Kate Bender (GMLC Class of 2020) has been promoted to Chief Analytics Officer at City of Kansas City, Missouri.

Kate was previously the Deputy Performance Officer with DataKC, a division of the City Manager’s Office in Kansas City, Missouri. She began her career with the city as a Cookingham Fellow, one of the oldest management fellowship programs in the country. In 2009, she helped form DataKC, which focuses on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of city services through data-driven decision-making. Since then, Kate has developed a citywide public reporting system, supported the development of a citywide strategic plan, managed the city’s resident survey, and helped to launch a business survey and employee survey to further enhance the city’s feedback data.

Kate earned a BA in Political Science from Brown University and a Master of Urban Planning degree from the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University. Kate completed the Centurions Leadership Program with the Greater Kansas City of Chamber of Commerce in 2013 and subsequently served on the Centurions Alumni Board as a co-chair of the Civics Committee. Until 2018, she served as board member and board chair for the Wonderscope Children’s Museum of Kansas City. She currently serves on boards for the Kansas City Design Center, KC Digital Drive, and the Kansas City Public Schools Educational Foundation

She lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband, daughter, and son. She enjoys being an active Mom, reading, history, and traveling.