trail systems as tourism and outdoor recreation destinations.Additional programs:* Friends of Big Marsh—Established the non-profit Friends of Big Marsh to successfully win support and funding for constructing the bike park Big Marsh on Chicago’s far southeast side.* Legislation—Successfully introduced state legislation to streamline trail development in Illinois, removing IDOT as a mandatory approving agency in the awarding and implementation of federal Recreational Trails Program funding. Successfully advocated for additional trail funding and the protection of existing funding in person with key legislators at local, state and federal levels.

I worked half time at Active Trans to complete non-motorized plans for Blue Island, Tinley Park and Lemont in Illinois.

Trails and bicycling facilities/policy/program advisor, advocate and planner for the Chicago Southland and Northwest Indiana. Trails planning and advocacy work includes Calumet-Sag Trail, Burnham Greenway, Veterans Memorial/I-355 Trail in IL; Porter/Indiana Dunes Gateway, Marquette Greenway in IN. Community bicycle planning includes Homewood, Lan-Oak Park District, Alsip Park DIstrict, Palos Heights, Palos Park, Oak Lawn, Oak Forest in IL; Crown Point, IN; Novi, Royal Oak and the Thumb Region in MI; and Cedar Falls, IA.