Amy Lattarulo-Conrad Joins Team Tripepi Smith

Posted by Charlie Mounts on February 1, 2023

Amy Conrad Headshot Tripepi Smith welcomed Amy Lattarulo-Conrad to the team as its newest Director on January 16, 2023.

“I am delighted for the opportunity to join the talented and dedicated staff at Tripepi Smith who are committed to working hard for every client,” said Amy. “I look forward to contributing to the team in their efforts to increase engagement, positive change and growth in local communities. Tripepi Smith is a special firm that really cares about each client it serves, and I am proud to be a part of the team.”

Amy holds a degree in Communication and Political Science from San Diego State University and brings 22 years of experience in public relations, public affairs, non-profit communication strategy, trade association management, broadcast, radio and print.

Opening a boutique public relations and marketing firm in 2004, Amy increased her experience and developed rich relationships in San Diego County within the media, local government, education and in the non-profit sector. Amy has worked for two cities in San Diego County as a communications professional, developing valuable knowledge about city operations, event planning and communication strategies inside local government.

After working for the PBS affiliate station in San Diego, a prominent Balboa Park museum and the City of Coronado’s Historical Center as their public relations director, Amy began to grow her boutique public relations and marketing firm to offer trade association management, retaining trade association clients for over 15 years. Amy is pitch perfect when it comes to securing media placement, a creative social media content creator, savvy in crisis communication, communication programming and is dedicated to helping to produce high quality and meaningful work.

“We are excited to add Amy to our team,” said Tripepi Smith CFO Nicole Smith. “Her rich experience and deep skill set are a wonderful addition to the company and will assist TS in providing valuable insights and top-notch results for our clients.”

About Tripepi Smith

Tripepi Smith is a marketing, technology and public affairs firm based in Orange County, CA. Its clients include for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies throughout the state of California. The firm’s unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage for organizations seeking to leverage the Internet to achieve their communication goals. Tripepi Smith provides full content creation services, including: ghostwriting, collateral development, photography, video production, search engine optimization, email marketing, crisis communications, social media management and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith clients include: City of Santa Ana, City of Culver City, City of Rolling Hills Estates, City of Tracy, City of Santa Cruz, City of Snoqualmie, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Paramount, City of Huntington Beach, City of El Cerrito, City of Indian Wells, City of Yuba City, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Industry Business Council, NHA Advisors, CalChoice, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Rowland Water District, California Contract Cities Association, California City Management Foundation, League of California Cities, Institute for Local Government, Renne Public Law Group, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Climatec Energy Services.

Noelle Feaster Joins Team Tripepi Smith

Posted by Charlie Mounts on February 1, 2023

Tripepi Smith welcomed Noelle Feaster to the team as its newest Junior Business Analyst on January 16, 2023.

“I am delighted to further my skills and experience while providing excellent service to Tripepi Smith clients,” Noelle said. “The genuine camaraderie amongst the Tripepi Smith team is evident, and I am eager to work alongside such dynamic and talented individuals.”

While earning her undergraduate degree, Noelle interned for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) where she gained experience designing fact sheets, infographics, and social media posts for upcoming transportation projects. She also worked as an administrative assistant for the Cal Poly Pomona Learning Resource Center where she refined her skills in scheduling and customer service.

Noelle became the City of Yorba Linda’s Public Relations Intern upon completion of her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication-Public Relations from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. In this role, she expanded her professional skills through managing city social media accounts, assisting in the City’s monthly e-newsletter publication process and planning internal events. Noelle’s introduction to local government inspired her to use her education and creativity to positively impact local communities.

“We are fired up to have Noelle join the team,” Tripepi Smith CEO Ryder Todd Smith said. “With her prior experience, she has a solid understanding of city social media and general city communications. We can’t wait to see all the great work she will produce for our clients”

About Tripepi Smith

Sophia Silane Joins Team Tripepi Smith

Posted by Charlie Mounts on January 20, 2023

Tripepi Smith welcomed Sophia Silane to the team as its newest Junior Business Analyst on January 3, 2023.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to join such a driven and diversely talented group of individuals at Tripepi Smith,” said Sophia. “The team’s ability to enact positive change in local communities is truly admirable. I look forward to learning from my colleagues and contributing my skills to the same mission.”

With a Bachelor’s degrees in Studio Art and Art History, Sophia brings a creative perspective to her work. While attending Pitzer College, Sophia grew her professional experience through volunteer work and internships at art-based non-profits where she educated children on art history, contemporary art and museums.

