Clevelanders for Public Transit’s priorities are determined by Voting Members who include transit riders and others who support safe, accessible, affordable, reliable, and sustainable transit.
CPT’s Coordinating Committee is elected by voting members during annual elections and executes decisions in support of CPT’s priorities as decided by Voting Members, as well as volunteering time in support of CPT’s day-to-day activities.
CPT’s Coordinating Committee (2022-2023):
Chair
Joseph Schwarten is a car-free, city enthusiast residing downtown After living in the SF bay area, Joe moved back to Cleveland believing it has great potential but needs better, more equitable public transportation and joined CPT over 3 years ago to help Cleveland be all it can be.
Vice Chair
Jenna Thomas lives in the Jefferson neighborhood of Cleveland and hates driving a car. During her day job, she’s the Policy & Advocacy Manager at Bike Cleveland and is passionate about bikes & buses alike. Jenna believes that transit & bicycle advocacy are stronger when they work together and loves building partnerships across organizations and campaigns.
Treasurer
Isaac Shimsky-Agosto has been living car free in Cleveland since 2016. He believes in the necessity of reliable transit for people to live comfortable and dignified lives
Secretary
Sam Smucny grew up in the east side exurbs, and has moved back to downtown Cleveland after years of living in east coast cities and visiting others around the world. He has gotten used to the freedom to travel via transit, bike, or his own two feet without the burden of owning a car, and he joined CPT to be a part of the effort to make sustainable transportation choices in Cleveland a viable option for all..
Member-at-Large
Chris Martin grew up in Shaker Heights, one of the first suburbs built on public transit. A resident of the city of Cleveland for more than a decade now, he depends on public transit to meet his basic needs. Having lived and travelled extensively abroad, Chris has developed a strong passion for all types of mass transit around the world – from the Montreal Metro to tuk-tuks in Thailand.
Member-at-Large
Daniel Kirchner lives in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland. He works for a labor union and is a strong advocate for workers’ rights. Daniel is passionate about urbanism and has a particular love of legacy cities such as Cleveland. As a Clevelander, he values the city’s rail network and streetcar history and takes the RTA daily. Daniel sees the potential for a dense, transit-centered future in Cleveland and advocates for people-centered transportation policies. He believes that effective public transit is key to a sustainable and equitable future for all.