national coalition for dialogue and deliberation

Paul K. Alexander

Director, Institute on the Common Good, Regis University

Denver, CO

A little about myself...

The Institute, where I work, seeks to facilitate effective social change in the community through the promotion of meaningful dialogue, communal discernment, and deliberative practices. We do research as well as practice.

My hopes for the conference...

First, that everyone enjoys Regis! We are excited to host the conference. Second, that people leave feeling well connected and having learned much. Finally, that we leave with a greater sense of the field of D&D.

Bougei Mohammed Attah

Country Representative, World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, WANGO

Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria

A little about myself...

Currently serves as the Executive National Coordinator of the Annual All Nigeria NGO Summit & Exposition, a rallying point for third sector practitioners towards peaceful co-existence and networking for better service to humanity. WANGO which I represent is a global network of volunteers engaged on isues realting to dialogue and deliberations.

My hopes for the conference...

The D & D conference will no doubt provide me and others opportunity to share innnovative ideas towards better fulfilling our mission in our various communities

Michael Briand

Denver, Colorado

A little about myself...

In one way or another, I have been involved in dialogue and deliberation since 1985. My 1999 book, Practical Politics: Five Principles for a Community That Works, reflects both my experience and my theoretical thinking. I am especially interested in the psychological, cultural, and ideological roots of deep-rooted conflict.

Susan S. Clark

Director, Common Knowledge

San Rafael, CA

A little about myself...

For the past 12 years or so, I have used various forms of dialogue to help diverse audiences come to mutual understanding about the issues they care most about -- and to stimulate greater participation from traditionally underrepresented groups.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope we can develop a better understanding of the diferent forms of dialogue and share insights about how different approaches have served different situations.

John P. Falchi

Owner, Senior Consultant, J. P. Falchi @ Associates

San Diego, CA

A little about myself...

I have been involved in a variety of forms of dialogue and deliberation over many years and see it as a very sensible way of bringing conflicting forces together to resolve their conflicts. The Carl Rogers Peace Process is an example of a successful real world use of d and d.

My hopes for the conference...

I have very high hopes that the conference will bring together people from a wide variety of backgrounds and will enable them to experiment with a diverse set of methods of dealing with the types of conflicts that we are, currently, faced with in the real world.

Andy Fluke

Creative Director, NCDD

Brattleboro, VT

A little about myself...

I was first introduced to the dialogue community in 1997 when Sandy Heierbacher and I began planning our first internet project, the Dialogue to Action Initiative, to which I brought my experience in publication design. Since then I have provided IT support for all of Sandy's work including the first NCDD conference and the current NCDD website.

My hopes for the conference...

That the 2004 conference continues to inspire the flow of ideas and energy initiated at the first conference.

Bill Fulton

Co-Director, Colorado Civic Canopy

Denver, CO

A little about myself...

I am currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Denver and Iliff School of theology focusing on the use of dialogue to promote social justice. My hope is to continue to build the Civic Canopy--a metaphor as a well as a concrete organization dedicated to creating a more vibrant public sphere in which public dialogue and deliberation can help improve our civic health.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope to learn more about both the theories and the practices emerging in this dynamic field, and to engage in conversations that will advance my own and perhaps our collective understanding of how each of our individual efforts can be better connected so as to amplify the impact of them all.

Tagelsir M. Gasmelseid

Assistant Professor, King Faisal University

Al Hassa, Saudi Arabia

A little about myself...

Over the last 8 years I have been involved in facilitating involvement of stakeholders and negotiation throughout the River Nile. I am also contributing to the R&D through a research.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope that the conference builds on knowledge and good practices discovered in previous events.

Maribeth Goodman

The Goodman Group, Inc.

Bozeman, MT

A little about myself...

Twenty years in community and non profit development. Trained in mediation, facilitation, public engagement. Facilitate trainings in communication and conflict skills...

My hopes for the conference...

To connect with facilitators from all over the country.

Richard W. Graves

Executive Director, The Wallace House Foundation

Des Moines, IA

A little about myself...

The mission of the Wallace House Foundation is to foster civic participation and leadership through civil dialogue. The foundation serves as a neutral, non-partisan facilitator of dialogue about issues of public concern in agriculture, conservation, democracy, and quality of life.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope to deepen my understanding of and awareness about the scope of work being done in the field of dialogue and deliberation and to forge professional relationships with other practitioners in the field.

Scott C. Hammond

Professor, School of Business-Utah Valley State College

Provo, Utah

A little about myself...

I have published too many academic journal articles on dialogue, most recently in Communication Yearbook on dialogue and power. I have also used dialogue in my consulting practice to do stratigic planning, solve complex technical problems, and design learning for government agencies such as the National Park Service and corporations such as Johnson & Johnson.

