Katie Wells is Program Manager for Strong Cities Network North American Hub responsible for prevention training, guidance and support to mayors, city council members and senior city officials from cities across the United States. Through an innovative partnership with the National League of Cities, Katie managed the Prevention Academy US, working with city leaders to better understand and identify targeted violence and related threats, needs and vulnerabilities in their communities and operationalize a public health approach to prevent and respond to them. Prior to joining Strong Cities, Katie served as a Senior Policy Advisor to Andy Berke, Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee where she helped coordinate the response to a violent extremist attack and led the Council Against Hate, aimed at understanding and addressing the factors that lead to hate and polarization.
To me, Eradicate Hate was the most important gathering of 2021 for those of us who work on issues related to domestic extremism and organized hate. The Summit uniquely combined a variety of perspectives, including experts, civil society representatives, politicians and policymakers, and the families and loved ones of victims. Eradicate Hate has the important mission of standing against the rising tide of hate and extremism in our society, and it’s an honor to be able to support this mission.
