Team

John Bela

John Bela is a landscape architect, urban designer, and co-founder of the internationally acclaimed Rebar Group, creators of Park(ing) Day and pioneers of parklet design. With over a decade of experience leading multidisciplinary teams, John specializes in public realm strategy, public space design, and the creation of equitable, resilient neighborhoods. He collaborates with communities, municipalities, and private partners to transform underutilized spaces into vibrant places for the common good. Skilled in ethnographic research and spatial analysis, John integrates social science and data-driven strategies into his work, while excelling in public speaking, facilitation, and media engagement. Currently, John leads a consulting practice dedicated to people-centered projects, is the executive director of the Park(ing) Day Network, and is writing the Parklet Book on the history and evolution of flexible curb lanes and streets as public space.

Manuelita Antonio Rangel Sosa

Manuelita is a creative director, experience designer, and strategist with a keen focus on storytelling, community-building, and sustainable design. As the founder and creative director of SuperWorks, she has spent years shaping brand identities, immersive experiences, and digital ecosystems for clients ranging from startups to established organizations.

A futurist with a strong foundation in feminism and posthumanism, Manuelita is drawn to projects that explore innovation, social impact, and the evolving relationship between people, technology, and the environment. Her experience as an immigrant and a mother deeply informs her perspective on themes of belonging, adaptation, and community resilience—critical insights that have shaped both her professional work and her involvement in initiatives like Park(ing) Day.

Advisory Committee

  • Zach Klein

    Zach Klein is an entrepreneur and designer best known as the co-founder of Vimeo. He also co-founded DIY.org, a learning platform for children, and authored the New York Times best selling book Cabin Porn. In 2020, he became CEO of Dwell where he developed the pre-fab ADU called the Dwell House, reflecting his passion for making housing more affordable. Zach and his family live in San Francisco, where they also care for a zero-water garden on the sidewalk outside their house.

  • Alison Sant

    Alison Sant is an author, urbanist, and educator, co-founder of the Studio for Urban Projects, which promotes social justice and sustainability in urban design. She has led projects such as the Market Street Prototyping Festival and served as a designer-in-residence at the Exploratorium. Her book From the Ground Up was named a best book of 2022 by the American Society of Landscape Architects and Planetizen. Alison is working on a new book, Streetlife (Island Press), and teaches in Harvard Extension School’s Sustainability and Environment Program.

  • Tony Jordan

    Tony Jordan is a nationally recognized champion for rethinking parking policies. Inspired by reading The High Cost of Free Parking, he founded Portlanders for Parking Reform in 2015 and went on to co-found the Parking Reform Network (PRN) in 2019. As PRN’s president, Tony leads a dedicated team and frequently presents at public meetings and conferences, including SXSW and YIMBYtown. He lives car-free in Portland, Oregon, with his family, enjoying multi-day bike trips and strategy board games when he’s not advocating for smarter parking policies.