Sisters resident takes Redmond development role

A Sisters Country woman will help guide the economic fortunes for the City of Redmond after being named the town's community development department director.

Kate Porsche was chosen over more than 30 other applicants from nearly a half-dozen states, said Redmond City Manager Keith Witcosky.

"We were all drawn to her energy, her optimistic outlook, and intellectual curiosity," said Witcosky, who offered the job that Porsche began on October 6.

Redmond's newest administrator lives six miles east of Sisters with her husband, Rod, and their daughters Maddie-Jo, 11, and Savannah, 13. Rod is executive director of the Downtown Bend Business Association.

Both Porsches are native Oregonians, and Kate has shown an eagerness to excel throughout her life. Born in Eugene, her family moved to Portland where she attended Wilson High School, earning a GED at age 16 so she could enter Oregon State University earlier than her classmates.

At OSU, Porsche received a bachelor's degree in liberal studies in 2008 and a master's degree in public policy in 2012. At the same time, she was working for the City of Albany, where she rose to the position of Urban Renewal and Economic Development director.

Her experience also includes stints in corporate communications, database designing, and mortgage lending for Bank of America.

"That combination helps," Porsche said during an interview.

Why relocate to Sisters after a 10-year career in Albany government? Porsche, 44, said they were drawn by the lifestyle and Sisters as a good place for their girls to continue growing up.

She continued working in Albany for a year after the couple purchased a house here. Porsche would spend Monday through Thursday in Albany before heading home, always confident that a new opportunity would open up nearby.

"We have similar risk tolerances," she said of Rod and herself.

The family is a good fit for Central Oregon, enjoying hiking and skiing. Porsche and her husband also like competing with friends in NFL fantasy football play-and each have etched their names onto the winner's trophy more than once.

In her new job, Porsche will wrestle with a problem familiar to Sisters residents: lack of affordable housing. But she likes the feeling of the city, especially the pedestrian-friendly downtown area with its trees.

"Redmond is business-friendly and family-friendly," Porsche said. "Redmond is authentic. It's not a little Bend."

Redmond's civic leaders are enthusiastic about the skills and experience Porsche brings to the job. Jon Stark, senior manager for Redmond Economic Development Inc., knows her abilities well.

"I've had the privilege of serving with Kate on the Oregon Economic Development Association Board of Directors for the past couple of years," Stark said. "I'm excited of her new role as community development director. She's very well organized, she is an exceptional communicator, and her ability to problem-solve will serve her well in this new position."

Witcosky, the Redmond city manger, said Porsche's "skill-set and personality matches our organizational culture and embraces the innovative values of Redmond. Her background in economic development and using urban renewal resources to spur public and private development partnerships is exactly what Redmond needs."

Typical of her thoroughness, Porsche arranged 14 separate, informal meetings with Redmond civic leaders, city staff members and town citizens before interviewing for the job.

"I wanted to understand what the community is like," Porsche said. "Is it functioning well?"

She liked the answers to her questions, and now anticipates a challenging but rewarding role in the city's government. She will oversee Redmond's planning, building, housing, code compliance, economic development and urban-renewal issues.