Our Team

Ryder has over 20 years of experience in government relations, technology and marketing. As president, he leads Tripepi Smith and is the ultimate project owner of its clients, which span over 90 public, private and non-profit agencies. Ryder is also the creator of the City Internet Strategies Study, publisher of the Civic Business Journal and a frequent speaker on the local government circuit. Additionally, his insights have been published by industry-leading publications, such as Western City Magazine and Public Management Magazine, and local government professional organizations, such as the CCMF and MMANC have recognized and awarded his support as a longtime partner.

Christine brings over 20 years of public sector experience in the providing exceptional service to local government. Prior to joining Tripepi Smith, Christine was the Assistant City Manager at the City of Livermore. She worked for Livermore for 21 years, serving in the City Manager’s Office for seven years and as a planner in the Community Development Department for 14 years. Christine is a courageous, solutions-oriented servant leader. She has strong political acumen and a positive, can-do work ethic. In her role as Assistant City Manager, she established and oversaw the city’s communications and emergency management programs, created and implemented the city’s first-ever five-year strategic plan and served as liaison on council subcommittees, including a complex, controversial equity and inclusion subcommittee with elected officials and community members.

Mike is an accomplished local government executive with nearly 30 years of experience capped with 20 years of City Manager responsibilities in the cities of Bellflower and Norwalk. During his tenure as City Manager, he was active in regional governance and local government-affiliated groups. He is a Past President of the Gateway City Manager’s Group and former Chairman of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments City Manager’s Committee. He also served 18 years on the California Contract Cities Association’s Liability Trust Fund Oversight Committee and Claims Boards. Mike is passionate about local government and effective, ethical leadership.

Kylie Sun is a Senior Business Analyst with Tripepi Smith. Kylie brings a diverse skillset to the team from her experience in several industries, such as litigation services, academic administration and music marketing. She graduated from Biola University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Management. She has a strong background in social media strategy, website development, writing and scheduling and high-volume operations due to her experiences as Administrative Assistant at Biola University, Marketing Intern at Transparent Productions, Social Media Marketing Manager at TSE Worldwide Press and Operations Associate at TSG Reporting.

As a strong communicator with a passion for both writing and public speaking, Sydney Fitch understands the role language plays in successful communication. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Communication and minors in Spanish and Digital and Social media studies from San Diego State University. During college, Sydney developed her interests in social media management, public relations, and intercultural communication. She grew her leadership skills throughout numerous executive board positions in college, and prides herself on being adaptive and able to work with all types of people. While holding her leadership positions, Sydney gained experience with event planning, correspondence and networking.

As a result-driven professional, Julia Gale is dedicated to driving efficiency and success through her experiences in communications and marketing. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a minor in Digital Arts from the State University of New York at Oneonta. Julia further developed her skills in email marketing campaigns, detail-oriented writing and event planning while working for a commercial real estate firm in New York. She built a strong foundation in social media management and general communications through internships with The Metropolitan Golf Association and Fashion in Action.

Sofia Gonzalez is an energetic team player with experience in advertising sales, marketing strategy, social media management and marketing communications. She graduated cum laude from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. While in college, she worked in the advertising department for the university newspaper, The Daily Aztec and developed her sales and customer relationship skills immensely. Sofia gained valuable marketing skills during two internships with Axos Bank, where she became skilled in brand image, content writing and consumer engagement.