Trailnet Champion: Stephan Tomlinson

Each month we feature a member or members of our community that work to push Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. We’re thrilled to feature Stephan Tomlinson as our first champion of 2026!

Sometimes, change doesn’t start with a policy paper, a formal campaign, or a big organization. Sometimes, it starts with one neighbor who simply refuses to accept that something unsafe has to stay that way.

This month’s Trailnet Champion, Stephan Tomlinson, is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when one person decides to act — and invites others to act with them.

Stephan didn’t set out to lead a movement. He moved into his Creve Coeur neighborhood with his family and noticed something that didn’t sit right: Fernview Drive, a busy neighborhood street with no sidewalks. As a parent, the safety implications were immediate and personal. For Stephan, this wasn’t abstract planning policy; it was daily life.

“I really just envisioned a neighborhood where I could safely walk out of my front door with my five-year-old,” he said. 

When he spoke to Trailnet about these issues, he talked about carrying his daughter until they reached safer streets, about traffic speeds on his road, and about the constant anxiety of walking just a few feet from moving cars. The issue wasn’t aesthetics. It was safety, dignity, access, and quality of life.

That concern turned into action.

When the proposed sidewalk project on Fernview Drive stalled in the City Council, Stephan didn’t assume someone else would fix it. He showed up, and started talking to neighbors. He reached out to Trailnet for guidance, and found the support practical and accessible. He ended up speaking with Cindy Mense, CEO of Trailnet.

“Cindy had great advice. I think what she helped me really think about was sort of expanding beyond some of the people I typically would have reached out to and think about who could tell different stories about why safe streets were so important to our neighborhood.”

He started small with conversations at school bus stops, texts between parents, and knocking on doors. He gathered signatures. He invited people to hearings. He helped neighbors understand that showing up mattered.

And in one of the most human, not to mention memorable moments of organizing, Stephan took advocacy door‑to‑door on Halloween.

Dressed as Gandalf while trick‑or‑treating with his kids, he talked to neighbors about the sidewalk project.

“So I’m walking around on Halloween dressed like Gandalf, and I just started asking people, ‘are you aware of the proposed sidewalk project, and what do you think?’”

He listened, shared information, and invited people to participate. And people responded. He kept at it, even talking to people from his car, giving a shout to folks walking in a part of the neighborhood that didn’t have sidewalks. He’d then pull over and chat with pedestrians about the project, and many signed a letter of support.

What started with a few conversations quickly became something bigger.

Stephan didn’t try to be the face of the effort; he created space for others to bring their own stories forward. Parents. Seniors. People with disabilities. Pet owners. Transit riders. Students. Neighbors who had lived on the street for decades. 

“There were so many more people in the community that came out… and they had angles on how safe streets affected them that were not necessarily part of my experience.”

People showed up at a hearing in late November, and shared why sidewalks mattered to their lives.

“People came out and talked about family members with mobility issues, sight issues… there were pet owners, concerned about the safety of their animals, and parents worried about their children waiting at the bus stop early in the morning in the dark on a street with no sidewalk.”

This is what Streets for All looks like in real life: not a slogan, not a campaign line, but neighbors recognizing that different people have different needs, and that safe infrastructure serves everyone. Stephan reflected on what was going through his mind at the November meeting as people were speaking:

“There were people saying, ‘I can’t take a walk in my own neighborhood because I don’t have anywhere to go and I’m stuck in my house,’ and that hit me. That then pushed it into another level of quality — what community is about, our responsibility to each other, and who we’re planning communities for. If you’re concerned about these sidewalks and you’re never going to use them, that’s fine. You don’t have to. But if your neighbor literally can’t get exercise because there’s nowhere for them to go, or they don’t have a car…people have different needs. The sidewalks help support them in a lot of different ways, whether it’s making it safer for them to get to the bus stop, whether it’s folks who you know have mobility or other challenges getting around, or parents who want their kids to be safe. There’s just a lot of different planning goals that I think that will be met when it finally gets installed.”

When the project finally received approval, it wasn’t because of one voice — it was because one voice helped unlock many.

And that’s why Stephan is our Trailnet Champion of the Month.

He saw a problem, reached out for support, organized with care, and showed his community what collective action looks like.

This is the power of one person — not acting alone, but gathering people, building relationships, and moving the needle together.

Stephan’s story is a reminder that Streets for All isn’t just Trailnet’s mission; it’s something communities build themselves, one conversation at a time, one neighbor at a time, one brave act of involvement at a time.

