Experience

National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Executive Director

  • Oct 2019 - Present

  I lead NCDD, a network of 700 individuals and organizations who bring people together across divides to discuss, decide, and take action together effectively on today’s toughest issues. I direct ongoing programs including planning, organizing, and staffing, as well as lead special projects. I work with NCDD's Board of Directors on strategic planning, financial oversight and fundraising, and other tasks. A few projects of note:- Lead in partnership with the American Library Association on the Libraries Transforming Communities: Models for Change initiative which introduces skills and training in dialogue and engagement models to librarians across the U.S. - Run monthly NCDD webinars engaging our community and the broader public in the latest information, learning, and tools in public engagement and dialogue. - Launched the NCDD Podcast to provide an additional format for sharing stories about how dialogue and deliberation can help people bridge divides and make decisions together. - Served as conference manager for the biennial National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation in 2012, 2014, and 2016 and conference director in 2018. These conference bring 350-450 scholars, practitioners, and students in public engagement together for a three-day interactive gathering.

• Managing Director

  • Jul 2014 - Sep 2019



Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration

• Program Manager

  • Oct 2007 - Present

  I work remotely and manage the Massachusetts Agricultural Mediation Program, including pursuing outreach opportunities, providing training, and coordinating the delivery of mediation services to agricultural producers and rural homeowners in the Commonwealth. I have successfully overseen this Federally-funded program for nine years. I lead public deliberation projects in local communities looking for collaborative solutions to local issues. I also facilitate outreach efforts, including developing outreach plans, designing outreach materials and updating the MOPC website. As a trained mediator, facilitator, and engagement practitioner, I provide trainings and workshops on mediation, conflict resolution skills, meeting facilitation and management, and deliberative dialogue moderating. I am also responsible for leading the Grant Review Committee for the Community Mediation Center Grant Program, a grant program administered by MOPC.



New England Center for Civic Life

• Administrative Assistant

  • Jun 2006 - Aug 2008

  In this position I coordinated the Civic Scholar Program, a program for student moderators providing campus dialogues. I also coordinated community dialogues and events for the Center. I assisted in the coordination and moderation of thirty deliberative forums on health care and financial security across the state of New Hampshire in the summer of 2007 for AARP's Divided We Fail campaign. I worked with others in the writing of a discussion guide titled "Sex, Alcohol, and a Million Decisions: Balancing Freedom and Safety" for student campus dialogues.