Staff Directory

Kate Slevin, AICP
Executive Director
After a formal search, the Board of Directors chose Kate as the Campaign’s executive director in July 2007. Kate is an activist and urban planner who joined the Campaign in 2002 as the organization's spokesperson, moving to the position of associate director a year later. As associate director, she contributed significantly to the Campaign’s growth and success, co-editing Mobilizing the Region and expanding the Campaign’s work in Connecticut, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and Newark, NJ. Before coming to Tri-State, Kate worked at NYU's Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. At the NYC Parks Department, she taught environmental programs as an Urban Park Ranger and worked in the parkland acquisition office, helping to expand parkland throughout the five boroughs of NYC. She serves on the Board of Directors of Transportation Alternatives and has studied urban environmental issues around the world with the International Honors Program. Kate holds a Masters in Urban Planning from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT.

Zoe Baldwin
New Jersey Advocate
Zoe Baldwin joined the Campaign in 2007, and works toward a safe, sustainable and balanced transportation system throughout New Jersey. A lifelong community activist, she got her official start in New Jersey politics serving as Legislative Director to State Senator Loretta Weinberg. Zoe is also the former Political and Community Organizer for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 1199NJ, and an avid cyclist. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Ramapo College of NJ.

Michelle Ernst
Staff Analyst
As staff analyst, Michelle Ernst conducts research and analysis in support of the Campaign’s advocacy efforts.  Michelle joined the Campaign after working for six years at the DC-based Surface Transportation Policy Project.  There she authored dozens of major reports including Mean Streets 2004; Second Nature: Improving Transportation Without Putting Nature Second; Transportation Costs and the American Dream; and Clearing the Air: Public Health Threats from Cars and Heavy Duty Vehicles.  Michelle holds a Masters in Environmental Science from Yale University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy from the University of California at Davis.

Steven Higashide
Communications Associate
Steven Higashide co-edits Mobilizing the Region and is responsible for maintaining and expanding the Campaign’s online presence. He joined the Campaign as an intern in January 2007, working on advocacy and outreach in the Tappan Zee/I-287 corridor. Steven holds a B.A. in Metropolitan Studies from New York University and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. At NYU, he held multiple editorial roles at the student newspaper Washington Square News, an ACP Newspaper Pacemaker Finalist in 2006 and Winner in 2004.

Ryan Lynch
Senior Planner
Ryan Lynch focuses on promoting long-lasting and sustainable transportation options and community development in Connecticut and the metropolitan suburbs. Ryan joined the Campaign in October 2007 from the Thai-Burma border where he worked as an alternative livelihoods specialist for Women's Education for Advancement and Empowerment. Ryan also worked as the associate forest planner for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and as a policy intern with Oxfam America. He began his career in community development and advocacy as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa. Although originally from Long Island, Ryan attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning with a concentration in International Development Planning and foci in Economic and Environmental Development. Ryan also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Veronica Vanterpool
Policy Advocate  
Veronica Vanterpool's focus is on gaining support and approval for Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal, among other ideas and plans geared towards making transportation policy in the tri-state region more sustainable. Veronica joined the Campaign after nearly four years at the Rainforest Alliance, an international conservation organization that works to protect ecosystems and economic livelihoods in some of the world's most biodiverse regions. As a development officer, Veronica generated proposals, letters, and e-newsletters and planned conservation briefings with renowned leaders and thinkers in the environmental field. She previously worked with NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection on its Waste Water Treatment Upgrade Program for NYC's watershed. Veronica holds a Masters degree in Environmental Policy from New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a Bachelors in Environmental Science and Political Science from SUNY-Binghamton in upstate New York.

Kyle Wiswall
General Counsel  
Kyle Wiswall earned a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law where he concentrated in environmental and natural resources law, in both a domestic and international context.  At UNM, he served as a Lead Articles Editor of The Natural Resources Journal and was a member of an award winning Jessup International Law Moot Court team.  He was the President of the Environmental Law Society and Vice President of the Student Bar Association.  Prior to working at Tri-State, Kyle was a legal intern at the New Mexico Environment Department and worked in the wine industry in various capacities.  He also holds a B.A. in Religion from Colorado College.  He is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey and is currently a member of the New York State Bar Association and the New York County Lawyers' Association.