Complete Streets are streets for everyone.
It is an approach to planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining streets that enables safe access for all people who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
At T4MA, we believe that designing shared spaces and the policies that underpin it must center the local community experience. Local electeds play a huge role in supporting community change and identifying actions and activities that help shape inclusive spaces that cater to everyone. Big changes across the Commonwealth start with local champions.
MEET THE 2026 CHAMPIONS COHORT
Brittany Ebeling
Executive Director, Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT)
Brittany has worked as an advocate on climate justice issues, collective land ownership models, and sustainable food systems. She has an undergraduate degree in International Economics and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s in Urban Policy from Sciences Po Paris.
Brittany lives in Sheffield, Massachusetts, where she co-owns Little Bean Farm and Pantry with her partner Ben. They grow unique heirloom dry beans.
Ryan Griffis
Transportation Planner, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC)
Ryan Griffis is a transportation planner with experience supporting strategic initiatives, coordinating cross functional efforts, and translating complex information into clear, actionable plans. Ryan holds dual master’s degrees in Regional Planning and Sustainability Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where his research was used to successfully apply for recognition as a Bike-Friendly University.
Driven by a strong commitment to resiliency planning and safety-oriented results, Ryan was recognized as a Road Scholar by the University of Massachusetts Transportation Center (UMTC) for his completion of professional development workshops, and in 2025 was selected to design and paint two crosswalks in North Adams’ historic district to improve visibility and safety for vulnerable road users.
Nicolas "Nick" Russo
Transportation Planner, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC)
Nick is currently a transportation planner and an active citizen in his hometown of Pittsfield. After returning from college, he wanted to take lessons learned from his civil engineering undergrad work and volunteer work with transportation advocacy organizations to make a difference in Pittsfield.
He blogged about local issues and observations as the Pittsfielder, and later evolved the initiative into the Pittsfield Community Design Center. PCDC operated a physical storefront in downtown Pittsfield that served as a meeting space, hosted movie nights, and acted as a starting point for community walk audits and bike rides. PCDC’s advocacy work has contributed to road improvements where fatal pedestrian crashes have taken place in Pittsfield, and has helped to educate and drive the conversation around improved cycling, walking, and public spaces in the city.
Ricardo Morales
Commissioner of Public Works for the City of Pittsfield, MA
Ricardo has made a home in Pittsfield, Massachusetts for the past 15 years. A graduate of the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico with a BS in Civil Engineering, Ricardo began a career in construction project management, working across Puerto Rico, Western Massachusetts, and the Berkshires in the military, education, and institutional sectors. Since joining the City of Pittsfield, first as City Engineer and now as Commissioner, Ricardo has led critical infrastructure improvements, including major water and sewer upgrades and efforts to create safer, more accessible streets for all road users.
Ricardo represents Pittsfield in the Berkshire Flyer Initiative and serves on the Berkshire Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Board of Directors, the Berkshire Transportation Advisory Committee, and the 1Berkshire Berkshire Leadership Program Steering Committee. Ricardo’s leadership has been recognized with a Berkshire Community College 40 Under Forty Award and the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus “Latino Excellence Award”.
Noah Tuke
Community Advocate, Malden Safe Streets
Noah Tuke is a board member of Malden Safe Streets, a community advocacy group focused on those walking, biking, and rolling in Malden. During the day he works as a scientist in Malden center, but in the evening and on weekends you can find him walking or biking around the city with his husband.
Noah likes to make change by getting out onto the sidewalks with neighbors and identifying areas of improvement through walk audits one street at a time. He’s excited to join the Champion’s Institute to level up his advocacy work to fight for transportation equity in Malden.
Stephen Winslow
Ward 6 City Councilor, Malden, MA
Steve Winslow of Malden advances transportation innovation as a political champion on the Malden City Council, an advocate who founded Bike to the Sea, Inc and by applying expertise developed as a planner for Somerville, Gloucester and Malden.
In his free time, Stephen enjoys rides along the Northern Strand Trail that runs through Malden to Lynn Beach.
Aidan Boni
Community Advocate, Needham, MA
Aidan is a 22 year Needham resident who is about to graduate from Northeastern University with a degree in Civil Engineering, concentrating in Transportation. During his time at Northeastern, he has taken many classes on transportation and studied abroad in Ireland and The Netherlands.
Aidan became involved in safe and sustainable transportation because, as an engineer, he sees the ineffectiveness of the current transportation system, even in Needham. He is an active advocate in his community, believing that Needham has vast potential.
