Join us for a webinar on how we can all rethink trails as public spaces that are fully accessible and inclusive of older adults.
Presented by:
** This event has passed **
September 21, 2023
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (Pacific Time) {more time zones}
Cost (RECORDING):
FREE for membersNote:
Closed Captioning is available for this webinar.
Learning Credits are available for this webinar.
This webinar is free. Would you consider a donation to support this webinar?
This webinar is free to the public, thanks to a generous sponsorship from Maine Recreational Trails Program Advisory Committee.
An aging population and longer lifespans provide an opportunity to engage potential trail users of all ages and abilities. Join us for a webinar on how we can all rethink trails as public spaces that are fully accessible and inclusive of older adults. Attendees will learn about how at any age, they can work to make trails more comfortable for everyone. Hear about the preference for trails and their design features from older adult trail users in the U.S. and Canada through the 50+ Cycling survey and a study of ten older adult communities in California. Presenters will share the features and techniques employed in age- and dementia friendly communities that can help better activate trails as a health and community benefit. Attendees will learn about real-world examples, approaches to pursue funding, and resources to help inform stakeholders and engage potential partners as well as simple actions individuals can take on existing trails today.
This webinar qualifies as a Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) course (via LA CES).
Funding for 55+ Communities
Allison Burson, National Greenway Director, East Coast Greenway Alliance
Boston, Massachusetts
Based in Boston, Allison Burson brings more than 15 years experience making public spaces more accessible, equitable and enjoyable for people to the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s newly created role of national greenway director.
In this position, Allison oversees the Alliance’s trail development projects and programs and leads the Greenway’s eight-person field staff team.
Prior to joining the Greenway team, Allison worked in the nonprofit, foundation, private, higher education and public sectors in Seattle, Boston and the United Kingdom.
Most recently, Allison worked at The Lawrence and Lillian Solomon Foundation as its program manager for A Greener Greater Boston. In this role, her love of trails and open space led her to manage a partnership program between the Barr and Solomon Foundations that provides technical assistance, seed funding and advocacy to support and accelerate the creation of parks and greenways in Massachusetts’ cities. She helped partners working on parks and trails to envision, test and plan projects. Allison also supported grassroots community engagement and helped partners secure large-scale federal, state and local funding for multi-million dollar infrastructure investments
Previously Allison worked at an urban advocacy nonprofit in Seattle focused on transit-oriented development, transportation and open-space policies. In Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn's office, she continued her work on policies and programs to make Seattle a more accessible, liveable city for all. At the University of York in the United Kingdom, she built international research and learning partnerships. Allison also has experience consulting with organizations on leadership transitions, helping them with change management and diversifying their leadership teams.
As a volunteer, Allison serves as board chair for MassBike where she advocates for policies that encourage community wellness; equity and inclusion; enable sustainable growth; drive economic vitality; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Allison is a graduate of Wesleyan University with bachelor’s degrees in American studies and environmental studies. A bike commuter and recreational cyclist, she also enjoys running, hiking, swimming, baking and cooking.
Carol Kachadoorian, Executive Director, dblTilde CORE, Inc.
Oxford, Maryland
Carol has a breadth of knowledge of and expertise in transportation planning and operations, working at both the city and regional levels, including school- and community-based active transportation plans and older adult mobility. She understands the importance of both big data and personal experience to determine feasible changes to transportation systems that make travel by all modes safe, accessible, and comfortable for all ages and abilities.
Because Carol walks and bicycles every day, she brings both her professional and personal experience to conversations about creating walkable communities. She believes in aiming for a pedestrian network that works for pedestrians, emphasizing the safety and access for pedestrians benefit all travelers, regardless of mode.
James Fuccione, Director, Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative
Lawrence, Massachusetts
James Fuccione is Director of the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC), which is a statewide, cross-sector network supporting and promoting inclusive age- and dementia friendly communities. Funded by Point32Health Foundation, MHAC works to advance more than 200 age- and dementia friendly communities, regional collaboratives and a state initiative led by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. James serves on the Massachusetts Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Board and helps coordinate the Physical Infrastructure Workgroup of the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias. Previously, James was Director of Legislative and Public Affairs for the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts and served as an aide in the state senate.
We are offering closed captioning for our webinars, thanks to a partnership with VZP Digital. If you are in need of this service, please email us prior to the webinar. An unedited transcript will be sent to all attendees following the webinar.
American Trails is proud to be a certified provider of the following learning credits and continuing education opportunities:
Learning credits are free for attendees for American Trails webinars and the International Trails Symposium, as well as for other conferences, webinars, and workshops we offer credits for. Learn more here.
While we may individually agree (or disagree) in whole or in part with any or all of the participants, the views expressed in these webinars are not necessarily representative of the views of American Trails as an organization or its board and staff. Unless specific situations are noted by presenters, nothing in American Trails webinars should be considered to be interpreted as a standard.
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