AUG. 4, 2022, LOMPOC, CA – In support of the Active People, Healthy Nation℠ Initiative,
Smart Growth America (SGA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity announced today that Lompoc Mayor
Jenelle Osborne will be part of the third class of the Champions Institute.
The Champions Institute is a program created to help motivated local elected officials equitably define, design,
build, and evaluate Complete Streets in their communities. Mayor Osborne was selected as one of the many local elected officials from across the United States (and its territories).
“We are pleased to welcome Mayor Jenelle Osborne to the third class of the Champions Institute,” said John Robert Smith, Senior Policy Advisor at Smart Growth America, and the former 16 year mayor of Meridian, Mississippi. “As we emerge from the confines of the pandemic, Mayor Osborne’s commitment to a healthier and more connected hometown was
compelling. From Mayor Osborne’s position as Lompoc mayor, envisioning a more accessible, equitable, and economically viable community for all residents is a winning strategy.
Experts in their field will provide Mayor Osborne with valuable skills throughout the program, and share
their own insights and experiences in developing more activity-friendly routes to everyday
destinations.”
Osborne said, “Having recently adopted the first Lompoc Streetscape Multi-Modal
Improvement Plan in over 50 years, and updating our Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan in
2020, it is important to have the tools and knowledge to implement these projects. To learn
from the Active People, Healthy Nation℠ Champions Institute how to advocate and support
safer and more complete streets in Lompoc is an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. I am
committed to improving the quality of life for all of us, and doing so safely is a priority.”
Over the next nine months, participants in the Champions Institute will attend virtual learning sessions that will make them experts in equity-based principles and train them on the fundamental steps to take to achieve Complete Streets in their community, from envisioning 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 all users including pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and motorists. Champions will be
prepared to support plans, policies, and funding that promote the CDC's Active People, Healthy Nation℠ Initiative of expanding activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations, in their
communities.
After participants complete their work in the Champions Institute, SGA will provide continuing support to the local champions as they serve their communities. Newly minted Complete Streets Champions will act as emissaries to other local leaders, sharing their expertise and ideas to grow a network of more Complete Streets Champions across the country who will build and expand activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations across the country.
