McKenzie Ortiz is a transportation advocate, communications professional, and Planning and Zoning Commissioner based in Columbia, Missouri. As a longtime nondriver due first to socioeconomic status and later to disability, her lived experience navigating Missouri communities without a car informs both her advocacy and public service.
For the past two years, Ortiz has worked as Advocacy Director at Local Motion, a nonprofit organization focused on improving walking, biking, public transit, and accessibility in Columbia, Missouri. In her role, she has led advocacy campaigns, public engagement efforts, and digital communications focused on pedestrian safety, transit access, and equitable infrastructure.
Ortiz is also the founder of Pedestrian Pride, a digital advocacy platform that uses storytelling and social media to highlight the realities of walking, rolling, and using public transit in car-dependent communities. Her work focuses on making transportation policy more accessible and relatable to everyday people, particularly working-class residents, nondrivers, and people with disabilities. Through both her professional and grassroots work, she advocates for communities where people can move safely and independently regardless of income, age, or ability.
