FFX

Sonya Breehey is the Northern Virginia Advocacy Manager for the Coalition for Smarter Growth where she works promoting walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most equitable and sustainable way for our region to grow.

Sonya is a dedicated and passionate professional with over fourteen years’ experience promoting active transportation, recreational access, and environmental sustainability through public policy, grassroots advocacy, and program management.

She serves on the board of the Fairfax Families for Safe Streets and is an active member of the Alliance for Better Bicycling where she served two years as President. Her prior experience includes working at the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, the New York State Senate, and the Adirondack Council. Sonya holds a master’s degree in Public Policy with a focus on environmental policy and smart growth from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts.

Sonya maintains a car-light household enjoying the flexibility of biking, walking and taking public transit to get around her community and region. In her free time, Sonya enjoys gardening, listening to live music and getting outdoors for a hike or bike ride.

Mike is a crash survivor after the driver of an SUV crashed into Mike as he was walking in a crosswalk. Six months after being released from the hospital he founded Alexandria Families for Safe Streets (AFSS) in 2017, Arlington Families for Safe Street (Arl FSS – 2019) and Fairfax Families for Safe Streets (Ffx FSS – 2020). In 2022 the Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) entity was established as the not-for-profit 501.c3 umbrella organization for all three NoVA FSS chapters. All three chapters are dedicated to building an awareness of, and support for, safe streets in our community where all people can walk, cycle, and drive safely and seek to eliminate traffic-related pedestrian fatalities and injuries on our streets.
Mike initiated the concept of a “Near Miss” survey application for people to report near miss incidents where they were almost crashed into by a driver of a vehicle and/or report a dangerous location on our streets. With the stories of crash survivors or families who lost a loved one to a crash combined with the crowd sourcing Near Miss data, NoVA FSS advocates for policymakers to invest in vulnerable road users’ safety on our roads.
Mike is an investment banker by trade. He worked at JP Morgan; Charterhouse, Inc. and BHF Bank in Frankfurt Germany. He started his own firm, Novahill Advisors, in 2002 and provides M&A advisory services to Digital Health technologies companies across the U.S. In addition, he is a member of the Housing Affordability Advisory Committee in Alexandria, Virginia. Mike graduated from Villanova University with a B.S. degree and received an MBA from New York University’s Stern Graduate School of Business.

Chris has lived in Fairfax County for more than 40 years and has been a recreational and transportation cyclist in the county for more than 20 years. As an avid active transportation user, Chris finds himself outside of his car walking, running, or rolling as often as possible – and as the county’s infrastructure allows. Chris joined the board of Fairfax Families for Safe Streets in 2020.

Professionally, Chris manages software development projects for a government contractor, SAIC, and is proud to have supported U. S. EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment for most of his career.

Chris is married with two children and one bicycle.

Jeremy Hancock- Board member, Fairfax Families for Safe Streets

Jeremy Hancock is a resident of the Providence District and is active in transportation safety issues across the county. After a pedestrian death in his community, Jeremy formed and led a local organization to advocate for pedestrian and bike safety, leading to grants to fund sidewalk connections, school crossings, and a comprehensive study to identify future safety improvements. He currently serves as the Providence District Representative on the Fairfax County Transportation Advisory Commission.

Professionally, Jeremy works in government relations at the state and federal level.

Phil Kemelor has been a resident of Mason District for 22 years. He is on the board of Bailey’s Crossroads 7 Corners Revitalization Corporation, was a founding member of the Glover Park Alliance, and served on the board of Wesley Housing Development Corporation.

Phil is an independent consultant with over 30 years of applied experience in marketing, analytics and digital transformation. He is an active hiker, cyclist and Green Springs Master Gardener.

Karen McCluskey has been a resident of Fairfax County in the Franconia District for 24 years. Her passion for Safe Streets originated from the sudden and significant loss of vision over 8 years ago. She understands the daily vulnerabilities for pedestrians in our community and is committed to working toward safer streets. Professionally, Karen is retired after serving as a federal financial regulator for 35 years.

Katie Wilson is the Program Manager for the Bailey’s Crossroads & Culmore Place-Based Initiative (PBI), a tripartite effort between George Mason University, Kaiser Permanente, and Fairfax County. This collective impact project brings together nonprofit and faith-based organizations with community residents, local businesses, and government to facilitate systemic change, amplify resident voices, bridge gaps in social services, and build on existing assets.

Katie’s previous professional experience includes serving as the Financial Inclusion for New Americans Program Coordinator for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity; a HUD Housing Counselor for Southwest Community Development Corporation; and a Policy Researcher & Speechwriter for Dáil Éireann, the Lower House of the Irish National Parliament.

Katie is particularly passionate about fighting for walkable and safe communities for low-income immigrant and refugee populations. She has been an outspoken advocate for accessible and affordable public transportation as well as pedestrian safety improvements in Fairfax County.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Arcadia University in International Relations and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Public Policy at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.

Outside of work and school, Katie can usually be found playing volleyball, hiking, or dancing terribly at a concert.