Board of Directors
WSRO is composed of an eight-member volunteer board of directors and more than 100 individual members. Board members are elected to staggered three-year terms by the voting members of the organization.
The board meets on a monthly basis to develop workshops and conferences, as well as to support the annual Switch Your Trips campaign. A complete list of the board responsibilities is on the WSRO Board Responsibilities page.
 | Kendle Bjelland - Commute Seattle (Treasurer)I’m excited to run for the WSRO Board for a second term because I love the opportunity to partner with other sustainable transportation enthusiasts to plan the WSRO conference. My experience with event planning and desire to call in practitioners from around the Pacific Northwest will help make WSRO 2023 the best one yet! I’ve worked at Commute Seattle since 2016, doing everything from selling ORCA passes and managing the CTR program to running operations and hosting special events. Before that, I led the initial rollout of ORCA LIFT on behalf of Catholic Community Services. I’m looking forward to bringing more diversity to WSRO’s content and recruiting an engaged conference planning committee for 2023. That could be you! |
| Billy Norton - CommuteSmartNW (Communications)Born and raised, I’ve always called Spokane home. In my youth I learned the value of transit, it was how my mother’s commuted and she taught my brother and me how to use it. Growing up it allowed me to do things outside my neighborhood and t was my school bus as well. In college, I rode the bus and bicycled and when neither was an option for me, I shared the ride as often as possible. When working, again I would ride my bike as often as possible. I didn’t know about CTR, bicycling and riding the bus was just something I did. In the fall of 2014, I joined Commute Smart Northwest and it’s been an amazing journey. Working with Commute Smart Northwest, I’ve gotten to meet and be part of a group of amazing people who work hard to make a difference in their communities all over the state. I’ve designed lots of graphic materials for campaigns to help encourage and educate. In addition, I maintain CommuteSmartNW.org and manage the social media accounts. I also do the graphic design for the Spokane Bike Swap and Spokane Bike Everywhere as well as stuff for Spokane County Public Works and the WSRO conferences. I’m also an LCI (League Certified Instructor) for the National Bike League Organization and I help educate others on bicycle safety and being good stewards of the bicycle community. I can’t imagine there’s a single person that doesn’t hope that they will somehow make a difference or help things be better somehow. I think it’s part of our nature, our desire to leave the world better somehow, working with CommuteSmartNW is my somehow. |
| Cheryl O'Connor - Public Sector Commute with Enterprise (Membership)
Cheryl O’Connor has been in the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) industry for more than 16 years and specifically in the vanpool segment for 12 years. She grew up in Central Florida, currently resides In St. Louis, MO - the global headquarters for Enterprise Mobility- and oversees the United States for her role with the Commute with Enterprise division. Cheryl holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Stetson University and a master’s of Business Administration from St. Edward’s University. She is also a TDM-CP. During her time in TDM she has worked for 3 different companies including Arlington Transportation Partners and vRide prior to joining Enterprise as part of the vRide acquisition in 2016. She served on the National Board of Directors for the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) for six years and is a fellow of ACT Leadership Academy, class of 2009, and Leadership Central Delaware class of 2008. A 40 Under 40 Award recipient, she is also involved at the local chapter level of ACT as well as AMPO, APTA, and other national and local transportation advocacy associations. Outside of work-related associations, she also regularly volunteers for various animal, community, political and other non-profit organizations. In the rest of her free time, she enjoys biking, paddle boarding, and spending quality time with her partner and their animals.
