During 12 years serving on Auckland Council, the final term as Councillor, Pippa took a leadership role championing climate action, streets for people and low carbon transport projects. She has a background as a cycling and road safety advocate. Pippa was a member of the Urban Cycling Investment Panel in 2014/15. Pippa is currently working with the Big Street Bikers team to rollout a world leading mobility network for a happier, healthier, and carbon-free Aotearoa. (note Pippa is not presenting on behalf of Big Street Bikers but in her personal capacity as a former Councillor) .

As Christchurch City Councillor since 2016 Sara’s main mode of transport is a bike. She holds the Climate Change Portfolio, with oversight of the new Christchurch Transport Plan, and is a Councillor Director on the board of Christchurch City Holdings Limited. Her key areas of interest are sustainability, climate change, and in enabling communities to connect and strengthen for long-term wellbeing and resilience. She has a background in education and community initiatives.

Janette Sadik-Khan is one of the world’s foremost authorities on transportation and urban transformation. She served as New York City’s transportation commissioner from 2007 to 2013 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, overseeing historic changes to the city’s streets—pedestrianizing Broadway in Times Square, building nearly 400 miles of bike lanes, seven rapid bus lines and creating more than 60 plazas citywide. A founding principal with Bloomberg Associates, she works with mayors around the world to reimagine and redesign their cities. She chairs the National Association of Transportation Officials/Global Designing Cities Initiative, implementing new, people-focused street design standards, which have been adopted in more than 150 cities across the United States and around the world.

Salvador Rueda is one of the world’s most significant urban placemakers. His work has focused on different aspects of the urban environment from an integrated perspective. He has been coordinator of renovation and revitalisation programmes in the Ciutat Vella (Old City) district of Barcelona, and since 2000 has been director of the Urban Ecology Agency of Barcelona, which has worked on a number of projects aimed at reorienting cities towards a more sustainable model. He is probably most famous for inventing Barcelona’s Superblocks which, simply put, take street space traditionally devoted solely to motor vehicles and open it up to multiple uses (walking, cycling, play etc) by managing vehicle access. These have resulted in some amazing outcomes and Salvador now advises on their implementation in cities and towns across Europe and the Americas.

As Christchurch City Councillor since 2016 Sara’s main mode of transport is a bike. She holds the Climate Change Portfolio, with oversight of the new Christchurch Transport Plan, and is a Councillor Director on the board of Christchurch City Holdings Limited. Her key areas of interest are sustainability, climate change, and in enabling communities to connect and strengthen for long-term wellbeing and resilience. She has a background in education and community initiatives.

During 12 years serving on Auckland Council, the final term as Councillor, Pippa took a leadership role championing climate action, streets for people and low carbon transport projects. She has a background as a cycling and road safety advocate. Pippa was a member of the Urban Cycling Investment Panel in 2014/15. Pippa is currently working with the Big Street Bikers team to rollout a world leading mobility network for a happier, healthier, and carbon-free Aotearoa. (note Pippa is not presenting on behalf of Big Street Bikers but in her personal capacity as a former Councillor)

Laurie Foon grew up in Wainuiomata, of Chinese and tau iwi descent. For more than 20 years she has lived in Berhampore with her husband and two daughters. She first won a seat as a Paekawakawa/Southern Ward Councillor in 2019. She was re-elected in 2022 and became Deputy Mayor. Known as a pioneer in sustainable fashion, Laurie founded fashion label Starfish in the early 1990s. A host of honours came her way including a Sustainable Business Award in 2007. National Museum Te Papa recognised the historic and cultural significance of Starfish by having a collection of garments in its archives. Laurie created New Zealand’s first eco fashion show as part of Fashion Week 2010. Other recognition came in 2017 when she won an Absolutely Positively Wellington Award and was named a Kiwibank Local Hero. While passionate about sustainability for the good of the planet and everyone on it, Laurie knows business must be part of the solution and will work with Wellington’s business community to make meaningful change. She has five-years-experience as Manager of the Sustainable Business Network, as well as her insights as a business owner, to assist with this work. She is particularly passionate about ensuring Wellington becomes a low carbon city through initiatives such as Let’s Get Wellington Moving, intensification of housing, and making it easier to get around the city using low carbon transport options. Laurie is also focused on ensuring there is a sustainable food system that is good for the planet, which incorporates a circular economy.