WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS National Women’s Bicycling Forum March 4, 2013
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WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS WELCOME to the second annual National Women’s Bicycling Forum!
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Last year, we changed the face of the National Bike Summit, convening the first national discussion on women and bicycling in the United States. That two-hour conversation became the talk of the Summit and your tremendous interest and efforts propelled us to commit ourselves to a full-scale campaign to engage, empower and elevate more women in all aspects of the bike movement. And we’ve come a long way in just one year. With the launch of the League’s Women Bike program, encouraging more women to ride and lead isn’t just a side conversation — it’s a new national priority. In just its second year, the Forum isn’t just a single panel, but a full-day event highlighting the insight of 30 diverse women in the bike industry, advocacy and policy. Clearly, Women Mean Business. We mean business in advocacy and entrepreneurship that is making biking better in communities nationwide. And women mean business for the future of the bike industry, as well. According to the 2012 American Bicyclist Survey, women make up the majority of the next generation of consumers — 60 percent of bicycle owners aged 18 to 27 years old are women. In 2012 alone, women reported they would spend nearly $2 billion on bike products. This event is our continued effort to grow the tremendous impact of women as advocates, entrepreneurs, industry leaders… and people who simply love to ride. So thank you for your passion and participation; together we’re not just changing the face of the National Bike Summit but forging the future of the movement. Carolyn Szczepanski Director of Communications, Women Bike League of American Bicyclists
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THANK YOU SPONSORS
WOMEN BIKE ADVISORY BOARD Pasqualina Azzarello, Recycle-A-Bicycle Melissa Balmer, Women on Bikes SoCal Elly Blue, Taking the Lane
.com a fresh spin on city cycling
Robin Bylenga, Pedal Chic Veronica Davis, Black Women Bike Mia Kohout, Momentum magazine Alexis Lantz, Los Angeles Public Health Department Fionnuala Quinn, Alta Planning + Design, Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling Caroline Samponaro, Transportation Alternatives Sarai Snyder, Girl Bike Love Gail Spann, League of American Bicyclists Elysa Walk, Giant Bicycle USA Corinne Winter, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Susi Wunsch, Velojoy.com
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WOMEN BIKE POP-UP SHOP
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Across the country, a growing number of established and start-up companies — run by women — are gearing up creative products, services and solutions for bicyclists. Browse and purchase some of their wares in the Women Bike Pop-up Shop. Vendors: Bandbox LLC BicYclette Bicycle Paintings Bikie Girl Bloomers Bird Industries Cleverhood Cyclofemme Georgena Terry, Heart of Steel bicycles into action publications Iva Jean Nuu Muu Nutcase Georgia in Dublin GiveLoveCycle Po Campo Recycle-A-Bicycle Spokeswomen Taking the Lane Media Vespertine Vaya Bags
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8 - 10 a.m.
Registration
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Women Bike Pop-Up Shop
8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Designing our Streets; Defining our Future Congressional Hall C
8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Keynote Renaissance Ballroom
10 – 11:15 a.m.
Break-out Sessions A Congressional Hall A, B
11:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.
Bike / Ignite Sessions Congressional Hall A, B and C
12:30 - 1 p.m.
Networking Lunch Renaissance Ballroom
1 – 1:45 p.m.
Lunch Keynote Renaissance Ballroom
2 – 3:15 p.m.
Break-out Sessions B Congressional Hall A, B
3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
Closing Keynote Renaissance Ballroom
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WOMEN’S BICYCLING FORUM PROGRAM
MEET THE SPEAKERS! Have a question for one of the presenters? Want tO DELVE into a particular topic?
Each of the speakers has been assigned a table number next to their name in the program. Find that table during the networking lunch and strike up a conversation!
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OPENING KEYNOTE
8:30 – 9:45 a.m. Renaissance Ballroom
Women Mean Business: A Conversation with Georgena Terry A true bicycling trailblazer, Georgena Terry was the first to create women-specific bikes in the 1980s. She turned her basement operation into an international brand, pushing other major manufacturers to expand their offerings for women as well. Terry will share her reflections on her role in the movement and the evolution of the industry, and will be joined by Natalie Ramsland, founder and frame builder for Sweetpea Bicycles, for a conversation about the challenges, opportunities and excitement around the growth of women who ride — and build — bikes. Georgena Terry founded Terry Precision Bicycles for Women in 1985 and have named as a cycling pioneer by Bicycling and Outside magazines. In 2012, three years after she sold a majority interest in her company to a private investor, Georgena left Terry to start yet another business — Heart of Steel Bicycles. These are hand-built, bespoke bicycles for women, designed by Georgena and manufactured by Waterford Bicycles. Moderator karen Brooks, editor, Bicycle Times (1)
Speaker Georgena Terry, founder, Heart of Steel hand-built bicycles (2)
Speaker Natalie Ramsland, founder, Sweetpea Bicycles (3)
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BREAKOUT SESSIONS A 10 - 11:15 A.M.
