Life is better for everyone when more people ride bikes.

The League’s Board of Directors serves a critical role in guiding the organization to a sustainable and vibrant future. The Board is made up of both board-appointed and member-elected seats — and you elected three candidates to fill the available seats.

Join us in congratulating John Siemiatkoski, board chair, and Matt Moore, who will continue their tenure on the board, both winning re-election, and Jennifer Laurita, who will join the board for the first time, rounding out the three available seats.

“Thank you to everyone who voted for me and supported my election,” Laurita said. “I am extremely honored to be able to serve on the Board and am eagerly looking forward to working with the other Board members, League staff, and members to fulfill the League’s mission of engaging all communities to build a bicycle friendly America.”

R.T. Rybak is proud of his home city. He has reason to be: Minneapolis helped pioneer bikesharing in the United States, it’s got a booming bike community, it’s a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community and much more. Rybak served as Mayor of Minneapolis from 2002 to 2014, helping oversee and push many of the bike efforts in the midwest city. He’s moderating a panel discussion with a handful of mayors from cities across the country at the 2015 National Bike Summit next month. We caught up with him to talk more about his time as mayor, what he sees as the challenges facing future elected officials, and how his competitive streak is not just an engine for trash talk, but a powerful tool for elected officials’ to embrace when doing this work.

Bicycling is a wonderful, fun and healthy activity. But it’s not without some risk and when that driver cuts you off or you hit a pothole and crash, you are going to want an advocate to fight for your rights. That’s why we’re so proud to have a strategic partnership with Bike Law, a national network of attorneys who specialize in personal injury cases involving bicyclists like you. We are now hosting a directory of Bike Law attorneys on our site here.

Capitol Hill can be a confusing place. Where do I go? Who do I need to see? What’s my message? Face-to-face meetings are hugely important, and we know they work. That’s why at the National Bike Summit we have a whole day dedicated to meeting with your congressional lawmakers about the issues you face in your neighborhoods. If this is your first Summit, or you feel you need a refresher, we’re holding a Lobbying 101 training on March 9 at 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th St. NW.