Kevin Keane
Select Board Member, Needham, MA
Kevin was elected to the Needham Select Board in December 2021 in a special election. Since then, he has notched an impressive number of wins for the town, learned so much about the intricacies of municipal government, and reconfirmed what he said in his last campaign: for good government to function, civil discourse, openness, honesty, and level-headedness are required.
He was born and raised in Needham, Massachusetts. As the 9th of 11 children, he quickly learned how to share, collaborate, and most importantly make his voice count. He continues to live in Needham with his wife Eileen and 3 children – Aidan, Ronan, and Kate.
Samira Murillo
Community Organizer, Brockton Workers Alliance (BWA)
Samira is a proud immigrant who has called Brockton home since 2011. She is a mother of five, a wife, and a committed member of her community. Her passion for serving others led her to work with the Brockton Workers Alliance, where she advocates for families and helps to uplift the voices of those who are often unheard.
Community work is not just what what she does; it is who she is. Samira believes in building stronger, more connected communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. She brings resilience, compassion, and dedication to her work every day.
Outside of her advocacy, she loves to dance and makes sure she does it daily – it keeps her energized, joyful, and grounded.
Mary Waldron
Executive Director, Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC)
As Executive Director, Mary is able to assist cities and towns in planning for present and future needs, utilizing local knowledge, technical expertise, and regional collaboration. She also serves as the President of the Downtown Brockton Association, is a member of the Friends and Mentors Board, and engaged in many community service projects throughout the region.
Prior to joining OCPC in December 2019, Mary was the Director of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Regional Engagement (IPARE) at Bridgewater State University and she served as an ambassador for BSU on state, regional and local boards and has connected many from Brockton and other communities to the work of the University.
Prior to her role at Bridgewater State University, Mary served eight years as the first ever female Executive Director of the Brockton 21st Century Corporation (B21), the city’s economic development agency.
Mary also originated and organized two Economic Summits for the City with public and private stakeholders, two Brockton Business Diversity Celebrations and the THRIVE Awards, a program that recognizes outstanding small businesses (focused on women and minority owned) in the city. Mary was also appointed in September 2019 by Governor Charlie Baker as a member of the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (EACC).
Jed Hresko
Founder, Brockton Bikes
Jed is one of Brockton’s most outspoken safety advocates for all users of the streets. Brockton Bikes recently joined with the Brockton Workers Alliance and Walk Massachusetts to form the Brockton Transportation Safety Coalition. Jed founded Brockton Bikes as a community bike club and advocacy organization, with Brockton Walks launching in Spring 2026.
Jed is a member of the Massachusetts Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board; MassBike’s Council of Advocates and the Old Colony Planning Council’s (OCPC) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. He’s collaborated with OCPC on a road safety audit and helps Brockton residents advocate for safety interventions at the city’s Traffic Commission.
With over forty years of experience in corporate, community, and public service roles, Jed has held positions such as CFO, non-profit manager, municipal manager, condo board president, community organizer, outreach worker and political strategist.
Marlon Green
Ward 1 City Councilor, Brockton, MA
Marlon D. Green is a City Councilor in Brockton, Massachusetts, and a dedicated community advocate committed to advancing equitable, safe, and inclusive neighborhoods. As a member of the City Council and the Traffic Commission, he works to address issues related to traffic safety, pedestrian access, and infrastructure improvements that impact residents’ daily lives.
Marlon brings a collaborative, community-centered approach to leadership, regularly engaging with residents, local organizations, and stakeholders to ensure that policies and projects reflect the needs of Brockton’s diverse population. In addition to his civic service, he is a faith-based leader, serving as a pastor, where he supports youth development, community engagement, and holistic care for individuals and families.
Through his service, Marlon is committed to advancing practical solutions that promote safer streets, equitable transportation, and a higher quality of life for all Brockton residents.
Giovanny Zuniga Piamba
Transit Justice Organizer, GreenRoots
Giovanny is a Colombian immigrant whose personal journey has shaped a deep commitment to equity, opportunity, and inclusion. As a Business Administrator with an MBA and an active community leader, he combines professional expertise with lived experience to help expand civic participation and create practical solutions that strengthen underserved communities.
In Giovanny’s current role with GreenRoots, he leads transportation advocacy and resident engagement efforts in Chelsea and East Boston. His work includes helping older adults and low-income residents access reduced-fare MBTA programs, organizing public meetings on bus service and pedestrian safety, conducting community surveys, building partnerships with public agencies, and creating outreach strategies that ensure residents have a stronger voice in transportation decisions that impact their daily lives.
Fidel Maltez
City Manager, Chelsea, MA
Fidel lives in Chelsea with his wife, Maria Belen Power and their two daughters, Maya and Ana Victoria.
