Who We Are

Vanessa Cascio
Executive Director

Vanessa (she/her) is a public health and nonprofit leader dedicated to creating streets that are safe, joyful, and accessible for all.

Prior to joining LSA as Executive Director, Vanessa oversaw the Safe Routes to Parks program at the national Safe Routes Partnership. In this role, she helped communities across the U.S.—from Boulder, Colorado, to Scranton, Pennsylvania—secure millions in pedestrian and safety infrastructure improvements. She also played a key role in federal advocacy efforts, shaping policy and expanding funding for active transportation and Safe Routes to School nationwide.

An alumna of Living Streets Alliance, Vanessa led the Safe Routes to School program from 2015 to 2021, grounding her work in the belief that every community deserves the power and resources to shape their streets. With a deep background in community-based health, she has partnered with Latinx, immigrant, and low-income neighborhoods to co-create transportation solutions rooted in lived experience. Her work includes piloting Tucson’s first quick-build street redesigns in school zones and supporting Spanish-speaking residents in Phoenix’s Si Se Puede neighborhood to successfully advocate for a community circulator.

Vanessa holds a Master’s of Public Health from the University of Arizona.

Kate
Community Engagement Manager

Kate (she/they) is a Community Engagement Manager with experience in performing arts, community organizing, cultural event production, workshop facilitation, and trauma-informed community engagement. Kate received their Master’s degree in Justice Studies at Arizona State University (ASU) where they deepened their artistic and social research practices specializing in Critical Race Theory and archival practice. At LSA their work is centered on community-based world building with diverse communities, intersectional analysis, tending to relationships, and The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership pushing for the shift from community voice to community power. Kate calls the Sonoran Desert home and enjoys time with the mountains, their loved ones, and their inner world by trying out new creative pursuits.

Ellie Kaszniak
Safe Routes Manager

Ellie Kaszniak (she/her) - Born and raised in Tucson, Ellie has spent the past two decades working with community oriented bicycle projects as an educator, riding instructor, and mechanic with a focus in Youth Development. She is passionate about teaching and collaboration within the community. Having received her BA from the University of Washington, she helped launch a bicycle resource center in Seattle, before going on to work as the Youth Development Coordinator with a non-profit that empowers youth through bicycle education. In this role she led after-school, weekend and summer programs that ranged from mechanical job skills training to multi-week bike tours connecting youth to their region, building resilience, and learning about environmental conservation. She took a brief hiatus from bicycles to work for a non-profit focused on global healthcare, coordinating immersion programs in Guatemala. You will almost always find Ellie outdoors, riding her bike, hiking, rock climbing, or watching some birds.

Madeline McClure
Operations Manager

Madeline (she/her) came to LSA in 2023 and brings over ten years of nonprofit working experience to her role, in which she centers collective care and fosters sustainable internal systems. The values Madeline carries have been shaped by experiences in immigration rights, racial justice, popular education, and crisis counseling. Mads, as she is known to friends, envisions our common spaces as stage for social change, experimentation and creativity. Also a lover of language, she enjoys writing poetry, screenplays, and fiction, and is currently working on her first sci-fi novel.

Prabjit Virdee
Open Streets Manager

Prabjit (he/him) has called Tucson home for over 20 years. Better known as Prab, he first began organizing at University of Arizona while completing his Bachelor of Science in Psychology, during which he brought sustainable practices to campus through coalition work of environmental student groups. In 2020, Prab led a team in the fabrication and distribution of over 10,000 face shields and continued his community-focused work as one of the founders of local Subspace Art Collective, which provided underrepresented artists with funding and studio space to complete their artworks for display at gallery showings. A longtime cyclist around town, Prab is passionate about building safe and inspired transportation systems in Tucson through his role as Open Streets Manager. He enjoys gathering people into engaging spaces as a way to amplify community voices through creative expression. In his free time, he plays fútbol, performs music and upkeeps his non-edible garden.

Board Members

  • Elliot is a native Tucsonan who loves exploring Tucson, the Sonoran Desert, and the wider world on two wheels. Elliot graduated with a BA in environmental studies from Pitzer College where he rode for his collegiate cycling team, was a bicycle mechanic educator at his local bicycle co-operative, and worked in various local bike shops. Upon returning home, Elliot worked in his family's bicycle shop - Roadrunner Bicycles - where he has stayed for the last twelve years, and taken ownership of it. During his time at the family's business, Elliot utilized the shop and industry connections, a love of Tucson, and desire to get more people on bikes to help provide local organizations and programs with bicycles and labor to educate and equip our community with bicycles. Elliot looks forward to contributing his experience on two wheels to LSA's vision of creating great streets for everyone.

