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DOEE’s Adriana Hochberg to participate in “Walkable Communities” training program
WASHINGTON, DC – April 26, 2017 — America Walks, a national advocacy organization that promotes walking and walkable communities, announced this week that Adriana Hochberg, Chief of Staff at the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment, has been awarded a Walking College Fellowship.
The Fellowship will enable Ms. Hochberg and 23 other advocates from around the country to participate in a four-month training program designed to strengthen local efforts to make communities more walkable. "We are delighted to welcome Adriana Hochberg as a member of our 2017 Walking College class," said Ian Thomas, State and Local Program Director with America Walks, "This program was developed in response to our findings that access to technical assistance and a national peer network are among the most pressing needs for advocates working at the local level."
Ms. Hochberg will complete a six-module distance-education training program this summer and participate in the National Walking Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota in September. "The District of Columbia is a leader in walkability, but our metropolitan region has room for improvement," said Hochberg. "I am honored to have been selected for the Walking College and look forward to helping our region become more pedestrian-friendly.”
Now in its third year, the Walking College curriculum has been designed to expand the capacity of local advocates to be effective community change agents. Topics include the science behind the benefits of walking, evaluation of built environments, as well as communication skills and building relationships with stakeholders and decision makers.
At the conclusion of the Walking College program in November, Fellows will develop a Walking Action Plan for improving walkability in their communities.
About The Walking College: The Walking College is supported with funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Public Health Association. Mentoring will be provided by national leaders in the field, including representatives of WalkBoston, the Walkable and Livable Communities (WALC) Institute, Urban Health Partnerships, and MIG Inc. More info at www.americawalks.org/walkingcollege.
About America Walks: America Walks is the only national organization devoted exclusively to making America a great place to walk. America Walks consists of a network of more than 700 partner and allied organizations, working to increase walking and create more safe, accessible and inclusive places to walk. Programs include on-line technical assistance, community-based workshops, convenings such as the National Walking Summit, federal advocacy initiatives, and increasing financial resources for local action. America Walks also maintains the Every Body Walk! Collaborative, a national partnership focused on increasing the visibility of walking and cultivating consumer demand for more walkable places. More information is available at www.americawalks.org.