Remarkable Women in Transport - Female Change-Makers Transforming Mobility 1st edition 2019 Launched on International Women's Day - Women Mobilize ...
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Remarkable Women
in Transport
Female Change-Makers Transforming
Mobility
1st edition 2019
Launched on International Women‘s Day
Remarkable Women
in Transport
Female Change-Makers Transforming Mobility
Around the world women and men are striving to achive a better mobility future for all.
Yet, the majority of decision makers and planners in the transport sector are male, and
women’s needs are often only poorly addressed - if at all.
Although women contribute to transforming mobility, they frequently remain invisible
and their contribution to safer, more inclusive and more sustainable transport is
insufficiently acknowledged.
To empower Female Change-Makers in the transport sector and change mobility
systems to cater to women´s needs, the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative
(TUMI) seeks to highlight and support the role of women in sustainable urban mobility.
Making their individual achivements visible is a long overdue step to change
misconceptions and raise awareness. Thus, we are happy to present the first
“Remarkable Women in Transport” publication.
We want your expertise!
Are you interested to join us in mobilizing
women in transport? Or are you a female
transport expert, too? Help design the
Women Mobilize Movement and get
Special thanks goes to Dario Hidalgo in contact with us to mobilise women
for his great contribution to this together!
publication and his continuous effort
to empower women in the transport www.womenmobilize.org
sector. www.transformative-mobility.org
@dhidalgo65
Table of content
Introduction 1
Women Experts in Transport 2
Maimunah Mohd Sharif 2
Violeta Bulc 2
Rehana Moosajee 3
Julie Anne Genter 3
Esenam Nyador 4 Monika Zimmermann 21
Laura Ballesteros 4 Karen Vancluysen 22
Kristina Jasiunaite 5 Susanna Zammataro 22
Yolisa Kani 5 Oluwaseun Sonoiki 22
Sabrina Soussan 6 Eveline Trevisan 23
Kimberly Toure 6 Lise Breuil 23
Heather Thompson 6 Sarika Panda Bhatt 23
Amanda Ngabirano 7 Angie Palacios 24
Shreya Gadepalli 7 Gisela Méndez 24
Ksenia Semenova 7 Dr Cathy Oke 25
Marcela Guerrero Casas 8 Bronwen Thornton 25
Diane E Davis 8 Skye Duncan 26
Paola Tapia 9 Sandra Roling 26
Lisa Conibear 9
Manal al-Sharif 9
Tripti Gurha 10 Introduction of TUMI Partners 27
Paula Bisiau 10
Clarisse Cunha Linke 11
Together for a better mobility future 28
Mary Crass 11
Dr Kalpana Viswanath 12
Mariana Alegre Escorza 12
Kelly J. Clifton 13
Natasha Zulkifli 13
Shannon Galpin 13
Angela Beatriz Anzola De Toro 14
Heather Allen 14
Sophie Punte 15
Lisa Seftel 15
Sheila Watson 15
Daniela Chacón Arias 16
Claudina de Gyves 16
Alejandra Leal 17
Dr Clemence Cavoli 17
Dr Nancy Vandycke 17
Claudia Adriazola-Steil 18
Anna Bray Sharpin 18
Cecile Texier 18
Sharon Masterson 19
Andrea Soehnchen 19
Sofia Salek de Braun 19
Larissa Zeichhardt 20
Salma Mousallem 20
Robin Chase 21
Dr Lake Sagaris 21
The series‘ first round
This publication presents the first round in a series of
Remarkable Women in Transport. The included women
have been suggested by TUMIs partner and by other
internationally acknowledged partners. While not aiming
at presenting an exhaustive series, we seek to highlight
many more interesting women in future editions.
Photo credit: GIZ/ Offenblende
Do you know other women transport experts? Please
share your suggestions with us for the next round of
Remarkable Women in Transport:
women@transformative-mobility.org
Photo credit: GIZ/ Offenblende
Introduction
Transport is often seen as gender neutral – a road or bus system will benefit all equally. But in fact, it’s
not! Women and men have different expectations, needs and constraints for using transport. Without
considering these, planning and projects do not adequately meet the demands of a large part of their users.
Thus, transport is neither efficient nor sustainable. In order to change this, the different mobility needs and
requirements of women, female travel patterns as well as their safety and security constraints need to be
better understood.
Furthermore, transport systems can only become truly inclusive and gender-responsive if the voices,
perspectives and experiences of women are reflected at all levels in the transport sector. Thus, as it is still
a largely male-dominated field, it is imperative to focus on increasing the number of women working
on transport.
TUMI endeavours to support this transformational change by empowering women experts and stimulate
behavioural change in the transport sector and in cities all around the world. As visibility is key to change
mind-sets, this first round of TUMI’s Remarkable Women in Transport series introduces more than 60 highly
qualified women transport experts, and highlights their contribution to sustainable mobility solutions on the
ground – by women, for the entire society.
This publication is meant to showcase the diversity of female change makers in transport. From women
working for civil society to international initiatives as well as start-ups, policy level, the private sector and
research.
We are convinced that all of the following
Remarkable Women make a great contribution
in various places worldwide, therefore this -
not all encompassing - publication follows no
hierarchy nor particular order.
Just browse and get inspired!