After graduation, Sophia combined her artistic background with digital marketing as she became a full-time social media content creator and ran a profitable international business selling her art. As a creator, she produced multimedia content of her designs, processes, and completed pieces while building a strong understanding of social media management tactics. She then honed her skills further after earning a scholarship to work in Germany for a year. There she became the Social Media Coordinator for an up-and-coming vintage shop, ultimately growing the online presence of a small business and providing tools for continued social media success.

“We are thrilled to have added Sophia to our team,” said Tripepi Smith CFO Nicole Smith. “Her prior work in content creation, social media management and design will make her a strong addition to many of our projects. We look forward to watching her grow and work alongside her peers within the company.”

About Tripepi Smith

Kendall Lowery Joins Team Tripepi Smith

Posted by Charlie Mounts on January 17, 2023

Tripepi Smith welcomed Kendall Lowery to the team as its newest Junior Business Analyst on January 3, 2023.

“I’m honored to be working on such a talented and driven team,” Kendall said. “From my first conversation with the leadership at Tripepi Smith, it was clear that their investment in their employees, and by extension their clients, set them apart. I’ve already hit the ground running, and I’m excited to tackle new challenges at the firm.”

While earning her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Writing & Rhetoric at Scripps College, Kendall worked as the marketing intern at the College’s career planning and resources center, as the editor-in-chief at The Scripps Voice, and as a financial analyst for the Scripps Student Investment Fund. Whether she was writing the career center’s weekly newsletter, assembling the college newspaper, or pitching a new stock, all of her roles built upon her skills as a concise and informative communicator.

Kendall’s additional work experiences include an editorial internship at nonprofit organization Green America, a role as a content contributor at grocery e-tailer Thrive Market, and an internship on the arts & culture team at the Long Beach Post. At these various organizations, she became a thorough researcher, a keen editor, and an adept writer and content strategist. Additionally, she picked up SEO and website management skills that she has leveraged as a freelance writer.

“Kendall’s background in communication and quantitative analysis makes her an excellent fit for Tripepi Smith,” said Chief Financial Officer Nicole Smith. “We’re excited to see how she puts these skills to use in her work for our clients and to foster her growth as a member of the team.”

About Tripepi Smith

Former City Attorney Jannie Quinn Joins Renne Public Law Group and Renne Public Management Group

Posted by Charlie Mounts on January 12, 2023

Renne Public Law Group (RPLG) welcomes former city attorney Jannie Quinn, who joins the firm as of counsel after more than 20 years of service in the City of Mountain View. Jannie also will support public agency clients as a consultant with Renne Public Management Group (RPMG), a division of RPLG.

“After working for 30 years in the public sector, Jannie has developed a deep understanding of how cities work,” said Nelson Fialho, executive director of RPMG. “She has an intuitive sense of the needs, goals and motivations of public agencies.”

As city attorney for the City of Mountain View, Jannie not only provided legal advice, services and support, but also managed and trained teams, developed and presented local and interagency projects and performed negotiations. She joined Mountain View from San Jose, where she served as deputy city attorney. Prior to entering public service, Jannie was a litigation associate at Robinson & Wood, Inc. in San Jose.

“Being a city attorney is an incredibly wonderful—and challenging—job,” said Jannie. “I look forward to leveraging my problem-solving skills to help both city attorneys and other public agency clients work through issues and develop good solutions.”

While Jannie has a longstanding familiarity with RPLG’s partners, who provided supplementary legal services to the City of Mountain View during her tenure as city attorney, it was her professional relationship with RPMG Consultant Dan Rich that enticed her to join the team.

“Dan and I enjoyed working together as city manager and city attorney for a number of years,” said Jannie. “Mountain View is a unique city that is always at the forefront of doing creative things.”

While in Mountain View, Jannie oversaw the implementation of the city’s Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act (CSFRA), a voter-initiated charter amendment that aims to increase neighborhood and community stability, healthy housing and affordability for renters in Mountain View by controlling rent increases and evictions, while also ensuring landlords a fair and reasonable return on their investment and guaranteeing fair protections for renters, homeowners and businesses.

“The CSFRA is a really good example of not only the complex issues facing public entities but also how I applied my skills and experience as a city attorney to implement the charter provisions,” she said.

Jannie also was instrumental in partnering with regional public agencies to formulate and implement various interagency initiatives and programs, including Silicon Valley Clean Energy, a community choice aggregation agency, and the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority, which synchronizes radio and public safety communications systems.

“Jannie’s style is very collaborative,” said RPLG Partner Jenica Maldonado. “While she is a seasoned litigator, she also is a local government leader who is skilled at analyzing situations and bringing people together to solve problems.”

Jannie’s extensive experience is augmented by an authentic passion for public law in the public interest.

