Clients: 2013

Acadia Insurance specializes in commercial property casualty insurance programs for small and midsize businesses throughout New England and New York State. We were hired to facilitate a Senior Management Team retreat to explore company culture.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the world’s largest psychiatric organization representing more than 33,000 psychiatric physicians from the United States and around the world. Craig was hired by the APA District Branch Executives to deliver a 3-hour Facilitative Leadership training in Washington, DC for Executive Directors of regional chapters.

Bangor Hydro Electric Company and Maine Public Service are regulated electric transmission and distribution utilities serving eastern and northern Maine and wholly owned by Emera, a full-service energy company based in Nova Scotia. We were hired to facilitate a multi-day team building retreat among company leaders. We also prepared a complete report of the retreat. 

Bangor Hydro Electric Company transmits and distribute utilities to eastern and northern Maine. We were hired to plan and facilitate a meeting among leadership to debrief a recent event, celebrate successes, and learn lessons for the future.

Convened and administered by NAAEE (North American Association for Environmental Education), the Blue Sky Funders Forum is a national group of charitable foundations, corporate foundations, and government grantmakers who have formed an alliance to advance environmental education. Craig facilitated a series of meetings to help the group get organized and establish initial priorities.

We were hired to facilitate a series of three community input and visual mapping workshops to gather residents’ opinions on resource management for the Town of Bowdoinham.

The Town of Bowdoinham is dedicated to community involvement in the development and implementation of its Comprehensive Plan. As in the past, we were hired to facilitate a series of community workshops to gather opinions on implementation strategies for the plan.

Since 1998, the Cancer Community Center in South Portland, Maine has offered support and information as well as a sense of community for people living with cancer, their families and their friends. For the second time, we have been hired to help plan and facilitate a board retreat to assess progress on strategic plan goals and plan for the future.

The Chalmers Group is a family-owned group of insurance companies in western Maine and New Hampshire, now managed by the fourth generation of the Chalmers family. Building on our past work with them, we were hired to facilitate a one-day retreat for managers to review and update their insurance services strategies and plans. We also prepared a complete report.

For the seventh year in a row, CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) hired us to facilitate a multi-day retreat among regional directors from all over the country. In these retreats we work through issues, make important decisions, and have fun doing creative team-building exercises. This year we were on lovely Sebago Lake in southwestern Maine.

CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) is the leading U.S. non-governmental international education organization. Craig was hired to deliver his interactive keynote address “Group Decisions Done Right” at a national training conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Craig was hired to facilitate a meeting among a group of engaged organizations and businesses with an interest in addressing climate change issues, to help establish objectives for their work together. We prepared a summary report which included next steps.  

Community Concepts offers a variety of housing, economic development and social services for communities in western Maine. We were hired to help facilitate an organization-wide process to collaboratively develop a Statement of Values – a concise list of values that every employee understands, believes in, is enthusiastic about, and can use to help guide critical decision-making and problem solving. Leigh Tillman served as lead facilitator.

Located in Lewiston, Maine, the Dempsey Center provides free support, education and wellness services to cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. We were hired to conduct thirteen focus group meetings among current and potential users of the Dempsey Center and also among health care providers that make referrals to the Dempsey Center. We helped the Center use this information to develop a strategic plan.

The Downeast District Coordinating Council for Public Health is overseeing implementation of a federal Community Transformation Grant which will help Washington and Hancock Counties expand efforts in tobacco-free, active living, healthy eating, quality clinical preventive services, and healthy and safe physical environments. We have been hired to help plan and facilitate a series of meetings of the Community Transformation Grant Oversight Committee, to develop a shared understanding and collaborative approach for implementing the grant. Leigh Tillman is serving as lead facilitator.

To foster good relations and communications with their neighbors, Dragon Cement of Thomaston hires me to facilitate regular meetings of their Community Advisory Panel made up of local government, nonprofit, and business leaders.

DuPont (formerly FMC) manufactures carrageenan in Rockland, Maine. As part of its Responsible Care initiative, the company retained us to facilitate a community advisory panel. The group met every two months and served as a forum for learning and dialogue between plant managers and community leaders.