Sometimes, all it takes to change a street is someone willing to knock on a door — or ring a doorbell in a Gandalf costume — and start the conversation.

Trailnet Champion: Charles Bryson

Each month we feature a member or members of our community that work to push Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. For November, we’re delighted to feature Charles Bryson!

Charles Bryson spent more than three years dedicating himself to Trailnet and the local movement for safer streets. His impact on our work — and on the broader transportation landscape in St. Louis — cannot be understated. As Charles moves on to his next chapter, we want to recognize his accomplished tenure as our Policy Catalyst and express our deep gratitude for all he helped advance.

Charles joined Trailnet in June 2022 with decades of diverse experience, including a formative stint as Director of The City of St. Louis Civil Rights Enforcement Agency. In his introductory message to Trailnet’s stakeholders, Charles made his overarching goal clear:

“[I’m here to] Listen. Listen to what the community is saying. Look at how our policies, procedures and practices can impact the needs of those various communities… The one thing I want to be able to accomplish is to listen to folks and address their needs.”

As a Trailnet employee, Charles attended countless hours of neighborhood association meetings, community town halls, and board of alderman committee meetings. And he did more than just listen. He leveraged the relationships he had formed as a lifelong public servant to advocate for changes at the City, County, and State levels. He spoke out as an ambassador for multimodal transportation and safer streets across the St. Louis region. He worked intentionally (and often outside of standard working hours) to effectively address the needs of the people.

In 2025, Charles played a pivotal role in strengthening Trailnet’s advocacy and expanding our impact. He developed and launched Trailnet’s Transportation Infrastructure Mayoral Forum, giving St. Louisans a platform to speak directly with candidates about the region’s transportation future. He also led the creation of our Aldermanic Candidate Survey, helping residents understand where their leaders stand on critical multimodal and safety issues. Charles organized Accessible by Design: Crafting Complete Streets for All, a hands-on workshop that empowered community members — especially disabled advocates — to push for more accessible, equitable infrastructure. And true to his commitment to education and transparency, he spent countless hours in meetings across the region explaining Complete Streets principles, breaking down policy barriers, and helping everyday people understand how change actually happens. When asked what makes advocacy successful, Charles emphasized clarity of purpose and understanding the landscape: “One must know what they want, the climate they’re working in, who’s responsible, and when to ask.” His guidance for community members reflected that same grounded wisdom: show up, know the process, and know whom to ask — and when.

Charles’ proudest accomplishment at Trailnet was the passage of the St. Louis City Department of Transportation by the voters. City DOT’s creation will give the City an unprecedented opportunity to centrally “plan transportation infrastructure and execute city sidewalk and street repair and replacement,” said Charles.

The City DOT advocacy campaign required loads of leg work from Charles, as one of its chief advocates. “It had to go through the City Charter Commission, where it passed unanimously; then to the Board of Aldermen, who passed the proposal 14-1; and finally to the City voters, who approved it with an 88.5% vote when it only needed 60% to pass,” explained Charles. The magnitude of that victory was, in itself, proof of Charles’ effectiveness as an advocate and leader.

Though much of his work happened in meeting rooms, Zoom links, and policy documents, Charles’ commitment extended far beyond the formal spaces of advocacy. He showed up — reliably, thoughtfully, and wholeheartedly — for the community members, partners, and colleagues working toward a safer St. Louis. His steady presence and principled approach strengthened Trailnet’s work in ways that will benefit the region for years to come. We are deeply grateful for his service, his leadership, and the legacy he leaves behind.

Trailnet Champion: Nick Chabarria

Each month we feature a member or members of our community that work to push Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. For August, we’ve featuring Nick Chabarria, Public Affairs Senior Specialist for AAA Missouri!

Two years ago, Missouri took a historic step toward safer roads: the passage of the Siddens Bening Hands Free Law, which prohibits drivers from using cell phones or other electronic devices while driving. The law is a landmark win for safety advocates across the state, and it wouldn’t have happened without the tireless work of people like Nick Chabarria, Public Affairs Senior Specialist for AAA Missouri.

Trailnet has long championed safer streets for people who walk, bike, and use transit, and distracted driving makes our streets more dangerous for everyone. Nick and AAA Missouri were key partners in the Hands Free Missouri Coalition, helping build the coalition, mobilize the public, and carry the message through the halls of the State Capitol.

