Kate Bender
Kate Regnier Bender grew up in the Kansas City, Mo., area. After receiving her B.A. in political science in 2001 from Brown University in Providence, R.I., she moved to Boston and worked for the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Following her desire to work in government, Bender subsequently worked as a legislative aide, press secretary and campaign coordinator for several Massachusetts State Senators.

Upon realizing that her strongest interest was in the field of urban policy, Bender moved to New York City to attend the Urban Planning program at the Wagner School for Public Service at New York University. While at Wagner, Bender served as the vice president for operations for the Urban Planning Student Association and worked as a microeconomics tutor. As an urban planning student, Bender also interned for an urban planning firm, the City of New York and the New York State Comptroller’s Office.

As a Cookingham fellow, Bender is excited to be able to apply and develop her knowledge of public management and policy within her hometown.

Eugene Johnson III
Eugene Johnson III is a native of Gary, Ind., He attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., where he earned a Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership and supervision in May 2002.

After nearly three years working in manufacturing and distribution management, Johnson decided to pursue a growing interest in a career in public service. This interest led him to Bloomington, Ind., where, in May 2007, he received his Master of Public Affairs from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, concentrating in local government management. While at Indiana, Johnson served as a mentor for the Indiana University football team and as a graduate assistant in the university’s Office of Academic Support and Diversity. He gained valuable knowledge during the summer of 2006 as an intern with the Town of Fishers, Ind. In this role, Johnson helped develop the town’s fiscal year 2007 and five-year capital improvement program budgets and wrote policies for the town concerning finance, workplace violence and vehicle use.

Johnson feels the Cookingham fellowship gives him the opportunity to learn from experienced leaders and propel his career.

Robb Kolstad
Originally from Milwaukee, Wis., Robb Kolstad completed his undergraduate studies at Valparaiso University, with degrees in political science and Spanish.  Kolstad earned his graduate degree from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Bloomington. Concentrating in local government management and public financial administration provided a sound foundation for understanding the role of progressive city management. 

While studying at SPEA, Kolstad was selected for a summer fellowship with the City of Cincinnati sponsored by the Seasongood Good Government Foundation. Kolstad worked in the Office of the City Manager and completed projects on succession planning, housing policy and communication strategy. This valuable work experience prepared Kolstad for the challenges presented by the L.P. Cookingham Management Fellowship. As a Cookingham fellow, Kolstad hopes to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the operations related to effectively running a large city.

Ashley Porta
Originally from Munster, Ind., Ashley Porta graduated with her degree in English from Transylvania University in 2005. During college, she was involved with the debate team and school newspaper, serving as editor-in-chief. In order to become better prepared for a career in public service, she attended Indiana University-Bloomington’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, where she received her Masters of Public Affairs in local government management and economic development.

During her tenure at SPEA, Porta’s graduate assistantship placed her in the Planning and Redevelopment Department in Ellettsville, Ind., where she learned about the relationship between grassroots groups and government in trying to revitalize a small town. She also held a summer internship with the town manager in Munster, Ind., and took evening courses to become certified in Green Architecture and Engineering.  As a Cookingham Management fellow, Porta hopes to gain practical experience that will help her better understand the inner-workings of a major city and develop the skills necessary for a career in local government management.