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| Greg Garrett - Spokane Transit Vanpool (Secretary)My name is Greg Garrett, and I am honored to be nominated for a board position with the Washington State Rideshare Organization. Since 2009, I have worked for Spokane Transit Authority where I am currently the Vanpool/Rideshare Program Manager. I have also held the co-chair position with the Washington State Transit Association from 2017 to 2022. I have been on the WSRO board for almost a year now. Not only do I have a vested interest in promoting public transit, but I also truly believe we must all make a concerted effort to improve mobility, and accessibility, of any commute trip mode other than single occupancy vehicles. I am happy with our state’s investment in public transportation, and I recognize it will take the hard work of the many talented individuals who call themselves member of WSRO. I vow to work alongside each one of you and support your CTR vision and endeavors. I have been a presenter or guest speaker at conferences for WSRO, WSTA, and ACT, as well as numerous presentations at area worksites to promote Commute Trip Reduction. |
| Laura Svancarek - Downtown: On the Go! (Promotions)Laura has worked in transportation since early 2019 and comes from a background in sustainability education & environmental science. As a lifelong bus rider and Washington native, she has fond memories of bus hopping through Seattle’s free ride zone and around the Eastside as a teenager. She made the switch from education to transportation because of a love of transit and an interest in the sustainability and equity aspects of the field. Laura is the Executive Director for Downtown On the Go, a TMA operating in Downtown Tacoma, administering the CTR program for Tacoma businesses and working in cooperation with the Pierce County CTR program to provide county-wide commuter resources through Ride Together Pierce. In her advocacy role, Laura works to highlight the importance of transportation options, challenging barriers to access, and engaging in local processes to advocate for a better & safer transportation network. She organizes events that range in focus from cyclist safety, getting community members out on Pierce Transit buses with local leaders, and forum discussions with local experts on transportation and land use. Previously, she worked on the WSDOT Small Business Incentive program with Steer, connecting small businesses in Pierce and South King Counties with transportation benefits for their employees. Laura brings a perspective centered in the intersection of traditional TDM work and transportation equity advocacy work. |
| Matthew Trecha - Community Transit (Vice Chair)Matthew is originally from mid-Michigan and moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2014 not long after completing his BS in Environmental Science and French at the University of Michigan. Matthew has worked in several organizations across the Transportation Demand Management space including Commute Seattle, Community Transit, and the Seattle Department of Transportation. Matthew has also worked on the Enbridge Line 6B oil spill in Kalamazoo, MI and managed vendors and programs at Amazon in retail and reverse logistics. Matthew lives car-free in Downtown Seattle walking, biking, and taking transit wherever he needs to go. In his current role, Matthew is responsible for the City of Seattle's Commute Trip Reduction program and works closely with partner organizations to craft employer-focused TDM solutions. Matthew's passion for public transit and active transportation comes from his time studying and working abroad including teaching English outside of Paris, France; yearlong study in both Lausanne, Switzerland and Brno, Czech Republic; and earning his MBA in Montreal, Canada in 2020 at McGill University. |
| Olivia Kahn - City of Vancouver (Chair)Olivia is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and earned her BS in Regional Planning from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Olivia knew the Pacific Northwest is where she wanted to live – the views, the water, the travel options – irresistible to an urbanist. She moved in 2015 to pursue a Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Portland State University. PSU introduced TDM to Olivia, and you could say it was love at first sight. Olivia spent the last seven years working at non-profits – Oregon Walks, Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA), and most recently, 4.5 years at Commute Seattle. In October 2022, Olivia joined the City of Vancouver, WA as their one-and-only TDM Coordinator. Olivia is responsible for crafting new policies to meet climate, safety, and equity goals, expanding Clark County’s regional Commute Trip Reduction Program, kick-starting a brand new residential TDM program, and she also supports on mega projects like the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program and tolling and congestion pricing. In her free time, Olivia enjoys exploring on her e-bike, rooting for the Portland Trail Blazers, and spending time with family and her two lab mutts Hank and Pearl. |
| Rocco Devito - King County Metro (Events)
I’m Rocco DeVito, I’m a customer relationship manager at King County Metro and I’m hoping to lend my voice to the WSRO board! I currently work with large business customers in King County and help them get the most out of their transit benefits including rideshare. In the past, I assisted several jurisdictions, including Bellevue, with CTR requirements and compliance. I have a background in Environmental Science and Public Administration and also serve as a Planning Commissioner in the City of Burien. I believe my experience and knowledge of businesses would be a great addition to the board and I hope to help drive more change in sustainable transportation!
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