1 Remarkable Women in Transport
Remarkable Women
in Transport
Maimunah Mohd Sharif Violeta Bulc
MY SI
Executive Director, UN-Habitat European Commissioner for Transport
Cycling Advocate
Violeta Bulc was appointed EU Commissioner for Transport
Maimunah Mohd Sharif is the Executive Director of the United in 2014 and has put transport back on EU’s political agenda
Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) ever since. Her engagement with the financial community,
headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, since January 2018. Under beneficiaries and EU institutions has contributed to high
her leadership, UN-Habitat is promoting gender-sensitive investments in clean, safe, secure, smart and inclusive EU
planning, policies and investment for sustainable, safe and transport. Her commitment to sustainability is further
accessible cities for all. demonstrated by her ongoing strong voice to ensure that in the
Prior to this appointment, Maimunah was the Mayor of the City next Multiannual Financial Framework 60% of all investments
Council of Penang Island, Malaysia. In 2011, she became the in EU transport are used for a sustainable cause. She was also
first woman to be appointed President of the Municipal Council behind the concepts of ‘Smart Villages’, the ‘U-space’ and
of Seberang Perai and advocated for its vision of a “cleaner, ‘Discover Europe’. Furthermore, she worked heavily to increase
greener, safer and healthier place to work, live, invest and global connectivity, extending the TEN-T network extension
play”. She is a champion of Gender-Responsive Participatory in all EU neighbouring countries, signing the Transport
Budgeting and Planning, integrating gender perspectives into Community Treaty with the Western Balkans, concluding
the governance process. several external aviation agreements and reaching the first-
Maimunah holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Town ever global binding agreement addressing CO2-emissions in
Planning Studies from the University of Wales Institute of the aviation sector. Upon learning that only 22% of workers in
Science and Technology, United Kingdom, and a Master Europe’s transport sector are women, she immediately took
of Science in Planning Studies from the Malaysia Science action and spearheaded a platform for change to address the
University. She has received several awards, including, “Planner imbalance and motivated a broad circle of stakeholders to take
of The Year 2014” by the Malaysian Institute of Planners, the action. Violeta is a strong supporter of the ‘No women, no
2016 Global Human Settlements Outstanding Contribution panel’ initiative.
Award during Habitat III in Quito, for her contribution in
sustainable planning in Seberang Perai and from the Penang Violeta studied computer science and informatics at the
State Government. On 11 January 2018, she received an award University of Ljubljana, before obtaining a master’s degree
from the Malaysia Book of Records recognizing her for being in information technology from Golden Gate University in
the first Asian woman to be appointed as Executive Director San Francisco, California. She holds an MBA in Business
of UN-Habitat. She is married to Mr. Adli Lai and has two Administration and a PMBA in Executive Education from Bled
daughters. Maimunah is an avid cyclist in her daily life. School of Management, which she attended from 2001 to 2004.
Before becoming EU Commissioner for Transport, Violeta was
CEO of Vibacom, a company focused on balanced sustainable
development strategies, organic growth and innovation of
ecosystems from 2000 to 2014.
Remarkable Women in Transport 2
Rehana Moosajee
SA
Founder of The Barefoot Facilitator
Rehana Moosajee – The Barefoot
Facilitator – brings a range of skills
and experiences to the work she does.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree
in Education from Wits University in
Johannesburg, South Africa. She has a Julie Anne Genter
history of community activism, having NZ
served on a range of civic structures.
Rehana was a Councillor in the City of
Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality Minister for Women, Associate Minister for Transport,
between 2000 and 2013. During her Associate Minister for Health, New Zealand
tenure as the political head of Transport
she led the team that delivered Africa’s Julie Anne Genter grew up in Los Angeles where she witnessed
first full Bus Rapid Transport system – Rea women’s and civil rights movements making huge strides. In
Vaya. She has been called upon to share the famously car-dependent city she also saw the profound
her learnings, insights and experiences at impact that transport and urban design have on quality of life.
a variety of events – including amongst Graduating from UC Berkeley with a BA in philosophy, Julie
others – the International Transport studied politics at the prestigious Sciences Po in Paris, before
Forum, the American Public Transport moving to New Zealand to study at the University of Auckland.
Association, the Eschborn Dialogues as She went on to work as a transport consultant at some of New
well as the Gordon Institute of Business Zealand’s leading firms, specialising in transport economics
Science. She serves as a Research and urban design. Julie is passionate about addressing the
Associate at the South African Cities barriers that women face in working in these environments as
Network, is a member of the Advisory well as addressing the gender pay gap. She is keen to explore
Board of the African Centre for Cities and and promote the links between her work with women, health
a board member at Play Africa. and transport.
“We need more women advocats, we need more women
politicians and we need more women working in the
technical field, so they can bring this important perspective
of how we create really welcoming communities for
everyone. Because when women can feel safe and cycle,
everybody can.”
JULIE ANNE GENTE
More: TUMI YouTube
3 Remarkable Women in Transport
Esenam Nyador Laura Ballesteros
GH MX
Founder and Head of Miss Taxi Ghana Substitute Senator
Former Sub-Minister of Planning, Ministry of Mobility,
Esenam Nyador is one of a handful of female taxi drivers Mexico City
in an industry that’s almost entirely dominated by men. In
2013, she finished her first degree at the University of Ghana. An activist and expert in public policy and regulation, Laura
Her entrepreneurial streak paired with a bold personality Ballesteros is a political scientist graduate of the Tecnológico
helped her start her own business in a traditionally male- de Monterrey with a master’s degree in strategic direction and
dominated industry. Flying in the face of societal expectation innovation management from the Autonomous University of
and the approval of her peers, Esenam says she chose taxi Barcelona (AUB) and the Charles III University of Madrid, in a
driving because it is a very non-traditional thing to do for a IUP Program. As a local congresswoman in the Local Congress
woman in Ghana and considers her choice of livelihood as of Mexico City, Laura led the enactment of the Mobility Law
a gender statement. Armed with a graduate degree (Ley de Movilidad) along with civil society organizations and
research into Occupational Gender Segregation, the former Head of Government, Miguel Angel Mancera. The
Esenam succeeded in generating conversations law recognized mobility as a human right, the investment for
in the industry, which has led to the training of public transport systems a priority, and led to the administrative
women for participation in the transport reform of the Mobility Secretariat and the cross-sectional
industry. Today, with the support of coordination of governmental agencies. As Sub-Minister of
donor partners, Miss Taxi Ghana Planning in the Secretariat, Ballesteros introduced the road
is rolling out. She “drives The safety policy known as “Visión Cero” which has led to a 30%
City Project” to empower reduction of traffic-related deaths, certified by the Executive
many more women Secretariat of the National Group of Public Security (SESNSP).
to contribute the
development of
transport sector
in Ghana.
“If we have sexism in city planning it’s
because we have sexism in our communities,
so that’s part of something we have to
change.”
LAURA BALLESTEROS
More: TUMI YouTube
Remarkable Women in Transport 4
“We need a culture change for a sustainable
city.”