My hopes for the conference...

1) Share best practices; 2) Create a community of hope; 3) Discover new potentials; 4) Re-enforce and encourage old practices that are good.

Chip Hauss

Director, Policy and Research, Search for Common Ground USA

Washington DC

A little about myself...

I teach political science half time at George Mason and work at Search for Common Ground half time and write half time. Sometimes I sleep. I'm a Yankees and Tottenham Hotspurs fan. Boos are allowed.

My hopes for the conference...

I probably will not be able to attend unless I can find funds. I'd like the conference to do a better job of reaching out to conservatives.

Sandy Heierbacher

Convenor, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation

Brattleboro, Vermont

A little about myself...

I have served as the Convenor of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation since its inception at the first NCDD conference in October 2002. Before that, I worked as a researcher and consultant for organizations like the Center for Disease Control, the Corporation for National Service and the Center for Living Democracy, generally helping them learn more about best practices and strategies in public participation and civic engagement.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope to see this conference surpass the 2002 event in every way. I hope we are able to develop a stronger sense of community, build collective knowledge about our work, and pinpoint a clear direction for us to move toward as a community.

Leilani Rashida Henry

President, Being and Living Enterprises

Conifer, CO

A little about myself...

I enjoy the academic side of dialogue, as well as applied dialogue. My experiences with conference design and implementation using dialogic processes produced positive results over the last decade. I consult and teach dialogue, creativity and conflict in the public and private sectors and am affiliated with the Institute on the Common Good at Regis University.

My hopes for the conference...

I envision the conference being a practice field for participation and risk taking to reveal our thought processes and assumptions; hearing and incorporating marginalized voices; sensing the needs and messages of our larger community, as well as linking reflection and action- going deeper with full engagement to optimize individual and collective outcomes.

Maggie Herzig

Senior Associate, Public Conversations Project

Watertown, MA

A little about myself...

As a Senior Associate of the Public Conversations Project, I have been designing and facilitating dialogue on divisive public issues for several years. Areas of interest are Muslim/non-Muslim relations, dialogue about the Middle East, and arts-based dialogue (e.g., The Faith Quilts Project).

My hopes for the conference...

I hope that the conference provides opportunities for learning, skill-building, connecting with kindred spirits, and inspiration.

Les Ihara, Jr.

Hawaii State Senate

Honolulu, Hawaii

A little about myself...

I am interested in having the deliberation/dialogue network engage people and communities in public policy issues, especially issues considered by state legislatures; connect engaged communities in a national network; and encourage state legislatures to utilize deliberation and dialogue practices in their pubic policy activities.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope the conference can serve as a vehicle for encouraging and building capacity for the NCDD community to bring their deliberative/dialogue practices into the prime public policy venue in their state ?– their state legislature.

Anoek Inbar

Interfaith Minister, Counselor - Soul Works

Austin, Texas

A little about myself...

I conduct Playback Theatre Workshops for people who want to study speaking and listening with the heart. As we look at our own inner process of making peace with ourselves, we will also look at how we see the world and our place and purpose in it. Our stories need to be told, need to be heard and need to be seen.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope at the conference many people will be able to connect to each other and we eventually become a critical mass that will change society and its ways we are (not)communicating with each other.

Michele Woods Jones

President, Cobb & Henry Consulting Division

Hampton, Virginia

A little about myself...

I was given the gift of serving on the initial planning committee for the NCDD Conference. I define my participation as a gift because of the wide array of exceptional people, ideas, concepts, methods,perceptions and questions that broaden my perspective.

My hopes for the conference...

We have yet another opportunity to delve deeper into the diversity of dialogue and deliberation and discover the connecting threads we can use to empower our partnerships.

Irene Kao

Multicultural Coordinator, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, University of New Hampshire

Durham, New Hampshire

A little about myself...

In my current professional role, I, along with other professionals, are piloting Intergroup Dialogue at the University of New Hampshire. I also worked with Intergroup Dialogue at the University of Maryland in through the Office of Human Relations Programs.

My hopes for the conference...

I am hoping to network with other professionals who use dialogue in their practice. I am also hoping to talk about best practices to model after.

Miki Kashtan

Social Change Project Coordinator, Center for Nonviolent Communication; Co-founder, Bay Area Nonviolent Communication

Oakland, CA

A little about myself...

I teach Nonviolent Communication, a tool that support people in creating and sustaining dialogue for conflict transformtion, reconciliation, and deeper connection within, with others, and in the world.

My hopes for the conference...

