Board Member Heather Thompson Serving as Interim CEO

New York, NY (January 5, 2015) — After more than two decades at the helm of the organization, Walter Hook has stepped down as CEO of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. ITDP Board member Heather Thompson, former Vice-President and Co-Founder of the ClimateWorks Foundation, is serving as Interim CEO while the process of selecting a new CEO is ongoing.

Ms. Thompson has been working with ITDP for more than a decade with her work in the environmental non-profit sector. Through her years of commitment to large-scale environmental solutions and her depth of experience with ITDP, she will help ensure a smooth transition and solid, consistent leadership for the organization.

“It has been an incredible opportunity to work with Mayor Peñalosa and leading technical experts from around the world, and to nurture the work of an extraordinarily talented staff. Together, over my 21 years as ITDP CEO, we have been able to fundamentally change the nature of urban transportation in dozens of cities around the world, changing hearts and minds along the way. ITDP’s unique brand of social activism married to cutting-edge technical knowledge and a tireless focus on project implementation created a powerful force for change. ITDP’s seasoned staff retain the world’s greatest reservoir of collective knowledge on sustainable transport, and I hope all of you will join me in continuing to support this great institution under its next generation of leadership.”

Dr. Hook joined ITDP in 1989 and became executive director in 1993. At that time, the organization had a full time staff of four and budget of $150,000. Under his leadership, ITDP has grown to a staff of more than 70 in six field offices and headquarters with an $8 million budget. His vision led ITDP to be one of the first organizations promoting bus rapid transit as the mass transport solution to urban growth and climate change. ITDP’s field offices pioneered this mode, succeeding in establishing at least one high-quality BRT on every continent.

ITDP’s staff, board of directors, and partners are immensely grateful for all of Walter’s years of hard work to bring us, as an organization and as a world community, where we are today. Moving forward, ITDP will work to honor his legacy by moving us even further toward more equitable, sustainable cities for all.

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Contact: Jemilah Magnusson, +1 646-380-2357 / jemilah.magnusson@itdp.org