I have been a faculty member teaching in the areas of business communication for the past 23 years at the University of Washington, Tacoma. I have a distinct interest in messaging strategies and stakeholder engagement. I developed a global study (to...More
I have been a faculty member teaching in the areas of business communication for the past 23 years at the University of Washington, Tacoma. I have a distinct interest in messaging strategies and stakeholder engagement. I developed a global study (to be completed with students in Sept 2019) as a result of a community based need to assist the Port of Tacoma with strategically developing a system to engage employees in understanding why the LNG plant is a step in the right direction away from dirty diesal fuel and how it will benefit the community, port economy and global environment in ways both direct and indirect. This global study will take 20+ students in Sept 2019 to the Netherlands to explore the innovative use of technology and systems which advance green initiatives. Special attention will be given to how the Ports message their stakeholders to help facilitiate their intended motives which are at times unknown or not understood. I am driven to help people join in conversation that minimizes misunderstandings and which result in transparent dialog to help solve some of the most vexing challenges of our times. My scholarship to this point has been largely employed in the classroom to my student audience, and this is the first conference that I have ever applied to speak at as a leader. I am ready to share what I have been doing and welcome the chance to reach a larger global audience to help them, and myself, to understand the complexities involved when trying to communicate motives for CSR initaitives to multiple stakeholders. My formal education was in the field of Industrial Psychology, which allows me to consider individuals within human systems, as well as the role of leadership and authority within decision making systems. My interests in global sustainability are from a mindset that we can earn a profit and not kill the planet, all the while helping people find meaningful work that accomplishes both. On a personal note, I am a mother of two grown children, and "yes", I want my grandchildren to inherit an earth that my generation did not mindlessly exploit. I seek to find a way through constructive dialog to work with many other stakeholders to find creative opportunities to do what we may with less waste of time, money and resources which are all precious commoditities.
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