Introducing our Sheboygan Wisconsin-based Correspondent Heather Cleveland!
Here at Pedestrian Space we recently launched a Global Walkability Correspondents Network, as a way to build solidarity among walkability advocates around the world and continue to create media on sustainable mobility and urbanism.
We are grateful to welcome Heather on board as our Sheboygan, Wisconsin Correspondent. Read on for some of her thoughts as we launch this network.
I am an advocate and activist for people and the environment, and I feel that livable cities will positively impact both.
Heather Cleveland
WHO
My name is Heather Cleveland. I grew up in the midwestern part of the United States. After one year of college pursuing my undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering, I decided I needed more structure, so I joined the United States Army and became a truck driver. Basic training broke me from the trance I was in and allowed me to dig deeper into who I was as a person. I further developed a sense of myself and the world when I was served in Iraq from 2003 to 2004. From that experience, I was able to study human behavior, mine and others, and see another part of the world that most people I know have only seen on television (or now on the internet).
From this, I gained a sense of obligation and duty to do good in the world. What that meant has evolved and continues to evolve. I sometimes can’t sleep because I fear I won’t have enough time to learn everything.
My work experience includes remediation, waste management, and non-profit leadership. During my remediation work, I saw the impact of contamination in our water, soil, and air. My experience in waste management revealed to me our habit of designing bigger and “better” landfills rather than reducing waste at the manufacturing and consumer levels.
The non-profit leadership role provided the opportunity to see need in the community and bring people together. Those experiences led me to Urban Planning and Community Development – to bring people together to create a vision, set goals, and work together.
Mobility is one of my many passions. I have traveled to different parts of the United States and the world, and I feel a sense of euphoria when I find myself in a well-designed, people-centered space. I hope I can play a small part in bringing more people-centered designs to my community and beyond.
Mobility is one of my many passions. I have traveled to different parts of the United States and the world, and I feel a sense of euphoria when I find myself in a well-designed, people-centered space. I hope I can play a small part in bringing more people-centered designs to my community and beyond.
Heather Cleveland
WHERE
I live in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States, and I represent Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I am currently working on accessibility and transparency within local government as I see that as a root cause of some of the issues we’re facing today. Additionally, I am working on an incentive program and policy for my company to encourage public transit, walking, and biking to work. And finally, I am working to create a task force called Sheboygan Active Transportation Committee that will reactive our “Bike and Walk to Work Week” in May.
Heather Cleveland is an Urban Planner, Environmental Engineer, and a Community Developer. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree and a Master Urban Planning degree. Heather is a compassionate listener and visionary that quickly sees processes and systems and finds inspiration and challenge from different viewpoints and experiences.
Learn more about the Global Walkability Correspondents Network here