Board President

  • Alejandro Angel grew up in Medellin, Colombia before moving to Tucson for graduate school over 20 years ago. He holds a PhD in traffic engineering from the University of Arizona and is a Registered Professional Engineer in multiple states. Alejandro currently is Vice President and Director of Engineering for Psomas, a Civil Engineering design firm with 750 employees that has been serving Southern Arizona since 1986. Under his leadership Psomas has completed the planning and design of major infrastructure projects in the Tucson region including multiple Bicycle Boulevards; major corridors such as Grant Road, Tangerine Road and Houghton Road; various segments of the Loop; the Caterpillar Headquarters building; and a handful of I-10 projects. He has also completed projects in Colorado, Utah, California, Washington, the Middle East and South America.

    Other professional activities include being a past member and Chairman of the Arizona Board of Technical Registration; serving as president of the Arizona Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers; and being part of Board of Directors for the Southern Arizona Leadership Council (SALC) and Psomas. Alejandro is married and has one son and one daughter. The entire family loves traveling, watching movies and going on bike rides. Having obtained his PhD on a full scholarship from the UA, Alejandro believes in the value of volunteering and giving back. Volunteer activities he is passionate about include Living Streets Alliance, the University of Arizona Civil Engineering Alumni Industry Council, The Loop Advisory Committee, the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), AYSO and the Cub Scouts.

Vice President

  • Albert is a native Tucsonan and University of Arizona graduate with local roots. Professionally, Albert is a city planner and former public administrator committed to the vision and mission of the Living Street Alliance.

    Energized by being part of an effective, outcome oriented team, Albert contributes using his communication skills and experience with a variety of people, projects and resources. As a recent grandparent, Albert has reinforced his focus on implementing solutions that build resilience for future generations. Albert enjoys hiking, biking and traveling with his wife Sarah, family and friends.

Treasurer

  • Alejandra Baltazar-Carlat, (she/ella) is originally from Querétaro, México but emigrated to the United States when she was 14 years old, and has spent 21 years of her life in Tucson which she now considers her home. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Linguistics in 2015, afterwards she attended Grad School in Mexican American Studies with an emphasis in Health. She has worked in the non-profit community for many years and she is currently the John Valenzuela Youth Center Program Director, working with kids is one of her greatest passions and has led her into trying new things that she now enjoys doing, like camping, something she never thought would enjoy doing. Another passion of her own is to create jewelry made out of Polymer Clay. Alejandra launched a small business in May 2020 and has been working with clay ever since, showcasing her creations in different local markets and workshops.

  • Dario (He/Him) is a former DACA Recipient, a bus rider, software developer, cyclist, storyteller and transit/housing advocate.Dario has lived in Arizona for over 20 years where he grew up Undocumented. He became involved locally and nationally in advocacy for access to higher education for immigrant youth through his 6 years of leadership at ScholarshipsA-Z.He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and currently works as a programmer analyst.

    Dario believes that better cities are possible; cities that center people, not cars or property values.Dario currently volunteers as a group mentor with Code The Dream. Don't be surprised if you find Dario competing at local Super Smash Bros. tournaments on Wednesday nights!

  • Madeleine has been a resident of Tucson for a decade, originally hailing from Richmond, Virginia. Her dedication to alternative modes of transportation and vibrant urban streets grew from her years in Philadelphia and Boston, where she taught middle school and completed an Sc.D. in public health, respectively. Now, regardless of the weather, she enjoys her bike commute to her job at the University of Arizona as a Research Scientist with the Community Research, Evaluation & Development (CRED) Team. Her cargo e-bike is her favorite possession, and she loves exploring Tucson & the natural areas beyond with her family. She’s thrilled to further engage with the Tucson community through serving on the board of Living Streets Alliance.

  • Born and raised in Tucson, Sara serves as In-House Counsel at Community Investment Corporation (CIC), a financial empowerment nonprofit focused on giving all members of our community access to the knowledge and financing they need to pursue new opportunities.

    Sara earned her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, where she studied criminal law and animal law. She also holds degrees in Psychology and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona where she was extensively involved in the development of campus-wide sustainability initiatives still in operation today.

    Recently, Sara served as Policy Fellow for the Center for Contemporary Sciences, whose mission is to utilize science and technology to improve the health and well-being of humans, animals, and the planet. She also volunteered as a Board Member and Vice Chair of Care About Climate, a global climate action nonprofit focused on training and empowering young people to be effective climate justice leaders.

    Sara is a member of Tucson Young Professionals and the Pima County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. In 2022, she was recognized as one of Tucson’s “40 Under 40″ by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

  • Jennifer is a native Tucsonan; lifelong walker, bus rider and cyclist; as well as a 30 years plus educator in the Sunnyside Unified School District. Currently she is the teacher-librarian and Walk 'N' Roll coordinator at Los Amigos Tech Academy and a member of the Complete Streets Coordinating Council and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

  • Having moved frequently and regularly until ending up in Tucson, Logan has spent his life building community and observing what makes the character and networks of people in spaces. He spent the majority of his life walking, cycling, and riding transit. Currently, Logan works as a commercial photographer, participates in the Feldman's Neighborhood Association, and advocates for a wide range of causes in the City of Tucson. His largest priorities are the cross section of green infrastructure, mobility, and housing.

