Facilitation and Mediation
Expert facilitation of your meeting, committee process, or retreat will create a respectful, neutral atmosphere that is particularly helpful when parties have differing view points. At the front end we’ll listen to what you want to accomplish and help design the meeting process to meet your objectives. During the meeting we’ll ensure information is discussed in an orderly manner that  builds to support the group’s decision-making. When the meeting is over we can prepare a report that includes agreed upon recommendations and action plans.
We regularly work with groups of five to over 100. Our skills in facilitating range from multiple-day strategic meetings, crafting complex scientific and technical policy plans, to helping individuals or organizations resolve specific community, land use and workplace disputes.
Sheinberg Associates believes that if you bring the right people together in constructive ways with good information, they will come up with ways to address their shared concerns. Sheinberg Associates is here to help with that process.
Relevant work includes:
Juneau Teen Health Center (2007-2008)
Facilitate meetings and planning process of the Juneau Teen Health Center Executive Committee (made up of clinician organizations that contribute services to the center) and the Center’s Advisory Board, to develop a strategic plan for expanding teen health center services to a second high school in Juneau, Alaska. Work included preparation of agendas, meeting facilitation, preparation of meeting summaries and final report.
Yukon River Panel (2007)
Facilitate meeting of the 16-member Yukon River Panel, Restoration and Enhancement (R&E) Fund Budget Priorities subcommittee and staff. Work on restoration and budget priorities and update related framework to guide R&E funding decisions. Develop agenda in consultation with Alaska Co-Chair, facilitate subcommittee meeting, and revise the existing (2003) Budget  Priorities Framework as directed by the subcommittee. Present consensus framework to a meeting of the full Yukon River Panel.
National Park Service (2007)
Assist NPS Southeast Alaska Network Technical Committee organize a series of technical meetings (10 participants) and expert workshops (20-30 participants) to identify key resources in Southeast’s national parks to monitor for next 50 years. Sheinberg Associates facilitated the meetings, prepared meeting proceedings and reports, and now provides ongoing facilitation to group.
Alaska Region Leadership Team Meetings (Ongoing)
Facilitate quarterly meetings of the USDA Forest Service, Region 10, Regional Leadership Team. Duties include coordinate agenda planning and approval by Regional Foresters Team; assist with logistics; prepare summary report.
Unit 2 Young Growth Management Strategy (2006-2007)
Facilitation services to assist in developing a management strategy for young growth forests on USFS land on Prince of Wales Island in order to benefit wildlife productivity (particularly Sitka black-tailed deer). Participants in the strategic planning sessions include state and federal wildlife and timber managers, USFS research biologists, and representatives of the Unit 2 Deer Planning Subcommittee of the Southeast Alaska Regional Subsistence Advisory Council.
CBJ Performing Arts Centers Center Commission (Ongoing)
Provide facilitation, research and staff services to Juneau’s Performing Arts Center Commission. This 9 to 11 member body, appointed by the Mayor, is seeking to develop a Performing Art Center in downtown Juneau.
Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association (2006)
Facilitate Yukon River meeting on Fish Size with 30-60 stakeholders, help with meeting design and process, and prepare meeting report.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Subsistence Management (2006)
Facilitate public meetings in Homer and Soldotna, Alaska, for the Office of Subsistence Management, regarding the proposed regulation to establish a Kenai Peninsula Region and  Regional Advisory Council under the Federal Subsistence Management Program. Prepare summary report.
City and Borough of Juneau School District (2006)
Design process and facilitate a series of staff meetings to reorganize D’zantiki’ Heeni Middle School in response to enrollment/funding reductions. Assist staff to find a better structure to meet these challenges. Sheinberg Associates designed process and facilitated all meetings to systematically assist staff: (1) Identify their core school and educational values; (2) Research and report on accepted and proven options for providing middle school education that reflect and honor the school’s values and educational goals; (3) Consider ways to organize the school structure and schedule that would both effectively use and excite staff; (4) Design, tally and report on a confidential survey to assess staff’s choices; and (5) Facilitate large meeting(s) among staff to reach consensus on the new school structure and organization. School was reorganized for 2006/2007 based on this consensus process.
USDA Forest Service, R10 State & Private Forestry (2006)
In response to funding declines State & Private Forestry division staff from California to Alaska (Regions 5, 6 and 10) desire to identify possible ways to combine functions and services. Sheinberg Associates assisted the three directors in designing the process and agenda for a combined staff meeting. Sheinberg facilitated the meeting (25 participants) and ensured group accomplished its meeting goals, including developing a series of actions (with staff assignments and due dates) to systematically investigate options and cost savings, and prepared report.
Subsistence, Wildlife Resource Monitoring Program (2006)
Facilitate strategic planning for USDA Forest Service to determine priority information needs to address through the USFS Wildlife Resource Monitoring Program (WRMP). Participants in the strategic planning sessions included state and federal agency wildlife managers, Southeast and Southcentral Regional Subsistence Advisory Council members, and representatives of Tribal organizations.
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) - 5 Year Strategic Plan (2005)
Work with the SouthEast Alaska’s Regional Native Health Consortium’s Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team and staff to develop a 5-year strategic plan. As part of process facilitate large Alaska-wide tribal health summit session.