“Municipal law is fascinating,” said Jannie, who holds a B.A. and J.D. from the University of San Diego. “What happens at the local level is impactful. Every day, you have the opportunity to do something important. It’s really gratifying.”

RPLG practices throughout California, advising and advocating for public agencies, nonprofit entities, individuals and private entities in need of effective, responsive and creative legal solutions. RPMG complements RPLG’s work by providing practical and effective solutions for local government.

Civiltec Welcomes Alec Escamilla

Posted by Saara Lampwalla on August 17, 2020

Staff Engineer – Monrovia

Where did you attend college, and what did you study?

I went to school in Utah at Brigham Young University where I did my undergraduate work in Civil Engineering with a minor in Business Management.

What drew you to working for Civiltec?

There were three main draws to Civiltec for me. First, I had friends at school who had interned here and raved about their experience. Second, I was interested in the variety of work at Civiltec, especially with water and wastewater treatment and construction management. Third, I wanted to work somewhere that I could come in on day one and start making an impact and continue learning.

What are some projects you hope to work on?

Beyond water and wastewater treatment and construction management projects, I hope to be involved in a lot of different projects. I would love to get a breadth of experience on client projects and to support business development and strategy within Civiltec.

How do you spend your free time? Is there a particular hobby, interest or skill you have that other employees might not know about?

A lot of my time is spent chasing a rambunctious one-and-a-half-year-old son. I also enjoy going hiking, playing sports, and reading. My wife and I enjoy watching international films, and I am currently learning to speak Finnish.

Civiltec Engineering Welcomes Timothy Kwan

Posted by Saara Lampwalla on June 9, 2020

Staff Engineer – Monrovia

Where did you attend college, and what did you study?

I attended Pasadena City College right after high school, where I did my general education and support courses. After two years, I transferred out and was accepted into Cal Poly Pomona! There, I did my undergraduate studies in Civil Engineering. I recently received my official graduation notice and my Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering!

What drew you to work for Civiltec? What do you like best about working at Civiltec thus far?

What drew me to Civiltec was the location and environment. I live relatively close to Monrovia. The office environment is where I can always learn and better myself. The best part about working at Civiltec is the friends that I’ve made working with one another. Everybody has always been super friendly to me, making me feel like a part of the team.

What are some of your favorite types of projects to work on? What are you most excited to tackle?

Some of the projects that I enjoyed working on involved ArcGIS and InfoWater. Over the past year, I’ve been learning how to use ArcGIS, and it always amazes me how much you can do with this program. Whether I’m doing water modeling or even running a test, it’s always fun!

When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?

If I’m not spending time with my girlfriend or watching a show, I’m exercising or playing tennis. I’ve recently started running to keep myself healthy.

What is a hobby, interest or skill you have that other employees might not know about?

I have a big interest in foreign media. I am really into watching Korean and Japanese Dramas, variety shows, and listening to their music.

Civiltec Welcomes Steven M. Walker

Posted by Melanie James on June 4, 2020

Senior Project Engineer – Monrovia

Where did you attend college, and what did you study?

I attended University of Florida and studied Environmental Engineering.

What is some of your past experience in the engineering field?

I have 20 years of experience in the design of municipal water and wastewater treatment and conveyance systems and pumping and storage systems. I hold Professional Engineer registrations in both Florida and California. My project experience includes all aspects of design from early conceptual stages to the creation of design documents (drawings and specifications) through final construction oversight. My planning experience includes computerized hydraulic modeling and construction cost estimates of present and future system needs.

What drew you to work for Civiltec? What do you like best about working at Civiltec (so far)?

In considering to join Civiltec, I was most impressed with the resumes of the leadership in the company. In reviewing backgrounds of the key staff I noted the heavy emphasis on municipal water and wastewater systems design that correlated well to my own background and professional interests. From day one at Civiltec I have been challenged to work on a wide variety of water and wastewater projects and not a day has gone by that did not fill my interests.

What are some of your favorite types of projects to work on? What are you most excited to tackle?

I enjoy projects where I act in a role as a technical design leader of a group of younger engineers and designers who are eager to learn. My interests focus on a hands-on design approach as opposed to pure project management. It is in this type of role where I shine the best and it allows me to have the ability to act as a mentor to the design team working on the project.

When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?

I have a strong interest in nature. When I’m not working I often hike trails in the local area for exercise and to soak in the natural beauty. On longer breaks from working I enjoying camping and often choose off-the-beaten path areas such as national forest lands as opposed to developed camping sites in state or national parks. During a recent trip to the Six Rivers National Forest in Northern California, I placed my camp site on an isolated ridge surrounded on 3 sides by near vertical drops of over 1,000 feet and a breath-taking view (see photo below).

