Changing of the Guard
A message from BikeAthens board president Jason Perry:
This past July BikeAthens said goodbye to two of our beloved people, executive director Tyler Dewey and board member Carmen Kuan, who are moving to Durham for a new adventure. They leave behind a BikeAthens that is bigger, better, and stronger than when they found it. We are still in very capable hands: On August 1 our program director Scott Long officially took over as executive director.
Tyler was our organization’s first full-time staff member, and his six years directing BikeAthens were transformative. Tyler was so essential to our advocacy, education, and service missions that for many people in the community, Tyler and BikeAthens were one and the same. Helping to supervise our volunteers at the shop, running our entire safe cycling education and outreach programs, and watching mayor and commission meetings like a hawk to ensure equitable transportation interests were represented, Tyler covered a huge amount of ground. His passion for cycling and BikeAthens were second to none, and Durham will be lucky to have him.
Carmen first volunteered with our Bike Recycling Program in February 2016 as preparation for her cross-country Bike and Build trip, and continued as a dedicated volunteer after her return. In April 2017 we named her the Tobias Smith Volunteer of the Year, and the following month we asked her to join our board of directors, where she served with gusto until her last day in Athens. We are extremely proud that her work with us inspired her to pursue a planning degree through UGA’s Master of Environmental Planning and Design program. Her empathy for vulnerable road users spilled into her thesis, in which she interviewed BikeAthens clients to gather data about “how a bicycle influences the quality of life of a person who relies on a bicycle as their only reliable mode of transportation, and how their experience can help to inform transportation planning decisions.” Carmen has moved on to an internship with renowned firm Alta Planning + Design where we are sure she will make a huge impression.
Scott started volunteering with us just over four years ago and didn’t take long to establish himself as an indispensable and untiring force for BikeAthens. A graduate of the UGA MPA program and with thousands of hours already under his belt with BikeAthens, no one is as uniquely qualified to lead us into the 2020s. Scott is on a first name basis with hundreds of Athenians who come to us for their transportation needs, and he ensures everyone is served with dignity and attention to detail.
