IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 28, 2012 – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation congratulates Dr. Sherry Williams, the MSF's director of quality assurance and research, on her appointment to chair the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Motorcycles and Mopeds Committee.

According to the TRB, its mission is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research, and to this end, it incorporates more than 200 committees composed of individuals who share an interest and expertise in transportation. The Motorcycles and Mopeds Committee is concerned with all aspects of motorcycles and mopeds, including the operator, the vehicle and the transportation environment.

"Each TRB standing committee brings together experts in a specific field from academic, practitioner, user and industry sectors, and from all levels of government," said TRB Transportation Safety Coordinator and Senior Program Officer Richard Pain. "The Chair provides leadership in carrying out the scope of the committee, developing research needs statements in its field, developing and carrying out a committee strategic plan and more. Dr. Williams brings many years of diverse and directly relevant experience to the committee and has been an active member since 2005.  With her enthusiasm, leadership and management skills, and research expertise, we look forward to an exciting three years for this committee."

In her three-year role as committee chair, Dr. Williams will lead the committee in developing a Triennial Strategic Plan and identifying research needs specific to motorcycles and mopeds, as well as issuing Research Needs Statements. These statements will be used to stimulate research that addresses issues relating to motorcycle safety and motorcycles as a transportation mode for use by practitioners, researchers and others.

"Being appointed Chair of the TRB Motorcycles and Mopeds Committee is a tremendous honor for me," said Dr. Williams. "This new responsibility is an excellent opportunity for the MSF to serve millions of riders by championing representation from a broad cross-section of voices, and bringing them together and amplifying their voices in order to accomplish progress in motorcyclists' safety and inclusion through actionable transportation research. I've been a member of this committee for seven years now, and I'm very excited about the prospect of continuing my association with them in a leadership role."

Dr. Williams currently serves as the director of quality assurance and research for the MSF, and has since 2003, where she directed the MSF-NHTSA-sponsored Discovery Project. She also serves as co-principle investigator for the MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study. Dr. Williams has been attending the TRB's Motorcycle and Moped Committee meetings since 2004 and has been a member since 2005. She earned her PhD in Organizational and Interpersonal Communication with an additional emphasis in Statistics and Research Methods from the University of Kansas, and she has an M.A. in Communications with an emphasis on Training and Organizational Development from the University of Northern Iowa. Additionally, Dr. Williams has been recognized as a Certified Quality Auditor through the American Society of Quality.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation® promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests and public information programs. The MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by the MSF® have been recognized worldwide since 1973.

The MSF is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by BMW, BRP, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory and Yamaha. For safety information or to enroll in the RiderCourseSM nearest you, visit www.msf-usa.org or call (800) 446-9227.

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