0

Board Members

Noah Budnick, Chair
Dan Grunig, Vice Chair
John Luton, Secretary
Eric Gilliland, Treasurer
John Gideon, Esq.
Tim May
Randy Neufeld, Founding Chair
Mark Wyatt
Leah Shahum

Staff

Dominic Liberatore, Interim Executive Director / Complete Streets Campaign Coordinator
Kristen Steele, Outreach & Development Manager
Jeremy Grandstaff, Member Resources Manager

 

Noah Budnick, Chair

Noah is the Deputy Director of Advocacy at Transportation Alternatives (TA) in New York City where he focuses his composed passion on local initiatives for better bicycle and pedestrian facilities in one of the world’s most vibrant cities. New York begs for people to walk and ride its streets and Noah is determined to make these everyone’s preferred modes of travel. He is a perceptive strategist who often pinpoints solutions where no one else had considered looking.

Transportation Alternatives
127 West 26th Street, Suite 1002
New York, NY 10001

 

Dan Grunig, Vice Chair

Dan took the reins of Bicycle Colorado from Martha Roskowski as she headed to DC to fire up the America Bikes Campaign. Since that fateful exchange, with Dan as Executive Director, this hell-bent western state organization has been riding herd on any transportation official who dares to try and run bicyclists out of town. Dan brings to the Thunderhead Board a deep history of organizational experience in the arts and other sectors. His quiet, western style allows us to fumble just a bit before he sidles in with his silver bullets of advice and know-how.

Bicycle Colorado
1701 Wynkoop Street, Suite 236
Denver, CO 80202-5924

 

John Luton, Secretary

As the Executive Director of the Capital Bike and Walk Society, John works tirelessly to build on Victoria’s many victories for bicycle access. His political savvy and unpredictable ingenuity set him apart from other bicycle advocates in his area as the one to turn to for vision and setting the highest goals for bicycling in Victoria. He brings these qualities to our board, keeping us at the ready for brilliant tactics or sidesplitting laughter.

Capital Bike and Walk Society
22 Philippa Place
Victoria, BC V85 156 Canada

 

Eric Gilliland, Treasurer

Eric Gilliland graduated from Lehigh University in 1993 with a BA in International Affairs with minors in Economics and History. After brief stints on Capitol Hill, in local law firms, and as a bicycle messenger, Eric was hired by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association in the fall of 1999. Starting first as a part-time data entry clerk Eric quickly made his mark in bicycling in the Washington region through his work on BikeDC, Bike to Work Day, and numerous other advocacy initiatives. With the departure of long time Executive Director Ellen Jones, Eric was hired by the WABA board of directors to take the reigns of the organization in January of 2004.

Washington Area Bicyclist Association
1803 Connecticut Avenue N.W., 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20009

 

John Gideon, Esq.

John Gideon, Esq. first connected with Thunderhead in 2002 and attended our Retreat that year. Even then, as President of the Central Ohio Bicycle Advocacy Coalition (COBAC), John shown with the Thunderhead spirit, working with even newer leaders that he believed he could help. John is one of our most helpful members, always ready to offer his experience for the benefit of others. His 2003 triumphant complete streets policy campaign is featured in Thunderhead’s Guide to Complete Streets Campaigns.

Central Ohio Bicycle Advocacy Coalition
P.O. Box 2003
Columbus OH 43216-2003

 

Tim May

Tim is Director of Development at Enterprise Community Partners’ national office and has offered his guidance to Thunderhead since 2005. Enterprise is an extraordinary partner for Thunderhead because it comes close to being the Thunderhead Alliance of community development corporations – local non-profits that work for affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization. Tim brings the vital national expertise of Enterprise and a genuine commitment to our work. He clearly sees that housing and transportation issues are inseparable and while his expertise is on the housing side, he is proving to be an invaluable translator for us as we step boldly into the national mainstream to show all sectors why they must keep bicycling and walking front and center to their efforts.

 

Randy Neufeld, Founding Chair

Randy is the Chief Strategic Officer of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation (CBF) and a founding member of the Thunderhead Alliance. Randy is often sought after for his talents that have grown CBF and the Chicago area into one of the most significant successes for bicycle advocacy as he and his organization strive for even greater accomplishments. We are truly lucky to have his leadership. Randy’s specialties cover the spectrum of bicycle advocacy, but hit their mark in creative strategy and leveraging of transportation funding for bicycling.

Chicagoland Bicycle Federation
9 West Hubbard Street, Suite 402
Chicago IL 60610

 

Mark Wyatt

Mark Wyatt attended our Chicago Training in 2004 that helped him found the Iowa Bicycle Coalition (IBC) using the momentum of a battle against a bike ban threat. Following Thunderhead’s models he and his Board took the organization to a sustainable and effective level in just two years. In early 2006 he was hired as IBC’s first Executive Director. He has innovated several of Thunderhead’s programs offering what he learns back to our members and us. His success with innovating our founders circle model has now set him out as our top expert on this subject. He finds great satisfaction from offering his expertise on this and his other successes to Thunderhead members.

Iowa Bicycle Coalition
P.O. Box 572
North Liberty, IA 52317

 

Leah Shahum

Leah Shahum is the Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, a 7,500-member organization promoting bicycling for everyday transportation. She has been helping the SFBC grow and succeed since 1997. Before coming to the SFBC, Leah worked as a journalist for a local newspaper and a national magazine. She graduated from Duke University in North Carolina with a degree in political science and a focus in women’s studies. Leah currently serves on the Board of Directors of the SF Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees the City’s transportation systems. She previously served for five years on the Board of Directors of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District. She is also a San Francisco representative to the state Democratic Party.

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
995 Market St. Suite 1550
San Francisco CA 94103

 

Dominic Liberatore, Interim Executive Director / Complete Streets Campaign Coordinator

Dominic Liberatore joined the Thunderhead staff in November 2006 as our Complete Streets Campaign Coach, a critical part of our ramp up of our National Complete the Streets Campaign. He brings his extraordinary experience in campaign strategizing and uncompromised success even in the most contentious campaign battles. He has founded and led bicycle, pedestrian and transit advocacy organizations for Ohio. Dominic has been a tried and true Thunderheader since 2002 when he served as our hub for the America Bikes campaign in Ohio. Dominic is now our Complete Streets Campaign Coordinator.

Washington, DC Office

 

Kristen Steele, Outreach & Development Manager

Kristen joined our staff in January 2007 as our Outreach & Development Manager. She brings her experience as the former executive director and one of the founders of Charleston Moves in South Carolina. During her time there she succeeded with numerous, innovated fundraising campaigns, some of which we now use as models. Her innovative spirit and commitment to the bicycling and walking movement inspired many a Thunderheader during her time at Charleston Moves and she offers this talent in her role with Thunderhead. She now lives in San Francisco where she reaches out to leaders of Thunderhead organizations and our partners and funders to get them what they need along our next big steps together.

San Francisco, CA Office

 

Jeremy Grandstaff, Member Resources Manager

Jeremy joined our staff in June 2007 as our Member Resources Manager. Jeremy brings his experience as an Organization Development and Information Technology consultant as well as his masters degree in Organizational Development and four years at IBM. Jeremy also offers his talents to at least a dozen non-profits in and around Columbus, Ohio where he lives with his guide dog, Gomer. His unique perspective as a blind person brings a list of assets not only from his deep involvement with non-profits for the blind, but his personal experience from the highest level of pedestrian expectations, including access to transit.

Columbus, OH Office