League welcomes Alex Doty as new executive director

New League of American Bicyclists executive director Alex Doty with League board chair Karen Jenkins.

On behalf of the board of directors and our 20,000 dues-paying members, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Doty as the new executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. Alex comes to the League from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, where he has been executive director for the past 13 years. As a member, as a trained League Cycling Instructor and having attended the National Bike Summit 13 times, Alex has a longtime affiliation with the League.

Having risen through the ranks from volunteer to executive director at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Alex will bring leadership and his deep commitment to greater inclusion and equity to the League. He has overseen a great expansion of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which includes the conceiving of a 750-mile regional trail network and launching the Better Bike Share Partnership.

A West Philadelphia resident, Alex has spent the past 13 years helping to make Philadelphia the most-biked big city in the United States. Under his leadership, the Greater Philadelphia region has built up the Circuit trails, connecting nine counties throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, to 300 miles. His staff has gone from just two in 2003 to 20 people strong.

When Philadelphia announced it would be getting a bike share system in 2015, Alex and the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia partnered with the City of Philadelphia and People For Bikes to create the Better Bike Share Partnership, an equity-based program that seeks to bring bike share transportation services to communities outside Philadelphia’s Center City. 

While Philadelphia has become a great bicycling city (and a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community), Alex has been involved in regional and statewide advocacy where he learned about the challenges that face bike advocates in suburban and rural communities. He was an active member of the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition, which increased funding for transportation in Pennsylvania through legislation passed by a Republican legislature and signed into law by a Republican governor.

“I look forward to building on the League’s work to create a bicycle friendly America where anyone can enjoy the many benefits and opportunities of bicycling,” says Doty. “As our Congress debates federal transportation legislation, the urgency of the mission of the League has never been greater. We need to build on the League’s great federal work and broaden the support for bicycling in urban, suburban and rural communities. The League’s Bicycle Friendly America program is the best tool for bringing about widespread, nationwide change and I look forward to connecting the program more closely with local advocates who know best what improvements their community needs.”