I ran for Ashland City Council because I love Ashland and I’m committed to the future of our community. The pandemic and Almeda Fire have taken their toll on our people, economy, and our belief in our ability to find solutions. Climate change is here in the form of smoky summers, fire risk, heat, and drought. It’s clear to me our city works for some people, but not for everyone. Like so many cities, we have a crisis of affordability and sustainability.
My career in public service has taught me people can come together despite differences to accomplish amazing things. Ashland has tremendous assets, and our wise decisions now will determine our city’s future.
As your City Councilor, you can count on me to do my homework, ask questions first, listen attentively, act with integrity, and stay focused on solutions.
My only agenda is an Ashland that works for everyone.
Ashland Community Service Before Joining the City Council
- Options for Helping Residents of Ashland, front-desk volunteer 2019/20 at the OHRA Resource Center; board member 2020-2022
- Únete, Center for Farm Worker and Immigrant Advocacy volunteer, 2019-present, co-teaching a civics class in Spanish to help long-term residents gain US citizenship
- Ashland Food Co-op, volunteer since 2020, board member since June 2022. I’m a big fan of co-ops, so Lorrie and I joined the Ashland Food Co-op our first day in town. On the AFC Gives Committee I learned about many amazing local nonprofits in and around Ashland.
- City of Ashland Climate Policy Commission, 2020-2022
- City of Ashland Citizens’ Budget Committee, 2020-2022 — I have learned the nitty gritty of Ashland’s budget process. I like to read the City’s financial statements and I understand Ashland’s financial trend line and current situation.
- City of Ashland Housing Production Strategy Advisory Committee, 2022
- Ashland New Plays Festival Reading Committee, 2019-2022
My Resume in Brief
Over two decades leading teams at the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, I learned how to find workable solutions to important challenges — like providing water and wastewater treatment services, managing natural disaster risks, protecting the environment, strengthening municipal finance and administration, stimulating rural and local economies, and bolstering public education. The best solutions flow from active public engagement, and I will always look for ways to engage all Ashlanders in our community.
- B.A., Public Policy Analysis, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1983
- US Peace Corps Volunteer, Paraguay, 1983-1986
- Master’s in Public Affairs, Princeton University, 1988
- World Bank, Washington, DC, 1988-1994 (project and program management)
- Inter-American Development Bank, 1994-2010 (various executive roles)
- President and CEO, Inter-American Foundation, 2010-2017
Bob Kaplan for Ashland City Council 