YOLISA KANI
More: TUMI YouTube
Kristina Jasiunaite
DE
European Director, World Bicycle Relief (WBR)
Kristina Jasiunaite joined the international NGO World Bicycle
Relief in 2013. As European Director, she is responsible for fund
development and corporate partnerships.
WBR builds specially-designed, locally assembled, rugged
bicycles to provide a sustainable solution to the lack of mobility
and long distances in rural development regions. To date, it has
delivered over 420,000 bicycles to students, healthcare workers
and entrepreneurs where the need is greatest. For increased
sustainability, the organisation also trains field mechanics to
ensure access to maintenance and spare parts.
Prior to this, Kristina worked in the European bicycle industry
for more than 14 years, dedicating herself to the idea that
bicycles are a powerful and simple vehicle that can change the
world. Yolisa Kani
Photo credit: Leah Missbach Day
ZA
Head of Policy South Africa, Uber
Yolisa Kani cut her teeth in transport planning in the early 2000s.
She first worked for a consulting firm where she developed the
first Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plans in the country
before joining the public sector where she spent most of her
career working on public transport plans and operations.
During her tenure in government, she spent a considerable
amount of time working on the transformation of the minibus
taxi industry, the planning of bus rapid transport systems (BRT)
and constructing public transport infrastructure. The highlight
of her career was the successful delivery of the 2010 Fifa World
Cup Transport Plans for the City of Johannesburg. Currently,
Yolisa is Uber’s Head of Policy where she is responsible for
urban mobility projects, policy and stakeholder engagements.
She also serves on the advisory board of Africa Teen Geeks, an
NPO that is teaching young Africans computer skills including
coding and robotics. Yolisa dreams of a world where women are
given more opportunities to shape public transport as it affects
them more than it does male counterparts.
5 Remarkable Women in TransportSabrina Soussan Kimberly Toure Heather Thompson
DE LR US
CEO, Siemens Mobility GmbH Inspirational Manager, Founder of the CEO, Institute of Transportation and
Liberian Female Construction Development Policy (ITDP)
Sabrina Soussan assumed the role of Contractors Group
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Siemens Heather Thompson has recently taken
Mobility in October 2017. She is also Kimberly Toure is owner and president/ on the position of CEO at ITDP. She has
a Director of ITT Inc. since October CEO of development and construction been involved with ITDP for many years
2018. Sabrina is responsible for the Company Tumarsi Inc. A graduate of as a funder and sat on the ITDP board of
division’s businesses in rolling stock, the University of Liberia, she is also directors for the last eight years, serving
including high-speed trains, commuter national treasurer (and first female as board chair for the last two.
and regional trains, locomotives, metro representative) of the Association of Heather has nearly two decades of
systems and tram and light rail systems. Liberian Construction Contractors and experience in the environmental
She also oversees the division’s service has mobilised the female contractors to non-profit sector. She co-founded
business. form a female construction contractors ClimateWorks Foundation, a network
As the mother of a young daughter, group/network. She’s passionate about of 13 regional foundations and expert
she cares deeply about developing and road construction and maintenance and teams which promote sectoral policies to
implementing sustainable mobility says, “In Liberia, the roads are mostly mitigate climate change. Previously she
solutions that increase the efficiency of in bad condition. This has a negative co-founded the philanthropic strategy
communities’ transportation systems impact on economic growth, access practice at California Environmental
while at the same time preserving our to education, health institutions and Associates. She has helped clients
planet’s natural resources. In Sabrina’s harmonised regional development.” including the Asian Development Bank,
opinion, digital technologies are key to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation,
reaching this goal. Photo credit: Edmond Lloyd and the Environmental Defense Fund,
Over the last 20 years, Sabrina has design and implement strategies that
held a variety of leadership positions have brought about large-scale benefits
in the automotive industry, in building for the environment.
technologies and in Mobility throughout Heather holds an MSc in environmental
Germany, France, Japan and Switzerland. economics from the University of York,
She is also an avid runner and enjoys UK, and a BA in biological sciences from
all outdoor activities. Sabrina holds a the University of California, San Diego.
degree in mechanical and aeronautical
engineering and a MBA from universities
in Poitiers (France) and Dublin (Ireland).
Photo credit: picture alliance/dpa
The Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative
(TUMI) has kicked-off a debate on the role
and potential of women in sustainable urban
mobility at the first Women Mobilize Women
Conference on 22nd May 2018 in Leipzig. The
conference fostered knowledge exchange and
in-depth discussions on female empowerment
focused on the implementation of sustainable
mobility solutions on the ground – by women,
for women.
www.transformative-mobility.org
Remarkable Women in Transport 6“If we are not able to move safely and
freely, we will remain behind men and the
world will miss a big contribution.”
AMANDA NGABIRANO
More: TUMI YouTube
Amanda Ngabirano
UG
Lecturer in urban and regional
planning, Makerere University,
Kampala, Uganda
Amanda Ngabirano is a Ugandan
consultant, urban and regional planner
and lecturer in urban and regional
planning at Makerere University.
Amanda has particular experience
in planned physical development for
sustainability, with a keen interest in
sustainable urban transportation. She’s
an inspiring speaker on active modes of
transportation and believes that Africa
has a huge potential for moving people
in a smarter way. Amanda is also the Shreya Gadepalli Ksenia Semenova
African representative board member
of the World Cycling Alliance (WCA) and
IN UA
argues that African women, given their Leader of South Asia Programme, Project Coordinator, Kyiv Cyclists’
family role, need greater availability, Institute for Transportation and Association
more freedom and choice of mobility. Development Policy (ITDP)
This is something she campaigns actively Ksenia started her career in 2002 at
for and believes that more women need Shreya Gadepalli leads the India & South UNDP Ukraine. In 2008-2010 she studied
to be involved in transport activities Asia Programme of the Institute for at Lund University, Sweden where she
for societal wellbeing and economic Transportation and Development Policy felt the taste of sustainable mobility.
development. (ITDP), a global non-profit organisation Upon return to Ukraine, she joined Kyiv
that works worldwide to design and Cyclists‘ Association, a grass-root NGO.
implement high quality transport She became one of the organization‘s
systems and policy solutions that make leaders helping to develop it into an
cities more sustainable, equitable, influential national institution with an
and enjoyable. Her work since the late international network of partners. In
1990s has established her as one of the 2015, Ksenia was appointed to a newly
foremost experts on sustainable urban established position of Cycling Advisor
mobility. to the Mayor of Kyiv, Vitalii Klitschko.