Deep, authentic connection among practitioners to support all of us in living our vision more fully and in creating community.

Beth Katz

Ann Arbor, MI

A little about myself...

I've been involved in interreligious and interethnic dialogue for the past six years. As an undergraduate student at Creighton University, I created an interfaith student retreat as well as co-founded an interreligious dialogue group. Now that I completed graduate school, I am interested in using dialogue (particularly among religious, ethnic and political groups) to mediate violent conflict and to advance human rights issues.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope that this conference will provide opportunities for those involved with dialogue to share and reflect, to network, and to mobilize communities and groups to utilize the many forms of dialogue available.

Fleurette King

Coordinator of Dialogue@Princeton, Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

A little about myself...

Dialogue@Princeton is committed to supporting current and new projects to ensure honest, ongoing dialogue on many topics?—race, ethnicity, abilities & disabilities, gender, faith, class differences, sexual orientation, social justice?—among Princeton students, faculty, and members of the larger Princeton community.

My hopes for the conference...

To network and collaborate with a new and bigger community of educators of dialogue and deliberation. To share resources, tools, and stories related to the the variety of experimentations of dialogue and deliberation. To assist in the development of the second conference in order to have greater peaceful impact to other communities in the nation, perhaps the world.

James T. Knauer

Director, Pennsylvania Center for Civic Life

Lock Haven, PA

A little about myself...

As professor of political science at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, I have for years used student-to-student deliberative dialogue in class and online. Recently, through the Pennsylvania Center for Civic Life, I introduced Democracy Lab, providing online deliberative forums for high school and college classes and mentoring for student civic leadership teams.

My hopes for the conference...

The first conference was a real eye-opener to the incredible range of D&D practice. I look forward to gaining a better understanding of some of this diversity and to exploring possibilities for collaboration.

Theo. R. Leverenz

Principle, EPPA Consulting

Georgetown, KY

A little about myself...

I've been blessed with the opportunity to serve on the 2004 Conference evaluation team.

Aliah K. MaJon

Founder, SHAMBALLA Institute of Integrated Learning

Los Angeles, California

A little about myself...

A longtime Trainer, Coach and professional Consultant, the most unique way I use dialogue is as an interactive component of a group coaching program.

My hopes for the conference...

My personal work emphasizes the importance of embracing 21st century possibilities -- I hope the conference will invite people to use dialogue in ways that give rise to the creative exploration of untapped ideas and fresh models.

Stephani Roy McCallum

President, Circle Associates - Public Involvement and Stakeholder Relations

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

A little about myself...

I am an Ottawa consultant specializing in public involvement and stakeholder relations. I have many years of leadership in public participation and citizen engagement, and a wealth of experience in stakeholder relations, public policy development, and design of responsive decision-making in governance structures and systems. I believe that many voices will always make a better decision. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Public Participation.

My hopes for the conference...

I am excited to see the community of practitioners and participants grow in depth and scope and look forward to learning from and listening to others.

Diane Miller

Project Coordinator, Envision Central Texas

Austin, Texas

A little about myself...

I work for Envision Central Texas, a non-profit bringing citizens together to discuss how they would like to preserve our quality of life for future generations. I?’m involved with Texas Forums, a network focused on revitalizing civic spirit and improving civic discourse and a project called Dialogue Austin, which is identify and connecting Austin groups who focus on deepening community dialogue as an important part of civic action.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope to connect with individuals engaged in D & D processes, learn about an array of approaches and methodologies, and bring back ideas and inspiration for continuing to create a culture of dialogue here in Austin.

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Najeeba Syeed Miller

Director, Intercultural Conflict Resolution Systems

Los Angeles, CA

A little about myself...

I have beeen engaging in dialogue and deliberation as a participant, facilitator and designer. My experiences range from interfaith dialogue to the design of public engagement on issues regarding city planning. My particular interest in the field relates to ethical issues of practice, power and the relationship of those two concepts, especially in interethnic settings.

My hopes for the conference...

To create spaces where dangerous, difficult, complex, scary, alienating, troublesome concerns and issues can be discussed and shared. How do we come together and move beyond the surface level of interaction that limits us to relationships that do not have depth and understanding.

Phil Neisser

Associate Professor of Politics, SUNY Potsdam

Potsdam, New York

A little about myself...

I try to create dialogue and deliberation in my classroom, I am have used consensus decision-making as a political activist, and I believe that wisdom and democratic forms of community can be generated through face-to-face discussion. I am currently working on a book about Disagreement.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope to learn about best, as well as worst, practices of dialogue and deliberation. I hope to get training, or find out about training opportunities, especially affordable ones. And I hope to meet, and be inspired by, people in the field.

