Bike Educator Tom Polk is a life-long cyclist and enjoys road cycling and commuting as well as mountain biking. He has been teaching safe biking skills at the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County since 2010. Tom initiated the Y’s “Bike It!” program for youth aged 10-14, and also leads summer bike camps, after school programs, bike rodeos and other educational programs. He also created the Y’s annual Bike Fest in May and the ongoing bike donation and reuse program known as “Lend-A-Wheel.” He partners with many organizations to provide bike safety education in the community,
including the Kingston School District, the Ulster County Sheriffs Office, the Mid-Hudson Traffic Safety Institute, the Kingston Department of Parks and Recreation and the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County.

Tom is a certified Ride Leader through the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) and is also a League Certified Instructor (LCI) with the League of American Bicyclists. Other cycling activities include chairing the Tour De Kingston Organizing Committee for the past three years and active membership in the advocacy group Bike Friendly Kingston. Tom is chair of the Kingston Complete Streets Advisory Council and participates on many transportation related committees.

He is married with two children, both active bikers. Tom resides in Kingston with his wife, Betsy, two dogs and more bikes than he will admit to.