Meet David Calderetti, Project Manager NJPHK-Vineland

July 9, 2015 | Community News, Community News and Media, Vineland

Bicycling is a big part of David Calderetti’s life and he hopes to make Vineland a more bicycle-friendly environment as part of his work as project manager of New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Vineland (NJPHK-V) and director of Live Healthy Vineland.

Calderetti joined Live Healthy Vineland and NJPHK-V in January 2015. He came to the Partnership with a firm appreciation for the healthy living transition taking place in Vineland.

As a Safe Routes to School coordinator for Cross County Connection, he assisted Lisa Scheetz and the Partnership in the acquisition of the $270,000 Safe Routes to School Infrastructure grant that will improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities near Sabater Elementary school in Vineland. That experience introduced him to NJPHK and when the project manager position opened up, it provided a perfect opportunity.

Looking ahead, Calderetti envisions introducing multi-model transportation in Vineland by educating and encouraging residents on how to incorporate active living into their everyday lives. “Many people do not see bicycling as a viable option,” he says. “Bicycling allows a person to travel longer distances in less time. Many individuals may not utilize public transit because of the distance of bus stops to their home. The hope is that by educating residents about utilizing available bicycle facilities, it will increase the likelihood of traveling to bus stops to get to jobs, doctors’ visits, etc.”

But for the present, Calderetti’s plate is currently full with many Live Healthy Vineland and NJPHK-V initiatives from the summer Park Hop Series and Healthy Worksites to building a healthy food network with corner stores, food pantries and restaurants. He’ll also be partnering with the City of Vineland engineers to create travel plans for each school. The plans will identify challenges in the built environment that inhibit safe travel. Then he will work with the Partnership to find funding to implement solutions.

Calderetti grew up in South Philadelphia and later moved to New Jersey. He was an avid skateboarder who discovered the pleasures of bicycling when he commuted by bike to Stockton University. Upon graduation from Stockton, this Communications major took charge of a seven-county territory at Cross Country Connection. He helped municipalities obtain infrastructure grants to build bike and pedestrian facilities around elementary and middle schools.

Through his work, he developed the philosophy that for every obstacle, there’s a remedy. Now he will be applying that belief on a larger scale as he helps to remove the barriers to wellness and active living in Vineland.

SHARE: Return To Previous Page