We’re thrilled to announce that the Network’s staff will double in size in the coming months as we welcome Zach Vanderkooy into the new position of Deputy Director.
Zach will work closely with staff from both Vision Zero Focus Cities and Emerging Cities, as well as with advocates — and help develop useful resources and specific standards to guide cities toward successful Vision Zero efforts. He’ll also identify and guide strategies for the Network overall to advance Vision Zero across the country.
Zach brings a wealth of experience in helping innovative cities share urban design and policy innovations. He helped introduce protected bike lanes to U.S. streets as one of the architects of the Green Lane Project, a national campaign supporting elected officials, transportation professionals, and community leaders working to advance safer street designs. He is the founder of Inspired Cities, a firm specializing in the transfer of inspiration and ideas among the world’s most successful urban environments.
Having led more than 350 U.S. city leaders on multi-disciplinary leadership development study tours in Denmark and The Netherlands, with the aim of translating the best ideas in transportation to the U.S. context, he brings a comparative international perspective to the Vision Zero Network.
“Vision Zero is such a promising tool for making cities better places,” he says. “There’s an urgent need for safer streets in America, and I’m honored to help the leading cities and organizations learn from each other and share their successes widely.”
Welcome, Zach!