Cheryl Hilvert is a management and leadership consultant providing education and technical assistance for local governments on key management strategies designed to enhance organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Cheryl most recently served as the Director for the Center for Management Strategies for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Prior to her position at ICMA, Cheryl served for more than 31 years as a local government manager. She holds Bachelor and Master of Public Administration degrees from Eastern Kentucky University and is a graduate of the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia and the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. She is also an ICMA credentialed manager.

Lewis Michaelson is a past-president, life member, and licensed trainer for IAP2, and a member of the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution Roster of Neutrals. Most recently, he served as Vice President of IAP2 USA. He has more than 28 years of experience resolving complex and controversial water, energy, transportation, land use, public policy and organizational conflicts through the use of public participation and neutral facilitation. He has personally facilitated more than 1,000 public meetings and workshops in over 20 states and trained more than 1,000 people in public participation, conflict management and risk communications. Currently, he serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Katz & Associates where he oversees the public participation, facilitation, environmental and federal practice areas.

Joel Mills has worked for over 20 years to strengthen civic capacity around the world. This work has helped millions of people participate in democratic processes, visioning efforts, and community planning initiatives. Joel has worked with over 100 communities, leading participatory initiatives and collaborative processes for community-generated strategies on a host of issues. He currently serves as Director of the American Institute for Architects’ Center for Communities by Design, a leading provider of pro bono technical assistance and participatory planning for community sustainability. This work has been recognized with an IAP2 Core Values Award and an International Association of Facilitation (IAF) Platinum Facilitator Impact Award. Joel served as an inaugural Board Member for IAP2 USA, and has served on over two dozen boards, juries and expert panels.

Dr. Marty Rozelle has 35 years of experience in public policy development, third-party facilitation, process design, and conflict resolution. She has designed and/or facilitated more than 400 forums and citizen committees. Marty is a founder and Past President of IAP2, and a primary developer and trainer for the IAP2 Certificate Course in Public Participation, now the Foundations in Public Participation program. Marty has designed and conducted public participation programs for long-range land use and transportation plans, mixed use developments, trails and open space master plans, city general plan updates, water re-use master plans, and energy resource management plans. She also is expert at building stakeholder consensus in the siting of municipal landfills, dams and reservoirs, high- and low-level nuclear waste repositories, highways, high voltage transmission lines, power plants, and other energy-related projects.

Doug Sarno is a Master Certified Public Participation Professional (MCP3) and Licensed IAP2 trainer with over 30 years of experience in a wide range of disciplines that support participatory decision-making, and is internationally recognized as an expert in public participation, outreach, and education. Doug was an original designer and designated Master Trainer for the IAP2 Certificate Training in Public Participation, now the Foundations in Public Participation program, and he served as an international assessor to coach and support new trainers across the world. He has participated in the development of many innovative approaches and tools in participation, including the IAP2 Spectrum and the US Environmental Protection Agency online guide to public participation.