Nick didn’t begin his career in policy, but in journalism. After graduating from the University of Missouri–Columbia with a degree in journalism (and minors in Spanish and linguistics), he worked at TV news stations in Columbia, Cape Girardeau, and New Orleans in both on-camera and behind-the-scenes roles. That experience, he says, helped shape how he approaches public affairs today.

Now, as a spokesperson for AAA Missouri, Nick covers a seven-state territory and oversees community programs and legislative activity, with traffic safety at the core of his work. When AAA began seriously pursuing hands-free legislation in 2021, those communication skills quickly came into play. “I primarily leveraged my public relations connections with local media around the state to talk about the dangers of distracted driving and why enhancing Missouri’s distracted driving law was so critical to improving safety for all road users,” Nick recalls.

AAA joined the Hands-Free Missouri Coalition at a time when distracted driving deaths were rising and Missouri lagged behind other states in safety protections. Nick stepped into a leadership role, serving as interim chair of the coalition and becoming one of the most visible public voices for the cause.

He helped link together efforts already underway — from MoDOT’s Buckle Up Phone Down campaign to grassroots advocates across the state — and gave them a singular focus: making Missouri a hands-free state. He also engaged youth through the Buckle Up Phone Down High School Showdown, a pledge contest that turned safe driving into a statewide conversation.

Nick is quick to credit the broad coalition that made this victory possible: “Getting the Siddens Bening Hands Free Law across the finish line in 2023 was a full team effort. It was truly inspiring to see all the individual and collaborative efforts going on statewide to raise awareness of the issue and encourage the public to support the bill by reaching out to their local legislators. Trailnet’s contributions during that time cannot be understated, particularly as it relates to their advocacy for pedestrians, cyclists, and multimodal road users. Whether it was through their Drive the Change educational campaign or supporting our legislative outreach days at the Missouri State Capitol, it was great to have a partner in Trailnet who we knew we could count on.”

For Nick, some of the most powerful moments came not in legislative hearings, but during Distracted Driving Awareness Day at the Missouri State Capitol. Each year, the event brings together lawmakers, law enforcement, transportation leaders, and — most importantly — families who have lost loved ones to distracted driving.

“Most impactful for me each year is hearing from our incredible distracted driving victim advocates, Adrienne Siddens, Stephany Bening, and Warren Douglas,” he says. “Each of these people have lost someone who meant the world to them in traffic crashes and to see their bravery as they share their stories, it’s hard not to get emotional. I can’t possibly imagine what they have gone through, but I can tell you that because of their courage our roads are safer today. Getting to work with our victim advocates in the hopes of preventing tragedy from occurring to other families is why I will always feel so honored and fortunate to work in this space.”

Since the law passed, telematics data already shows that Missouri drivers are using their phones about 5% less while behind the wheel — an early sign that lives are being saved.

Nick reflects on the coalition with gratitude. “It really seems like this group was brought together for a reason,” he says. “Everyone had their role to play and contributed to Hands-Free Missouri in different ways and I am just proud to be able to say I was a small part of that.”

The Siddens Bening Hands Free Law is already making an impact, but its true legacy lies ahead — in the crashes prevented, lives saved, and families spared from tragedy. Thanks to leaders like Nick Chabarria, and partners like AAA Missouri and others across the state, Missouri is on a path toward safer roads for everyone.

Trailnet Champion: St. Louis Coalition to Protect Cyclists and Pedestrians

Each month we feature a member or members of our community that work to push Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. For July, we’ve featuring the St. Louis Coalition to Protect Cyclists and Pedestrians!

If you’ve spent time riding a bike, walking, or waiting at a bus stop in St. Louis, you’ve likely experienced firsthand how challenging, and at times, dangerous, our streets can be. The founders of the St. Louis Coalition to Protect Cyclists and Pedestrians (CP2) know this reality all too well. What started as a group of friends riding together and voicing their frustrations became something much bigger: a growing grassroots movement demanding change.

CP2 was founded in summer 2024 by advocates Dani Adams and Jenn DeRose, who met through other bike volunteer efforts. Brought together by their shared love of biking and a deep concern for street safety, the group grew, and quickly evolved into a hub for collective action. The energy was palpable from the start; nearly 40 people showed up to their very first meeting! Since then, CP2 has consistently organized events and initiatives that amplify the voices of those often overlooked in transportation planning. CP2 recently became a working group of the St. Louis Urbanists, and their ranks and influence continue to grow. The core leadership of the  include Adams and DeRose, along with Samuel Bendriem, Aubrey Bryon, Jemila Collier, Christian Frommelt, Noah Goldman, Kea Wilson, and Matt Wyczalkowski.