In a region where nine out of ten trips A year later, she was elected to the
by women are made on foot or public Board of European Cyclists‘ Federation,
transport – often in uncomfortable where she served two years. Ksenia
and unsafe conditions – Shreya and her was among the pioneers of the Kyiv
team engage with public agencies and Cycling Plan approved in 2018 and
other groups to ensure that these modes the new edition of Ukraine‘s national
become safer and better. As a woman construction standards prioritizing
leader in the field, she has also ensured cycling and road safety. Besides cycling,
that her organisation provides the space Ksenia‘s professional interests include
needed for young women to learn, grow, accessibility of public transport and
and shine. buildings.
7 Remarkable Women in TransportDiane E Davis
US
Charles Dyer Norton Professor of
Regional Planning and Urbanism,
Marcela Guerrero Casas Chair of the Department of Urban Pl-
ZA anning and Design, Harvard Graduate
Co-Founder, Open Streets Cape Town School of Design
Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Marcela Guerrero Before moving to Harvard in 2012,
Casas lived in the US for most of her adult life before moving Diane Davis served as the head of the
to South Africa in 2006. Her academic background includes a International Development Group in
Master’s in public administration and international affairs from the Department of Urban Studies and
Syracuse University. She has worked in policy and advocacy for Planning at MIT, where she also had a
almost ten years in organisations including The Carter Center, term as Associate Dean of the School of
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and Fairtrade Architecture and Planning.
Africa. Marcela believes streets can bring people together. Originally trained as a sociologist,
“In a city with a history of division and segregation, an Open Diane’s research interests include the
Streets programme could profoundly change how we relate relations between urbanisation and
to each other,” she says. She is passionate about cities, public national development, comparative
space and most importantly, people. Open Streets is a concept urban governance, socio-spatial practice
that resonates strongly with her because of her upbringing and in conflict cities, urban violence and new
the potential it has shown in Cape Town. Marcela is also a co- territorial manifestations of sovereignty.
founder of Otro Sur, a platform for cultural exchange between Starting with her dissertation research
Latin American and Sub-Saharan African countries. that focused on the decision to build a
subway in Mexico City, over the years she
Photo credit: Micky Wiswedel has written several books which examine
the politics of urban policy and their
impact on city form, the contributions
of urban growth to national economic
prosperity, the strategies and tactics
used to transform urban transport, and
the inter-relationships between cities and
sovereignty. Diane has just completed
two separate initiatives, for which she
was principal investigator: a three-year
project funded by the Volvo Research
and Educational Foundations (VREF)
focused on the role of political leadership
in transforming urban transport and a
three-year project funded by Mexico’s
national workers’ housing agency
(INFONAVIT) geared toward developing
“In a city with a history of division and segregation, more sustainable social housing policies
an Open Streets programme could profoundly for Mexican cities.
change how we relate to each other.”
MARCELA GUERRERO CASAS
More: TUMI YouTube
Remarkable Women in Transport 8Paola Tapia
CL
Former Minister of Transport and
Telecommunications, Chile
Paola Tapia was the first woman to lead
the Chilean Ministry of Transport. She
created the first working policy review
group of the public and private sector,
promoting a gender vision in transport
and increasing female participation in
the sector. She presented a recognition
for the first time to highlight the need
for female participation in transport
companies and universities.
A trained lawyer, Paola has held
Lisa Conibear Manal al-Sharif
various leadership positions in the UK SA
Chilean Ministry of Transport and Business Manager, Shell Foundation Founder, Women2Hack Academy
Telecommunications. As Minister she
approved the first national policy on Lisa Conibear is a business manager at Manal al-Sharif is considered the
gender equity and transport, to promote the Shell Foundation, which co-creates first Saudi woman to specialise in
the incorporation of more women into and fosters the growth of companies Information Security with a career that
the transport workforce and to adopt in the Access to Energy, Sustainable started back in 2002 with ARAMCO, the
measures that promote the protection of Mobility, and SME finance sectors. largest oil company in the world. In 2011,
women. Lisa leads the Foundation’s work in Manal co-founded the #Women2Drive
She is founder of the international Sustainable Mobility and Agriculture. In campaign, to challenge the ban on
organizations “Women in Motion” and this role Lisa has fed into multiple global women driving in her country. She was
“Future City network”. mobility initiatives, including the UN’s arrested and imprisoned for “driving
SUM4ALL working group and strategy while female” and released on the
of the WRI Ross Centre for Sustainable condition that she never drives again
Cities. Lisa has additionally convened on Saudi lands, never to speak about
events for investors and start-ups in the it or do any interviews. She continued
sustainable mobility sector in New York campaigning for #Women2Drive and
and Nairobi. She is passionate about the #IAmMyOwnGuardian to end male
potential for revolutionizing mobility in guardianship in her country. She started
emerging markets and creating resilient #Faraj, to help domestic helpers leave jail
and sustainable communities. and #IAmLama that resulted in codifying
Lisa holds a double graduate degree the first anti-domestic violence law in
from Copenhagen Business School and Saudi. For her activism, she won the first
Università Bocconi. Vaclav Havel award for Creative Dissent
and she is author of the bestselling
book Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman’s
Awakening. Currently Manal al-Sharif
lives in exile in Sydney, Australia.
Photo credit: Maha Nasra Eddé
9 Remarkable Women in TransportTripti Gurha Paula Bisiau
IN AR
Executive Director, Economics and Statistics, Indian Undersecretary, Sustainable and
Railway Ministry Safe Mobility, Buenos Aires City
Government
Tripti Gurha has 25 years’ experience in the transport field.
