We are excited to announce that this year’s Conference afternoon Keynote Speaker will be Council President Kenyatta Johnson. Champion of the ‘Get Out the Bike Lane’ legislation, the Council President has raised the volume on the need for road safety for vulnerable road users and specifically the impact of traffic violence on communities of color.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson represents Philadelphia’s 2nd Council District, serving over 150,000 residents in Center City, South Philadelphia, and Southwest Philadelphia. A lifelong public servant, he is dedicated to improving his constituents’ quality of life through effective policymaking, community engagement, and advocacy.
A South Philadelphia native, Council President Johnson founded Peace Not Guns in 1998 after losing his cousin to gun violence. He later served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives before being elected to City Council in 2011—the first African American to represent the 2nd District. In 2024, his colleagues elected him Council President.
Throughout his tenure, he has championed affordable housing, small business growth, and sustainable development while addressing poverty, food insecurity, and education disparities. In 2024, after a fatal cycling incident in his district, Council President introduced and advocated for the ‘Get Out the Bike Lane’ legislation, which was recently signed into law by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, ensuring safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians.
Council President Johnson holds degrees from Mansfield University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government. A devoted husband and father, he is married to Dawn Chavous and has two sons, Isaiah Mandela and Elijah Kwame.
Though we have not always aligned, the Council President’s actions in the last year shows the importance of working together for the common good. Traffic violence affects everyone in Philadelphia and we look forward to working more with the Council President so that everyone, no matter where they live in the city, can get home safely.
Stay tuned for an announcement about more panels and speakers! More information, including sponsorships, a link to purchase sliding-scale tickets, and the schedule for the day, can be found here.
Many thanks to our Vision Zero PHL 2025 sponsors: The Philadelphia Parking Authority, Jacobs Engineering, Curaleaf, jawnt, CHOP, HNTB, WSP (Phila Office), Michael Baker International, AECOM, Hayden AI, Urban Engineers, Emily Fredricks Foundation, Boles, Smyth Associates, INC., RK&K, STV Incorporated, Kittelson & Associates, Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, NV5, Inc., CDM Smith, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., TYLin International, BTS, Econsult Solutions, Pennoni Associates, AARP Pennsylvania, Kimley-Horn, Bowman, Judd P. Greenbery Agency State Farm Insurance, Remington & Vernick Engineers, Gannett Fleming, DVRPC, PA Downtown Center, Piscitello Law, Dawood Engineering, Alfred Benesch & Company, Toole Design Group, McCormick Taylor, and Drive Engineering.