Silver & Wright Welcomes Attorney Sam Siavoshi

Posted by Melanie James on December 3, 2019

Attorney Samuel (Sam) Siavoshi brings diverse and wide-ranging legal skills to Silver & Wright. His unique real-world experiences include serving as an attorney in the United States Air Force, as well as working, living and studying abroad in multiple countries.

Mr. Siavoshi received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine, and later his law degree from the University of San Diego, School of Law. While attending law school, he interned with the California Attorney General’s Office gaining invaluable appellate advocacy experience.

After graduating and being admitted to the California Bar, Mr. Siavoshi became a Judge Advocate General (JAG) for the United States Air Force. During his time with the Air Force, he represented the government in a broad range of aviation, medical, criminal and civil legal issues. He was the Junior Attorney of the Year for two consecutive years at the Space and Missiles Center in Los Angeles. His efforts supported a multi-billion-dollar contract portfolio that included the development and sustainment of the Global Positioning System satellite.

“Serving my country instilled leadership and other valuable interpersonal skills,” said Mr. Siavoshi. “You have to be able to shift gears on a dime. I can think of no better preparation for the work we’re doing at Silver & Wright on behalf of our local government clients.”

Service and sacrifice run strong in the Siavoshi family. Mr. Siavoshi says his brother Ali received a purple heart from the Army after tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

After his time with the Air Force, Mr. Siavoshi went on to work at a reputable law firm in Irvine, California where he practiced almost exclusively in the area of complex business litigation. While there, Mr. Siavoshi brought his background of excellence to the practice and worked on matters involving shareholder disputes, contract disputes, partnership disputes, fraud actions and other related business disputes.

Mr. Siavoshi’s practice areas at Silver & Wright include business law and litigation, administrative law, constitutional law, tort defense, real property law, code enforcement, receiverships, land use, zoning and municipal law.

“Given his incredible background and skill mix, we’re extremely honored that Sam chose to join our firm,” said Founding Partner Matt Silver. “His energy, integrity and work ethic will help the communities we represent be better places to live, work and play.”

In his spare time, Mr. Siavoshi enjoys spending time with his nieces and nephews, joining friends in volunteering with foster youth, and providing pro bono legal assistance to veterans and others in need.

Silver & Wright LLP specializes in providing effective, efficient, and responsive legal services to public agencies through receiverships, nuisance abatement, code enforcement, police services and general public agency litigation.

Sara Madsen Joins Team Tripepi Smith

Posted by Melanie James on June 14, 2019

Tripepi Smith has gained a new full-time junior business analyst and graphic designer in Sara Madsen, effective June 14, 2019. Her work with the marketing-technology-public affairs firm was initially focused on market intelligence and graphic design projects. Sara’s experience in graphic design, visual messaging, photography and copywriting make her a great match for the increasing demands of Tripepi Smith clients. While the role is new, Sara is familiar to Tripepi Smith clients. For the last year, Sara has been working on a part-time basis with the firm while she completed her academic career.

“My work with Tripepi Smith has been exciting and is exactly the kind of work I hoped to be doing when I graduated from college. Joining Tripepi Smith now as full-time associate enables me to give my full attention to growing my hands-on skills and dive deeper into local government,” noted Sara. “Tripepi Smith has a fast-paced environment that keeps me on my toes–I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Sara graduated from San Diego State University in May of 2019, earning a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with an emphasis in Integrated Marketing Communications and a minor in Sustainability. She previously received her Associate of Arts in Visual Communications from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

“Sara Madsen brings passion and talent to her new role with our firm as a full-time associate. Our clients have already benefited from Sara’s work product while she wrapped up her academic work. Now, as a full-time associate, we will harness the totality of her skills and time to deliver across our projects,” said Ryder Todd Smith, president of Tripepi Smith. ”Her talent, work ethic and affinity for learning and growing align with the culture we have built at Tripepi Smith.”

About Tripepi Smith

Tripepi Smith is a marketing, technology and public affairs firm located in Orange County, CA. Its clients include for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies throughout the state of California. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provide a competitive advantage for organizations seeking to leverage the Internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm also provides full content creation services, including: ghostwriting, collateral development, photography, video production, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns, and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith clients include: City of Culver City, City of Rolling Hills Estates, City of Tracy, City of Cupertino, City of Duarte, City of Daly City, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Santa Ana, City of Paramount, City of El Cerrito, City of Indian Wells, City of Yuba City, NHA Advisors, Cal Choice, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Rowland Water District, Valley Water Company, California Contract Cities Association, California City Management Foundation, League of California Cities, Institute for Local Government, Renne Public Law Group, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Climatec Energy Services.