"Educator and Consultant."

Curriculum vitae

OBJECTIVE:

Educator and Consultant in Organizational Communications and Design, and Public Engagement

PROFILE

Professional with a distinguished blend of research, strategic and teaching skills; possess unique knowledge-base combining insight into leading ideas in organizational dynamics, governance and management, organizational communications, and public engagement; ten years experience teaching; three years as researcher in a think tank with an international consultancy business; highly motivated and gifted educator and dedicated life-long learning; a record of exceptional accomplishment in all fields of endeavour

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.D. in Communication Studies, 1990

Graduate Program in Communications

McGill University, Montreal, QC

M.A. in History, 1986

Dept. of History

B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, 1984

(Communications & History)

Concordia University, Montreal, QC

CURRENT INTERESTS

I'm currently working on a book tentatively titled: Making the MIFO Age. It concentrates on the impact, across a variety of sectors and disciplines, of tne newly emerging MIFOs: multi-channel iterative feedback organizations. More generally, I'm focused on complex organizational dynamics – e.g. network cross-linking, distributed leadership, self-organizing systems, open method of coordination – with emphasis on the distinct communications dimensions of successful management and governance. The focus is on the means to instigate organizational self-renewal: maintaining a meta-level of control and direction while allowing micro- and meso-levels of improvisation and creativity. Such methods reveal tremendous opportunity for the development of crisis-response capacity, problem solving and innovation.  I also have a special interest in the lessons to be drawn from advances and debates in leading scientific research.

RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Instructor - 2008 - Current

Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC

(A post-secondary educational institution serving primarily mid-career professionals, providing a learner-focused education for enhanced leadership and governance skills)

Teaching  several classes, graduate and undergraduate, in organizational communication and knowledge management

Researcher - 2003 - 2006

Institute of Public Administration of Canada, Toronto, ON  

Founded, in 1947, as a national professional service organization for senior public servants,  IPAC has evolved into an international consultancy and think tank on issues of public management and governanc.

• Identified emerging trends and issues, and conducted extensive research and analysis
  Managed on-going programs
  
• Utilized a broad range of qualitative research methods and media
  
• Consulted and collaborated with project partners
  
• Created, conducted and analyzed Likert scale surveys
  
• Supervised and trained support staff

Principal - 2001 - 2003

Rhizome Consultancy, Toronto, ON                                                           

(Community impact assessment and public consultation service for the private sector, facilitating community involvement in, and approval of, new projects  mitigating local resistance and avoiding costly court and regulatory challenges)

Conducted extensive research into public consultation and mediation processes

Instructor - 1993 – 2000  

Saint Mary’s University, Dept. of Sociology, Halifax, NS   

• Exercised full responsibility for preparation, teaching and evaluation in all courses
• Conducted far ranging social science and humanities research
• Supported and supervised honours students

Lecturer - 1991-1992

Wilfrid Laurier University, Communications Program, Waterloo, ON

Assistant - 1990- 1991

York University, Social Science Department, Toronto, ON

Assistant - 1984-1986

Concordia University, Department of History, Montreal, QC    

PUBLICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS

REPORTS

Author, Democratic Regulation and Public Participation in Science-Based Decision-Making, commissioned by Health Canada, Federal Government of Canada, 2006

Author, Review of the Citizen Engagement Periodical Literature, commissioned by the Canada School of Public Service, Federal Government of Canada, 2005

Author, Thinking Regulation: A Roadmap to the Recent Periodical Literature, commissioned by the Privy Council Office, Federal Government of Canada, 2003.

SCHOLARLY

Co-author, “The Road to NGO: The Transformation of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, 1985-1995,” in Professionalism and Public Service: Essays in Honour of Kenneth Kernaghan, (eds.) David Siegel and Ken Rasmussen (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008).

