Red Bank Mayor Stefanie Dalton
City of Red Bank Mayor Stefanie Dalton was recently accepted into the America Walks 2025 National Walking College fellowship class. In its tenth year, the National Walking College is a competitive, six-month remote-learning fellowship that has to-date graduated more than 220 fellows from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The Walking College is an online educational program geared toward early-to-middle-stage community champions eager to work toward expanding access to walkable, vibrant, safe and accessible places.
The National Walking College is funded by the Centers for Disease Control through the Active People, Healthy Nation initiative, which has a goal of helping 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.
Officials said, "As a participant in the program, Mayor Dalton will focus on a specific problem in the community that she aims to address. She will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to bring about positive change. With feedback from mentors and peers, she will create a plan to implement her initiatives. Through this process, Mayor Dalton will become one of America Walks' most valuable grassroots partners."
“I am so thankful for this unique opportunity to participate in this America Walks program,” said Mayor Dalton. “I'm already learning so much from the Walking College curriculum, my mentor and other fellows from across the country about the history of car-centered city planning and its ongoing impact on local policies and community progress.
“Because of our historical underinvestment in diverse modes of transportation, many communities, including Red Bank, have been forced into car-dependency. Using a vehicle to travel when needed is not in and of itself a bad thing, but when we make things inaccessible to those who can't drive or who don't own a personal vehicle, we're supporting inequity in our communities. And that is why I am so excited to be part of the Walking College, as it is equipping me with the knowledge and tools we need to make Red Bank safely walkable, rollable, and moveable for all."
Mayor Dalton is a graduate of East Tennessee State University and holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She was elected to the Red Bank City Commission in 2020, serving as vice-mayor until her re-election in November 2024, where she now serves as the Mayor of Red Bank.