Staff Members

Sally Flocks, President and CEO

404-685-8722, Email Sally

Sally Flocks founded PEDS in 1996 after surgery eliminated a brain tumor that had prevented her from driving during most of her adult life. A native of northern California, Sally wanted motorists to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. Sally’s efforts as President of PEDS have prompted changes at the local, regional and state level in Georgia and have made PEDS one of the most effective transportation reform organizations in the United States. Sally also serves on the Board of Directors of America Walks, a national coalition of pedestrian advocacy groups, the Steering Committee of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, and on the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Bicycle-Pedestrian Task Force. Sally holds a Ph.D. in history from Yale, lives in the City of Atlanta, and commutes to work via bicycle.

Michael Orta, Director of Community Education

404-685-8732, Email Michael

Michael manages PEDS’ media campaigns, website, training workshops for engineers and “crosswalk stings” with metro area police. He speaks Spanish fluently and has engaged the Hispanic community in pedestrian issues. Prior to joining PEDS, Michael worked as Director of Marketing to help launch a new educational nonprofit called Sapientis in Puerto Rico. He managed programs at major Food Banks in Atlanta and Winston-Salem, NC. He has lived in some of the world’s most pedestrian-friendly places –- Japan and Spain –- and now lives in the very walkable Oakhurst neighborhood of Decatur with his wife and son. His bachelor’s degree is from Davidson College.

Joe Winter, Membership Coordinator

404-685-8732, Email Joe

Joe is a graduate of Georgia State University, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in business and policy studies. Previously, Joe was the IT and Member Services Manager at the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts, where he led the organization through a major restructuring of its website presence and membership systems. Joe has also served on the board of Citizens for Progressive Transit and currently lives in the Midtown neighborhood of Atlanta.