- Active transportation is defined by the CDC as “any self-propelled, human-powered mode of transportation, such as walking or bicycling.” For me, I picture the streets and sidewalks of Stars Hollow (if you’re a Gilmore Girl) or all the quaint little towns in the Hallmark Christmas movies. You know the ones. Everyone is always walking or biking to do their errands and people meet each other on the sidewalk and no one is getting run over by a car.
- Many Americas think that walking and bicycling are unsafe. Most of us don’t live in Stars Hollow. Many people live and work near heavy traffic with a scarcity of sidewalks, crosswalks, and bicycle facilities. Let’s face it, if the library is across a major highway and there are no crosswalks or signals, you’re going to be driving there, not walking. But what if it were the opposite? What if most Americans could feel safe walking or biking to the park, school, grocery store, and library? Everyone is getting their steps in, being physically active, losing weight, strengthening their heart, spending less on health care...You get the picture. It’s the snowball effect but in a good way!
- Many communities are implementing “complete streets” designs to encourage active transportation. Complete streets include sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and share-the-road signs. Complete street designs are great because they make active transportation easier and safer for people riding bikes, using wheelchairs, and walking. I like to imagine that the transportation planner in Stars Hollow was a “complete streets” person and that’s why you see everyone walking and biking through town.
- Safe Routes to School programs aim to make it safer for children to walk and bike to school safely. The great thing about making sure kids have a safe route to walk or ride to school is that the entire community benefits from having safe bike and pedestrian paths. Each year, the National Safe Routes to School hosts the National Walk and Bike to School Day to celebrate the benefits of walking or biking to school. It’s easy to take part in the event and if your school doesn’t participate, it’s easy to help them plan an event! You can find everything you need to know on the Walk & Bike to School Website.
- There’s a lot more to active transportation! There are a few really great organizations and resources if you want to know more.There are some really great organizations doing this work and providing resources if you want to know more. Safe Routes Partnership, the CDC, and the American Heart Association are great starting points. NCAH has resources and an Active Living Work Group that meets monthly. We’d love for you to join the active living discussion!
5 Things You Need to Know About Active Transportation
Position Title: Health Access Manager
Reports To: Executive Director
Status: Full-time, exempt
Location: North Carolina: hybrid/remote with statewide travel
Hiring Salary Range: $62,000–$68,000
Supervisory responsibilities: None currently
About the North Carolina Alliance for Health
The North Carolina Alliance for Health brings together community voices, bipartisan leaders, businesses, and partners across the state to advance practical policy solutions grounded in local experience and designed for statewide impact. Together, we improve health outcomes while reducing long-term healthcare costs, expanding access to care, strengthening the workforce, and helping communities thrive.
About the Role
As federal funding cuts and policy shifts threaten public health and Medicaid coverage, the North Carolina Alliance for Health (NCAH) is committed to fighting for North Carolinians’ continued access to affordable care. In alignment with NCAH’s commitment to public health and ensuring health access for all, the Health Access Manager will lead and coordinate Keeping NC Medicaid Strong – a statewide coalition focused on protecting and advancing Medicaid in North Carolina.
This role requires strong skills in coalition management, stakeholder communications, and policy analysis. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, a skilled communicator, and committed to access to care in North Carolina.
Key Responsibilities
- Coalition Management & Leadership
- Manage NCAH’s health access portfolio, with a primary focus on Medicaid policy and related public health issues.
- Convene and grow a diverse coalition of organizations, advocates, and community partners.
- Facilitate Keeping NC Medicaid Strong coalition meetings by setting agendas, supporting discussions, and ensuring follow-through on action items.
- Work with the Executive Director to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including advocacy groups and community leaders.
- Manage project timelines, budgets, deliverables, and grant requirements; identify risks and recommend adjustments to keep work on track.
- Engage Medicaid beneficiaries, grassroots organizations, and communities most affected by health access barriers in campaign planning, messaging, and advocacy.
- Policy & Legislative Work
- Monitor and analyze federal and state policy developments affecting Medicaid and health access; advise leadership on emerging opportunities and threats.
- Draft policy briefs, talking points, and testimony targeted to a variety of audiences.
- Represent the coalition with media and relevant public forums.
- Work closely with the Executive Director to influence policy outcomes.
- Advocacy & Campaigns
- Implement advocacy campaigns, including grassroots mobilization and digital outreach.
- Prepare coalition members for legislative meetings, press events, and other advocacy opportunities.
- Track campaign progress and report on outcomes to the coalition and funders.
- Communications & External Relations
- Serve as a representative for NCAH’s healthcare access work in meetings with key stakeholders, funders, and the media, providing timely updates, reporting recent developments, and sharing relevant information.
- Translate complex Medicaid and healthcare policy issues into clear, compelling messages for diverse audiences.
- Collaborate with the communications team to draft fact sheets, advocacy toolkits, talking points, and digital content.
- Support coalition members in amplifying unified messaging.
- Organizational Management
- Work with the Executive Director to support Medicaid-related grants, including budget tracking, deliverable management, and funder reporting.
- Ensure projects are executed effectively, on time, and in alignment with NCAH’s strategic goals.
- Contribute to funding proposals, funder cultivation, grant reports, and sustainability planning for NCAH’s health access portfolio.
- Develop annual goals, strategies, work plans, and performance measures for NCAH’s health access portfolio in collaboration with the full team.
- Establish and track campaign goals, performance indicators, partner engagement, policy progress, and outcomes; use findings to improve strategy and support funder reporting.
- Team Participation & Collaboration
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Work closely with NCAH staff, consultants, and coalition partners to align strategies and coordinate communications.
- Uphold NCAH's mission, vision, and values in your daily work.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive team culture that values diverse perspectives and lived experiences.
- Support colleagues across projects by contributing expertise in policy, advocacy, and coalition management.
Qualifications
- Minimum two to four years of health policy advocacy or NC Medicaid program experience.
- Strong project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines, budgets, and deliverables.
- Familiarity with the North Carolina General Assembly, state agencies, and state policymaking processes.
- Demonstrated ability to facilitate diverse groups, navigate differing perspectives, and build consensus.
- Commitment to racial, geographic, disability, and economic equity.
- Ability to work independently and adapt to rapidly changing policy conditions.
- Willingness to travel within North Carolina and occasionally work outside regular business hours.
How to Apply: To apply, send your resume and cover letter to admin@ncallianceforhealth.org by September 4, 2026.