Arielle Fleisher is a transportation strategist with a unique combination of public health, design thinking, and planning expertise.
In her current role as the Policy Development and Research Manager at Waymo, she develops policies on the transportation issues that matter to cities, such as congestion, transit integration, equity and data-sharing.
This role builds on her previous experience at SPUR, the Bay Area’s leading urban policy organization. There she worked collaboratively with transit operators, policymakers and advocates to develop and advance policy solutions to the transportation challenges facing Bay Area cities. At SPUR, Arielle played a pivotal role in fostering integration within the Bay Area's fragmented transportation system. She authored two key reports - Finding Transit and Solving the Bay Area’s Fare Policy Problem. These reports, combined with her tireless advocacy, paved the way for ongoing efforts to enhance Bay Area transit wayfinding and integrate transit fares. Arielle also led SPUR’s new mobility initiative, culminating in the publication of a report exploring the synergies between public transportation and private mobility. The report highlighted how these two sectors could collaborate effectively, leveraging their respective strengths to achieve critical regional mobility objectives.
Arielle is a passionate advocate for leadership development and innovative approaches in transportation planning. During her time at SPUR, she spearheaded the design of impactful workshop series: one to equip transit agency boards with collaborative problem-solving skills, and another to empower transportation professionals to utilize design thinking principles to create customer-centric plans and policies.
Prior to SPUR, Arielle served as a Policy Analyst at the SFMTA. There she played an integral role in the launch of the City’s Vision Zero policy and developed Play Streets SF, a street closure program focused on community building and physical activity.
Most recently, Arielle served as the Liaison to the Board of Supervisors at SFDPH where she spearheaded vaccination clinics, drafted the city’s vaccination strategy and supported the city’s economic reopening – the most rewarding work of her career.
Arielle currently serves on the Steering Committee for the UCLA’s Center of Excellence on New Mobility and Automated Vehicles.