Insight from the Industry: 3 Keys to Closing the Gender Gap
Congressional Hall A From the bikes we ride to the advertising messages we see, the bicycle industry plays a significant role in encouraging more women to ride. With growing discussion and interest in closing the gender gap, this panel of industry leaders — representing Giant, Advanced Sports International, REI, and Gazelle — will discuss successes and innovations in three important areas: product, marketing and workforce diversity, with ideas and take-aways for anyone working to engage more women in their community. Moderator Deanne Buck, executive director, Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (4) SpeakerS: Anne-Marij Berendsen, Aida Trading (Gazelle Imports USA) (5)
Stephanie Genuardi, Marketing Communications Coordinator, Advanced Sports International (6)
Julie Harris, Retail Sales Director, REI (7)
Community-Based Bicycle Advocacy: Building the Movement from the Ground Up
Elysa Walk, General Manager, Giant Bicycles USA (8)
Congressional Hall B Who comes to mind when you hear or see the word “bicyclist”? Different groups form different meanings around bikes and bicycling, and women are playing a leading role in expanding “bike culture” to encompass and celebrate the diverse communities of people who ride. From the birth of Red, Bike and Green to the spread of Kidical Mass, this discussion will highlight successful efforts that support a range of people who use bicycles, and will include time for small group discussions. Learn about the intricacies of developing new, inclusive bike cultures from the front lines! Moderator Veronica O. Davis, P.E., co-founder, Black Women Bike DC (9) SpeakerS: Jenna Burton, founder, Red, Bike and Green (10)
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Adonia Lugo, co-founder, City of Lights, CicLAvia and Bicicultures (11)
Megan Odett, founder, Kidical Mass DC (12)
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BIKE/IGNITE SESSIONS
11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. Congressional Hall A, B and C
Sparking Change: Big Ideas and Bold Steps Toward Better Biking
From new business ideas to innovative advocacy models, women are taking the bike movement to new heights. In these short sessions, leading female entrepreneurs and advocates will share how they turned their bicycle vision into reality. Each presentation will last 15 minutes with five minutes for Q&A. Between each speaker, audience members will have five minutes to move to another room for the second round! SESSIONS: Congressional Hall A It’s All About the Ginga Karen Overton, founder, Recycle-a-Bicycle (13) Self-propelled Painting: The Art of Bicycling Taliah Lempert, bicycle paintings (14)
Congressional Hall b How to Succeed in Business by Busting your Butt Jennifer Toole, president, Toole Design Group
Congressional Hall C From an Ordinary Bike to an Extraordinary Life Elizabeth Williams, founder, Cali Bike Tours (16)
Building Successful Advocacy by Building Community Leah Shahum, executive director, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (15)
Baby Got Back (With Apologies to Sir Mix-A-Lot) Susan Otcenas, founder, TeamEstrogen.com (17)
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12:30-1:45 p.m. Renaissance Ballroom
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NETWORKING LUNCH & KEYNOTE
Pedaling Toward Equity on Capitol Hill
The 2012 election cycle was a record for women, bringing more female leaders to Washington than ever before — including war hero and hand-crank bicyclist Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). Here in the nation’s capital, women are helping to drive critical discussions related to health, equity and transportation at the federal level. To inspire and inform our efforts nationwide, we’ll hear from a distinguished member of Congress and key agents of change in Washington, D.C. Keynote: Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth The U.S. Representative for Illinois’s 8th congressional district, Duckworth is the first Asian-American woman elected to Congress in Illinois, and the first disabled woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. An Iraq War veteran, Duckworth lost both of her legs and damaged her right arm when the helicopter she was piloting was shot down in 2004. Duckworth previously served as Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and as the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. She continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard — and loves riding her hand-crank bicycle to maintain a healthy lifestyle. ADDITIONAL SpeakerS:
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Anita Hairston, Senior Associate for Transportation, Policylink
Amy Scarton, Deputy Assistant Director for Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation
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BREAK-OUT SESSIONS B 2:15 - 3:30 P.M.
