About Bike Walk North Dakota

The Mission of Bike Walk North Dakota is to make active transportation an easy and safe choice for all who live in or visit North Dakota through the implementation of educational, encouragement, and evaluation activities and through cooperative efforts with city, county and state and tribal nation engineers, planners, administrators, legislators and law enforcement agencies.

Board Members

Justin Kristan

Justin Kristan

Founder & Executive Director

Justin has professional experience in outdoor education, youth ministry, elementary education, bicycle and pedestrian safety education, as well as bicycle and pedestrian planning. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States for work and academic experiences. He has visited Madison, WI; Boulder, CO; Seattle, WA; Davis, CA; and Tucson, AZ; as well as Copenhagen and Amsterdam to experience their bicycle networks in preparation for professional activity as a bicycle and pedestrian planner.

Lifelong bicyclist; began road riding and mountain biking in 1984 and 1985 respectively. League Cycling Instructor since 2004; began teaching bicycle safety in 2000. Justin has traveled by bicycle through 28 states.

Member of League of American Bicyclists since 2002.

Member of Association of Pedestrian and Bicycling Professionals since 2004.

Attended Prowalk/Probike 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012

Justin is an experienced bicycle and pedestrian planning and design speaker; familiar with MUTCD, AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, AASHTO Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities, ITE’s Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach. Justin saw the need to develop a statewide non-profit that would promote bicycling, walking, running and transit use in in the mid-2000’s. Justin’s vision is coming to life with the help of many skilled and passionate North Dakotans for which he is tremendously excited and grateful.

Al Thompson

Al Thompson

Board of Directors

Raised a shepherd in Enger Township Steele County North Dakota, Al was educated for his first 4 years in a one-room country school house. He continued his education in Hatton ND, and earned a BS in Business Administration and Hotel Motel Management from Moorhead State University. Al has worked in hospitals, hotels, clubs and restaurants, for over 40 years – the majority of the time feeding North Dakota’s finest at the Crow Bar Hotel (the North Dakota State Penitentiary).

As a 365 days-a-year 18 mile-a-day bicycle commuter, Al became interested in bicycling facilities and education. As an advocate, he speaks with city and state legislators about bicycling issues. After being asked by a ND Senator what his credentials were, Al became certified as a League Cycling Instructor by the League of American Bicyclists. Al’s interest in retirement is keeping the roads safe for all users, and promoting healthy exercise for all ages.

Mark Hagen

Mark Hagen

Board of Directors

Mark is retired and is the acting  head of the Fargo Moorhead Triathlon Club, and serves on the Board of Directors for the ND Active Transportation Alliance.
Mark lost two friends in 2014, when they were killed by distracted drivers while riding their bikes.

Join us

We’ll be stronger and more effective with your participation.

We are looking for volunteers to serve on our Board of Directors and to assist in organizing rides and events.