Prior to her current position, she worked at lower and middle Paula Bisiau is the Undersecretary of
management level, handling management of railways logistics, Sustainable and Safe Mobility in the
production management and sales management of Indian Buenos Aires City Government. This area
Railways, one of the biggest employers in India. Tripti passed works on public policies regarding road
her civil service exams at a time when they weren’t really open safety, walkability and cycling promotion
to female employees and was strongly advised against it by as a key urban mode of transport.
her colleagues. However, she says, “I was young, confident and Paula works to promote sustainable
enthusiastic and I was doing things I had never done before. It means of transportation adopting a
was a dream and I started falling in love with the service.” vision-zero approach that seeks to
She quickly rose to seniority and productivity increased eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe
under her tenure. Women have come a long way in injuries. To that end, she developed the
the industry since she started, she says, “The first road safety plan for the city, which
roles have opened up, there are role models encourages pedestrian priority, respect
and financial stability and young women and coexistence in transit.
know these careers are open to them.” She is also in charge of the gender and
transport agenda in the Secretariat of
Transport, which aims to equalise job
opportunities within the sector and
improve women’s mobility conditions in
relation to street harassment.
Paula has a bachelor’s degree in
philosophy from the Sorbonne
University in Paris. She completed a
master’s degree in urban economics at
Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos
Aires in 2009 and won a scholarship to
Georgetown University’s Innovation and
Leadership in Government Program in
2014.
Eastern Africa Women in Transportation (EAWIT)
The first conference on Women in Transportation in Eastern
Africa focused on the empowerment of women in the informal
matatu industry and was organized by the Kenyan women-led
Flone Initiative, which has been working on the issue for the last
years. The conference was organized with the support of TUMI
and other international and local organizations and took place
on 22nd and 23rd of November 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Remarkable Women in Transport 10Clarisse Cunha Linke
BR
Country Director, Institute for Transportation &
Development Policy (ITDP)
Clarisse Cunha Linke has worked in the planning and
implementation of social policies and programmes since 2001,
with experience in Brazil, Mozambique and Namibia. She has
a master’s in social policies, NGOs and development at the
London School of Economics and Political Science, where she
received the “Titmuss Examination Prize” in 2005.
During the 2006-2011 period, Clarisse was one of the
Executive Directors of the Bicycling Empowerment Network
Namibia’s (BEN Namibia), where she was responsible for the
expansion of the organisation‘s activities, helping it become
the largest bicycle distribution network integrated with the
implementation of social enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2010, she was awarded by Ashoka Changemakers in the
“Women, Tools, and Technology” Challenge.
Clarisse has been part of ITDP Brazil since 2012 and is a
Board member of the Sustainable Low Carbon Transport Mary Crass
Network (SLoCaT), the Associação Transporte Ativo and Casa
Fluminense. In addition, she is a member of the Municipal
FR
Transport Council of Rio de Janeiro and the Urban Development Head of Institutional Relations and Summit,
Council of the Metropolitan Region of Executive Director. International Transport Forum (ITF)
Mary Crass is Head of Institutional Relations and Summit for
the Paris-based International Transport Forum, at the OECD.
She is responsible for the ITF’s relations with Member countries,
international organisations and associations and the annual
International Transport Forum Summit. She has also been in
charge of the organisation’s work on sustainable urban travel,
accessible transport and social inclusion, as well as crime and
terrorism issues in transport.
She recently chaired the International Road Transport
Association’s (IRU) Future of the Taxi Reflection Group and
is currently co-chair of the Transportation Research Board’s
Accessible Transportation Committee – subcommittee on
Policy and Practice.
Prior to joining the OECD, Mary worked as a consultant focusing
on transport and environment issues for among others the
UN Environment Programme, the European Commission and
OECD, as well as private enterprise.
Mary has a Masters Degree from the Johns Hopkins University
School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) with
specialisations in international economics and energy and
environment policy and a BA from the University of Texas at
Austin.
11 Remarkable Women in TransportDr Kalpana Viswanath Mariana Alegre Escorza
IN PE
Co-Founder, SafetiPin General Coordinator, Lima Cómo Vamos
Dr Kalpana Viswanath is the co-founder and CEO of Safetipin, Mariana Alegre Escorza was born in Lima, Peru. She studied Law
a social enterprise using data and technology to support cities at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) and earned
to become safer, more inclusive and smarter. Since its inception a MSc in City Design and Social Science from London School
in 2013, Safetipin has worked with more than 30 cities in India of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She is a Chevening
and other developing countries. Safetipin collects data about Alumni. While studying for her first master’s in human rights
safety in public spaces through multiple sources including the (PUCP), she discovered her passion for urban rights. She has
MySafetipin app which is a free crowd sourcing app and been involved in several research projects and academic work,
works with governments to use this data for better in particular those about sustainable urban mobility, public
planning and maintenance. Kalpana also headed spaces and social movements and urban renewal with social
a number of large global projects, including inclusion processes.
Jagori, a leading women’s rights NGO, Since 2010, Mariana has served as the Executive Director
and has been a consultant for many of Lima Cómo Vamos citizen observatory, whose mission
agencies including Women in Cities is to evaluate the quality of life of the limeños and chalacos
International, UN Women, and (Lima and Callao’s neighbours) and Ocupa Tu Calle (Occupy
UN Habitat. She is a member Your Street) strategy, where they develop more and better
of the Advisory Group on public spaces. She is a tenured teacher at PUCP’s business
Gender Issues for UN undergraduate school (Facultad de Gestión y Alta Dirección)
Habitat. and is in charge of the social management track. Mariana also
writes opinion columns for newspaper Perú 21, rides her bike
regularly and walks around her city encouraging people to love
Lima as much as she does.
“We need governments to listen to the fact that they
cannot continue to plan transport the way they’ve
been doing it.”
