Who We Are

We are a group of people who are looking to make our city better for all.  As part of the Strong Towns movement, we align with the following five core campaign ideas. 

SAFE & PRODUCTIVE STREETS

Poor street design is the primary cause of automobile crashes, injuries, and death on our streets. We must build (and rebuild) streets that are dominated by people, and which accommodate cars as a secondary user.

TRANSPARENT LOCAL ACCOUNTING

The true extent of deferred maintenance and replacement cost obligations for infrastructure is not accounted for in a city’s financial reports. Municipal financial statements must be prepared with the local citizen in mind, not a Wall Street analyst or bond investor.

END HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS

Until we have a credible plan for maintaining our existing infrastructure, we must stop building more lanes, roads, and bridges.

END PARKING MANDATES AND SUBSIDIES

Parking minimums cost the public in the form of extra infrastructure that must service all that parking—but without the taxable value to recoup public investment. We must end parking mandates and subsidies to free up vast swaths of land that can be used more productively.

INCREMENTAL HOUSING

 Grand Rapids' housing market should be free to respond to evolving needs and capacity. A bottom-up orientation to housing requires strong local leadership and active citizens.    

People sitting around a wooden table having a meeting inside a room with brick walls and large windows, in natural daylight.
https://parkingreform.org/parking-lot-map/#parking-reform-map=grand-rapids-mi

We achieve these through active participation in civic forums, activities, and group activities.  We meet up every couple of weeks to discuss what is going on in our communities, hear from guest speakers from different organizations, and plan future events activities. 

Our Community Partners
Our Community Partners

Meet the Team

  • A woman with curly, light brown hair and blue eyes standing in front of a red brick wall, wearing a purple leather jacket and a white top, smiling at the camera.

    Anna Carley

    Executive Director

    I loves bikes and economics! Why not try to use some of my skills and make Grand Rapids a better place to live, work, and bike in? I envision Grand Rapids being “the” Michigan City in the next 5 to 10 years, if we make smart choices with public policy and zoning updates!

    If you see Andrew and myself at a one of the many festivals in Grand Rapids, say hello!

  • A man with a beard and long hair, wearing a black backward cap, a gray and black jacket, and an orange shirt, standing outdoors on a winter day with snow-covered ground and leafless trees in the background.

    Andrew Carley

    Director of Outreach

    Andrew believe that cities should work for all users, not just those driving in cars. After graduating from Rockford High School, he moved to New York City and learned what he has been missing in his suburban upbringing. After seeing how a built environment can work for all users of the city he became obsessed with the built environment and sought to improve it in his community. When not championing public transportation and housing affordability, you can find him and his wife (Anna) exploring the town on their bikes, hiking, and enjoying all that Grand Rapids has to offer.

  • A man with gray hair and glasses wearing a blue collared shirt against a neutral background.

    Adam Williams

    Director of Policy

    As a long-time advocate of multimodal transportation, Adam has seen the transformation that Grand Rapids has undergone over the years. As a Highland Park resident for many years, he has prioritized amplifying the community voice and promoting steady, incremental development that reflects local needs.

  • Laura Cesa

    Laura Cesa

    Policy Analyst

    An Ohio native who now counts themselves a proud Michigander, Laura loves the state for its excellent access to the outdoors, particularly swimming, hiking, and skiing. Prior to settling in Grand Rapids in 2022, Laura lived for 5 years in Copenhagen, Denmark, where they fell in love with cycling, trains, and a city built for walking. They are incredibly passionate about shaping the future of Grand Rapids with the development of vibrant, bikeable, and walkable communities connected by strong intercity and regional public transit. 

    Laura has a PhD in chemical biology from the University of Michigan and has professional experience in biomedical research. They currently own and operate a science writing business and serve in the City of Grand Rapids on the Mobile GR and Vital Streets Oversight Commissions. In their spare time, Laura is a competitive swimmer who loves being in the water no matter the season, exploring the expansive Michigan coastline.

  • A woman with long hair, wearing glasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and a jacket, is sitting in a small boat on a calm lake, smiling at the camera during daytime with cloudy skies and forested shoreline in the background.

    Thomas Miller

    Volunteer Coordinator

    Thomas grew up in Indiana and lived across Indiana and Michigan before settling in Grand Rapids. Thomas enjoys gardening, hiking, board games, and clearing storm drains. Thomas holds a master's degree in Public Policy, Environmental Science, and Water Resources Engineering. Say hi if you see him around!

  • Janelle Rai

    Janelle Rai

    Janelle resides in Grand Rapids with her husband, Isaac. She holds engineering degrees from Calvin University and Purdue University. During her studies, she spent time in Germany as an exchange student at Technische Universität Berlin and then as a fellow of the Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm. She is awed by the accessibility of European transportation and development patterns. Outside the office, Janelle enjoys creating GIS maps, reading books by Jan Gehl or Jane Jacobs, attending community events, and experiencing Grand Rapids by foot or bicycle.