A leader in smart growth & community development.
Consulting Services
Zoning & Permitting
Battles over development, especially housing, can become bitter, personal, and toxic. Over the last two decades, I have become the leading advocate of zoning reform in Massachusetts and that experience has taught me how to defuse fears, correct misconceptions, and solicit constructive feedback. Particular interests include: accessory dwelling units, tiny homes, shared housing, incremental growth, transit-oriented development, and mixed-income housing. I help cities and towns get better development by shifting from a reactive to a proactive frame. I also work with smart growth developers to engage residents productively, communicate project benefits, and win the support of local leaders.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
I have worked to dismantle racism in housing, planning, and real estate for 25 years. Your community can become stronger and more welcoming by strengthening underrepresented voices in decision-making, diversifying its hiring, and creating supportive environments enabling all individuals to thrive. Coaching can help white-dominant organizations move toward diversified governance and antiracist impact. I can also help leaders of color troubleshoot work issues, find support, and become more effective within a white supremacy environment. Of course, inclusion and representation go beyond race, and I can help you understand what diversity means in your community or organization.
Communications
Storytelling helps you build your audience and gain goodwill by putting a human face on abstract concepts and campaigns. Whether you are a community or an organization, you need a narrative about where you’ve been, who you are, and where you want to go. Stories are rooted in shared values and help support relationships and trust. I can help you develop a tangible, meaningful vision that guides your work and mobilizes support. Together we can craft compelling messaging, create brand/campaign concepts, translate research into digestible materials, write articles and speeches, and fund raise.
Facilitation & Evaluation
Solving today’s problems often requires collaboration among a complex set of partners with different interests and perspectives. I have experience establishing collective impact initiatives that bring public, nonprofit, and private partners together. My principal career activities have been managing coalitions, busting silos, aligning goals, and ultimately creating organizational culture change. I excel at interviewing stakeholders and collecting qualitative data, documenting critical meetings and preparing notes, and facilitating sensitive meetings. Having participated in many strategic planning exercises as a nonprofit executive, I can help guide you through a successful process.
District Management
A fundamental part of cultivating great places is to manage them. In Massachusetts, the best district management tools at our disposal are Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Parking Benefit Districts. The two can be leveraged with additional strategies to address issues of finance, governance, and placemaking. In the era of COVID, with Main Streets and small businesses facing historic challenges, having quality support, staffing, and governance could make the difference in survival.
Advocacy
With my policy and political experience, I understand how to put together successful campaigns both inside and outside the State House. My professional network includes state and local officials, legislators, agency staff, issue advocates, foundations, and others. I can help you connect to the decision-makers and resources you need to be successful. Just as importantly, I can also help you expand your base of support, build coalitions, refine messaging, and adopt direct action strategies.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Reinvestment
Both employees and consumers demand more of business and anchor institutions nowadays. Fortunately, there are ways to generate community benefits while building a stronger staff team and promoting your name. A strategic approach to community partnerships can lead to long-term impact with even modest investment. I can help companies create a framework for their activity, establish the right partnerships, conduct an analysis of community need, coach your staff, and organize service operations.