DR KALPANA VISWANATH
More: TUMI YouTube
Remarkable Women in Transport 12Kelly J. Clifton Natasha Zulkifli Shannon Galpin
US MY US
Professor of Civil and Environmental Stakeholder Director, YTL Malaysia Activist, Author, Explorer
Engineering, Portland State
University Natasha Zulkifli has extensive experience Shannon Galpin is an American global
in the Malaysian public transport sector, women‘s rights activist, author, artist,
Dr Kelly Clifton is a professor in the now working as Stakeholder Director explorer, and advocate for sexual assault
Department of Civil and Environmental at YTL Malaysia which is constructing survivors. She is founder of women’s
Engineering at Portland State University. Malaysia’s largest inter-city rail rights non-profit, Mountain2Mountain,
She holds an affiliate appointment in the infrastructure project. Given her deep and co-founder of the wildlife
Urban Studies and Planning Program and interest to strengthen human capital conservation organization, Endangered
is a fellow in the Institute for Sustainable development in the Malaysian rail space, Activism with her daughter, Devon
Solutions. Her research, teaching in 2017 Natasha founded Women in Rail Clarke. Shannon worked for a decade on
and service activities are focused on Malaysia, a not-for-profit entity which women’s rights projects in Afghanistan.
transportation and how human mobility was established to support and promote In 2009 she became the first person to
is shaped by needs, activity demand, equality and diversity within the mountain bike in Afghanistan, where
urban context and technology. Kelly is Malaysian rail industry. She is passionate later she eventually met, supported,
an internationally recognised expert about driving Women in Rail Malaysia for and trained the first Afghan Women’s
on transport and land use interactions, the benefit of women not just currently National Cycling team which was
travel behaviour, pedestrian modelling working within the industry but to recognized with a Nobel Peace Prize
and equity in transportation policy. also promote the Malaysian rail space Nomination. Here she also helped build
She bridges the fields of transportation as a career of choice to young women and support the burgeoning right-to-
engineering and planning and is currently studying in secondary school ride movement in the country. Shannon
known for qualitative and quantitative and in universities. is the producer of the documentary
methodological research methods. film Afghan Cycles and in 2013, she
Kelly serves as a Hans Fischer Senior was named National Geographic
Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Adventurer of the Year. Shannon is a
Studies at the Technical University of Fellow of the Explorer’s Club and was
Munich until 2020, where she is working awarded an Honorary Diploma from
in the Modeling Spatial Mobility lab to the International Olympic Committee
incorporate pedestrian modelling into for her work promoting human rights
land use-transport interaction models through cycling. Her memoir, Mountain
and health impact assessments. to Mountain was published in 2014.
Photo credit: Astrid Eckert Photo credit: Deni Bechard
13 Remarkable Women in TransportAngela Beatriz Anzola De Toro
CO
District Secretary for Women, City of Bogotá
Angela Beatriz Anzola De Toro is currently the District Secretary for Women of the
City of Bogotá. Before she became Secretary Angela, served as High Councilor for
Victims’ Rights, Peace and Reconciliation, an entity that provides humanitarian aid to
approximately 22,000 victims of the armed conflict per year.
A graduate in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from the University of York,
Angela pursued Latin American Studies at Oxford University and holds a master’s
in Public Policy from Oxford University. Before joining Mayor Enrique Peñalosa’s
team she worked as a researcher at Inter Mediate, a London-based NGO focused in
mediation in the most complex conflicts around the world. Previously, Angela worked
as an advisor for plenipotentiary negotiator Frank Pearl during the Colombian Peace
Process with the FARC guerrilla.
Heather Allen
BE
Independent Consultant Gender and Urban Transport
Heather Allen is a highly regarded expert and thought leader in gender, urban
transport, sustainable development and climate change. She has been working in
this space for 20 years and is experienced in setting up strategic partnerships and
managing international programmes.
She was Senior Manager at the International Association of Public Transport (UITP),
leading their sustainable development charter programme and then went on to
be Program Director for Sustainable Transport with the UK Transport Research
Laboratory. Since becoming an independent consultant, her projects have included
a major international review of women’s personal security entitled Safe and Sound,
studying gender and urban transport in the People’s Republic of China, Philippines,
Chile, Ecuador, Argentina and Papua New Guinea and is the lead consultant for the
gender chapter of the World Bank SUM4ALL Global Road Map. She believes in the
importance of working with civil society and local universities to build a stronger
evidence base on gender sensitive sustainable transport.
Remarkable Women in Transport 14
19Sophie Punte
NL
Executive Director, Smart Freight
Centre (SFC)
Smart Freight Centre promotes a more
efficient and low-emissions global freight Lisa Seftel
sector. Sophie Punte founded SFC in SA
July 2013 as a global mission-driven
organisation to drive transparency and Executive Director for Transport, City
mobilise multinational companies and of Johannesburg
their logistics partners to take action.
SFC brings the global logistics Lisa Seftel is responsible for the
community together to develop global planning, leadership and management Sheila Watson
standardised guidelines and approaches of transport related issues to fulfil the UK
for calculating, reporting and reducing City’s goal of making walking, cycling
logistics emissions, the first of which and public transport the mode of choice. Deputy Director and Director of
is the GLEC Framework. SFC also Her responsibilities and achievements Environment and Research, FIA
recognises companies that demonstrate include implementing one of the first Foundation
Smart Freight Leadership. bus rapid transit systems in Africa, called
Previously, as Executive Director of Rea Vaya, the promotion of cycling, Sheila Watson is Deputy Director
Clean Air Asia, Sophie played a lead role public transport transformation and (Environment and Research) at the
in bringing green freight on the agenda linking land use and transport planning FIA Foundation, a UK-based Charity
in Asia. She also worked at the UN through promoting transit orientated which is committed to promoting safe
Environment, KPMG and an engineering development, which aims to redress sustainable mobility across the world.
firm on environmental management inequalities and improve the quality of She is also Executive Secretary to the
and corporate sustainability. She holds life of all residents. Global Fuel Economy Initiative, which
an MSc (Biology) and a Master of Lisa was previously municipal manager seeks to support the development of
Environmental Management from the of a district municipality south of fuel economy policies across the world,
Netherlands. Johannesburg and prior to that held and the Real Urban Emissions Initiative
government posts in the Gauteng (TRUE), which exposes the real world
Department of Public Transport, Roads emissions of the cars on our roads.
and Works, Office of the Premier in Sheila is an economist, with many years
Gauteng Provincial Government and the experience as Senior Special Policy
Department of Labour. She was also a Adviser to the UK Labour government
political and trade union activist. She has in the Environment, Trade & Industry,
an honours degree in industrial sociology and foreign policy departments. Former
and a diploma in public and development roles include Deputy Director of the
management. Centre for Local Economic Strategies,
and Policy Researcher at the Institute
for Fiscal Studies. Sheila has an Honours
Degree from the University of Oxford,
and an MSc in Economics from Birkbeck
College, University of London. She is
married, with 3 sons, and lives in London.
