• Specialties:

Overview

It isn't just about bike lanes.
(But those are great, too.)

Building a bicycle-friendly community is a group effort. It works best when civic leaders and stakeholders, business owners, and neighbors all come together to exchange ideas and understand challenges. That's when the best solutions are found. As a professional communicator, certified bicycle safety educator, and community group leader, Nessa develops campaigns and events to help facilitate community change.

Communications

Who are you trying to reach? What do you want your audience to take home? A seasoned communications professional and partner to help you share your project, your idea, your vision.

Design

The look, the logo, the platform. Whether you’ve got an established brand or are starting fresh, a custom design and/or illustration can help you get the attention you need.

Message

Language matters. Taking technical concepts and translating them into something digestible for community members and inspiring public interest is a crucial step toward change.

Portfolio

Visit the design & illustration gallery.

Facilitate learning

Classroom and on-street safety education can improve bicycle and pedestrian outcomes. Facilitating problem-solving workshops, hosting public events, hands-on learning, and ride leadership are just some of the ways to help get information to those who will benefit most.

  • Bicycle safety (Smart Cycling program, laws/best practices, tips for drivers)
  • Pop-up events (parklets, on-street ed, surveys, bike/ped counts)
  • Bicycle Friendly Business (best practices, certifications)
  • League of American Cyclists® certified League Cycling Instructor (LCI)

Community Engagement

Linking people together—even when views come from opposite ends of the spectrum—is the best salve for healing divisions and moving solutions forward.

ENGAGING CITIZENS  Helping community members feel heard and included while also ensuring stakeholders’ challenges and limitations are understood is a big part of community engagement. Bringing citizens together to problem-solve and “think outside the bike lane” makes change easier for everyone. Some examples include facilitating group discussions, hosting public summits, and conducting community surveys.

ENGAGING BUSINESSES  Guiding organizations through the process of becoming bike friendly requires experience especially when being bike-friendly gives businesses a competitive edge. The process is involved and includes nagivating businesses through the League of American Bicyclists® Bicycle Friendly BusinessSM program so organizations can get the recognition they deserve. Bicycle-friendly partners often include Chambers of Commerce, business districts, and public institutions.

Involvement

Appointed to Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee to the Mayor of St. Petersburg, FL
Bicycle Friendly Business program presenter at League of American Bicyclists 2019 Summit
Co-founder of ShiftStPete, Inc., bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization
Past Member of St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Transportation Task Force & Urban Mobility subommittee
Former appointee of Complete Streets committee for City of St. Petersburg, FL
Facilitated BlockbyBlock Minumum Grid ride and event to demonstrate Complete Streets concepts to citizens
WalkWise & BikeSmart educator for Bike/Walk Tampa Bay coalition
Past Advisory Board Member, St. Petersburg Bicycle Co-Op

Meet Nessa

Nessa Wheeler channels her two greatest passions into one objective: linking leaders and community members together to make bicycling and walking viable transportation options.

Vanessa Rae Wheeler
Founder
With expertise in communications, Nessa combines branding and design, written word, event planning, and other community engagement strategies to move bicycle-friendly initiatives forward. As a certified bicycle safety educator with years of involvement in transportation initiatives, she easily navigates conversations with stakeholders and community members to help bridge the communication gap and facilitate the exchange of information.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT  Info sharing/data gathering sessions, ride leadership
PRESENTATIONS  Bike-friendliness, bike commuter coaching, bike/ped safety, workplace topics
SAFETY EDUCATION  League Cycling Instructor (LCI)
BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESS (BFB)  League of American Bicyclists BFB expert
EVENTS  Pop-up events, bike/ped counts, public demos/rides, volunteer management
CAMPAIGNS  Safety initiatives, Complete Streets, Vision Zero, Open Streets, bike share
LEADERSHIP  Past executive director/co-founder of nonprofit bike/ped organization

Get in touch

Questions?
I look forward to connecting!