Ryder Todd Smith
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 California City Management Foundation and Municipal Management Association of Northern California have recognized and awarded his support as a longtime partner.
Bob Hall
Bob Hall brings over 30 years of experience in municipal government and leadership. Most recently, Hall has served as Interim City Manager for Laguna Niguel and Stanton. During these assignments, he ran the recruiting search for the City Manager position in both cities. Prior to the interim positions, Bob Hall was the City Manager for the City of Fountain Valley where he managed the $80 million budget, 225 employees, and led their Fiscal Sustainability Plan which will provide the necessary funds to cover their long-term financial needs. He also served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Huntington Beach where he oversaw the day to day operations of the departments of Human Resources, Finance, IT, Community Services, Community Development and Public Works. Before assuming a leadership role, he worked in many departments, including General Services Director and Interim Human Resources Director for the City of Riverside.
Cathy Thompson
Cathy is a Human Resources Executive with over 26 years of experience in the public sector. She has served as Director of Human Resources and Risk Manager for the City of Norwalk, Interim Director of Human Resources/Risk Management for the City of Westminster and Interim Human Resources Consultant with the City of Pinole. While working in local government, Cathy has worked on challenging staffing issues including recruitments, labor negotiations and employee relations. She has been responsible for risk management, training and benefits administration and has served on City Budget Teams involved in the difficult task of right-sizing staff and balancing budgets. She has also directed multiple class and compensation studies during her tenure.
Sara Madsen
Sara Madsen has a skill set that is simultaneously wide and deep, ranging from graphic design to website development to project management; she is one of Tripepi Smith’s most trusted ‘Swiss Army knives.’ With a formal education in marketing and environmental sustainability from San Diego State University, Sara brings technical prowess and creative savvy to the clients she serves. Her work as a Business Analyst includes providing key account management support and project leadership, while simultaneously delivering on a variety of creative projects.
Kylie Benzing
Kylie Benzing is a Junior 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.