Prince of Wales Area Deer Planning (2005)
For the USDA Forest Service, facilitate a nine-month collaborative planning process of the Unit 2 Deer Planning Subcommittee, a 12-member group of hunters, users and managers of deer who are working to address contentious subsistence deer management issues in Game Management Unit 2 in Southeast Alaska (including remote rural communities and primarily-Native Alaskan communities on Prince of Wales Island). Sheinberg Associates planned and facilitated subcommittee meetings, coordinated public involvement in process, and authored final report including the subcommittee’s consensus recommendations to the Federal Subsistence Board and Alaska Board of Game. Work involved meetings in remote Alaska locations.
Glacier Bay Science Advisory Board (2005)
Facilitate the Glacier Bay Science Advisory Board and assist with the development of a plan to determine the optimal number of motorized watercraft (cruise ships tour, charter, and private vessels) that can access Glacier Bay and still protect park resources and high-quality visitor experience. This plan is in compliance with the 2003 Glacier Bay Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Vessel Quotas and Operating Requirements.
Alaska Dept of Fish and Game and Bering Sea Fisherman Association (2005)
Convene a group of stakeholders and facilitate meeting to examine the process used to set escapement goals in the Arctic/Yukon/Kuskokwim region.
Alaska Board of Fisheries (2005)
Facilitate multiple meetings of the Alaska Board of Fisheries’ Salmon Industry Restructuring Panel. Prepare draft report to Legislature.
Strategic Planning Retreat Facilitation (2004)
Facilitate a NOAA-NMFS, Management and Information Division/ Information Resources Office two-day strategic planning retreat for OMI-IRO Division. Work includes creating an agenda, facilitating meeting, creating a one and five year action-oriented work plan, and preparing a summary report.
Planning for Juneau Public Lands (2003)
Facilitate a year-long city/state/public planning process for public lands in the Amalga-Eagle Beach area of Juneau. The area is important for recreation, cultural/historic and environmental resources. Products include a proposed trails/facilities plan and letter of agreement between city and state land managers.
Bristol Bay Salmon Fishery Restructuring Study (2002)
Work for Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation to design process and facilitate public meetings in Naknek and Dillingham, Alaska, in June 2002 to hear and discuss ideas about improving the Bristol Bay salmon fishery. A total of 240 people attended the two meetings – including fishermen from all gear groups and districts, processors and community members. Sheinberg prepared summary reports.
Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund – Stakeholder and Science Panel Facilitation (2002)
Facilitate meetings of Governor-appointed diverse stakeholder group that developed and implemented a multi-year $19 million dollar grant program to improve economic opportunities for the fishing industry in southeast Alaska. Also facilitated meetings of state/federal agency science panel that was advising on salmon habitat restoration, research and monitoring, and stock enhancement.
Southeast Alaska Electric Intertie (2002)
Facilitate Southeast Conference panel and interactive discussion with audience to explore options for organizing a Southeast Alaska Electric Intertie, specifically to assist in resolving conflict between two options and their respective proponents.
Economic Development Town Meetings (2002)
Design, facilitate town meetings, and assist with report preparation for a series of three large meetings in Wrangell, Alaska to engage the community in setting economic development goals and identifying priority projects. Client was City of Wrangell and KSTK-FM Radio.
Office of the Governor - Facilitate Tulsequah Chief Mine public meeting (2001)
Facilitate a contentious public meeting where 70+ citizen’s listened to new information and express their concerns to Canadian government team on a proposed Mine near the Canadian-U.S. border in Southeast Alaska. Prepare summary of concerns and comments as part of State record.
Effectiveness of Tongass Land Management Plan Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2001) For the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, design meeting process, agenda, prepare materials, and facilitate a two-day state/federal interagency science meeting to develop a Conceptual Framework for monitoring the effectiveness of the wildlife conservation strategy of the 1997 Tongass National Forest Land Management Plan.
Mediate Dispute (2000)
Mediate a workplace dispute at a private Medical Clinic in Juneau.
Mendenhall Watershed Partnership (2000)
Convene stakeholder group, provide staff support, and facilitate on an ongoing basis (1998-2000), a citizen-led watershed management and pollution reduction effort for the Mendenhall River watershed, Juneau. Ensure this diverse group emphasizes point of consensus. Client: Southeast Conference
Office of the Governor, Alaska Division of Governmental Coordination (2000)
Design agenda, process, facilitate, and prepare report for 1.5 day strategic planning workshop for 20 staff.
Mediate Dispute (2000)
Mediate a workplace dispute at USFS, Forestry Sciences Laboratory.
Stakeholder Process to Development new State Regulations (2000)
Design and facilitate Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation stakeholder/agency process to develop new regulations for public drinking water systems. Completed regulations were adopted by State of Alaska and approved by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act.
Mediation Assessment (1999)
Assess a 10-party land use dispute and recommend whether mediated settlement will be successful. Client was USFS, Stikine Region.
USFS, Stikine Region (1999)
Prepare and deliver a two-day workshop entitled “Collaborative Stewardship — Working Together on Land and Resource Issues in Central Southeast Alaska,” in Petersburg, Alaska (50 local government, Native Alaskan, industry, environmental, & USFS attendees).
USFS, Pacific Northwest Research Station (1999)
Assess the site-specific worker needs, design a responsive curriculum, and provide a two-day training to improve workplace communication among teams at the Juneau Forestry Sciences Lab, and between the Lab and its home office in Portland, Oregon (45 local government, Native Alaskan, industry, environmental, & USFS attendees).
Mediation Assessment and Training (1999)
Assess the site-specific worker needs at the USFS, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Design a responsive curriculum, and provide a two-day training to improve workplace communication among teams at the Juneau Forestry Sciences Lab, and between the Lab and its home office in Portland, Oregon. (45 local government, Native Alaskan, industry, environmental, & USFS attendees) |