Fidel served as Town Manager of Reading, MA for 2 years prior to returning to Chelsea as City Manager. During his time in Reading, Fidel was able to complete critical infrastructure projects with the help of State and Federal funds, including a $2.1 Million grant from Municipal Preparedness Grant, a $2 Million grant from the EPA, and a $2.6 Million Massworks grant for the reconstruction of Haven Street. Fidel also completed several operational improvements and helped create Reading’s first Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Prior to his work as Town Manager of Reading, Fidel held the position of Commissioner of Public Works for the City of Chelsea for five years overseeing all municipal construction as well as all related areas of public works in Chelsea. As Commissioner, Fidel focused on beautification efforts, improving City infrastructure, and being responsive to residents through initiatives such as Chelsea’s 311 Department. Fidel led several building renovations, including the reconstruction of the City Hall tower and the replacement of the historic cupola at Chelsea Public Library. Fidel received the Civic Leadership Award from Clean Water Action for Chelsea’s work to replace lead water pipes throughout the community.
Prior to Chelsea, Fidel spent 13 years with the Cintas Corporation, working on projects in Portland, ME, York, PA, Philadelphia, PA, and Suzhou and Tianjin, China. This experience was invaluable in teaching Fidel how to navigate multicultural settings, and learning how to adapt to new environments.
Fidel holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from Lafayette College and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Tufts University. In addition, he holds a Senior Executive in Local and State Government certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School. Fidel was born in Managua, Nicaragua and moved to Miami, FL at the age of 7, later returning to Managua to complete High School at the Notre Dame School.
Marina Goreau-Atlas
Community Advocate, Cambridge, MA
Marina is from Cambridge, MA by way of New York. She is an environmental health researcher and advocate with over a decade of experience in pollution prevention and environmental justice work. In 1996 she founded an international children’s environmental education program with self-sustaining projects maintained by communities in Guna Yala, Panama, and at Museo Sang Bata Sa Negros, Negros Occidental, Philippies.
Currently a PFAS Researcher at the PFAS Project Lab at Northeastern University’s Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute, she is completing her Master of Public Health in Urban Public Health. Marina holds a BA/BS in environmental studies with highest honors for her thesis on chromium and toxics regulation in cosmetic and personal care products from Brandeis University.
Marina’s professional career began at Brandeis University conducting research on barriers to Green Chemistry’s inclusion in K-12 education, working with and for the US EPA Region 1 – New England. Serving dual roles at the US EPA opened up a world of environmental health and justice work for multiple Federal Programs from Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know to pollution prevention under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. In service, Marina was honored to serve many Environmental Justice Communities as main programmatic contact for a Supplemental Environmental Project which provided free federal assistance and $250,000 of toxic waste removal from schools across New England, including 65 Massachusetts municipalities. During this time, Marina also coordinated a $250,000 toxic waste removal project for Environmental Justice (EJ) communities and worked as a team leader removing outdated, unwanted, and hazardous chemicals in schools from Boston, Medford, Holyoke, Brockton, and Pittsfield, to Vermont and Rhode Island for the Schools Integrated Chemical Management Program. Marina’s academic work focuses on chemical regulatory frameworks and toxic materials applying community based participatory research methods. She is passionate about environmental health and environmental justice.
Today, she centers her advocacy on the Soden Farm Block within Cambridge’s Riverside neighborhood, affectionately called the Coast. Beyond the lab, she is an avid self-taught native plant gardener with a technical background in soil science, water systems, and field biology.
Catherine Zusy
At-Large City Councilor, Cambridge, MA
A 31-year Cambridge resident, Zusy, was sworn into the Cambridge City Council in September 2024. Over the last 27 years Zusy has worked to build community in Cambridge. She led the dramatic revitalization of the City’s second largest park, Magazine Beach, founding a non profit to bring together city, state and neighborhood funding. Drawing on her training in art curation, she co-launched the restoration of St. Augustine’s African-Orthodox Church and originated the community art history event “If this house could talk…”. She has been a longtime advocate for open space, native plants and the arts.
She was President of the Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association, and since 2022, has led efforts to preserve the legacy of Central Square folk artist Peter Valentine. She also has worked to bolster our local news options. She is known for her positive approach, collaborative style and attention to detail.
Zusy has won awards for her activism from the Charles River Conservancy, Charles River Watershed Association, Cambridge Historical Commission, Cambridge Police Department, Garden Club of America and the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.