Kenoli Oleari

Principal Consultant, Horizons of Change

Berkeley, CA

A little about myself...

I work with large and small groups to build individual and organizational capacity through group interaction. I'm especially interested in public participation. I've worked with groups and communities worldwide. I'm currently focused on large group interactive meeting designs.

My hopes for the conference...

Meet lots of interesting people and find out what they are doing. Spread the work on the work I am doing. Hook up with colleagues (new and old). Find some synergy for how to proliferated meaningful engagement throughout society.

Bill Potapchuk

Community Building Institute

Annandale, Virginia

bill -at- communitytools.net

A little about myself...

My work focuses on creating productive conversations among citizens and other stakeholders doing community problem solving. I also focus on how to build a more collaborative civic culture within a community.

My hopes for the conference...

I think when we talk about dialogue and deliberation moving to action . . . we might think about how to foster this notion of how to move from talking together to working together . . . the collaborative community.

Julie Pratt

Charleston, WV

A little about myself...

I came to dialogue and deliberation ten years ago as a children's advocate.

My hopes for the conference...

I'm eager to learn about what others are doing across the country and how I might apply some of their ideas to my own work with community-based organizations.

Steven N. Pyser

University of Phoenix, Philadelphia Campus

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A little about myself...

?“Listening to the City - Online Dialogue?” (rebuilding World Trade Center). Design team: ?“Penn?’s Landing Public Forum?” (redeveloping Philadelphia, Pennsylvania waterfront) and ?“Let?’s Talk America?”. Leadership Team/Synthesizer, American Association for Higher Education (AAHE) - Democratic Dialogue, Community of Practice. Editorial Board, Conflict Resolution Quarterly. Staff Editor, Journal of Legal Studies Education.

My hopes for the conference...

Expertly facilitated dialogue can be a sensible and intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interests between individuals, organizations and communities. The Conference should bridge dialogic theory and practice for practitioners of all competencies. Workshop design should consider multiple learning styles. Explore opportunities for expanding practice areas and growth.

Polly Riddims

Fusion Partnerships, Inc.

Baltimore, MD

A little about myself...

Our organization focuses on unity building for collaborative, school based and community projects. We facilitate and organize dialogue across group lines in much of our work. We also utilize the arts in our community building process.

My hopes for the conference...

I look forward to building on the success of the 2002 conference, continuing to network and learn with others.

Scott Russell

Associate Vice President, HNTB Corporation

Kansas City, Mo.

A little about myself...

As the public involvement director for a large engineering firm, I work to bring citizens, stakeholders and public agency decision makers together to make collaborative, sustainable decisions. Dialogue and deliberation are essential elements of this collaborative process.

My hopes for the conference...

I believe the principles of dialogue and deliberation are essential to a truly collaborative public decision making process. I hope to leave this conference having gained a greater awareness and grasp of how I can bring dialogue and deliberation principles to my work with public agencies.

David Schoem

Faculty Director, Michigan Community Scholars Program, University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan

A little about myself...

I am editor (with Sylvia Hurtado) of Intergroup Dialogue: Deliberative Democracy in School, College, Community and Workplace (U of Michigan Press). I was co-founder in 1988 of Michigan's Program on Intergroup Relations. My current work involves the development of an academic/residential multicultural community whose students, faculty and community partners are engaged in dialogue across their different backgrounds and who participate actively in the community.

My hopes for the conference...

1. Advancing the work of intergroup dialogue; 2. Building linkages among practitioners and activists across higher ed, community, corporate, and k-12; 3. Strengthening the movement; 4. Learning from others; 5. Meeting new colleagues.

Attica Scott

Executive Director, The National Conference for Community and Justice-Knoxville Region

Knoxville, TN

Ray Seigfried

Senior Vice President Chrisitiana Care Health System

Wilmington, Delaware

A little about myself...

I have facilitated dialogue [as developed by David Bohm] at Chrisitiana Care for several years. Hospitals are complex organizations where highly skilled people need to work together for the care of patients. Dialogue provides opportunities to explore basic assumptions and their meaning and to co-create a shared common content among participants.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope that participants to this years conference will have the opportunity to understand and experience dialogue especially a Bohmian dialogue.

Masud Sheikh

Managing Consultant, Learnopolis Canada

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

A little about myself...

Initial involvement was with communication skills training when working with IBM. Subsequent involvement was through Peter Senge and his network, including the work of Chris Argyris

My hopes for the conference...

To build relationships of trust and respect, that aid authentic communication.

Barry Sherman

Assistant Director, The Intentional Living Institute

Charlotte, North Carolina

A little about myself...

