Jonah Chiarenza

Jonah Chiarenza is a Transportation Planner at the U.S. DOT Volpe Center with over 15 years of experience in public, private, and non-profit planning organizations.1 He holds a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis.1

At the Volpe Center, Chiarenza develops national policy strategies, conducts research on best practices, and designs solutions for local and regional transportation challenges.1 He collaborates with various federal agencies, including FHWA, FTA, U.S. Forest Service, and National Park Service, as well as state DOTs, MPOs, local municipalities, and national organizations like TRB and NACTO.1

Before joining the Volpe Center, Chiarenza worked as a senior transportation planner at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), where he led major complete streets projects and managed the implementation of San Francisco's WalkFirst pedestrian safety program in support of Vision Zero.1 He also has experience as an associate at a consulting firm, leading transit-oriented development, urban design, and planning policy projects.1

In addition to his role at Volpe, Chiarenza serves as the Executive Director of Bike to the Sea, Inc., a non-profit organization.3 He is also known for his interest in providing people with more choices for how they live, work, and travel in their communities.2