The Bike Shop Barrier: Making Bike Retail More Welcoming to Women
Congressional Hall A More than half of women who ride did not buy their bicycle at a bike shop. Why? Because many bike stores do not cater to women. Forward-thinking retailers and bicycle co-ops are working to change this paradigm. Each is taking steps to make their spaces more welcoming and comfortable for women (and men!) of all ages, abilities, and interests. During this panel discussion, retailers will share their best practices for making bike shops open and accessible to all and each will engage audience members by addressing many of the barriers and challenges that retailers and the bike industry must overcome in order to create women-friendly bike shops. Moderator: Mia Kohout, publisher, Momentum magazine (19) Speakers: Robin Bylenga, owner, Pedal Chic (20)
Martina Fahrner, co-owner, Clever Cycles (21)
Carmelita Sams, organizer, Women and Trans Night, West Town Bikes (22)
Zack Stender, co-owner, Huckleberry Bicycles (23)
From Road Block to Gateway: Rides and Races that Engage More Women
Congressional Hall B Challenge or charity. Fitness or friendship. There are so many motivations to start riding. For women, the social aspects of bicycling are often a key motivation and inspiration, making rides and races particularly important in engaging and empowering more female bicyclists. This panel will explore ways to break down the road blocks and turn cycling events into gateways for participation. Moderator: Sarai Snyder, founder, Cyclofemme, GirlBikeLove.com (24) Speakers: Tara McCarthy, Race Director Certification Manager, USA Cycling (25)
Nicole Preston, National Campaign Director, Tour De Cure, American Diabetes Association (26)
Jacquie Phelan, Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, founder of Women’s Mountain Bike and Tea Society (WOMBATs) (27)
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3:30-4:15 p.m. Renaissance Ballroom
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CLOSING KEYNOTE
Building a Women Bike Friendly City: Remarks from Janette Sadik-Khan
New York City is in the midst of a bicycling renaissance, thanks in no small part to the vision and action of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. With innovative facilities and soon-to-be-launched bike share system, the Big Apple is doing big things to get more people on bikes. As one of the nation’s top-ranking female transportation leaders, Sadik-Khan will share insight from her professional rise to DOT Commissioner and thoughts on engaging more women in bicycling. Introduction: Nicole Freedman, Director, Boston Bikes (18) Keynote: Janette Sadik-Khan Janette Sadik-Khan has served as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation since her appointment by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in April of 2007. She oversees a budget of more than $2 billion, manages 4,700 skilled employees and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of 6,300 miles of streets and highways. Since her appointment, Commissioner Sadik-Khan has implemented an ambitious program to improve safety, mobility and sustainability throughout New York City, and to ensure a state of good repair on all of the Department’s roads, sidewalks and bridges. Sadik-Khan is President of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), and Chair of the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Committee on Transportation Issues in Major U.S. Cities
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NATIONAL WOMEN’S BICYCLING FORUM
SPEAKERS
Anne-Marij Berendsen is the president of Aika Trading, the exclusive North American importer and distributor of Royal Dutch Gazelle, the largest and oldest bicycle maker in the Netherlands.
Karen Brooks started in the bike world as a shop rat in 1996. She now works for Rotating Mass Media, publishers of Bicycle Times and Dirt Rag magazines, where she is the editor of Bicycle Times. She rode her bicycle from her home in Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. for the National Women’s Bicycling Forum (if there wasn’t too much snow). Deanne Buck became Executive Director of
the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition in July 2012. Prior to joining OIWC, Buck worked as a river raft guide, a Marketing Director for an outdoor specialty gear shop, an attorney for companies in the outdoor industry, and an advocate for conservation of and access to our natural resources. Deanne also serves on the board of the American Alpine Club.
Jenna Burton is the founder of Red, Bike and Green, a bike collective that empowers and engages black cyclists in her Oakland, Calif., community. RGB has blossomed, with chapters springing up in other major cities, like Chicago and Atlanta. She is a native of Hartford, Conn. Robin Bylenga is the founder of Pedal Chic,
the nation’s first women-specific bike shop and athletic boutique located in Greenville, South Carolina. Bylenga has been featured on CNN, Bicycling and other publications and, in 2012, her store was named “Best
Bike Shop for Women” by the National Bicycle Dealers Association. Bylenga is also a founding member of Spokeswomen.