  • David is a lifelong, native Arizonan from Cochise County with a background in Grassroots Organizing, Neighborhood Revitalization, and Public Policy; and has 20 years of public service at the County, City, and Federal government levels throughout the State. Since 2021 David has been a Program Officer for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Phoenix and the Arizona Partnership for Healthy Communities. In this role, he is responsible for statewide economic development efforts of the local LISC office through building capacity for BIPOC, minority, women, and veteran entrepreneurs; and coordinating and managing Transit-Oriented and Community Development efforts for underserved and disadvantaged areas along key urban business corridors. He also leads the Partnership's statewide efforts toward addressing challenges around the Social Determinants of Health through its network of community-based, non-profit, governmental, and healthcare organizations. He received both his BA and MPA from the University of Arizona, and wishes he had more time to spend exploring the history and landscape of this beautiful land of his parents and ancestors.

  • Maass was born, raised, and educated in Tucson. She received her BS in Sustainable Built Environments and MS in Planning at the University of Arizona. In collaboration with LSA and the City of Tucson, she served as project lead for an award winning interdisciplinary graduate capstone project that provided a framework and recommendations for a complete streets policy in Tucson. She currently serves on the Regional Transportation Authority's (RTA) Citizens Advisory Committee to develop a RTA Next plan. Maass is passionate about civic engagement and can often be found canvassing for progressive local and state leaders. 

    For her day job, Maass works in the energy industry as a Managing Consultant at ILLUME Advising, which provides human-centered and equitable research, evaluation, market assessment, and technical advisory services. Maass’ topical experience ranges from HVAC and water heating technologies to transportation electrification, new construction programs, and the water-energy nexus.  Her background in sustainability and urban planning inspires her data-driven recommendations that provide practical solutions that contribute to more resilient communities.

    Maass loves to bop around Tucson with her wife, Miranda Schubert, and their little white puppy named Lionel.

  • Founder and Principal at The Talent Store, a Recruiting Services, and Talent Strategy firm. She has provided Executive Search, Recruiting, and Talent Acquisition strategy consulting for clients in 40+ states for 17 years. Additionally, she is the Subject Matter Expert at UArizona’s Center for Innovation, supporting team and Board development for 50+ start-ups incubating there.

    Devon is a third generation Tucsonan and proud alumnus of the University of Arizona.  After leaving Tucson for nearly 15 years, she returned home, bringing with her new experience and best practices, with the goal of having an impact on Tucson’s ability to thrive.

    Active Affiliations include: Board President, Tucson Young Professionals, Board Member, Tucson Metro Chamber, Associate Board Member, SALC, Board Member, Living Streets Alliance, Member, SHRM and SHRM-Greater Tucson, Member, AZ Local First

  • Growing up across the rural West as the son of an immigrant and a doctor in the Indian Health Service, Joshua saw firsthand the value of public service. He went to middle and high school in Tucson and, after college, spent nearly two decades overseas serving the United States as a Foreign Service Officer.

    While in the U.S. Department of State, his diplomatic tours included Mosul, Beirut, and Islamabad. He spent much of the 2010s commuting by bike, foot, or public transit in cities as varied as DC, New Delhi, and Kingston. Throughout his federal service, he was a union member and, in Santo Domingo, the elected union representative. After leaving the Foreign Service, he graduated with Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and then decided to return home to Tucson to raise their daughter.

    In 2020, he served as executive director of the Pima County Democratic Party and in 2024, he was a nominee for the Arizona Corporation Commission this year. He co-founded Girl Scouts #446 and was elected to a two-year term as the vice-chair of the Arizona Democratic Party in 2025. You'll often find him either hanging off the side of a mountain or in the climbing gym.

  • Jay Young, the Executive Director of the Southwest Fair Housing Council, is a passionate civil rights advocate. He co-authored five Analyses of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, The American Nightmare: Foreclosures and their Impact in Metropolitan Tucson, and the Northeastern Arizona Fair Housing and Equity Assessment. He served on the Grant Road Citizens Task Force for nearly 8 years. Currently, Jay serves on the City of Tucson Planning Commission, the City of Tucson Commission on Equitable Housing and Development, the Southern Arizona Prosperity Alliance, and the National Fair Housing Alliance board. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, where a library bears his name. He drove thousands of miles and filled thousands of water stations in the borderlands for Humane Borders. Jay holds a BA in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was a Peace Corps Fellow at the University of Arizona, where he earned an MS in Planning. He enjoys remodeling houses, playing tennis, traveling, and live music. He is married to the love of his life, Rani Olson, who he met in the U of A Planning Degree Program.