On the third Friday of each month, CP2 leads bike and bus rides to City Hall, a visible show of solidarity among people who walk, bike, and take transit. These monthly actions often culminate in the delivery of letters to city leaders: personal stories, calls for better street design across many St. Louis roads, and demands for a fully funded, fully empowered Department of Transportation (among other things). These aren’t just symbolic gestures; they’re coordinated efforts to remind decision-makers that safe streets are a basic right.

Beyond their regular rides, CP2 has taken an active role in educating and mobilizing the public. They’ve conducted walk and bike audits across the city to identify hazards, brought attention to open houses and public meetings concerning infrastructure plans, collected speed data for dangerous streets, and partnered with Trailnet and other advocacy groups to host the Transportation Infrastructure Mayoral Forum in February, helping St. Louis residents better understand where candidates stand on key transportation issues. After the forum, they were instrumental in crafting questions for the Aldermanic Survey. 

They’ve also created space for learning and strategy-building. CP2 hosted a proactive organizing workshop to equip community members with tools to advocate for safer streets, and co-hosted an event with Left Bank Books to welcome Anna Zivarts, author of When Driving is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency, a powerful book that highlights how many Americans cannot drive and what must change to improve mobility for all. 

Most recently, CP2 led a Gravois Safety Ride, inviting cyclists to experience and reflect on one of St. Louis’ most dangerous roads. The event not only raised awareness, but helped gather signatures for a petition to the City of St. Louis and the Missouri Dept. of Transportation demanding urgent safety improvements to Gravois Avenue, and also put out a call for pedestrians and cyclists to share their experiences on Gravois. 

At its core, CP2 is building a culture of people-powered advocacy. They encourage everyday residents to share their lived experiences, participate in public processes, and speak directly to city leaders. You don’t need to be a planner or engineer to demand safer streets — you just need to show up and raise your voice. CP2 is helping more and more St. Louisans do exactly that.

Trailnet is happy to uplift CP2’s efforts because we both believe in promoting the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users, and we’re proud to feature them as this month’s Trailnet Champion. Their tenacity, creativity, and commitment to advocacy is helping shape a safer, more equitable future for everyone who uses our streets.

Trailnet Champion: Naresh Kumar

Each month we feature a member of our community that is working to push Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. Naresh Kumar is our champion for June!

When Naresh Kumar (pictured above in the blue t-shirt, surrounded by Trailnet staff) set out in 2024 to bike 3,400 miles across the United States on a tandem bicycle, he didn’t do it alone — not just because of the second seat on his bike, but because of the spirit of community he carried with him the whole way.

Naresh’s cross-country journey to raise awareness and funds to fight human trafficking was one of connection, courage, and what he calls “slow travel.” Along the way, he invited people from all walks of life to ride with him, even for just a few blocks. He made space for strangers to become companions, for conversations to become friendships, and for streets to become places where kindness flows.

At Trailnet’s Peloton Society Spring Social, we had the privilege of welcoming Naresh as our guest speaker. He, of course, arrived on his bike, beaming, humble, and ready to share his stories from the road. He spoke not only about the cause he rides for but also about what riding itself can do for us all.

“It’s not my adventure. It’s our adventure.”

That’s the mindset Naresh brings to everything he does, and it was clear in the way he addressed Trailnet members. In his words, in his presence, and in the way he welcomed every question during the Q&A, he reminded us what makes active transportation so powerful. “Slow travel” is not just about getting from point A to point B; it’s about what happens along the way.

“When you embrace that bicycle and walking, magic happens, and there is so much of that magic out there.”

Naresh named his tandem bike Kindness as a tribute to the people across the country who housed him, fed him, joined him, and cheered him on during his ride. And that kindness ripples outward. Through every mile, he was showing what’s possible when we slow down and make space for each other — on the road and in life.

“Vulnerability is the key to human connection.”
“When you bike or walk somewhere, there is a connection that happens… it’s because of the slow travel.”

Trailnet is honored to recognize Naresh as our June Trailnet Champion His story reminds us that advocacy, like cycling, is powered by people — by showing up, by asking, by trusting in the community to move forward together.

“If we don’t ask for what we want, we are never going to get it. And asking isn’t a one-time thing. We have to keep knocking on doors and asking until we get it.”

Thank you, Naresh, for showing us what it looks like to live with purpose, and for reminding us that every ride can be a ride toward something greater.