Veronica O. Davis, P.E., is co-owner and
Principal Planner at Nspiregreen, LLC, where she is responsible for the management of major planning functions, such as transportation planning and economic analysis. Also a co-founder of Black Women Bike DC, Davis was named a Champion of Change – Transportation Innovator by the White House in 2012.
Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth See page 9. Martina Fahrner is the co-founder of Clever Cycles in Portland, Ore., one of the first U.S. bike shops dedicated entirely to transportation and utility biking. Clever Cycles prides itself on providing bikes for cycling families and others for whom bikes are true car alternatives. Martina represents biking parents on the board of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) of Oregon, and works with many community organizations to make bicycling more accessible. Nicole Freedman currently works as Director of Bicycle Programs for the City of Boston, part of the Mayor’s vision for healthy, sustainable communities and neighborhoods. During her tenure, she has helped Mayor Menino transform Boston from the worst cycling city in the country to a recognized leader in cycling. Prior to working for Boston, Nicole competed professionally in bike racing from 19942005 winning two national championships and competing for the United States in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
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NATIONAL WOMEN’S BICYCLING FORUM
SPEAKERS
Stephanie Genuardi is the Marketing Communications Manager at Advanced Sports International. Prior to joining ASI in November 2010, Genuardi worked as a reporter at The Miami Herald and Philadelphia magazine. Genuardi oversees all brand communication to consumers, dealers, distributors, press, and ASI staff, producing and distributing press releases, newsletters, product/sponsorship videos, and website content. Julie Harris is the Retail Sales Director for
REI in the Bay Area overseeing the 12 REI stores around San Francisco. Julie enjoys creating work environments where teams are empowered to achieve their goals through strong performance, teamwork and personal growth. Julie also currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition.
Anita Hairston is a Senior Associate at
PolicyLink, advancing the organization’s priorities related to promoting equitable and fair infrastructure investments, with a particular focus on transportation. Prior to joining PolicyLink, Anita spent six years with the Washington, D.C. Office of Planning, where she served first as a Community Planner and ultimately as the Chief of Staff, providing leadership to the agency’s media activities, legislative initiatives, and several of its major projects. Anita currently serves as the chair of the Transportation for America Equity Caucus.
Mia Kohout is the co-owner, co-publisher
and editor-in-chief of Momentum Mag, an independent media company that celebrates the growing transportation
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cycling movement in North America, with an emphasis on women and families. She encourages more women to ride bikes by showcasing cycling as an easy, fun, sexy, smart and efficient way to get around. Mia is also the founder of Bike to Work Week in Metro Vancouver.
Taliah Lempert moved to New York in 1989
to study painting. She started cycling for transportation and found a culture. In a few years, Taliah has done for bikes what Wayne Thiebaud did for dessert. Taliah has been painting bicycles of all speeds and sizes for over a decade. Her compositions have been displayed in numerous shows and publications. See more of her work at bicyclepaintings.com.
Adonia Lugo is the co-founder of City of
Lights/ Ciudad de Luces and CicLAvia. A doctoral candidate at the University of California, Irvine, Adonia uses ethnographic research on bicycling to advocate for social justice in urban sustainability through the Bicicultures Research Network and her blog Urban Adonia.
Tara McCarthy is the race director
certification manager at USA Cycling, where she designs and oversees the curriculum for potential and existing race and event directors. She also serves as the organization’s staff liaison to the newly formed women’s committee, which is focused on growing the sport among women, and is the chair of the board of directors for the Women’s Mountain Biking Association of Colorado Springs.
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NATIONAL WOMEN’S BICYCLING FORUM
SPEAKERS
Megan Odett is the founder and organizer of
the Washington, D.C. chapter of Kidical Mass, the national movement to encourage legal, safe and fun cycling for kids, kids at heart, and their families. When she is not riding her cargo bike around Washington D.C. with her two-year-old son, she works as a fundraiser and database administrator for a national environmental nonprofit.
Susan Otcenas is the co-founder of
TeamEstrogen.com, an online retailer of women’s athletic apparel. Susan has traveled extensively by bicycle and believes bikes break down barriers – physical, cultural and socioeconomic – between people, and provide a path to independence for people in all walks of life. She especially encourages more women to ride for health, recreation and transportation.
