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  2. Our Team
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  2. Our Team

Web Development Team

Web Development Teammaxdev2025-09-17T15:17:27-07:00
  • Ryder Todd Smith
    Ryder Todd Smith
    President
  • Melanie James
    Melanie James
    Director
  • Sara Madsen
    Sara Madsen
    Director
  • Max Weirauch
    Max Weirauch
    Website Developer
  • Nicole Weber
    Nicole Weber
    Junior Business Analyst
  • Kathleen Mercado
    Kathleen Mercado
    Junior Website Developer

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Ryder Todd Smith
President

Ryder has over 25 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 200 public, private and non-profit agencies. Ryder is also the creator of the City Internet Strategies Study, publisher of PublicCEO and 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.

Before Tripepi Smith, Ryder served as a senior vice president of operations and chief information officer for a software-as-a-service startup in the financial services sector. Prior to that, he was the technology manager for a regional staffing firm.

Ryder is a former planning commissioner for the City of Tustin. He resides in Ladera Ranch with his wife, daughter (who is currently away at college) and dog.

Fun fact: Ryder is the son of a commercial fisherman and spent several summers in Alaska working on the boat with his father. Thousands of halibut gave their lives to pay for a collection of Legos, Ryder’s first car and his college education.

Melanie James
Director

Melanie James is a talented professional with a diverse skill set in graphic design, WordPress website design and development and project management. With a keen eye for aesthetics and graphic design, she creates visually captivating designs that capture a client’s vision. Her proficiency in web design, complemented by a deep understanding of HTML, CSS and industry trends, allows her to craft great websites that engage audiences. As a skilled project manager, she ensures seamless execution from start to finish, while her expertise in account management enables her to meet client expectations and build strong partnerships. Her versatile skill set and dedication to client success with efficient project execution provide exceptional results and client satisfaction.

Melanie is a certified Hootsuite Social Marketing Professional and Constant Contact Certified Solutions Provider and has completed the University of Southern California Executive Education Forum for Local Leaders, University of California, Irvine Public Policy Making Academy II and the Coro Southern California Women in Leadership Programs. 

Her clients include the City of Culver City, City of Daly City, City of Palmdale, Santa Clara County Fire Department, CALED, Rowland Water District and Placer Mosquito Vector Control District.

Sara Madsen
Director

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 Director includes providing key account management support and project leadership, while concurrently delivering on a variety of creative projects.

Her clients include the cities of Bellflower, Laguna Beach, Lomita, Paramount and Yorba Linda, as well as the California Choice Energy Authority, Clean Energy Alliance, California Community Choice Association, Lancaster Energy and Pomona Choice Energy.

Sara is certified as a Google Analytics, Constant Contact Certified Solutions Provider and Hootsuite Social Marketing Professional. She has also completed the Public Policy Making Academy II at the University of California, Irvine and the Executive Education Forum for Local Leaders at the University of Southern California.

Max Weirauch
Website Developer

Max Weirauch brings a diverse and dynamic skillset to the Tripepi Smith team, specializing in WordPress website development, data analytics and content management. With a primary focus on frontend design, Max also excels in configuring scalable systems in backend development environments. His websites are meticulously crafted to be responsive, accessible, search engine optimized and easily maintainable.

Leveraging his mastery of data analytics and technical know-how, Max delivers comprehensive web solutions that drive measurable results for clients. Max holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and German studies from Claremont McKenna College. During his studies, he developed a deep understanding of local government marketing trends, particularly within Southern California communities. Max approaches every project with a solution-oriented mindset, leveraging his creative marketing expertise to drive positive impact and achieve client objectives.

His client work includes the City of Malibu, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Palmdale, Town of Yucca Valley, Town of Atherton, JCSD, RWD, IEUA, Renee Public Law Group, Erickson-Hall Construction, the California City Management Foundation and ICA Cities, among others.

Nicole Weber
Junior Business Analyst

Nicole Weber Talent on Tap

Nicole is a problem-solver and creative strategist with a passion for data-driven storytelling. She recently graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, earning a degree in Sociology along with a Graduate Certificate in Business and Entrepreneurship. On campus, Nicole was a writing tutor and a five-year varsity member of the rowing team. At Tripepi Smith, she leverages her collaborative mindset, technological skills and sociological insight to positively impact clients and communities. Her experience with media, website development and analytics, combined with her academic training, allows her to craft accessible and curated content across platforms for clients.

Nicole’s clients include the City of Paramount, City of Ojai, City of Salinas, City of Calabasas, City of Renton and City of Berkeley.

Kathleen Mercado
Junior Website Developer

Kathleen Mercado Talent on Tap

Kathleen Mercado is a web developer specializing in full-stack development, UX design and CMS integration. She earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a B.S. in Rehabilitation Science from Northeastern University and began her career in healthcare as a licensed physical therapist. Her healthcare experience was key to cultivating strong analytical skills, cross-functional collaboration and a strategic focus on user-centric solutions. After completing Per Scholas’ Software Engineering Immersive Program, she transitioned into tech and now leverages her multidisciplinary background to deliver solutions that are intuitive, scalable and purpose-driven.

Her client work includes the cities of Orinda, Palmdale, La Cañada Flintridge, Paramount and Malibu as well as the California City Management Foundation, Renne Public Law Group, Lancaster Police Department and MMASC.

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