Mary Brown (2005)

Mary Brown (2005)'s picture



Fellowship Year: 2005
Academic Background: San Francisco State U - MA - (Geography)
Mary is pursuing a Master’s degree in Geography at San Francisco State University. Her research focuses on strategies to increase the transportation mode’s shift away from the private automobile. In particular, she is researching the potential for congestion charging to both provide disincentives for driving and generate substantial revenue for investment in public transportation systems. Other interests include the connection between transportation systems, mobility, and land-use; the use of GIS generated maps in transportation planning; and successful European and Asian transportation models. She is committed to developing viable options to private automobile-based transportation. Prior to her graduate studies, Mary worked for seven years at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. In her role as the Bicycle Network Director she led the effort to build a network of linked bike lanes and paths in San Francisco. This experience gave her an invaluable education in how urban transportation is planned, who controls the planning and how the design of streets impact types of mobility, and the resulting impacts on urban environments. Mary has also worked as a Mayan cave guide, traveled extensively in Central America, and completed a solo U.S. cross-country bicycle tour. She holds a BA in Journalism and a minor in Art from Humboldt State University.
Expertise: Land / Open Space / Smart Growth, Business & Finance