Karen Overton founded Recycle-A-Bicycle,
an environmental education and youth job training program, in 1998 and developed it into a national model for social entrepreneurship. She has helped support women in cycling through Ladies’ Night (a free mechanics program) and Cycle Craft (a reuse project challenging gender roles and adaptive visions for bicycle recycling). Since 2007, Karen served on RAB’s board of directors, while working for Partnerships for Parks and Build It Green!NYC. This month, Karen will return as RAB’s executive director.
Jacquie Phelan took the male-dominated
mountain bike world by storm in the 1980s. For more than five years, she went unbeaten and, according to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, “easily bested 90 percent of the
men, as the pack was unsegregated in those early years.” Phelan was also the founder of the Women’s Mountain Bike & Tea Society (WOMBATS) in 1987, and raced on four world championship teams from 1990-1993 during her “second wind.” She is a member of the U.S. Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.
Nicole Preston has been managing charity
cycling events for more than ten years and is currently National Director for the Tour de Cure of the American Diabetes Association. She has led the increase in Tour participation from 26,000 to more than 62,000 riders, 40 percent of whom are women.
Natalie Ramsland founded Sweetpea Bicycles in 2005 with the mission of getting more women on bikes that fit them beautifully. She traded in her architectural design training and a career as a professional cyclist (well, bike messenger) to pursue her passion for designing, fitting, and fabricating bikes.
Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan – See page 11 Carmelita Sams is a bicycling enthusiast and commuter in Chicago, Ill. Sams works as a mechanic at Ciclo Urbano/West Town Bikes, and helps to run the group’s Women/Trans Open Shop night.
Amy Scarton is the Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Transportation Policy at US DOT. In this role, Ms. Scarton advises the Secretary on a variety of issues and helps to direct the Department’s implementation
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NATIONAL WOMEN’S BICYCLING FORUM
SPEAKERS
the new surface transportation law – MAP – 21. Amy has a law degree and more than a decade of policy experience on both Capitol Hill and in the Administration.
Georgena Terry – See page 5.
Director of the 12,000-member San Francisco Bicycle Coalition since 2002. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In the past, she has served terms on the Boards of both the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District and the SF Municipal Transportation Authority Board.
Jennifer L. Toole, AICP, ASLA is the President and founder of Toole Design Group, a full-service planning and design firm with a staff of 50 engineers, planners and landscape architects in offices throughout the United States. Her firm has an outstanding reputation for its groundbreaking work on alternative transportation projects at the national, state and local level. Jennifer recently co-authored Boston’s Complete Streets Guidelines and Dallas’ Complete Streets Design Manual.
Since her first mountain bike ride,
Elysa Walk joined the bicycle industry in
Leah Shahum has served as the Executive
Sarai Snyder has spent much of her time
advocating for and working in the cycling industry. While running a bike shop she noticed the need to get more women riding bikes. She soon founded GirlBikeLove.com and created CycloFemme, a Global Women’s Cycling Day. Sarai now rides and resides in the cycling mecca of Boulder, Colorado.
Zack Stender is the co-owner of Huckleberry Bicycles, an urban and road focused bike shop in San Francisco. Though involved in bicycle retail for more than two decades, as a new father, Zack has a new-found interest in families and safety in urban cycling. A board member for the San Francisco Bicycle for the past six years, he takes much pride in doing what he can to help further this cause.
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2004 at Giant Bicycle, Inc., and took full responsibility for Giant USA as General Manager in 2007. Since that time, she has grown the company by 40 percent, and has launched many ground-breaking initiatives, such as a women’s specific bicycle brand called Liv, and the “Link” annual Giant dealer convention. Elysa also serves on the boards of Bikes Belong and the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.
Elizabeth Williams is a bike advocate and League Cycling Instructor (LCI) focused on empowering underserved communities, particularly women and youth, to live healthy, active and green lifestyles through cycling. Elizabeth lives in Long Beach, California, and is the Founder & President of Cali Bike Tours.
TODAY IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
JOIN THE WOMEN BIKE MOVEMENT! Women Bike is the first national advocacy initiative aimed at empowering, engaging and elevating more women in the bike movement. Our goal is to give you the inspiration, information and tools you need to get more women riding in your community. Don’t miss our events, webinars, resources, grants and more. Connect with us online and help us transform the face of bicycling nationwide!
bikeleague.org/womenbike
facebook.com/womenbike
Questions? Ideas?
Contact Carolyn Szczepanski at carolyn@bikeleague.org or (202) 621-5452
@womenbike
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JOIN US!
bikeleague.org/womenbike facebook.com/womenbike @womenbike #womenbike
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