OUR TEAM
Meet Our Staff

Rachel Schaeffer
Meet Our Board Members
Jon Cowin
President
What would Washington look like if every individual could get around and accomplish daily tasks by walking or biking? If everyone was empowered to get out and be more active? How can we bring safe, accessible, walkable spaces to every corner of Washington state?
Jon joined Feet First out of a passion for walking and to promote the general health benefits of an active lifestyle. With the emergence of Feet First’s Walk with Ease program and statewide network, Feet First is getting closer to improving people’s lives throughout Washington. Jon currently resides in Kirkland after having lived in Bellevue, Seattle, Renton, and Kent.

John Stewart
Vice President
John Stewart is a Board member, past Board President, and a Feet First volunteer since 2000. Having lived car free as a frustrated pedestrian, he’s worked to advance Feet First’s mission to make Washington communities walkable.
Walking sits at the center of so many things, and communities that are walkable are healthier, and more FUN! As a parent, John has a longstanding interest in Safe Routes to School. John has worked on Feet First’s Neighborhoods on Foot maps, led dozens of walks, and is a big fan of the Neighborhood Walking Ambassador program. He’s also an avid Mariners fan.

Rob Fellows
Secretary, Chair of Policy Committee

Mike Ingram
Treasurer

Yingying Huang
Yingying believes that increasing a network of walkable streets can improve one’s freedom of mobility and access to opportunities. She grew up in a walkable city where she walked and took transit to and from school, parks, and friend’s homes by herself from a very young age. In her mind, public transportation, walking, and biking are not only better for the environment, but also help build more connected and diverse communities whose members can live their fullest lives. Yingying is a transportation planner at WSP Inc. during the day. Besides her work and volunteering, she also enjoys gathering with friends and families, traveling, and learning about different cultures.

Kirk Hovenkotter

Julia Reitan
Julia built a 25 year environmental career with the Sierra Club and continues her commitment as chair of the Washington State Sierra Club executive committee. She also has training in landscape architecture, which drew her to Feet First.
Re-envisioning streets to be great places for people on foot is a special interest of hers. She and her husband now live in Belltown and walk to many places. “As a kid, I walked to school every day. Getting where I need to go on foot just feels right.”