Founded in 1995, the nonprofit Elder Abuse Institute of Maine promotes the awareness and prevention of elder abuse through training, collaboration, outreach and advocacy. The Institute also offers transitional housing options and supportive services for elder victims. We were hired to facilitate a series of meetings among members of the board to plan for the future of the Institute’s housing and support programs. In addition to facilitation, our services included arranging meeting space, sending out meeting announcements, preparing notes of each meeting, and maintaining the participant contact list.

The Environmental Education Funders Collaborative (EEFC) is an informal collaborative of funders in the San Francisco Bay Area that develops avenues for sharing and partnering with the many stakeholders in the field of environmental and science education. We were hired to plan and facilitate a full-day conference of environmental educators and funders in San Francisco, CA.

We have ben hired several years in a row to plan and facilitate the annual retreat of the Falmouth Town Council, which includes developing elements of a long-term strategic work plan and board development.

The Family Planning Association of Maine raises awareness of family planning issues and provides health care services to Mainers, especially people with limited or no income and those who are uninsured. We were hired to facilitate a full-day staff retreat to explore workplace culture and the Association’s work in clinical settings. We also prepared a Complete Report of the retreat.

As they have in the past, the Gardiner City Council hired us to facilitate a workshop to take stock of recent accomplishments, update Council interaction guidelines, and establish Council goals for the coming year. Gardiner is a city of about 6,000 on the banks of the Kennebec River in Maine.

Gardiner Main Street fosters the economic and cultural vitality of the downtown of the City of Gardiner, Maine (population about 6,000) using the national “Main Street” program approach, and is a partner in the Gardiner Heart and Soul project, which gives the community opportunities to contribute in non-traditional ways to the future of the City. As part of Gardiner Heart and Soul’s leadership training series for community members, Craig was hired to facilitate an interactive workshop on conflict transformation and negotiation.

GrowSmart Maine is a nonprofit working to find common ground solutions for growing Maine’s economy and preserving our quality of place. GrowSmart Maine recently launched a new community planning project called “ReEnvisioning the Highway Strip” which proposes to research and present current ideas and examples for retrofitting highway strips. We were hired to facilitate a convening of planners and others working on commercial strip projects to share thoughts and lessons learned.

We were hired to work with the the superintendent, principals, assistant principals, and business managers of the Ipswich (MA) Public Schools to help identify issues and establish roles and responsibilities for this site-based management school district of about 2000 students.

Kennebec Behavioral Health offers a wide range of outpatient and medication services to promote the well-being of children, adults, and families who experience mental illness, emotional difficulties or behavioral challenges. For the third year in a row, we have been hired to facilitate a full-day Senior Management Team retreat focused on reviewing the past year and establishing future programmatic and operational priorities.

Kieve-Wavus offers leadership development programs for youth and adults and summer camps for girls and boys on Damariscotta Lake in Nobleboro, Maine. We worked with board members and leaders of the Wavus Camp for Girls to help them plan new programming.

Located in Wells, Maine, The Wells Reserve and the Laudholm Trust are two organizations working in partnership to support a National Estuarine Research Reserve (including 2,250 acres of coastal habitat) and a large historic saltwater farm (listed in the National Register of Historic Places). Together they conduct research, education, stewardship, and community building. We were hired to help plan and facilitate a Future Planning process to address general strategic direction around visibility, sustainability, roles, and deliberate partnerships. As part of the process we gathered stakeholder input, facilitated a series of meetings, and prepared a draft plan.

The Maine Association of Naturopathic Doctors is a professional association of naturopathic doctors (NDs) who live and work in Maine, dedicated to advancing the principles of naturopathic medicine and expanding Maine’s consumers’ access to natural, prevention-based health care. We were hired to facilitate the annual strategic planning meeting of the Association. 

The Maine Association of Planners (MAP) is a membership organization that promotes, supports, and encourages the practice of planning in Maine. We were hired to help MAP update its strategic plan by designing and facilitating a process to gather input from members and key stakeholders.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administers the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps, a group of volunteer medical professionals that are trained and equipped to deal with public health emergencies. We were hired to facilitate a meeting of Maine’s Medical Reserve Corps Statewide Collaborative to help analyze needs gaps in their work with partners such as hospitals, emergency management agencies, and others. 

