If you are choosing your next vacation destination, Jackson is the person to ask! Jackson Hotaling is a history aficionado and world traveler from Webster Groves, Missouri. Throughout his international travels to more than 60 countries and 2,000 US counties, Jackson quickly realized how important public transportation and accessibility are to meeting your basic needs. But Jackson has always been interested in how people get where they need to go whether he was in China or Peru riding public transit or recognizing the transportation challenges of Greater St. Louis in the wake of COVID-19. When he saw an opening at Missourians for Responsible Transportation (MRT), Jackson knew he could combine his passion for community engagement and transportation equity. Jackson travels around Missouri and meeting with community leaders who want to increase walking, biking, and transit options for all Missourians.
Rikki Ascani is a Community Engagement Director at MRT, where she serves as a vital bridge between the organization’s advocacy efforts and the voices of the community. Her work ensures that transportation advocacy is deeply informed by those who face the greatest barriers to mobility. Rikki’s passion for the transformative power of transportation was sparked during her time at Virginia Tech, where she first saw how buses could reshape and strengthen communities. Although she doesn’t come from a traditional transportation background, her career has always centered around people. From working as a fisheries biologist to engaging in grassroots activism and now community organizing, Rikki’s diverse experiences have equipped her with a unique perspective on the intersection of environment, community, and equity. In 2018, Rikki moved to Columbia, Missouri, to work for the Missouri Department of Conservation. Her growing interest in the ways physical spaces shape societal outcomes led her to pursue a master’s degree in Geography at the University of Missouri. Her studies focus on community geography, exploring how spatial injustices have contributed to broader societal inequities—particularly the role transportation systems have played in reinforcing those patterns. Rikki is passionate about creating inclusive, people-centered transportation solutions that promote equity, sustainability, and community well-being.
Cindy DeBlauw grew up primarily in St. Louis, but now resides in Hartsburg, Missouri. Cindy and her husband have three loving daughters, two who live in Hartsburg and one who lives in Switzerland. Cindy began her journey into the transportation realm in 2010 while working at the University of Missouri Extension. She recently retired from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services where she spent most of her career working on nutrition and physical activity programs. She joined Missourians for Responsible Transportation in May 2022 as Interim Project Director where she is helping communities adopt complete streets policies and active transportation plans. She is committed to making healthy choices the easy choices for all Missourians. When she isn’t working Cindy enjoys riding horses, cycling, hiking with her dogs and gardening.
In 2018, Missourians for Responsible Transportation (MRT) was established by four Missouri organizations. They realized that although they’d been successful with advocacy work in their home cities and surrounding areas, by partnering together, they could help to better address Missouri’s transportation at a statewide level.
Local Motion works to build strong communities that are walkable, bikeable, accessible, and have thriving public transit systems.
BikeWalkKC's mission is to redefine our streets as places for people to build a culture of active living.
Ozark Greenways is working to preserve the Ozarks' natural heritage for public use and enjoyment by developing a greenway trail network, and promoting Springfield Public Works' growing on-street bike route network.
Trailnet works within the St. Louis region and across the state to respond to the demand for improved walking and biking networks that attract and retain talent, strengthen our economy, and connect people to the places they love.
Between our four partner organizations, we have approximately 40 staff with different specialties to help us work together to build a better transportation future for Missourians.
