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Columbia's PedNet welcomes new Executive Director, Annette Triplett

Submitted by Brent Hugh on Mon, 01/14/2013 - 1:23pm

Columbia's PedNet has been going through an important transition over the past several months, as founding Executive Director and powerhouse of Missouri's bicycle and pedestrian advocacy scene, Ian Thomas, is stepping aside and a new Executive Director, Annette Triplett, has been named to take Ian's place. Thomas wrote:

Ian Thomas
Ian Thomas

I am absolutely thrilled to introduce Annette Triplett, PedNet's new Executive Director, to you.

Annette is an icon of active living in her personal life, and has been managing statewide local food, farm-to-school, and school garden programs for University of Missouri Extension for the last several years.

This month's PedNet Coalition news letter gives more information about Triplett's background:

The use of active transportation as a primary mode of transportation for Annette Triplett began during her years in undergraduate school. "Kingston was similar to Columbia, MO where it is easy to travel around the university and the downtown area without a car, and I would use the bus to get groceries," explains Triplett. While she admits that her primary motivation for never owning a car during school was due to financial reasons, she also notes the health and environmental benefits. Specifically, "I appreciate the built in physical activity that you get with active transportation," says Triplett. "If I'm too busy for typical recreational fitness, I know I have already gotten one hour of biking or walking in by commuting to work."     

Annette Triplett, PedNet Executive Director
Annette Triplett, PedNet Executive Director

The Columbia Tribune's article about Triplett gives more details about Triplett's background:

Triplett will join PedNet after leading two early childhood nutrition programs with the University of Missouri Extension. She coordinates the Early Sprouts program, a pre-kindergarten program intended to encourage children to enjoy vegetables through gardening, sensory activities and cooking, and the Farm to School program, a similar program for kindergartners. . . .

She cited her experience in writing grants as a strength and said her work in child nutrition should make for an easy transition to PedNet, which promotes non-motorized transportation such as walking and biking.

"Physical activity is a big component of nutrition, and we try to incorporate that into as many early childhood eating programs as we can," Triplett said.

Photos of Thomas (top) and Triplett (bottom) courtesy PedNet Coalition.

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