The governing body of NJBWC is its Board of Directors, which is responsible for the overall direction and well-being of the Coalition. The Advisory Board has been established to provide occasional guidance and support to the Board and Coalition staff in the administration of their duties. The Advisory Board consists of individuals who bring unique knowledge and skills which complement the knowledge and skills of the formal board members in order to more effectively assist NJBWC in reaching its goals.
Richard J. Jackson MD MPH FAAP HonAIA HonASLA
Richard J. Jackson, MD MPH FAAP HonAIA HonASLA, Professor Emeritus at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, boasts a distinguished career in public health leadership. As a pediatrician, he held pivotal roles in the California Health Department, culminating in the position of State Health Officer. Notably, he served as the Director of the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health, earning the Presidential Distinguished Service award, and was elected to the Institute of Medicine in October 2011.
Renowned for his expertise in the intersection of the built environment and health, Professor Jackson is an acclaimed author, co-writing impactful books like Urban Sprawl and Public Health, Making Healthy Places, and Designing Healthy Communities—adapted into a PBS series. In recognition of his significant contributions, he was honored with the Henry Hope Reed Award for Architecture in 2015.
Karen Jenkins
Karen provides NJBWC with over three decades of executive management experience and academic leadership. She is the former Board Chair at the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition and is currently Chair of the Board of the League of American Bicyclists. Karen is a League Cycling Instructor and is a lifetime member of the NJ Bike & Walk Coalition, and a member of the Major Taylor Cycling Club of New Jersey, the Princeton Free Wheelers, and the Central Jersey Bicycle Club.
Jenkins is an undergraduate alumna of Fisk University, and went on to receive her J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law and an M.A. in International Relations from Yale University. Jenkins is currently an independent consultant specializing in fundraising, public affairs, and board development for NGOs and internationally-focused nonprofit organizations.
John Pucher
John, a professor at Rutgers University’s Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy since earning his Ph.D. from MIT in 1978, has dedicated his career to transport economics and finance. With three decades of research spanning Europe, Canada, and the U.S., he has delved into travel behavior, transport systems, and policies. In the last twelve years, John’s focus shifted to walking and bicycling, publishing extensively and directing major projects, including a U.S. Department of Transportation study on bicycling trends in large American cities from 2008 to 2010.
In recent years, John has turned his attention to the public health aspects of urban transport, advocating for increased walking and cycling to promote physical exercise and overall public health. His sabbatical at the University of Sydney in 2005-2006 and ongoing collaborations with international colleagues underscore his commitment to exploring the global implications of transport on public well-being.
Martin Robins
The founding director, and now Director Emeritus, of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Mr. Robins has over 30 years of experience in transportation planning and policy. Mr. Robins conceptualizes and implements a program of policy research and public forums on transportation-related issues affecting New Jersey, the Northeast, and the nation.
He provides guidance on major investment transportation projects and policy issues and has experience planning and implementing light rail systems and major capital investments in passenger rail service. From 1994 to 1998, he served as project director of Access to the Region’s Core, a multi-agency planning partnership examining the need for a new rail tunnel between northern New Jersey and midtown Manhattan.
Prior to that, he was director of NJ TRANSIT’s Waterfront Transportation Office, which planned the Hudson-Bergen light rail line, director of the Port Authority’s Planning & Development Department, and Deputy Executive Director of NJ TRANSIT.
Cyndi Steiner
Cyndi, a Lifetime Member of NJBWC, served as the executive director from July 2012 to June 2019, leading numerous advocacy initiatives. Her achievements include the pursuit of the Essex-Hudson Greenway from 2014-2020, successful negotiation with Open Space Institute, and spearheading safety improvements for bike riders during the George Washington Bridge restoration project. Cyndi played a pivotal role in policy implementation, such as Complete Streets in Monmouth County and the passage of A4165/S2894 in 2018, integrating bike rider and pedestrian safety into the state’s driver’s education curriculum.
Beyond her directorial role, Cyndi contributed significantly to local advocacy organizations and served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Bike New York. With a background in corporate project and information systems management, Cyndi holds an MS degree from Stevens Institute of Technology and a BS degree from Cornell University. Her dedication extends to being a certified League Cycling Instructor with the League of American Bicyclists.
