May 2017-Chapter News

Cascade Chapter:

The Cascade Chapter is excited to announce Ashlie Denton is the 2017 PSU Cascade Chapter Scholarship Awardee.

Ms. Denton is a PhD candidate and National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Research Education and Traineeship Fellow (IGERT) and Institute for Sustainable Solutions Fellow at Portland State University.

Her background includes AmeriCorps volunteer in New Mexico, non-profit work at the Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and the Community Clinic of NW Arkansas. Through these and other experiences, she has gained insights to the impact and effects of individual engagement in peoples’ lives. This has led to a goal of providing public participation at every scale.  Academically she is pursuing interdisciplinary research with the goal to embark in a career in international environmental management.

Ms. Denton is the latest in a continuum of outstanding scholarship awardees from Portland State University. Cascade Chapter of IAP2 USA has provided $62,500.00 to date in scholarships in support of future practitioners and advancement of best practices for public engagement. The Chapter stands behind the IAP2 goal of providing community members opportunity to be a part of the decisions that affect their lives.

Welcome to IAP2 and to the Cascade Chapter Ashlie!

What’s coming next? The Cascade Chapter is convening another of its PI Network sessions on June 22. Donna Maxey, Founder and Director of RACE TALKS will present her research and writing on supporting interracial and cross-cultural communications and relationships through the development of sensitivity and understanding, and social justice activism.

LEARN MORE

The Cascade Chapter also excited to announce it has recently experience a great influx of new members! The Government Membership program has brought to them 50+ new members from Washington County government, 100+ from the City of Portland, and a large number from the regional governing body, Metro! Welcome to the Cascade Chapter!

 

Intermountain Chapter:

The Intermountain Chapter is excited to announce the upcoming event: “Fostering Productive Dialogue in Divided Times”. From angry town halls with legislators to vitriolic arguments via social media, it is increasingly clear that we live in divided times. Whether these divides are real or perceived, such tensions have the potential to erode our democracy, disrupt our communities, and inhibit public problem-solving at the local, regional, and federal level. Especially on environmental and natural resource issues, this sense of division is often the result of a lack of meaningful dialogue and mutual understanding. Join our expert panelists Carolyn Lukensmeyer from the National Institute for Civil Discourse, and Larry Schooler of the Conversation Corps as they explore what it may take in the way of collaborative-problem solving to bridge the divide.

LEARN MORE

Puget Sound Chapter:

YOU’RE INVITED! The Puget Sound Chapter has announced that they will be hosting and facilitating a National Dialogue Event. This event is part of the IAP2 USA Grab N’ Go National Dialogue designed to answer the question: “Are we facing a P2 Crisis or Opportunity?” What do you think? What are your experiences?

This event is open to  EVERYONE! From public transportation and facilities planning, to special interests groups and community leaders, come and join the Puget Sound Chapter on June 22nd, 2017 to face this troubling question.

IAP2_June 22_EventFlyer   –   Register TODAY!

Cascade Chapter Hosts Standing Room Only PI Network

 

By Heather Coston, Metro Communications

On March 10, Cascade Chapter hosted a standing-room-only PI Network titled “Visuals for Public Engagement” presented by Nitya Wakhlu of Drawbridge Innovations and Darren Cools of Darren Cools Illustration and Design.

As one who has always envied other people’s natural ability to draw while I find it difficult to create simple stick figures, I never would have believed I could use art to engage and communicate with others. Nitya and Darren want people to know that anyone can use hand-drawn visuals to cut through the noise and make the complex simple. During their presentation, the duo demonstrated how visual communication helps you listen and talk to people across cultural and language differences. As Nitya put it, “visuals speak to the heart.” Graphic recording, also described as graphic listening, uses color and images to capture thoughts and ideas while they are shared. The interactive session showed participants how anyone can use live graphic recording with practice –artistic talent not required. As we sat around the room learning to draw box and bean people, I grew more confident that with practice even I can use some illustrations for storytelling (but I will probably leave graphic recording to the professionals).

Cascade Chapter PI Network, March 10, 2016 – “Visuals for Public Engagement”

 

Chapter News: Cascade

Thursday, April 23, 4 to 5:30 PM

Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc.

205 SE Spokane Street, 2nd Floor, Portland, OR

Free parking on site.

Mike Pullen, Communications Officer for Multnomah County, will share lessons learned about engaging the public during the planning, design, and construction phases of the Sellwood Bridge replacement project.  Presenting from Harper Houf Peterson Righellis offices located next to the Sellwood Bridge, Mike will compare and contrast techniques employed during these distinct phases, and assess how early engagement has affected current communications efforts and community support.  As conditions allow, the presentation may also include a field visit to the east end of the bridge to view progress close up.

PI Networks are FREE to IAP2 USA members and students. Non-members, please pay $10 at the door in cash or by a check payable to Cascade Chapter of IAP2. Please RSVP to Stefanie Slyman at stefanies@hhpr.com by April 20.  

Due to construction on the Sellwood Bridge, please allow extra time or take a route other than Macadam Avenue.

To be followed by an optional, no host social at the Buffalo Gap, 6835 SW Macadam Ave.

Cascade Chapter PI Network focuses on “collaborative governance”

Cascade Chapter PI Network  focuses on “collaborative governance”

About 40 attended Cascade Chapter’s PI Network on March 20 at the offices of Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc. in Portland, Ore. The professional development and networking event was shared with the Puget Sound chapter by live broadcast to the Seattle offices of EnviroIssues.

Sam Imperati presented “Collaborative Governance: turning conflict into resolution” about the evolution of public involvement to the mediation of high stakes, high conflict disputes when everyone is watching. Sam is the executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management and collaborative governance guru.

