Christina Panza, Director
Oversees SCBC SRTS Program and staff and provides Education & Encouragement technical support to schools across Sonoma County. Christina, a former teacher, began her journey with Safe Routes to School before she started working for SCBC, when her then 4th grade son begged her to start letting him walk to school on International Walk & Roll to School Day 2007. Soon after, he began bicycling to school. He was a big part of Tina's inspiration to teach all students and families about the benefits of walking and bicycling safely to school and in their neighborhoods - and helping to facilitate improved conditions for walking and bicycling to Sonoma County Schools. email Tina
Michelle Nikolayew, SRTS Education Program Manager, League of American Bicyclist Certified Instructor
Manages SRTS Education Program. Responsible for scheduling & coordinating in-class education and bicycle rodeo services at schools countywide, supervising our Education Contractor staff, and coordinating and supervising education outreach events. Street Skills & Family Bicycling Clinic instructor. Michelle, aka “Coach Mic,” is passionate about coaching, teaching, and instilling confidence in youth. She loves working with kids, building community partnerships, and teaching bike education. When she isn’t organizing bike events, you can find her teaching bike safety. She has several bikes to choose from as she commutes regularly by bike, runs errands, often pulling her dog, Duzer, in a carrier, and rides for fitness and fun on both road and mountain. One of her commutes takes her to a batting cage, where she fosters her love of confidence building, teaching and coaching as a softball hitting and skills instructor. email Michelle
Sarah Hadler, SRTS Program Manager, League of American Bicyclist Certified Instructor
Provides Education and Encouragement Technical Support & Program Management services to schools countywide, Street Skills & Family Bicycling Clinic instructor. Sarah fell in love with bicycling as transportation on a self-supported four month bicycle tour through Mexico. Upon return, she soon started working with the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition and she feels very lucky to have a job that she is so passionate about. She loves riding around Sonoma County with her son, Sylvester, on her sweet, blue cargo bike and being an ambassador for all things bicycle!" email Sarah
Alison Zander, SRTS Educator
Alison Zander has lived in Sonoma County her entire life and has enjoyed all that our county has to offer, from biking, running and hiking to swimming, kayaking and horseback riding. Along with enjoying the outdoors in her free time, she also spent most of her life working in the wellness industry, creating programs that promote health, activity and overall well-being. Post Covid, with a desire to play more, she switched things up and started working for SCBC as a Safe Routes to School Educator. She is now completely dedicated to playing with kids as she teaches them about pedestrian and bicycling safety. email Alison
Cindy O'Grady, SRTS Bilingual Eductator, League of American Bicyclist Certified Instructor
Cindy still can’t believe her good fortune in finding the perfect job for her experience and skills as the Bilingual Outreach and Education Coordinator. She spent her junior year of college in Mexico City and has used her Spanish in just about every professional position she has held. She went to work for the City of Encinitas in San Diego County in 2001, where she became interested in urban infrastructure and went back to school to earn a certificate in Sustainable Planning. As a member of the Luna Chix Cycling Club in San Diego, she built on her coaching experience in her son’s youth sports to help organize, lead and coach rides designed to get more women feeling safe and confident on the road. After leaving the City in 2012, Cindy pursued her passion with several non-profit environmental organizations before moving to Santa Rosa in the summer of 2015. Soon after, she became one of our Safe Routes to School educators, combining her passion for cycling, community, and kids into her livelihood. email Cindy
Joe Arnold, SRTS Educator, League of American Bicyclist Certified Instructor
Joe Arnold is a lifelong cyclist. He first fell in love with bikes riding BMX in Oceanside CA in 1987, commuting to school everyday. He later became a daily bike commuter in San Francisco and a lead bike tour guide throughout Sonoma and Napa Counties. A U.S. Air Force veteran who served as an In-Flight Refueling Instructor and Operator, Joe spent several years partnering with SCBC through bike rodeos before recently leaving a career in logistics and sales in the wine industry to become a dedicated bike educator. He is also a husband and proud father to a lovely wife and an active 10-year-old son. Joe loves working on bikes as a hobby and helping wrench at rodeos and learn-to-ride events. He is on a mission to get more butts on more bikes, encouraging people to get out and enjoy the beautiful community we live in. You can often see him and his son at the Taco Tuesday rides in Santa Rosa or riding along the Joe Rodota Trail from his home in Forestville. email Joe
