Over the last two years, we’ve quickly grown our presence in North America. We now have a team of 8 dedicated participation experts based across Canada and the United States to support growth and client success in community engagement. Get to know our team a little better – we’d love to work with you!
Let’s introduce the team:
Ben Gordon
Country Manager
The original member of Team USA, Ben is based in Brooklyn, NY and has been our fearless leader as CitizenLab launched in the United States. He previously worked in the public sector as a business developer for consulting firms and has a strong educational background in public policy, so Ben is always up to date on the latest GovTech news and trends.
“We’ve got a great team in place. Everyone is focused on building the business, but that’s not all – it’s great because we care about participatory governance and better functioning governments. I enjoy being able to work on such interesting and important challenges and feel we’re on the cutting edge of a fast-growing and fast-evolving space, particularly in the US.”
Ben has always had a passion for global ventures – in fact, he lived around the world and went to middle school in New Delhi! He is getting married next year, loves running and reading in his spare time, and – fun fact – he can’t stand the smell/taste of peanut butter.
Amanda Rotella
Government Success Manager
Based in Santa Cruz, CA, Amanda has extensive experience in local government. She was a Principal Management Analyst at the City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Office, Assistant City Manager of the City of Seaside, Monterey and most recently also at the County of Santa Cruz. With all of her city management exposure, Amanda is now an incredibly valuable partner for our US clients.Â
“Coming from the public sector, I know how important and challenging effective community engagement can be. CitizenLab’s platform provides an innovative one-stop-shop for connecting with the community in inclusive, transparent, and meaningful ways. I’m excited to be on this team and working together to grow our mission and CitizenLab in the US!”
Amanda is a big fan of reading, karaoke, and taking her dog to the beach. And oh yes, Amanda does triathlons!
Billy Trakas
Account Executive
Based in Denver, Colorado, Billy’s background is in sales management and marketing, the last 4 years of which were specifically in the community engagement industry. He has been a huge asset to our US growth with his experience in sales and his understanding of the local public sector.
“I decided to join CitizenLab because I believe that cities work better for everyone when they are created by everyone. I’m excited to introduce CitizenLab’s innovative solution and expertise to help government organizations improve their decision-making process.”
Outside of work, Billy loves to hit the slopes on his snowboard and is also a former cook, so he knows how to whip up some good food!
Natalie Ricklefs
Digital Marketing Manager
Joining the team from Seattle, WA, Natalie comes from the marketing agency world. She spent the last 3.5 years working as a project and account manager for a diverse range of Fortune 500 clients. With her experience, global perspective, and passion for community engagement, she is helping build our brand as we expand in the United States.
“I joined CitizenLab because I see community engagement as a pillar of a successful and inclusive government. I am thrilled to be part of an organization that works every day to shape the future of local government, and CitizenLab’s innovative product has the potential to change the way governments communicate with their citizens in the United States. I love working with such a dedicated and purpose-driven team!”
When she’s not in the office, Natalie is injuring herself on the ski slopes, acting as paparazzi for her dog, or sitting around the fire with a nice puzzle to tackle.
Frankie Mercedes
Business Development Representative
Now residing in Florida, Frankie was District Director of the 38th District at the New York City Council, a Program Coordinator at Participatory Budgeting Project, and later Director of Constituent Services for the New York State Senate. Clearly, Frankie brings lots of experience in inclusive community engagement to CitizenLab.
“I’m glad to build on my SaaS sales experience and also return to a well-tenured career in community engagement and government relations at CitizenLab.”
She rocks those outbound emails and after hours, you can find her singing karaoke, swimming, or taking a road trip around the country!
Dan Keane
Senior Account Executive
Coming from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dan has an extensive sales background with almost 10 years of experience in companies such as Bang the Table and IntegrateIT. After some time away from the industry, he ran straight back to GovTech and we are lucky to have him on the CitizenLab team.
“I decided to join CitizenLab because of my passion for meaningful community engagement. CitizenLab’s mission, solution, and expertise is directly in line with where I see the future of community engagement. The positive social impact this team has made across 18 countries makes it exciting for me to help expand their mission across North America.”
When he’s not connecting with cities, Dan can be found playing and coaching lacrosse or walking his two big dogs. He is also a new dad and a self-proclaimed family man!
Andrea Conway
Business Development Representative
Also based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With an educational background in political science and a strong professional background in sales & marketing, Andrea is incredibly passionate about our community engagement cause. She’ll be working with Emile, Frankie, and the US sales team to further expand CitizenLab’s presence in North America.
“I’m excited to work in such a fast-paced and innovative industry like Gov-Tech with CitizenLab! Seeing how well this company has grown and how it advocates for a more inclusive and transparent government, I am passionate about helping grow e-democracy in the US market with such a goal-driven team.”
As the newest member of the USA squad, Andrea is ready to take on sales in the US. Outside of work, Andrea is an avid yogi, golfer, and equestrian lover!
Vanja Pantic
Senior Content Strategist
Managing content in multiple markets and languages is no small feat, but Vanja handles it masterfully all from Atlanta, Georgia. She hails from the global non-profit space and is incredibly dedicated to our mission, constantly providing strategic ideas to make CitizenLab a true thought leader and lifting up good practice from our client base of 300+ local governments.
“I love working at CitizenLab because we have a global, mission-driven team committed to helping governments run more equitable and impactful community engagement projects.”
When she’s not heads down creating content or planning strategy on large whiteboards, she is stopping to pet all the animals, including her very own cloud-dog, or jetting off for another trip to explore and learn from new places.
We’d love to work with you!
Connect with us to see how CitizenLab could be a good fit for your community.
