Katrina Stiebs

Katrina Stiebs. Photo courtesy of NEWaukee.

Where do you work and what makes your role awesomesauce?

I work at Penrod, a cloud consulting agency and Salesforce.com partner, as their Operations Manager. I’ve been with Penrod for nearly three years and it’s been amazing to participate in their growth. In a short time, we’ve grown from a startup to Wisconsin’s Best Place to Work for Young Professionals. In my role I get to wear a lot of wildly different hats (figuratively) and work across teams and projects to help ensure employee and client success. No two days are the same and that is awesomesauce.

How long have you lived in Milwaukee and what brought you here?

I’ve lived in Milwaukee since 2008 when I moved here to attend UWM. Coming from a small town in central Wisconsin, Milwaukee initially felt like such a “big city.” Eight years later the city feels smaller, but now it feels like home.

What is something that is missing from our community that you would love to see implemented?

As a renter, I think there is a growing lack of well-managed, affordable and mid range housing for rent close to the city. The influx of luxury apartment construction speaks to a growing desire to live within the city (which is great!) but I think more and more people are being priced out.

What local restaurant is at the top of your list?

Odd Duck is my go-to for any celebratory dinner. They do creative small plates really well; I love that it’s so easy to try new foods and flavors.

What is your biggest hope for this city?

I’m aware that the Milwaukee that I experience is privileged. I’m lucky enough to live and work in some of the city’s best neighborhoods but that’s not a universal experience. I hope Milwaukee can take some of the momentum that is going into developments Downtown and on the East Side and work towards creating a more broadly unified and accessible city.

What does your ideal Milwaukee weekend look like?

I like quieter weekends. You can find me running the Oak Leaf Trail with my dog, strolling through the South Shore Farmer’s Market and brunching at The National.

What neighborhood do you live in and why do you love it?

I live in Bay View. I love the sense of being in a unique little community just outside of Downtown that is still within walking distance of some amazing restaurants, kitschy bars, and lakefront activities.

What’s your favorite hidden gem or secret fact about the city?

Hidden Gem:
My favorite “hidden gem” restaurant to recommend is Jow Nai on Farwell. They’re a little hole-in-the-wall with the best curry!

The most boring secret fact:
There is a continuously running well in Bay View. Dug in 1882, the Pryor Avenue Iron Well is always running and anyone can stop and fill up containers of mineral water for free. It’s regularly checked for safety, and the well was one of the only sources of safe water during Milwaukee’s cryptosporidium outbreak in1993. Full disclosure, I have never tasted it.