Primary author, The Top Ten Topics in Public Administration Scholarship: An International Perspective. (Toronto: Institute of Public Administration of Canada – New Directions Series #19, 2006)

Lead editor, authored introduction, Dreaming of the Regulatory Village; Speaking of the Regulatory State (Toronto: Institute of Public Administration of Canada – New Directions Series #18, 2006)

Co-author, “Towards a New Accountability: ‘Governance Dialogue’,” 25th Anniversary Journal, (CCAF-FCVI, 2005)

Co-editor and co-author case studies, author literature review essay, Reinventing Service: Processes and Prospects for Municipal Alternative Service Delivery (Toronto: Institute of Public Administration of Canada and the Governance Network – New Directions Series #14, 2004)

Primary editor, Making Connections: Municipal Governance Priorities Today (Toronto: Institute of Public Administration of Canada – New Directions Series #13, 2004)

Author, “Liberty Avenue,” Desideratum: A Journal of Cultural Studies, Fall, 1997

Author, “Whither the Municipality? Defining the Municipal in Confederal Municipalism,” Anarchist Studies, 2(1), Spring 1994.

Author, “Individuals, Communities and Federalism,” Telos, 93, Fall 1992

Author, “Notes on Pumping up the Volume in Communication Studies,” Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 17, 1992 

Author, “Beyond the Crises: Proposal for a New Confederation,” in Political Arrangements: Power and the City, (ed.) H. Lustiger-Thaler (Montreal: Black Rose, 1992.)

Author, “Toronto’s Neighbourhood Association Movement, In Light of the Artificial Negativity Thesis,” in Culture and Social Change, (eds.) C. Leys and M. Mendell (Montreal: Black Rose, 1992.)

Author, “Hannah Arendt’s Vision of the European Council Phenomenon,” Dialectical Anthropology, 16(1), 1991

Author, “Techniques and Technologies: In Defense of an Analytical Distinction,” Canadian Journal of Political and Social Theory, 12(1-2), 1988.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA

Scholarly blog, Governance Dialogue

Researched and did all intellectual work in the conception, creation and maintenance of specialty web site on regulatory innovation:  Smarttape Centre

Performed conceptual research, created and maintained specialty web site on citizen engagement: Centre for Governance Dialogue

PRESENTATIONS (SELECTED):

Presenter, “The role of scientific expertise in regulation,” C.R.U.I.S.E. (Carleton Research Unit on Innovation, Science and Environment) Conference on Multi-Level Regulatory Governance in Canada, Oct. 27-28, 2004, Ottawa, ON Canada

Presenter, “IPAC in UNPAN: Networking for Information and Knowledge.” The E-Information Management Workshop, United Nations Public Administration Network, Thessaloniki, Greece, September 21-25, 2003.

Presenter, “Metropolitan Toronto and Municipal Confederation: Self-Constitution on the Precarious Frontier” Canadian Sociology Association, Learned Societies, Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada  June 1, 1992.

Presenter, “Whither the Municipality? Defining the Municipal in Confederal Municipalism,” Fourth Annual International Conference of the Karl Polanyi Institute of Political Economy, Montreal, Quebec, Canada November 13, 1992.

POPULAR

Author, “In support of Democratic Renewal,” Public Sector Magazine, 16(3), 2005 

Guest editor, Public Sector Magazine, Special Issue on Regulatory Innovation, 15(2), 2004

Author, “Braithwaite’s Pyramid: Scholars Debate the New Role of the Public Servant in Regulation,” Public Sector Magazine, 15(2), 2004

Author, “The Trouble with Normal,” Kick It Over, 30, Fall 1992

Author, “Avoiding Marginality,” Left Green Perspectives, 27, January 1992 

Author, “Let’s Separate Together,” City Magazine, 11(4), Summer 1990.

EVENTS

Organizer, “International Brainstorm on the Future of the Regulatory State,” Toronto, ON Canada, December, 2004 – participants included academics and practitioners from Asia, Australia, Europe and North America

OTHER INTERESTS

Co-founder, Lacan Salon, Vancouver-based study and discussion group exploring the work of French Psychoanalytical theorist, Jacques Lacan

Hobby, studying Enlightenment philosophy and science

World traveler (recently lived five months in Thailand)