| Members of our all-volunteer board come from diverse backgrounds and interests with a similar passion for bicycle use, safety, education and recreation. Some of have been with us since we started as the “Squeaky Wheels” formed in 1996 to rail against the poor connectivity, infrastructure and support of bicycling as viable transportation within the county.
With 13 cities, Metro, ODOT and Washington County LUT (Department of Land Use and Transportation) to contend with, this has been no small task. Here then, are the list of those currently serving to provide Education, Advocacy and Community to county residents.
Steve Boughton, Chairman of the Board
Steve Boughton
Steve graduated with a B.S. from Oregon State University in 1973 and retired in 2005 from a long career as an engineer for Tektronix. Upon retirement, Steve promptly took off on a solo tour across the US.
In 2009, Steve signed on as a Volunteer Coordinator for the BTC, was certified as a League Cycling Instructor with the League of American Bicyclists, and has been deeply involved with the BTC ever since, becoming its 4th Chair in its 12 year history.
Steve and his partner, Virginia like to take self-contained, self directed bike tours and have toured in Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and the US.
From Steve: “One of the main reasons I volunteer is that I believe that we can have a very positive impact on individuals and the community by working with a local organization to promote bicycling through advocacy, education, and encouragement. Education is especially effective with children, who are eager to learn to ride safely and competently, and hopefully, will do so for many, many years to come.”
Tonya Nikitin, Board Member
Tonya Nikitin
Tonya Nikitin graduated from Portland State University, is an Oregon native, who has volunteered with the WashCo BTC since 2010 and been on the Board since 2011. After taking her first sabbatical from Intel in 2010 she started questioning how she could give more back to the cycling community in Washington County and stumbled into the WashCo BTC by accident after driving by their previous TV Hwy location. Tonya focuses on bringing biking passion, energy, and enthusiasm to the organization through networking, fundraisers, and drives to raise money for the organization. She also donates time outside of the WashCo BTC for other Portland-based cycling non-profits.
Emily Hackett, Board Member
Emily Hackett
Emily Hackett is a native of upstate New York, where she earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester and a PhD in Materials Science from Cornell University. She first visited the Pacific Northwest on a solo cross country bicycle tour in 1999, and moved to the Hillsboro area in 2002. She worked as a science outreach instructor at OMSI and for the Girl Scouts Columbia River Council before pursuing a career in high-tech factory automation at Intel and, currently, SolarWorld. As an avid bike commuter she saves up to 2000 car miles annually with multi-modal transit and rides her bike the 13 miles round trip to work year round, in all weather conditions.
Emily is an active member of the SolarWorld employee Green Team, a volunteer group which helps drive a culture of sustainability within SolarWorld. This connection introduced her to the WashCo BTC. She first volunteered with the WashCo BTC in early 2010. In 2011 she joined the Board of Directors in 2011, as well as taking on the event director position for the annual Tour de Parks.
Emily is involved with the WashCo BTC because of its specific focus on Washington County, actively supporting and promoting the development of a culture and a physical infrastructure that allows cyclists and motorists to share the road. While the bike may be the vehicle, the educational focus and outreach to underserved populations and local government make it a force for building communities. |
