Oregon’s transportation movement needs fresh energy and inspiration from places that are getting it done. Join a dynamic conversation with leaders of two successful campaigns recently, Congestion Pricing in New York City and Seattle's Transportation Levy, as they share how they built winning coalitions, overcame political resistance, and delivered transformative results for their communities. Moderated by The Street Trust’s, Sarah Iannarone, this interactive session will trade the traditional keynote for real talk, hard-earned lessons, and a shot in the arm for Oregon’s transportation advocates.
SPEAKER BIOS
Danna Dennis, Riders Alliance Danna Dennis is a Senior Organizer at Riders Alliance with a passion for building communities and advocating for positive social change. Since 2014, she has been at the forefront of City & State Campaigns, including successful initiatives like Fair Fares and Congestion Pricing that have directly impacted transit riders.
Born in Jamaica, NY, and raised between Queens and Brooklyn, Danna’s roots in diverse communities have shaped her commitment to advocacy. In recent years, she relocated to Northern New Jersey, where she continues her impactful work.
During her college years at SUNY Herkimer, Danna demonstrated her leadership skills by representing her freshman class in student government and spearheading public relations efforts for the Black Student Union. Her commitment to community service extends to her involvement in the Seventh Day Adventist Church, where she has served as a dedicated youth leader, organizing mission trips and conferences that have brought together over eleven hundred individuals.
Prior to her role at Riders Alliance, Danna gained valuable experience in the healthcare sector and emerged as a prominent volunteer leader in the fight for improved C train services and affordable MetroCards for low-income residents as part of the Fair Fares campaign. Alongside her professional achievements, Danna finds fulfillment in her roles as a devoted wife and mother to two young boys, advocating for inclusive spaces for individuals with special needs.
With a clever and insightful approach to community organizing, Danna Dennis continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of those around her, embodying the spirit of empowerment and advocacy in all that she does.
Kate Slevin, Regional Plan Association Kate is the Executive Vice President at Regional Plan Association, overseeing RPA’s programs in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and working to advance RPA’s mission toward improved mobility, equitable economic growth, and environmental resiliency. Kate joined RPA in 2016 to manage outreach for the Fourth Regional Plan. Since then, she has led RPA’s work for a New York City congestion pricing program, successfully advocated for the Interborough Express to move forward, established the Healthy Regions Planning Exchange, built coalitions to help address the region’s affordable housing crisis, and co-authored a number of RPA reports.
Kate has worked for over two decades for more equitable and climate friendly transportation and land use in the New York metropolitan region. She has successfully fought against cuts to public transportation, and has helped secure millions of dollars in new funding for transit, cycling, walking, and sustainable development projects. She is deeply committed to addressing the region’s housing affordability and climate challenges and promoting a more inclusive society.
Kate is widely published and cited in the media, including the New York Times, WNYC, Daily News, Star Ledger, and CNN. She has served on the New York City Sustainability Advisory Board, the MTA Fare and Toll Evasion Blue Ribbon Panel, and the Newark360 Master Plan Steering Committee.
Previously, Kate served as assistant commissioner for government and community affairs at the New York City Department of Transportation under former Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. She spent a decade at the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, serving as executive director from 2007 until 2012 and receiving the EPA’s Environmental Quality Award in 2011. Kate started her career at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as an urban park ranger in Brooklyn.
Kate has a master’s in urban planning from New York University, a bachelor’s in earth and environmental sciences from Wesleyan University and is an alumna of the International Honors Program. She lives with her husband, a professor at the City University of New York, and their two children.
Kirk Hovenkotter, Transportation Choices Coalition Kirk believes that fast, frequent, and reliable transit is key to building more accessible and inclusive communities. Prior to Transportation Choices Coalition, Kirk served as Executive Director of Commute Seattle, the non-profit that makes walking, biking, and transit the first choice for everyone in the Emerald City.
Kirk previously served as the Executive Director of Move Redmond. While there, he led the organization’s work to make it easier to walk, bike, and bus for the 100,000 people who go to work or school in Redmond, Washington. During his six years at TransitCenter, he developed the organization into a nationally recognized leader in transit policy. He advised mayors, county executives, and transit agencies on effective approaches to bus network redesigns and fare policy. He has spoken about ridership trends and what makes transit useful in national outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Governing. In his spare time he loves film, cooking, croissants, and going on adventures by bike
Executive Vice President, Regional Plan Association
Kate Slevin is the vice president of state programs and advocacy at Regional Plan Association, a 90-year old organization working to expand economic opportunity, improve infrastructure, and strengthen environmental resiliency in the New York metropolitan region. Kate has over 15 years... Read More →
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