Attendees learned theories of collaborative governance and practical techniques used to bring diverse stakeholders to resolution — not just “settlement,” where they walk away unhappy — to help groups make wiser decisions at the intersection of logic and emotion.

 Immediately after Sam’s presentation, IAP2 USA Board member Tim Bonnemann demonstrated Zilino, a new online engagement tool for hosting deliberative online forums that enables public participation practitioners to design and manage well structured, well facilitated online dialogues and consultations. A social followed at the Buffalo Gap.

Cascade Chapter PI Network Focuses on Visual Communications

It was standing room only once again at Cascade Chapter’s PI Network on Nov. 20 for the hot topic of Visual Communication for Public Presentations.

Jessie Maran of HHPR and Josh Cohen of Fat Pencil Studio presented a range of tips and tools for creating clear and engaging graphics from fundamental diagramming to innovative real-time modeling. They shared techniques for deciding what types of graphics to use and how to ensure the graphics support the purpose and goals of your event. Jessie’s 15 years in design and marketing for the A/E/C industry and background in landscape architecture, urban design, and philosophy give her the unique ability to communicate technical design and research concepts.

She has developed documents, plans, diagrams, and illustrative graphics for a wide-range of land use and transportation projects along the west coast to convey a realistic and accurate understanding of the project’s design concepts in line with the desired level of public engagement. As the owner of Fat Pencil Studio, Josh delivers compelling visual presentations for a wide range of technical projects and has developed innovative techniques to inform and empower stakeholders. His photogrammetry expertise allows him to render proposed structures in the context of an existing conditions photograph. His skill with real time 3D modeling allows meaningful collaboration during project team meetings and design charrettes. This ability to visualize solutions has been instrumental in achieving consensus on complex and even controversial public works projects.

Jessie and Josh’s presentations are posted to the IAP2 Cascade Chapter Facebook page. Josh also kindly sent along the links to the resources discussed at the PI Network.

• Critique of NSA’s “PRISM” PowerPoint slides
• Non-Designers presentation book by Robin Williams
• WTF Visualizations
• Information is Beautiful by David McCandless
• Flowing Data by Nathan Yau

Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc. generously hosts the bi-monthly PI Networks in their River View offices in Portland’s Sellwood district. Chapter members Stefanie Slyman of HHPR and Susan Hanson of the Oregon Dept. of Transportation coordinate PI Networks. Each event is followed by a social at the Buffalo Gap eatery and pub where folks deepen their friendships and professional ties.

Cascade Chapter Join us for a local event Wednesday May 23 4-5:30

Hello IAP2 members and friends,
Please join us for another “PI Network” professional development and networking event sponsored by Cascade Chapter of International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) USA. PI Networks are FREE to IAP2 USA members and students. Non-members, please pay $10 at the door in cash or by a check payable to Cascade Chapter of IAP2.

Beaverton Community Vision
IAP2 Cascade Chapter 2011 Public Involvement Project of the Year – Best Planning Project
Presented by Holly Thompson

Wednesday, May 23
4 to 5:30 PM
Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc.
205 SE Spokane Street, 2nd Floor in Portland
Free parking on site.

The Beaverton Community Vision is the most extensive public engagement process ever undertaken by the City of Beaverton. The city focused on community engagement at the grassroots level, completely transforming how citizens engage with City Hall and expanding opportunities to interact with one another. The city ended up reaching over 5,000 residents, facilitating meetings in six languages, and garnering regional and national recognition. As a direct result of the visioning effort, the city launched a new Civic Plan for Beaverton, passed two successful ballot measures related to Urban Renewal, and partnered with downtown business owners to launch Beaverton’s first downtown association in more than 20 years. Come learn about this effort and how the City is continuing to engage an energized and involved citizenry through its planning efforts. Holly Thompson is the City of Beaverton’s program manager for Economic and Capital Development.

Please RSVP to Stefanie Slyman at stefanies@hhpr.com by May 21. Join us afterward for complimentary beverages and snacks, networking and fun at the Buffalo Gap, 6835 SW Macadam Ave.

 

 

Cascade Chapter: PI Network Event “Sustainable Behavior and Climate Issues”

Please join us for another “PI Network” professional development and networking event sponsored by Cascade Chapter of International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) USA. PI Networks are FREE to IAP2 USA members and students. Non-members, please pay $10 at the door in cash or by a check payable to Cascade Chapter of IAP2.

Sustainable Behavior and Climate Issues

Presented by Leslie Carlson

Wednesday, March 7

4 to 5:30 PM

Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc.

205 SE Spokane Street, 2^nd Floor in Portland

Free parking on site.

 

How do we talk about and frame sustainability issues without frightening or alienating the very people we need to reach? How do we move people from belief and opinion to action? Governments, non-profits and businesses—even individuals—have trouble communicating about sustainability and climate. For the past 20 years, statistics have shown that fewer and fewer Americans rank climate as an important issue. Come hear about the latest research in what works (and what doesn’t) when talking about sustainable behavior and climate issues.

Leslie Carlson of Carlson Communications works with public agencies and sustainable businesses to help promote behavior change for climate, thoughtful consumption, sustainable products and other sustainability-related areas. Some of her clients include the Northwest Earth Institute, the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, the Oregon Department of Health Services, the Oregon Global Warming Commission, the City of Portland, and Practice Greenhealth (a national sustainable health care member organization).

 

Please RSVP to Stefanie Slyman at stefanies@hhpr.com by March 6. Join us afterward for complimentary beverages and snacks, networking and fun at the Buffalo Gap, 6835 SW Macadam Ave.