Over the past 10 years, through the Intentional Living Institute (ILI), I have co-facilitated leadership training experiences that teach the INTEGRA method of Heart-Centered Dialogue & Negotiation. Teaching people how to live passionately and respectfully within the paradox of freedom and partnership is the ultimate focus of the ILI's work.

My hopes for the conference...

My greatest hopes for the NCDD 2004 conference is that it be an impassioned, co-creative experience where inspiring ideas and practical tools/skills are generously shared. AND, that we continually give emphasis to how small groups of people can bring about great change in our struggling world.

Jim Snow

U.S. State Dep't (retiree); Geo. Mason Univ. (audit student)

northern Virginia, US

A little about myself...

I'm involved with various diversity efforts at GMU, and have been attempting to establish (in a hyper-busy milieu) dialogues in various venues as a means of working toward resolution of identity-based conflicts.

My hopes for the conference...

Networking, support (both giving and getting) in initiating and institutionalizing dialogues.

StrongHeart

Fusion Partnerships, Inc.

Baltimore, MD

A little about myself...

Assisted Polly Riddims to provide logistical and administrative support for the 2002 NCDD conference in Virginia.

My hopes for the conference...

That the conference contributes to encouraging and strengthening people's impluse to listen and be heard about issues important to them and their communities.

Harris Sussman

Somerville, Massachusetts

A little about myself...

I am a facilitator of group experiences for learning and change.

My hopes for the conference...

Don't know yet.

Marc Tognotti

Neighborhood Assemblies Network

San Francisco, CA

A little about myself...

Our participatory democracy initiative seeks to establish a citywide network of democratic neighborhood assemblies (independent from but recognized by city government and incorporated into city-decision making); we envision the assemblies instituting D&D processes in routinely into community life to knit together fully-inclusive communities and transform to democratic governance.

My hopes for the conference...

1. Show the variety of D&D processes and which are suited to what contexts and purposes; 2. Improve people's group-process design and facilitation skills; 3. Envision how D&D tools and processes can help reconnect all people and organizations to public life and democratic governance (e.g. how can cities and neighborhoods incorporate D&D processes routinely into community life to transform society and politics); 4. Network people doing on-ground initiatives using D&D.

Mary Adams Trujillo

Practitioner-Scholar Research Institute (PRASI); North Park University

Evanston, IL

A little about myself...

I have facilitated community dialogue and conflict resolution for over twenty years, working with diverse populations. In addition to teaching communication courses, I have done research on community discourse.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope to encourage and support authentic dialogue, particularly in areas of diversity. I also hope to interest conference participants in writing about their experiences.

Nikki Weinstein

Director, Citizen Engagement for FOCUS St. Louis

St. Louis, MO

A little about myself...

I have a background in social service provision and community organizing and am fairly new to Dialogue and Deliberation. At FOCUS St. Louis, my goal is to involve citizens in influencing policy that affects their lives and the region in which we live.

My hopes for the conference...

I hope to learn more practical aspects of organizing dialogue in communities, and am particularly interested in how that can lead to action. From a planning perspective, I hope to contribute what I can to the effort to produce a well run and enjoyable event.

Miriam Wyman

Principal Consultant, Practicum Limited

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

A little about myself...

My work, for close to 30 years, has focused on involving people and communities in decisions that affect their lives. I've had the good fortune to work at local, national and international levels to promote dialogue and deliberation in practice and as policy. I attended the first NCDD, I'm on the Steering Committee of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (www.deliberative-democracy.net), and the Citizens and Governance Programme Team of the Commonwealth Foundation (www.commonwealthfoundation.com. I'm also part of the planning team for a Canadian Conference on Dialogue and Deliberation. Probably most important, my 3 adult children all talk to me and to one another!

My hopes for the conference...

I want to continue to raise the visibility of the good dialogue and deliberation that is taking place in many parts of the world, to share experiences, and to think together about how best to use our experience and expertise.

Sandra Zagon

Public Involvement Consultant/Research Associate

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

A little about myself...

I am a research associate with the Public Involvement Network of the Canadian Policy Research Networks (www.cprn.org), a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing the voice of Canadians into public policy making. I am also an associate of Ascentum, a Canadian innovative professional services firm with a focus on consulting and technology services - check out www.dialoguecircles.com.

My hopes for the conference...

Learning...networking...making new friends. I was so impressed with the first NCDD that I want to be part of making NCDD 2004 another unforgettable experience. I hope to learn more about the rich American dialogue and deliberation community in terms of its people and its processes. I also hope to be able to interest that community in the first ever Canadian Conference on Dialogue and Deliberation likely to be held in the Fall 2005.