Board of Directors
Cynthia Rose (Chair) is co-founder & Director of Santa Monica Spoke, local chapter of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC). She has been a primary catalyst in the vision and creation of LACBC’s Local Chapters program. Cynthia is a League Certified Instructor with the League of American Bicyclists, teaches Traffic Skills Cycling Classes throughout Los Angeles County as well as coordinating Safe Routes to School programing in the City of Santa Monica. She is a strong and committed advocate for improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and Complete Streets Policies at the local, state and national levels. Living a nearly car-free lifestyle she loves to be in her community garden where she grows organic heirloom vegetable and fruit or off on a bicycle adventure or just enjoying the everyday ride. Also known as Purple, her adventures with her partner Orange can be found at Bikenanigans. Cynthia is one of three board members specifically appointed to represent our local partners.
Esteban del Rio, PhD (Vice Chair) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of San Diego and currently serves as the Associate Provost for Inclusion and Diversity and Director of the Center of Inclusion and Diversity. He earned a PhD in the Department of Communication at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, working in the area of media and cultural studies. del Río teaches Introduction to Media Studies, Media & Conflict, and International Media.
Dorothy Wong (Secretary) is an advocate, race director, bike educator, and elite-pro rider, competing in mountain, road and cyclo- cross bicycle racing. She directs the TEAM, an Altadena-based nonprofit that promotes bicycling among women and young people. As director of Southern California Cyclocross, she used her personal passion for cyclo-cross racing to get more women across Southern California involved in bicycling.
Ian Dewar (Treasurer) is a San Jose-based consultant for cycling and outdoor companies with a focus on digital strategy, bicycle advocacy, partnership management, event planning and sports marketing. He previously served as a consultant to The North Face and as advocacy and partnership manager for Specialized Bicycle Components.
Cindy Parra has more than 20 years experience as a Project manager for a civil engineering firm, is one of the founding members of Bike Bakersfield and is their current Planning and Policy Director. She has several public appointments, including as the Vice Chair of the Golden Empire Transit District and a member of KernCog’s Regional Planning Advisory Committee. Cindy is one of three board members specifically appointed to represent our local partners.
Josh Cohen is an attorney at Cohen Law Partners, where he specializes in fighting for clients who were injured on their bikes. An avid bicyclist, he views the issue of bicyclists’ rights as one of both sustainability and new urbanism. He is an advocate for victims and an advocate for systemic change. Along with being a true believer in the movement, Josh has achieved great case results on behalf of victims, winning multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts for his clients.
David Azevedo is an avid cyclist and swimmer who serves as the Senior Program Specialist with the AARP California State Office. He also leads several initiatives focused on delivering meaningful social change for older adults and their families, through community-centered advocacy, campaigns, and programs. A Pasadena resident and native Californian with roots in the Central Valley and Los Angeles, David has seven years of campaign, project management, political advocacy, and community engagement experience. In addition to serving as a member of CalBike’s Board of Directors, David is an appointed member of the City of Pasadena’s Accessibility and Disability Commission as well as a member of the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition. David holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and a B.A. from Loyola Marymount University.
Emily Gittleman is Digital Director at 50+1 Strategies, a political campaign consulting firm based in Oakland, California. A regular bike rider and public transit user, Emily is committed to leveraging technology to build a political force for more just transportation.