Our Streets Minneapolis is thrilled to welcome Ashwat Narayanan to our team as Executive Director. Ash (he/him) comes to Our Streets Minneapolis with nine years of experience advocating for cleaner, more inclusive and resilient transportation systems in the Midwest.
Before joining the Our Streets Minneapolis team, Ash was Director of Transportation Policy at 1000 Friends Wisconsin, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to building healthy communities through better land use.
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“It is a privilege to join Our Streets Minneapolis as the Executive Director,” Ash said. “I am grateful to the board and staff for their trust, and am excited to support our outstanding staff in moving Minneapolis forward as a national biking, walking, and rolling leader.”
In his time as a transportation advocate Ash developed campaigns that shifted state funding away from auto-centric infrastructure toward walking, biking, and public transit through legislative, legal, and community organizing pathways. He authored and co-authored numerous reports including The Road to Clean Transportation: A Bold, Broad Strategy to Cut Carbon Emissions and Arrive Together: Transportation Access and Equity in Wisconsin.
“Ensuring that our events and advocacy work are inclusive of all Minneapolis residents is one of my top priorities,” Ash said.
Most recently, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers appointed Ash to the state’s Transportation Task Force advising the state on future transportation investment. He served on the City of Madison’s Transportation Commission, and the City’s Transportation Policy and Planning Board.
Ash is excited to bring his experience to Minneapolis. He says:
As Minneapolis starts implementing the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the associated Transportation Action Plan, we have an opportunity to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future. Changing demographic, transportation, and technological trends mean that we will have to be forward-thinking and flexible to ensure that we are deploying our resources effectively, while also learning from past experiences.
Ash also chaired the Dane County Climate Council’s Transportation and Land Use Working Group. Ash holds a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from SRM University, India, and a Master’s degree in Transportation Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Stay tuned to our social media and this blog for opportunities to connect with Ash in person and welcome him to Our Streets Minneapolis! We can’t wait for you to meet him.
“The support of our volunteers, donors, and community members are the foundation of Our Streets Minneapolis,” Ash said. “I look forward to growing and strengthening these relationships.”
