My Life, My City: Denise Linn Riedl, South Bend

Cities Today talks to Denise Linn Riedl, Chief Innovation Officer, City of South Bend, Indiana.

What was your first job?

I was an AmeriCorps VISTA working on digital inclusion and rural wireless projects in North Carolina, Southwest Virginia, and West Virginia.

What attracted you to the role of Chief Innovation Officer?

I was inspired by all the wonderful work coming out of South Bend’s city government. When my family moved here, I knew I wanted to be part of that change.

What is your favourite part of the job?

I love the variety that comes from being the CIO for a small city. On any given day, I might get to spend the morning helping our Police Department procure new technology, I might spend the afternoon talking to the state about cybersecurity best practices, and then spend my evening reporting out on 311 data to the mayor and council to help improve customer service for our residents. I’m never bored!

What has been your biggest success in this role?

One of the projects I took most pride in was the redesign of the South Bend Utility Assistance Program in 2021. South Bend is one of the only cities in Indiana to provide progressive discounts for water bills based on resident income. The old programme was paper-based, long, and complicated. Our team leveraged technology and human-centred design to digitise the application, build an internal application management system, and adopt best practices like self-attestation. The result was a better process for residents and a programme that is easier to administer.

What has been your biggest setback or challenge?

Maintaining project pace and collaborative culture in the wake of COVID-19.

What are you working on right now that you’re excited about?

I’m working with regional partners to craft the broadband and digital equity future for South Bend.

If you could wave a magic wand, what one thing would you fix in your city?

I would make the roads have eternal lifespans! Every time we survey residents on city services, potholes are the number one or number two topic of concern.

What are you reading right now?

I’m pregnant with my third child, so I’m reading The Family Firm by Emily Oster.

Who has most inspired you in your work?

Before South Bend, I lived and worked in Chicago and was very fortunate to work with two of the former Chicago City CIOs, Danielle DuMerer and Brenna Berman. I often think of how unique and special it was to be mentored by not one, but two intelligent and visionary female CIOs. I will be forever grateful for the example they set and I only hope I can pay it forward.

If you weren’t doing this job, what do you think you might be doing?

I think I would be a journalist.

What’s your favourite place in South Bend and why?

Howard Park is South Bend’s beautiful new flagship park in our East Bank neighbourhood. My family and I are there every weekend.

What’s one thing people might not ordinarily know about you?

I was born in the Philippines and I’m half Filipino.

• Time in role: 3.5 years
• Career history: Previously worked at the City Tech Collaborative, Smart Chicago Collaborative, and the Federal Communications Commission. Received a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia.
• Career tip: “Fall in love with problems, not solutions. Also, never underestimate the power of being an enjoyable person to work with.”