Engagement Models
Comprehensive support for complex decisions
All our engagement models are designed to grow your organization’s capacity for stakeholder collaboration and defensible decision-making. While the frameworks below represent our core strengths, every project is tailored to your unique context, budget, and timeline.
Not sure which path is right for you? I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation to diagnose your specific "decision context" and determine which approach will best improve your outcomes and relationships.
I work with agencies, philanthropies, and non-profits to facilitate both project-based and ongoing stakeholder groups. Whether you are managing watersheds, forests, or migration corridors, these partnerships allow for the continuous exchange of information and the trust-building necessary to address emerging issues. I provide the additional capacity needed to turn a "group of stakeholders" into a high-functioning collaborative.
Key approaches:
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Strategic Agenda Design & Meeting Planning
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Collaborative Learning Frameworks
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Interest-Based Negotiation & Mediation
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Systems Thinking & Design Thinking
For contentious issues, you cannot rely on data alone—you must proactively engage a spectrum of values. I employ a variety of analytical methods to help decision-makers move beyond gridlock and find value-generating solutions. This approach ensures your path forward is transparent, data-driven, and socially durable.
Technical Tools & Frameworks:
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Structured Decision Making (SDM) & Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis
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Situation Assessments & Semi-Structured Interviews
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Objectives Hierarchies & Influence Diagrams
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Multi-Attribute Utility Theory
Strategic Planning & Visioning
Aligning future goals with shared values
I facilitate internal and external processes that allow groups to imagine a future that aligns with their core values. By encouraging participants to move away from "positional thinking" and toward "interest-based thinking," I foster an environment of creativity and possibility. I provide workable frameworks that ensure these high-level visions are successfully integrated into formal decision-making.
Interactive Methods:
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Scenario Planning. Visualizing potential futures.
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Focus Groups & Facilitated Conversations. Deep dives into stakeholder needs.
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Systems Mapping. Understanding the ripple effects of your strategy.
What's right for me?
Consider what approach makes sense for your your situation and goals.
Your Current Situation | Best Fit | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
"We have a permanent group (like a watershed council), but we've lost our momentum or focus." | Facilitated Collaboratives | Building long-term capacity, trust, and a shared rhythm for ongoing management. |
"We are facing a looming, controversial decision and the data isn't enough to stop the fighting." | High-Stakes Decision Support | Applying technical rigor to turn conflicting values into a defensible, data-driven choice. |
"We need to move beyond the status quo and figure out where our group is going next." | Strategic Planning & Visioning | Moving from positional thinking to interest-based goals to create a unified future roadmap. |
Reach out to customize your strategy today.
Project Gallery
See examples of my past work to learn about the many ways facilitation and public engagement can improve decision making.
