Sustainability Engagement Institute Speaker Series Presents: Sustainable Transportation

How We’re Making Your Ride to Campus Easier, Healthier, and Better for the Planet

A blue bus is driving down a road lined with colorful fall foliage. On the right, two people bike and two walk along a tree-lined path.

Event Details

When:

-

Location:

Online: Zoom

Price:

Free

Brought to you by:

Sustainability Engagement Institute, The Foundation for WWU & Alumni

Description

Learn about Western’s sustainable transportation goals and how Western is working towards meeting these goals through making commuting to campus by bus, walking, or biking easier and more fun. We will learn from Andrea Reiter, WWU’s Commute Options Coordinator, Darcie Hill, the head of WWU's Faculty & Staff Wellness Program, and Genevieve Carrillo and Mary Anderson from WTA. Participants will also learn about how they can contribute to this work. This webinar will only cover university commuting, and a future webinar will cover university conference, athletic, and study abroad travel. 

 

Featuring:

A smiling woman with short dark hair, wearing a yellow a shirt and a patterned necklace, is shown against a light blue background.

Grace Wang, Panelist

Grace Wang is the Director of the Sustainability Engagement Institute and Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy, with a focus on natural resource policy.

A woman with long blonde hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a light-colored cardigan over a white shirt with a floral pattern.

Darcie Hill, Panelist

Darcie Hill is the Wellness Administrator, head of the Faculty & Staff Wellness Program at WWU. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Darcie offers Nutrition and Wellness Consults to Faculty & Staff and their direct family members. Darcie also teaches three Wellness Classes per week (Fitness Classes & Running Class) and oversees/plans/directs the Wellness Program as a whole. Darcie has her Bachelors in Human Physiology and Masters in Public Health with an emphasis in Health Promotion, Health Behavior.

A woman smiles while wearing a blue and pink bike helmet and sunglasses. She has a blue backpack and is in a forest setting.

Andrea Reiter, Panelist

Andrea Reiter is the Commute Options Coordinator for Western Washington University. In her role, Andrea assists students, staff, and faculty on their options to get to campus car free. Western is required by the State to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips to campus as well as Transportation is a major source of carbon emissions with outlined goals in Western’s Sustainability Action Plan. Rain or shine, Andrea commutes daily to Western via bike.

A woman with long brown hair, wearing glasses and a blue floral shirt, smiles warmly at the camera.

Mary Anderson, Panelist

Mary Anderson, Senior Transit Planner at the Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA), has been riding WTA buses since 2001 and has been employed by WTA since 2017. In her role at WTA, Mary has worked on numerous projects including writing the WTA Sustainability Plan, managing the Lynden Hop pilot project, and coordinating the May Bike Parade and the December Lighted Bike Parade. Mary has a Master of Sustainable Transportation degree from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from Western Washington University.

A young woman with long brown hair smiles brightly at the camera. She is wearing a green turtleneck sweater and large gold hoop earrings.

Genevieve Carrillo, Panelist

Genevieve Carrillo (she/her) joined Whatcom Transportation Authority in 2022 as the Community Relations and Marketing Manager. Previously, she worked as a communications specialist at Western Washington University. She is an avid transit enthusiast and proud Bellingham resident. She strives to promote equity and advocates for people of color in the transportation industry. Among her proudest accomplishments at WTA are promoting the agency’s Youth Ride Free initiative and working to enhance the accessibility of public transportation in Whatcom County. In addition to her role at WTA, Genevieve is a coach for the Western Washington University Men's Rowing Team.

Kate Beck is a light-skinned female with short brown hair and brown eyes. She smiles warmly and hears a black T- shirt.

Kate Beck, Moderator

Kate coordinates the implementation of Western's Sustainability Action Plan, reports on Western's sustainability progress, brings people together to work towards Western's sustainability goals. Prior to working at Western, Kate worked as a regional planner and policy researcher in public utilities and transportation. Kate has a Masters in City Planning and Masters in Public Health from UC Berkeley. 

Questions and Accommodations

  • Your point of contact for this event is The Foundation for WWU & Alumni. Call (360) 650-3353 or email Alumni@wwu.edu.
  • Advance notice for disability accommodations and special needs is appreciated. Please mention your needs when registering.
  • There will be auto-captions for the Zoom webinar.

The views expressed by our speakers do not necessarily reflect those of Western Washington University.