Past and Current Projects

I’m one of three civic deliberation design experts advising the State in their development of a new flexible “digital democracy” model they can use to better engage the public on key policy issues. Their first pilot will seek to assist Californians affected by the 2024/25 Los Angeles area fires in determining what is needed beyond the initial emergency response, both for effective recovery as well as forward-looking rebuilding and preparation for future resilience.

I was brought in to help conceptualize, design and launch a new research center at PPIC – the Economic Policy Center, which debuted in February 2024 under the leadership of Sarah Bohn. The EPC provides nonpartisan data and research with a labor market focus, to help policy makers understand how the state’s economy affects both businesses and workers, and where there may be opportunities for greater economic well-being. I continue supporting the EPC Director in her efforts to ensure the Center is effective at providing relevant, actionable information in a timely way.

I was asked to design a ten-month statewide Citizens Assembly process in New Hampshire, and then to lead the organization and execute the plan on behalf of my client, The People. This work culminated in a three-day, in-person event in Manchester, NH, in June of 2024, where 50 delegates, demographically representative of the state’s population, deliberated and then agreed (with over 75% support) to support four reform proposals to improve state legislative representation and reduce partisan polarization in the state. Since then, steps have been taken to pursue implementation of those recommendations, including the introduction of state legislation. I continue to support the terrific individuals carrying out this work.

This was a handful of friends of varied political persuasions, who came together in the fall of 2016 in Half Moon Bay, CA, to do some brainstorming on what was working and what was not in our state, what needed more attention, and what (more) could be done to really move the needle toward greater economic security and freedom. (I and another good friend who lives in Half Moon Bay issued the invitation and I continued to organize and facilitate the work going forward.) Everyone – all political stripes represented –  agreed there was a moral imperative to secure progress on this front, and until that happens, it will block all else that is essential to building a productive, resilient and happy future society-wide – “life liberty and happiness”. (We made good progress, but the COVID crisis in March, 2020 forced this initiative into mothballs… Although…

On  behalf of event cosponsor California Forward, I helped organize and project manage a Deliberative Poll on Climate and Energy Policy, and in this capacity was deeply involved with multiple facets of the project. (This was an America In One Room event) (May 2022 - Dec 2022). Immediately following this project, I designed and ran a pilot of Stanford’s online deliberative platform to test its viability as a “civic knowledge building tool”. This was called “Table Talks”, and it was sponsored by Helena.

I helped the team who  originally imagined the potential of this initiative organize and launch the project, managed it for its first year, and then joined their advisory council. BAE brings together policy makers, benefits, administrators, direct service providers, and people with expertise navigating public benefits to explore and promote policies that can improve the efficacy of our social safety net, for the purpose of providing a reliable path to economic productivity, freedom and resilience.

In December of 2024 I was asked to help develop an idea with the CA Volunteers Fund CEO that would broaden access to economic mobility for high school and college age youth statewide.