{"id":182929,"date":"2023-09-05T14:38:40","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T00:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=182929"},"modified":"2023-09-05T14:38:40","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T00:38:40","slug":"turning-passion-into-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/05\/turning-passion-into-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Turning passion into purpose: Shidler alum pedals way to success"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"person<\/p>\n

Travis Counsell lives his passion for bicycles every day as the executive director of the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Bicycling League (HBL<\/abbr>), a local nonprofit that represents all people who bike for recreation, health or transportation.<\/p>\n

In this role, the 2019 graduate of the Executive MBA<\/abbr> program<\/a> in the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s Shidler College of Business<\/a> leads the organization to enable more people to ride bicycles. HBL<\/abbr> advocates for legislative changes and infrastructure improvements, supports educational programs and oversees large events. He helps to secure grants and funding sources and is working on the strategic planning for the upcoming 50th anniversary in 2025. HBL<\/abbr> is also preparing for the 40th anniversary of its Honolulu Century Ride in late September 2023. For Counsell, one of the most rewarding aspects of his job is that it brings people happiness.<\/p>\n

“Whether that\u2019s a fourth grader who just learned how to bike, or a family biking to the beach, bikes are part of the solution to so many complex issues, such as climate change, cost of living, transportation equality and more,” he said. “Being a part of coalitions that seek to better our future in various ways is very rewarding.”<\/p>\n

Before taking the helm at HBL<\/abbr>, Counsell served as its membership coordinator and then events director. He rode his bike to school as a child and later worked in bike shops. When he was in college, he biked across the country. After enrolling in Shidler College\u2019s Executive MBA<\/abbr> program, he craved a leadership role within HBL<\/abbr>, which he successfully landed.<\/p>\n

One of Counsell\u2019s biggest challenges is that change is slow, especially when it comes to infrastructure.<\/p>\n

“But by being persistent, we can keep progress on track and it\u2019s very rewarding once accomplished,” Counsell said.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, he feels fortunate he\u2019s able to turn his passion into a career to help others.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this, see the spring\/summer 2023 edition of Shidler Business<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Travis Counsell is the executive director of the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Bicycling League.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[90,679,498,93,197,1466,1314,146,73,9],"class_list":["post-182929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-alumni","tag-alumni-recognition","tag-business","tag-climate-change","tag-economics","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-manoa-sustainability","tag-shidler-college-of-business","tag-sustainability","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t