NASHVILLE, Tenn., -— In support of the Active People, Healthy Nation Initiative, Smart Growth America (SGA) has announced that Vice Mayor Angie E. Henderson of Nashville and Davidson County as a member of the 2025 class of the Champions Institute. The Champions Institute is a program created to help local elected officials define, design, build, and evaluate Complete Streets in their communities. Vice Mayor Henderson is one of 14 local elected officials selected from across the United States and its territories. The 2025 Champions Institute class conducted their first meeting today.
During the program, participants in the Champions Institute will attend virtual learning sessions that will make them experts in Complete Streets principles. They will learn important steps to take to help their communities thrive and become safer and healthier, from planning to implementation. Participants will also learn about best practices and challenges from across the country, as they grapple with different strategies in a collaborative and supportive peer-learning environment.
Local leaders who are selected for the Champions Institute will have the opportunity to learn from a broad array of national experts and former local elected officials in the areas of public health, policy, street design, and project implementation. At the completion of the Institute’s program, champions will be experts in promoting community reforms to create safer streets for everyone including people walking, biking, taking public transit and driving. Champions will be prepared to support plans, policies, and funding that promote family-friendly activities in environments that encourage healthier lives.
After participants complete their work in the Champions Institute, SGA will provide continuing support to the local champions as they serve their communities. Newly trained Complete Streets Champions will work with other local leaders, to share their expertise and ideas. The goal is to create a network of more Complete Streets Champions who will help build and expand safe and convenient places to play, walk, and roll to enjoy destinations across the country.
“I enjoyed meeting my fellow institute members this morning,” shared Vice Mayor Henderson, “this work will be a great opportunity to gain new perspective and insight from other cities. I am committed to building a meaningful network of safe routes for active living for all Nashvillians.”
Diana Alarcon, Director of the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) added, “we want to congratulate Vice Mayor Henderson on her inclusion in this important group and thank Smart Growth America for continuing their work to champion complete streets at the local level. NDOT is committed to delivering on the city’s goal of becoming truly multimodal, and we look forward to working with the Vice Mayor as we continue to deliver complete streets.”
Nashville’s Civic Design Center’s Design Director Eric Hoke stated, “the Civic Design Center proudly celebrates Vice Mayor Angie Henderson’s selection for the 2025 Champions Institute. Through her work with Metro Nashville, we have witnessed her unwavering commitment to building more connected and accessible neighborhoods. Vice Mayor Henderson’s dedication to creating safe, people-centered streets and her ability to bring stakeholders together make her an invaluable asset to the Smart Growth America cohort. We look forward to seeing her continue this vital work for the betterment of our community.”