The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) conducts research, analysis, citizen education, and coalition building to advance public policies that help Maine people prosper in a strong, fair and sustainable economy. We were hired to plan and facilitate a meeting for members of the Maine Can Do Better coalition, which is currently hosted by MECEP, to clarify the purpose and structure of the coalition.

Located on the beautiful Downeast coast, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables harvests, dries, and sells about 100,000 pounds of certified organic sea vegetables annually. We were hired by this socially and environmentally conscious company to facilitate a series of long-range planning meetings among senior staff. We also facilitated all-staff meetings to discuss company changes and provided coaching and related services to leadership staff.

We were hired to participate in a resource team assembled by the Maine Downtown Center to visit and advise our “hometown” of Brunswick, Maine (population 20,200). Other team members included experts on topics such as historic preservation, economic development, and promotions. Craig’s role on the team was to focus on organizational development issues. The multi-day visit resulted in a community presentation and preparation of a written report.

The Maine Farmers’ Market Convention hired Craig to present a keynote talk on The Wisdom of Group Decisions. For the third year in a row Craig also provided a training session; this year’s topic was strategic planning. The Maine Farmers’ Market Convention is an annual event organized and presented by the Downeast Business Alliance. The 2013 convention was held at Point Lookout in beautiful Northport, Maine.

The Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition brings together allies to identify issues affecting Maine’s immigrant communities and to advocate collectively for solutions. We were hired to facilitate a full-day retreat for the Coalition to make decisions about future priorities and organizational structure.

As the representative voice of optometry in Maine, the Maine Optometric Association advances the quality and availability of eye, vision, and related health care in Maine. We have been hired to facilitate a meeting among members to develop organizational priority focus areas and an action plan for the next few years. 

The Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society (MESAS) explores, develops and promotes agricultural systems and practices that allow Maine farmers to retain a greater share of consumer expenditures for farm products. As part of the MESAS “More Maine Meat” project, we were hired to facilitate a series of meetings among farmers, processors, distributors, government agencies, researchers, agricultural organizations, and consumers to identify key constraints and opportunities in Maine’s sustainable meat industry.

“Art for everyone!” is the motto at Merrymeeting Arts Center in Bowdoinham, Maine, where children and adults can participate in and enjoy the arts and celebrate the cultural heritage and natural environment of beautiful Merrymeeting Bay. We were hired to facilitate two gatherings of board members and stakeholders to plan for a sustainable future of the arts center.

MRG (Management Research Group) is a 30-year old consulting company in Portland, Maine. We were hired to facilitate a full-day retreat of senior managers to help prioritize and engineer future projects. We also facilitated several half-day follow-up retreats to review progress and to continue planning for the future.

The Maine State Employees Association — SEIU Local 1989 — is a member-run labor union representing more than 15,000 public and private sector workers throughout Maine. For the third year in a row, we have been hired to plan and facilitate a two-day board retreat focused on establishing strategic direction.

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) supports environmental educators with professional development, guidelines for excellence, networking, and advocacy. Craig helped facilitate a NAAEE strategic planning process that involved multiple meetings in Washington D.C. and San Francisco and phone interviews with thought leaders throughout the country.

PACTS works to improve the coordination of transportation planning and investment decisions by state, municipal and public transportation organizations in the Portland, Maine region. We were hired to facilitate a meeting among four PACTS Committees (Policy, Executive, Planning and Transit), to start the process of preparing the 2014 update to the “Destination Tomorrow” regional transportation plan. We also provided a complete report of the meeting.

PACTS works to improve the coordination of transportation planning and investment decisions by state, municipal and public transportation organizations in the Portland, Maine region. We were hired to facilitate an input-gathering meeting among elected officials representing Cape Elizabeth, Portland, and South Portland on the Regional Transportation Plan (called “Destination Tomorrow”). We also provided a complete report of the meeting.

The City Council of Portland, Maine hired us to facilitate a process to discuss and identify the city’s goals and priorities for the coming year. We conducted advance interviews with the Mayor, the City Councilors, and the City Manager and then facilitated a Council workshop to develop a statement of goals and priorities.