David Baumgart
Community Advocate, Friends of BWALT, Westborough, MA
Kristen Belanger
Assistant Town Planner, Town of Westborough, MA
In her work with the Town of Westborough, Kristen works on a range of planning initiatives including housing, transportation, and community engagement. In her role, she supports long-range planning efforts and collaborates with boards, committees, and residents to advance thoughtful, inclusive growth in the community. She is an advisory member of both the CMRPC Regional Pedestrian Plan and the Regional Vision Zero Action Plan.
Kristen is originally from Ohio and moved to Grafton, Massachusetts in 2003. In addition to her professional responsibilities, she serves as the Chair of the Grafton Recreation Commission and a member of the Grafton Community Preservation Committee. She has a particular interest in creating walkable, connected neighborhoods and expanding access to housing and local amenities. Her work often emphasizes public participation, using creative and interactive approaches to engage residents in shaping their community.
She is excited to participate in the Champions Institute to deepen her understanding of equitable transportation policy and strengthen her ability to advocate for sustainable, multimodal systems at the local and regional level.
Nathanael "Nate" Card
Resiliency Planner, Regenerative Design Group Cooperative; Greenfield, MA
Nate loves a long walk. After a 15 year career in theatre and event production in Chicago and the SF Bay Area, they resettled in Western Mass in 2023 to attend the Conway School’s graduate program in ecological design.
They now work as a climate resiliency planner with Regenerative Design Group Cooperative, in Greenfield, where their focus areas include community engagement, mapping, and accessibility.
Outside of the studio, Nate serves as an organizer with Redistro, a mutual aid project and free store, also in Greenfield. Helping plan and implement Redistro’s burgeoning bicycle renewal program for equitable mobility is one of many ways they foster growth in their local community.
Amy Cahillane
Community and Economic Development Director, City of Greenfield, MA
Amy’s role with the City of Greenfield includes guiding the City’s work in the areas of economic development, housing and homelessness, and arts & culture. She graduated from Smith College in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in government and french studies, earned her JD in 1999 at Suffolk University School of Law and a master’s degree in political science at the University of Washington in 2005.
A former attorney, Amy has worked for over 20 years in legal, nonprofit and business development sector roles in the Pioneer Valley, developing a broad range of experience in fundraising, place-making and community-building, anchored by a love of Western Massachusetts and the people and places that make this region so unique.
Prior to joining the City of Greenfield in 2023, Amy spent 7 years as the first Executive Director for the Downtown Northampton Association, advocating for the downtown small business community and leading events and beautification efforts in downtown Northampton.
William "Liam" Gousios
Community Advocate, Walk Bike Springfield
William “Liam” Gousios has long been an evangelist for the power of the bicycle ever since getting his first real bike at 16. His first job in high school was selling bicycles, and he’s spent many further weekends helping excite and equip the next generation of riders.
Liam enjoys advocating for more walkable and bikeable spaces all over the Pioneer Valley and currently serves as a Board Member for the Mass DOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board. Outside of all things bikes, he works as the Program Director for Valley Eye Radio.
His favorite places to ride include the Columbia River Greenway Trail in Westfield, Earls Trails in Hadley, and around his neighborhood in Springfield. And whether it’s his brompton, full suspension, or e-cargo bike, he lives by the motto that “any ride is a good ride”.
Zaida Govan
Ward 8 City Councilor, Springfield, MA
Zaida Govan is a first-generation college graduate with a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She was born in Cidras, Puerto Rico and was brought to Springfield by her parents at age 3. She is the Ward 8 City Councilor and the President of the Indian Orchard Citizens Council in Springfield, Massachusetts. She has been serving her community since 1990 when she began her recovery journey. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and uses her license to advocate for those who are unable to advocate for themselves. Her private practice is called “Listening With Love” because she agrees with Cornell West, “Justice is what love looks like in public”. She believes therapy should be available to everyone. Her favorite social work ethic is the principle of using justice as a guide. She currently serves as a board member of the Springfield Library Foundation, and Jewish Family Services. She uses her spare time to educate and empower people to change the world for our children because she truly believes they are the future. Her most important job is to be married to the love her life, Phil Govan and being a mother and grandmother to her adult children and younger grandchildren.
Zaida chaired the Mental Health Committee on the Springfield City Council when she was first elected. This committee focused on how to make mental health services in the City of Springfield better for the residents in the city. The mental health crisis that arose since the Covid-19 pandemic has been overwhelming the entire country. The goal is to make these services available to everyone in a culturally responsive way. She also Chaired the Maintenance and Development Committee on the City Council where she worked with department leaders and residents to ensure the entire cities needs are met. She chaired the Sustainability and Environmental Committee and is working to ensure our children’s children have a place to live that is healthy in every way. She now chairs the Finance Committee and the Fiscal Accountability and Budget Review Committee.
