About Us

OUR MISSION:

Advocate for safe walking and bicycling to and from schools, and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America’s students and their families and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities.

OUR STORY:

In 2007, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership (SRTSNP) initiated the State Network Project to establish SRTS networks in nine states and the District of Columbia. That work has continued over the years in different states including California.

In January 2012 the SRTSNP initiated the Regional Network project. The regional network project launched in 2010 with support from Kaiser Permanente in the areas of Southern California, the Greater Washington DC Area and in the Atlanta Region. We brought our efforts to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012 and the Portland, OR region in 2013.

Our California state and regional networks in California work to bring together advocacy groups, parents, community members, government agencies, and other leaders. They also help ensure that Safe Routes to School funds succeed in California, leverage additional resources, and address and improve regional transportation policies.

Email Bill Sadler, California Senior Policy Manager, at bill@saferoutespartnership.org if you have questions, concerns, or just want to get involved.

Many thanks to Kaiser Permanente and The California Endowment for their support of the National Partnership’s work in California.

OUR STAFF:

Bill Sadler, California Senior Policy Manager

Bill Sadler leads the National Partnership’s state policy work in California. He works with state agencies, the state legislature and other advocacy organizations on strategies to increase funding and improve policies that result in more infrastructure and programs to support safe walking and bicycling for children and families throughout California. He leads our work on monitoring the Active Transportation Program (ATP) funding process, cap-and-trade legislation and other state policies that increase transportation options, promote public health, improve social equity and combat climate change. Bill previously worked as the Southern California Regional Policy Manager, focusing on local and regional active transportation policy in the SCAG region, including Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura Counties. Prior to joining the National Partnership, Bill worked with communities and regions around the country on transit-oriented development and sustainable communities initiatives at both Reconnecting America and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In Los Angeles, Denver, Washington, D.C. and many other regions, Bill has worked with local and regional stakeholders to develop programs and policies for improving transit service, increasing funding for active transportation and creating equitable transit-oriented development.

Los Angeles, CA

bill@saferoutespartnership.org | (847) 732-4007

Marty Martinez, Bay Area Regional Policy Manager

Marty Martinez, MPP serves as the Bay Area regional policy manager and is strengthening our diverse networks in the Bay Area to support policies and funding for Safe Routes to School, Complete Streets and creating healthy communities.  Marty earned his Master of Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley as a Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow, and is a graduate of Swarthmore College.

San Francisco, CA

marty@saferoutespartnership.org | (415) 637-6488

Demi Espinoza, Southern California Regional Policy Manager

Demi Espinoza is one of two Regional Policy Managers in the Southern California region, focusing on the Inland Empire counties of Riverside and San Bernardino. Demi works with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and County Transportation Commissions in Southern California counties on policy and funding opportunities for active transportation. Demi is an Inland Empire native who grew up in the region and earned her B.A. in Sociology at Cal State San Bernardino. She returns to California after spending four years in Portland, Oregon. Prior to joining the National Partnership, Demi worked on racial equity and policy advocacy with the Coalition of Communities of Color and Basic Rights Oregon on an array of equity issues, including marriage equality, open and affirming faith advocacy and racial justice. Locally, she has worked as a Regional Field Manager with Equality California in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

Los Angeles, CA

demi@saferoutespartnership.org | (503) 739-3654

 

Andy Pasillas, Southern California Regional Policy Manager

Andrew Pasillas serves as the Southern California Regional Policy Manager for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, with a particular focus on Los Angeles and Orange Counties. In this role, Andrew works to strengthen the regional network of partners, enhance funding opportunities, and improve policies that support safe and efficient active transportation for children and families.

Prior to joining the National Partnership, Andrew worked to ensure that all community stakeholders were a part of the revitalization process for the City of Los Angeles—Los Angeles River Project Office. At the Southern California Association of Governments he supported implementation of the Sustainability Planning Grant Program and developed strategies to obtain funding through the State of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program. Andrew also conducted research as a Project Manager at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, where he co-authored a comprehensive guide to support community-driven Los Angeles River greenway projects. His research was oriented towards empowering underserved areas along the Los Angeles River with strategies to realize safe and healthy recreation and active transportation benefits in their own communities.

Andrew is a Southern California native who is passionate about transforming the region to become less automobile dependent. He holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Environmental Systems and Society from the University of California Los Angeles. Andrew enjoys cycling, cooking, and photography.

Los Angeles, CA

andrew@saferoutespartnership.org (562) 857-7590