The City of Portland, Maine (population about 66,000) Refugee Services Program works to improve stability, independence, and overall quality of life for refugees in Maine. The Program has formed the Community Leadership Engagement Coalition to help community stakeholders who have been historically marginalized in the public education system based on race, ethnicity, immigration, and income status. We were hired to plan and facilitate a half-day workshop on group empowerment for the Coalition.

Based in Norway, Maine, The Progress Center promotes independence and freedom of choice for hundreds of children, families and adults who experience disabilities. We were hired to facilitate a full-day retreat among all staff to explore the value of different personality types, clear roles and responsibilities, and other aspects of leadership development.

RSU 16 encompasses the towns of Mechanic Falls, Minot, and Poland, Maine. We were hired to plan and facilitate a public input and strategic planning process to help guide RSU 16 education planning and build community among citizens, parents, students, teachers, town leaders, and the school board. We conducted two surveys, facilitated a series of input gathering meetings, and prepared a Report of Findings. We also facilitated a series of school board workshops and prepared a Draft Strategic Plan based on the results of the process.

Restorative Justice is a method that addresses harm caused by crime and wrongdoing by focusing not only on punishing the offender, but also on the victim that was harmed, the community that was impacted, and the ways in which the offender can make things right. The Restorative Justice Institute of Maine hired Craig to plan and facilitate a two-day conference called “Restorative Justice Think Tank: Realizing our Vision of a Restorative State”.

The Restorative Practitioner Training Institute is a new program of the Restorative Justice Institute of Maine and Youth MOVE Maine. Over 9 months, selected participants will attend a series of gatherings to build skills and support the development of restorative practices in Maine’s communities. Restorative practices are methods that address harm caused by crime and wrongdoing by focusing not only on punishing the offender, but also on the victim that was harmed, the community that was impacted, and the ways in which the offender can make things right. We were hired to help plan and facilitate a two-day intensive to kick off the Training Institute.

Sacopee Valley Health Center, located in Porter, Maine, has been delivering comprehensive health care services to the Sacopee Valley since 1976. We were hired to help facilitate a staff retreat and a board retreat to assess progress on past strategic plan goals and plan for the future. We also surveyed the staff, board, and community to gather input ahead of the retreats.

The Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association is a non-profit land trust and advocacy group of 550 member families that has been working since 1969 on conservation and restoration of the natural and historic heritage of the Sheepscot Watershed in  midcoast Maine. We were hired to facilitate a process to help the board make an important decision.

Stantec is a global company that provides professional consulting services in planning, engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics for infrastructure and facilities projects. Their Topsham, Maine office hired us to help develop a strategic vision for the next 3-5 years.

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension puts university research to work in homes, businesses, farms, and communities throughout Maine, providing education and practical solutions for agriculture, natural resources, economic opportunity, and lifelong wellness. Craig has been hired to facilitate three sessions at the two-day Annual Organizational meeting for Cooperative Extension staff. Topics will cover strategic planning and practical ideas for handling challenges in group situations.

The Paper Surface Science Program at the University of Maine seeks to develop knowledge about paper surface treatment processes and structure-performance relationships. The Program trains graduate students in performing scientific research on projects of value to sponsoring industries. We were hired to help plan and facilitate a meeting among key stakeholders to develop goals and plans for the future of the program. We also prepared a complete report of the meeting.

The University of Maine Pulp & Paper Foundation financially supports and prepares well-educated engineering students for careers in the pulp and paper and allied industries with full tuition merit based scholarships. We were hired to plan and facilitate a series of meetings among Foundation board and staff and stakeholders from the University and the industry to help develop a strategic plan for the Foundation. We prepared complete reports of the meetings and a draft strategic plan.

The City of Westbrook, ME, hired us to facilitate a community-wide visioning process. As a result of a series of fourteen meetings and a full day community visioning meeting, we drafted a vision statement to serve as the basis of Westbrook’s updated comprehensive plan. We are also facilitating meetings of the comprehensive plan task force and community input meetings for specific interests. Leigh Tillman assisted with this project.

York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC) works on the “front lines” to deliver social service, health, and educational programs to York County individuals and families living in poverty. Craig was hired to provide a training workshop for members of the YCCAC Board.