"The board is delighted to welcome Galen Mook as the next Executive Director of MassBike," said MassBike board president John Siemiatkoski. "Galen's experience as an organizer, advocate, instructor, and in the bike industry make him uniquely qualified to lead MassBike. We look forward to working with Galen and our chapters to provide more opportunities for bicycling across Massachusetts."
As co-founder of the CommonWheels Bicycle Collective in Allston, MA, co-host of the bi-weekly radio program BikeTalk881 and co-founder of BU Bikes when he was a student at Boston University, Galen deeply understands the needs of local advocates. He has also been active in the Allston community advocating for safer bike infrastructure, helped lead the campaign for a protected bike lane along Boston’s University’s campus as part of the Commonwealth Avenue reconstruction, and is helping to lead an effort to encourage MassDOT to develop a multi-modal and more sustainable design for the I-90 Allston Interchange Project.
In this Q&A, Galen speaks about why he’s excited to lead the organization at this critical time, his vision for MassBike’s future growth, and what biking means to him.
"I’m approaching this position as 'building community,'" said Mook. "I am excited for the opportunity to get to know the bicycle riders across the Commonwealth and to steer MassBike to serve all communities."
Mook has also been a certified instructor with the League of American Bicyclists for the past eight years, working to design and implement classes on bicycle safety and bicycle riding in schools in Boston, Cambridge, and various cities and towns in Massachusetts, focusing primarily on low-income areas and public schools.
Active transit advocate Vivian Ortiz of Mattapan considers Mook to be 'the people’s cyclist.' "He's an advocate, educator, leader, and a great mentor. Galen makes himself available for neighborhood biking events and actively seeks the perspectives of people of color and women when it comes to cycling. He's extremely resourceful, well connected, and will be a huge asset to MassBike."
Galen also has extensive bike industry experience, having working for Landry’s Bicycles as a marketing and advocacy specialist for the past five years. At Landry’s he developed and implemented a workplace outreach programs to cultivate a safe and fun bicycling culture that partnered with major employers such as Children’s Hospital or WS Development to offer bike check-ups, educational workshops, or group rides.
"Nobody lives and breathes all-things-bicycling as much as Galen, and we have appreciated his huge and positive impact both for our local business and for our cycling community," says Jack Johnson, Marketing and Advocacy Director at Landry’s Bicycles. "Everyone at Landry’s will miss him greatly, and we wish him all the best in his leadership role at MassBike."
