Building on its commitment to area planning on behalf of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA), the Longwood Collective today announced that Dorothy Fennell of Jamaica Plain has been named Transportation Planner/Transportation Demand Specialist for the organization. The expansion of the transportation team at the Longwood Collective comes one month after it released its first White Paper that details the success of mode shift in the LMA over the last 30 years and a landmark Transportation Framework that provides guiding principles and tools for evaluating project proposals that impact mobility within and surrounding the 213-acre LMA.

“I am delighted to welcome Dorothy to the Longwood Collective at a time when we are keenly focused on delivering high-quality multimodal solutions to the mobility challenges facing the LMA,” said Longwood Collective President and CEO David Sweeney. “Dorothy’s demonstrated experience in delivering successful TDM results across a variety of different sectors, paired with her enthusiasm for the role, make her an excellent fit to implement our mobility agenda.”

The Longwood Collective is the chief planner and principal steward of the LMA, serving the area’s world-renowned medical, academic, scientific, and cultural institutions, and providing critical transportation, operating, planning, and placemaking services to the area’s benefit. As part of its work in transportation planning, the Longwood Collective is the area’s state-designated Transportation Management Association (TMA), known as CommuteWorks, which provides a menu of best-in-class commuter incentive programs for Longwood employees, such as Emergency Ride Home, walk/bike incentives, and a highly successful commuter safety program called Karma Commuting.

In this role, Fennell’s primary responsibility is running CommuteWorks, which was established in 1989 as one of the country’s first TMAs, to reduce the number of single occupancy vehicle trips and improve air quality through transportation options beyond driving alone. She will also be responsible for managing, developing, and marketing transportation demand management (TDM) programs to incent more walking, biking, carpooling and other environmentally friendly modes to the neighborhood. TDM programs led by TMAs are essential to addressing the climate crisis, roadway congestion, air quality, and employee retention, as cited in the Longwood Collective’s White Paper.

The Transportation Planner/TDM Specialist stewards a new chapter in CommuteWorks’ history by evaluating commuter incentive programs post-pandemic, supporting a hybrid workforce, and looking for ways to collaborate with member institutions and external partners on innovative commuting solutions. As part of this work, Fennell will identify transportation challenges as well as develop solutions in service of those who travel to or through the LMA for work, school, healthcare, or enjoyment. 

Fennell joins the Longwood Collective with over 10 years of combined experience in commuter transportation work in the Parking and TDM sector for nonprofits, public and private sectors, and advocacy groups. Most recently she served as Transportation Coordinator for the Flatley Company Schrafft’s City Center where she managed the commuter shuttle program analysis and schedule redesign, established and managed the tenant bike share program, and managed initiatives to education the community about commuting options.

Prior to that, she served in various transportation and planning roles for organizations including the Association for Commuter Transportation, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Somerville’s Department of Traffic & Parking, A Better City, and the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition. Fennell holds a BA from Clark University and a Master of Urban Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.

When asked about her passion for work in the TDM sector, Fennell said, “I believe streets are one of a city's most valuable resources and I strive to work on projects that target traffic congestion, enhance economic opportunities, and improve community health through transportation-focused efforts. I enjoy this type of planning because I see it as a one-stop solution for addressing congestion, climate resiliency, urban growth opportunities and public health.”

Fennell with her three children on her electric bike