2019 BC Active Transportation Summit Feature Speakers & Bios

Hon. Minister of Transportation & Infrastructure MLA North Island Government of

Claire Trevena was first elected MLA for North Island in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013 and 2017. She is the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. Claire served as the Official Opposition spokesperson for a number of ministries. A former journalist, activist and international development worker, Claire came to Canada in the early 1990s as the BBC’s Canada correspondent.

Bowinn Ma Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink MLA North -Lonsdale Government of British Columbia

Elected as the MLA for -Lonsdale in May 2017, Bowinn is also a licensed Professional Engineer and certified Project Management Professional. Prior to being elected MLA, she managed terminal expansion and redevelopment projects at the Vancouver International Airport. Bowinn’s degree in civil engineering included an academic focus on transportation engineering, which serves her well in her efforts to improve transportation on the North Shore and throughout the Lower Mainland.

Barbara Chamberlain Active Transportation Division Director Washington State Department of Transportation

Barb Chamberlain is Director of the newly created Division of Active Transportation, with Washington State Department of Transportation. Barb served as the Executive Director of Washington Bikes from 2012 to 2015, then became Chief Strategic Officer (CSO) when Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club merged to form the nation’s largest statewide bike nonprofit.

Sarah Jama Organizer Disability Justice Network of Ontario

Sarah Jama is a community organizer from Hamilton, Ontario. She is co-founder of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO), is a current board member with the Hamilton Transit Riders Union, an organizer with the Hamilton Community Benefits Network, and is working with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board to create curriculum around combating anti-black racism. She has given over one hundred lectures, presentations, and keynotes on issues surrounding leadership, diversity, justice, and works at the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion as a Program Coordinator.

Robin Mazumder Vanier Canada Graduate Scholar Ph.D Candidate, Cognitive Neuroscience University of Waterloo

Robin Mazumder is a thought leader and accomplished keynote speaker sought out internationally to provoke thoughtful discussions on cities and well-being. He is currently completing his doctorate in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Waterloo, where he is studying the psychological impacts of urban design. His interest is inspired by his love for cities as well as his experience working as a mental health occupational therapist. Robin is a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholar.

Maddy Ruvolo Disability Activist Master of Urban and Regional Planning ’20, UCLA

Maddy Ruvolo is a disability activist and transportation planning student in the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at UCLA. She currently serves as a researcher at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies and previously worked at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Marin Center for Independent Living, a disability rights organization.

Thomas Thivener Active Transportation and Regional Lead WATT Consulting Group

Thomas Thivener has had a major influence on active transportation in the US and Canada, on the municipal front. He joined The City of Calgary in 2012 as the Cycling Coordinator to help implement the new Cycling Strategy policy. For the last four years he led the Active Transportation Projects Section of the Liveable Street Division for The City. Previous to moving to Canada, he worked as the City of Tucson’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. Recently he relocated to Vancouver and works for WATT Consulting Group as its Active Transportation and Regional Lead.