You want your meetings and retreats to go more smoothly and help you accomplish your goals. Sometimes you need an impartial facilitator to make that happen.
I specialize in crafting effective gatherings that start and end with outcomes in mind. Whether you want to improve meetings within your organization or host gatherings that bring diverse constituents together, I can help you plan and facilitate an event that achieves your vision.
I can help you with:
- Determining the purpose and goals of your meeting;
- Developing an effective agenda with diverse opportunities for participation;
- Outlining participant roles and responsibilities;
- Moderating panels or sequenced presentations;
- Facilitating brainstorming sessions;
- Documenting discussions and agreements;
- Designing and hosting online meetings;
- Writing post-meeting summaries, plans, or outcomes.
I particularly enjoy planning and hosting retreats that help to rejuvenate teams, build community, and develop individuals’ skills and talents.
Client Testimonial
I have had the pleasure of seeing Carrie work as a facilitator several different times. She is always thorough, well-prepared and productive, even when groups are wrestling with thorny issues. Those sessions and events have invariably led to valuable, high-quality work product for the participants.
Dan Smith, Vermont Community Foundation
Sample Meeting Planning & Facilitation Projects
Advance Vermont
I worked with this collective impact initiative, designed to increase post-college degree and credential attainment in Vermont, from 2017-2019. My roles included: facilitating meetings of diverse constituents during the course of a year-long policy planning initiative; planning and facilitating a statewide convening; and planning a curriculum revision initiative.
The Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economy Collaborative
In June, 2017, Vermont’s Governor (Phil Scott) signed an executive order identifying outdoor recreation as a key economic opportunity for the state and creating the “Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economy Collaborative (VOREC).” A committee was formed to guide VOREC’s initiatives, but input from those in the field and from the public was also essential. I was hired to help plan and facilitate a 2-day “Grafton Conference” at the Grafton Inn, sponsored by the Windham Foundation, The Vermont Community Foundation, and the High Meadows Fund.
Vermont Women in Higher Education (VWHE)
The VWHE conference brings over 100 women together to advance their leadership and reflective learning. In 2018 & 2019, I served as the Conference Committee Chairperson (pro bono). My role was to ensure that this conference met and exceeded attendees’ expectations. I handled all venue selection and logistics, and collaborated with the committee to request workshop proposals and plan the agenda. We took new approaches to speakers, networking events, and professional development in order to make the conference more meaningful for attendees.
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