Becky is a private consultant with an emphasis in group facilitation, strategic planning, issue resolution, and policy development. Drawing upon multiple disciplines, Becky has designed and facilitated a wide range of meetings, retreats and strategic planning processes for both the public and non-profit sectors, and has over 25 years experience in non-profit management, coalition building, and policy change.
During her career, Becky has previously held positions with the WV School-Based Health Assembly and the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Families, and has served as a government relation’s specialist at Tonkin Management Group to advance public health and child welfare policy issues.
In addition to facilitation and consultation, Becky serves as co-coordinator of Our Babies: Safe and Sound, a statewide educational campaign on infant safety sponsored by TEAM for West Virginia Children. In this position, she is responsible for research, program design, implementation, technical assistance, and facilitation. Most recently, Say YES To Safe Sleep for Babies, an infant safe sleep parent educational program, has been implemented with 16 birthing hospitals and 20 home visitation programs across West Virginia.
Becky is a certified trainer in the Standards of Excellence for the Non-Profit Sector, is a member of the International Association of Facilitators, and has served on numerous non-profit boards. She is a graduate of West Virginia University and Marshall University College of Graduate Studies, and holds a master’s degree in counseling and guidance, with an emphasis in community organization.
Collective Impact is working with the Joint Commission on Sports Medicine and Science (JCSMS) to engage its membership in the Collective Impact approach. JCSMS serves as a convener and catalyst for cooperative ventures. The Collective Impact approach is a commitment of a group of individuals from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem, using a structured form of collaboration. The concept of collective impact hinges on the idea that organizations need to coordinate their efforts and work together around a clearly defined goal if they are to create lasting solutions to social problems on a large-scale. This approach was highlighted in a Stanford Social Innovation Review article titled “Collective Impact”. More recently, with financial support from the Wallace Foundation, the Teachers College of Columbia University engaged in research relating to collective engagement around education reform. Their report (Collective Impact and the New Generation of Cross-Sector Collaborations for Education) describes the development of cross-sector collaborations and presents findings from a scan of initiatives across the United States. With assistance from Collective Impact, JCSMS membership is exploring how the model might be used to address relevant issues facing their member organizations.
The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph engaged Collective Impact to assist in conducting a Communications Audit and Effectiveness Study to identify strategic recommendations that promote effective communications with CSJ’s current audiences who live near the Congregation’s centers. The study was designed to assess CSJ’s communications materials, tools, and processes and to determine the general effectiveness, impact and success of the Congregation’s outreach and communication materials and publications. It also explored ways CSJ might better engage others in the mission and work being carried out by the Congregation. The project provided the Congregation of St. Joseph with the necessary information and strategic positioning to develop a comprehensive communications plan and implement that plan over the next several years. Services included planning, practice research, a stakeholder survey, key informant interviews and a series of stakeholder discussions at each of the Congregations six centers in Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
“I’ve worked with three communities that have had strategic plans done by Collective Impact. In all three the planning process and subsequent document provided structure for locals to move forward, often with significant projects. It is no wonder that they have repeat business and a good reputation with these folks.” ~ Herk Conner – Executive Director, Doddridge County Economic Development Authority, West Union, WV
Community Design Innovations is our signature "Collective Impact" service used for facilitating cross-sector community or system development and improvement. It is a promising practice for leading teams or communities of geographic location and/or common purpose through a holistic and integrated planning process.
Community Design Innovations is a model that engages diverse stakeholders from various disciplines and sectors in comprehensive outcome-based planning. Community Design Innovations increases participants' capacity to work collaboratively in implementing development strategies, solutions, and projects that improve communities and the quality of life of its residents.