Photo credit: John Minchillo
15 Remarkable Women in TransportDaniela Chacón Arias Claudina de Gyves
EC MX
Councillor, City of Quito General Coordinator, Liga Peatonal
Daniela Chacón Arias was elected City Councillor of Quito for the Claudina de Gyves is an architect from
period 2014-2019 and served as Vice Mayor until August 2016. Prior Benito Juárez University in Oaxaca. Her
to this she worked for the city of Denver, Colorado, was a Fulbright field of expertise is in urban planning and
scholar at The George Washington University and worked as a mobility. A cyclist and activist on issues of
lawyer and in the organisation of public-private programmes for city, public space and mobility, she is the
the economic and social development of Ecuador. founder of the City on Foot Collective.
Daniela has implemented programmes promoting walking and She has experience in urban project
biking in order to transform Quito into an inclusive, secure management and citizen advocacy with
and sustainable city. An active voice for gender fairness private initiatives and government and
and equality, she created a programme for the quality is co-founder and general coordinator of
improvement of public transport services and to Liga Peatonal where she has promoted
fight sexual harassment in both public spaces initiatives and campaigns such as the
and public transportation. She has led Illustrated Charter of Pedestrian Rights,
several participative projects to recover antipedestrian bridges and desire lines.
public places and neighbourhoods Interested in infrastructure issues in the
throughout the city of Quito areas of mobility, universal accessibility,
and is an active member of road safety and gender, Claudina
the worldwide Project for currently lives in the city of Oaxaca, is
Public Spaces initiative. a music lover, fan of jazz and folding
bicycles. She wants her nieces and
nephews to learn from a young age that
walking and riding a bike is better.
SafetiPin
SafetiPin is a social enterprise providing a number of technology
solutions to make cities safer for women and others. The
SafetiPin tool is based on 9 variables determined by UN Women
to be the most influential factors of women’s perception of
security. The TUMI Challenge Project „Me muevo segura“ of
the Ministry for Women and Gender Equality of Bogotá, in
collaboration with CAF and SafetiPin, is collecting and auditing
geo-referenced data of 15.547 kilometers of streets within the
city of Bogota when it gets dark. The data will serve as a basis
for a night security index for women and will therefore enable
targeted interventions to improve the situation.
Remarkable Women in Transport 16Alejandra Leal
MX
Co-Director, Céntrico
Alejandra Leal has assisted cities across
Mexico in developing new street designs
and strategies to improve pedestrian
and cycling mobility, as well as road
safety. She is Director of Céntrico, a
consultancy specializing in sustainable
urban transportation. Alejandra
graduated as an Economist at CIDE, in
Mexico City, and holds a Master’s degree Dr Clemence Cavoli
in Public Policy from the Hertie School UK
of Governance in Berlin. She was also
Non-Motorized Mobility Coordinator Research and teaching fellow, UCL
for the Institute for Transportation
and Development Policy (ITDP). She Dr Clemence Cavoli is a research and
has taught in different Universities in teaching fellow at the Centre for
Mexico, such as UNAM, UDLAP and Transport Studies, part of the Civil,
Dr Nancy Vandycke
La Salle. She has coordinated and is Environmental, Geomatic Engineering US
coauthor of publications from ITDP and Department at UCL. She specialises in Programme Manager, “Sustainable
also for federal agencies. “Having better environmental and transport policies, Mobility for All” and Economic
pedestrian and cyclist environments is in particular linked with urban mobility. Adviser, World Bank
critical in places like Mexico City, where Her current research projects investigate
inequality, traffic and air pollution are the extent to which growing cities Dr Nancy Vandycke is Economic Advisor
huge problems”, Alejandra says. can accelerate their urban transport in the Transport Global Practice of the
development processes to support World Bank. She is the founder and
sustainable mobility and land use. Since currently heads “Sustainable Mobility
September 2018 she has managed a for All”- a global platform that unites
large research project, T-SUM, focusing 55 public and private organizations
on sustainable urban mobility transitions worldwide to change the future of
in sub-Saharan Africa involving various mobility. Nancy also leads the strategic
international partners including UN- and global analytical portfolio of the
Habitat and the World Bank. World Bank in transport, including
Influencing policy is central to climate action, impact evaluation, global
Clemence’s engagement as an academic. tracking framework, and the Knowledge
She advises supranational, national and Note series. She is a member of the
local policy-makers. She regularly works World Economic Forum’s Global Council
as an independent expert and consultant on Advanced Energy Technologies
for the European Commission and was and of the Multilateral Development
seconded to the Science and Research Banks’ Group on sustainable transport.
Unit at the UK Department for Transport She started her professional career at
and to the EU Commission, DG MOVE. the International Monetary Fund and
was adjunct professor of economics at
Georgetown University. She holds a PhD
in Economics from London School of
Economics.
17 Remarkable Women in TransportCecile Texier
FR
Sustainability and CSR
Vice-President, Alstom
Cecile Texier drives Alstom’s
Anna Bray Sharpin Sustainability, CSR and Climate
US strategy, local communities’ investment
Urban Mobility Associate, WRI Ross programme, annual reporting activities,
Center for Sustainable Cities collaborative initiatives, sustainability
in marketing and dialog with socially
As Urban Mobility Associate in the Health responsible investors and stakeholders.
Claudia Adriazola-Steil and Road Safety practice area of the In 2018, she was also nominated Global
PE WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, Diversity Champion of the company.
Anna works with research and projects A key player in the transport sector,
Public Health and Road Safety related to emerging trends and best Alstom works on developing and
Director World Resources Institute practices at the intersection of mobility, promoting efficient and sustainable
(WRI) urban planning, traffic safety and public solutions, focusing on shared and
health. Anna specialises in accessibility electrical mobility, in an effort to
Claudia Adriazola-Steil has worked and safety for people walking and biking, support a global reduction of carbon
in the transport sector for almost and the application of the Safe System dioxide emissions and air pollution.
