August 12, 2016
Friend --
Today is bittersweet for the LivableStreets community - after more than 8 years, our Executive Director Jackie DeWolfe will be moving on to become the Director of Sustainable Transportation at MassDOT.
LivableStreets has found great success and grown tremendously under Jackie’s leadership.
And this growth as an organization mirrors the growth of our impact in the world. From the Charles River bridges, to Casey, to McGrath, to Comm Ave, to Mass Ave…you can see her footprint on our community. You can experience it everyday as you use our transportation network.
What is harder to see are changes in the dialogue that leaders are having on issues dear to all of us. Jackie’s work has strengthened this conversation, created connections, and initiated action that couldn’t have happened before.
Her leadership in all these areas truly represents a revolution…and we’ve only just begun.
Jackie is leaving us with a strong foundation to build on. We can’t thank her enough and wish her all the best in her new role.
This is a new chapter for the organization. We have just completed a new strategic plan to guide us through 2019. We have a vision of scaling our impact in a big way -- engaging more people in more communities throughout metro Boston.
And today, the Board announces that after a rigorous process, it has chosen Stacy Thompson as our new Executive Director to lead LivableStreets into the next phase of our work. She has worked closely with Jackie for the last year and a half as LivableStreets' Deputy Director and is excited to continue working with the Board, the staff and all of you to make our streets more livable —for everyone.
Help sustain this important work as we enter into this new phase. Your monthly recurring gift of just $5 will strengthen LivableStreets' impact for years to come..png?1471023626 "donate_(1).png")
And please join me in congratulating Jackie & Stacy!
Steven Nutter, LivableStreets
Board Chair
http://www.livablestreets.info/
Dear friends,
It is bittersweet to write to you that next Friday, August 12 marks my last day on staff at LivableStreets. I have been appointed Director of Sustainable Mobility at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation where I will continue to work on improving our streets, public spaces, and transit.
As I prepare for my departure, I’ve had fun reminiscing. I started volunteering at LivableStreets more than eight years ago and was immediately hooked by LivableStreets' founders. They were rethinking transportation and simultaneously rethinking the role of advocacy to forge new partnerships to create more livable communities. LivableStreets instilled in me the belief that streets are our public space. Transportation options are key to quality of life because they unlock access to what you need and want. Streets should be designed to accommodate people regardless of age or ability.
Today, LivableStreets has become what we had hoped for, a thriving organization with an active membership. I'm so proud of what we have accomplished together. I'm even more excited for what's next for LivableStreets. We now have four full time staff, six summer staff, and hundreds of volunteers working on initiatives across Metro Boston. We have championed changing the conversation to integrate walking, biking and transit facilities into transportation projects to provide people more transportation options.
Whether you have volunteered, donated, shared your story, participated in one of our campaigns, worked at a partner organization, led efforts in your own neighborhood, spoke at a public meeting, or attended an event – thank you. When people ask, “Who makes up the LivableStreets Alliance?” the answer is you!
Together we have accomplished a lot in 8 years, but there is still a long way to go. We are at a pivotal moment as the Commonwealth and communities across the country grapple with how to improve safety, mobility, and sustainability, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and traffic. I look forward to working on these important issues in my new role, and LivableStreets will be hiring to continue to do so as well. Deputy Director Stacy Thompson who has been my co-pilot for the past year and half will step in as Interim Executive Director.
I hope to see you before I go! LivableStreets will be hosting a goodbye party on Thursday, August 11, from 6 to 8pm at Central Wharf Co, 160 Milk Street, Boston. Please come to raise a glass! If you can’t make it, we are also hosting two summer open houses Friday, August 5, 8-10 AM and Tuesday, August 9, 4-6 PM at LivableStreets office, 100 Sidney Street, Cambridge. Come on by!
Thank you again for a wonderful eight years.
Sincerely,
MassDOT press release: http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/greendot/massdot-jackie-dewolfe-appointed-director-of-sustainable-mobility/