Key Budge serves as the Community Engagement Specialist for the City of Tehachapi and is responsible for working with the local media as well as promoting the City's award-winning social media and community videos.
A veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department as well as a career in media, Budge brings an understanding to the position as well as a content-based approach that values community engagement and understanding of municipal government.
Budge is a two-time winner of the Kern Council of Government's Regional Award of Merit for Journalism. In 2019 he accepted the award for the City of Tehachapi's 'Community Video' series which served as an outlet for staff members to update the public on upcoming events, special projects, construction and other initiatives which greatly increased the following and views on the City's social media platforms.
In 2020 he received the same award for the Public Safety Power Shutoff video series which covered preparation as well we City reaction to the events which greatly impacted local business and welfare. That series captured the interviews with local media in its entirety so the message was completely covered and not limited to sound bites collected for a time-restricted newscast.