20 years. As the Public Health and approach to road safety. Alstom operates in more than 60
Road Safety Director at the World Prior to moving to Washington DC, Anna countries over all continents delivering
Resources Institute, she focuses on the worked at the Institute for Transportation urban and intercity rail systems. Cecile
intersection of sustainable mobility, and Development Policy in Brazil and is passionate about transport’s role in
climate change, public health and equity. Mexico where she worked with an climate change. “In the past the focus
Over the last 11 years at WRI, Claudia interdisciplinary team to promote the has been largely on energy, but transport
has been instrumental in developing integration of sustainable mobility and now deserves equal attention.” Alstom
one of the most innovative road safety road safety principles at all levels from has been the first company in the world
programs in the world – significantly street design to law. She also developed to put in commercial service an hydrogen
influencing the international agenda, advocacy and communications networks train powered by fuel cells, the Coradia
as well as those of national and local to disseminate sustainable urban iLint, to replace diesel regional trains
governments. Claudia previously held mobility concepts and built partnerships in Germany. Before joining Alstom
positions in Peru’s national government, with government and civil society. in 2005, Cecile worked for the KPMG
including General Director of Land Anna began her career in her home Sustainability Department.
Transportation and Executive Manager country of New Zealand, where she
of the National Council of Road Safety worked for the city of Wellington,
in the Ministry of Transport and coordinating public consultation on
Head of the Legal Department of the urban development projects. Anna holds
Superintendence of Public Registries an MSc in City Design and Social Science
in the Ministry of Justice. Originally from the London School of Economics,
a lawyer, Claudia was later trained in and a BSc in Environmental Studies and
transport management in Germany. In Geography from Victoria University of
2008 she graduated with an Executive Wellington, New Zealand.
Master of Public Administration and an
MA in International Relations from the
Maxwell School of Public Administration
at Syracuse University, New York.
Remarkable Women in Transport 18Sharon Masterson Andrea Soehnchen Sofia Salek de Braun
IE BE DE
Head of the Corporate Partnership Business Development Manager, Solution Director Traffic Safety,
Board, International Transport Forum International Association of Public PTV Group
(ITF) Transport (UITP)
Sofia Salek de Braun is a passionate
With more than 20 years’ international A civil engineer specialising in road safety advocate, after a traffic
experience in the technology and infrastructure and transport planning, accident in 2015 changed her family’s
transportation sectors, Sharon with more than 20 years of experience in life. She is convinced that road safety
Masterson currently works with the transport and mobility sector, Andrea is not just a governmental issue but
the International Transport Forum joined UITP in 2001. UITP is a passionate one that concerns everyone. Sofia
at the Organisation for Economic champion of sustainable urban mobility believes that as streets become safer
Cooperation and Development (OECD), and is the only worldwide network and more humane, more people will feel
an intergovernmental organisation of to bring together all public transport comfortable walking and cycling. This,
59 member countries to facilitate global stakeholders and all sustainable she says, not only increases people’s
dialogue for better transport. transport modes. Andrea built up UITP’s physical activity but also contributes
In her role with the Corporate Partnership security-related activities in the wake of to ongoing improving air quality.
Board, the ITF’s platform for engaging the bombings in Madrid and Moscow. She says, “A mobility system that
with the private sector, she works with After some years working for Securitas, offers a variety of safe transportation
leading global enterprises to ensure that a leading private security company options can better address the needs
transport policy discussions are enriched and ASSA-i (the International Aviation of a variety of demographic groups
with a business perspective on a broad Security Services Association) Andrea with special attention to the needs of
range of topics such as decarbonising joined UITP again and took responsibility those in vulnerable situations, women,
transport, new mobility, innovation, for service and product development. children, persons with disabilities and
gender. Andrea has a deep understanding of older persons, which increase choices
Prior to joining the OECD in 2009, mobility and security along with a vast and open up opportunities for people.”
Sharon spent ten years in commercial experience of successfully managing She adds, “improving road safety is
and operational management positions complex projects. Recent activities also an imperative for sustainable and
in Groupe Air France, Paris and Dublin focussed on the improvement of safety, inclusive urban growth.”
and worked as Area Manager Benelux security and employment opportunities
for a company supporting US tech for women in public transport.
companies launch in Europe. She worked
as Business Development Manager in a
tech startup and also spent four years
working in Germany with Würth GmbH
& Co. KG.
19 Remarkable Women in TransportSalma Mousallem
EG
Programme Officer, UN-Habitat Egypt
Salma Mousallem is the mastermind behind UN-Habitat
Egypt’s mobility portfolio. The projects in the portfolio
promote public transportation and non-motorized transport,
while emphasizing the urgency of peeling back car oriented
policies.
As a metro rider herself, Mousallem regularly faced the last
mile problem of getting to the station, and thus the idea of the
bike sharing project Biscletta was born. Not only will the project
implement a bike sharing system, but it will develop a network
of bike lanes to address safety issues which is a key concern for
potential users.
Salma is also managing the planning and design of Cairo’s
first Bus Rapid Transit System, funded by the New Urban
Communities Authority and UN Women. In 2018, she also led a
collaboration between civil society, local government, and UN-
Larissa Zeichhardt Habitat to put on the ground 100 bike racks around the city, an
DE initiative highlighting the importance of a cycling as a mode of
transportation in the city.
CEO, LAT Funkanlagen and Service GmbH Salma holds a Master’s in city and regional planning from the
University of California, Berkeley and bachelor’s degree in
A qualified engineer, with strong media skills and a deep biomedical sciences and international development studies
understanding of the digital, Larissa pursued a career in from McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
packaging before entering the mobility sector, joining her sister
Arabelle Laternser in leading the family-owned and operated
LAT Group.
She is a board member of cable construction association
Gütegemeinschaft Leitungstiefbau, deputy chair of two
committees in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of
Berlin (CCI Berlin) and an active member of several initiatives
including Women in Mobility, Women‘s Railway Association
(Allianz pro Schiene) and the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Larissa promotes intermodal
mobility concepts and regularly shares her expertise in digitised
railroad infrastructure as a keynote lecturer at international
summits. She initiated the InnoTrans Ladies Lunch (now WiM
InnoTrans Luncheon) to promote more diversity in transport.
Photo credit: ApS/RailwayForum
Remarkable Women in Transport 20
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