BHSI's Board of Directors
Summary: BHSI is governed by a Board of Directors.
In 2016 BHSI made the transition to a fully independent 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. The Board held its first Annual Meeting on February 17, 2017 and has met annually since. The members are:
Mark Blacknell, Director
Board member Mark Blacknell has been a DC area resident and cyclist since moving to Arlington in 1997. Looking for options beyond sitting on the Roosevelt Bridge during rush hour, he soon bought a bike to ride to Foggy Bottom. Since then, he's made the slow and steady progression over the years to cycling as his primary means of transportation (ending up with a house full of bikes in the process). Deciding to move beyond the personal evangelization of cycling and get more involved in advocating for improved infrastructure and conditions, he joined the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee (ABAC). Since then, he has worked with the ABAC to encourage Arlington County to promote a broad public agenda of facilitating safe cycling for everyone in Arlington.

Dr. Stephanie Bonin, Director
Board Member Stephanie Bonin, PhD, PE is a bicycle commuter and equestrian enthusiast with extensive knowledge of biomechanics and helmet testing. She is a principal and a senior biomechanical engineer at MEA Forensic and has published studies on helmet rotational energy management systems and the effect of hair has on these systems, how well test headforms represent human heads in impact testing, and the useful life of a helmet. Stephanie is a member of ASTM F08.53 Headgear and Helmets subcommittee and chairs the Equestrian Helmet Task Group. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in Physiology and Engineering Mechanics, a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University, and a Doctorate in Industrial Engineering, with a focus on Injury Biomechanics, from the University of Miami. Stephanie is registered as a professional engineer in California and has testified as an expert witness in court. You can read her full bio on MEA's website.

Keith Oberg, Director
Board member Keith Oberg was the original founder and long-time leader of Bikes for the World. He is now in emeritus status, continuing as a volunteer. Prior to that, he served as Vice-President and Washington DC Area Coordinator of Pedals for Progress, following a career in international development culminating in 13 years with the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent U.S. Government agency providing grant support to private grassroots development in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1999, Keith took a leave of absence from the IAF to work with Pedals for Progress and ultimately Bikes for the World, to put into practice some of the insights he gained as a funder, to test the potential of used American bicycles to serve as a catalyst and resource for domestic community volunteer work and community-led development overseas.

Randy Swart, Executive Director
Board Member and Executive Director Randy Swart has been involved in helmet assessment, testing, standards and advocacy since he joined the Washington Area Bicyclist Association's Helmet Committee in 1974. He and others continued WABA's helmet activities and he founded BHSI in 1989 as a full-time volunteer. He was a member of the ANSI Z90.4 helmet standards committee beginning in 1983 until it was disbanded. He is currently a member of the ASTM F8.53 helmet standards subcommittee, chairing its bicycle helmet task group. He is a lifelong bicycle rider. He commuted to work for many years and has toured by bicycle in the US and other countries. He believes that helmets have saved him from serious head injuries in at least two of his crashes.

To communicate with our Board, please send an email.
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