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Collaboration of Multidisciplinary Professionals INTRODUCTION Leadership requires more than expertise. Collaboration between public service agencies and professionals is critical to all disciplines within public service. In this exercise, you will have an opportunity to create a diverse group that can help guide Riverbend City's emergency planning efforts.
SCENARIO According to a recent story in the LA Times, overall losses from man-made and natural disasters in the United States topped $140 billion in 2012. Riverbend City has known its share of disasters and officials have learned the hard way that while planning cannot prevent disasters, it is the best tool for recovering from them. Jenny Cunningham, the Emergency Manager for Riverbend City, has been advocating a Whole Community approach to emergency management and her efforts are being well received by Mayor Bauer, the city council, and others at the local and state levels.
Whole Community is a philosophical approach asks communities to think about how emergency management should be conducted. A Whole Community approach attempts to engage the private and nonprofit sectors, including businesses, faith-based and disability organizations, and the general public, in conjunction with of local, state, and Federal governmental agencies in the process of needs analysis and planning. The goal is to create empowered, prepared, and resilient communities.
You have been tasked with representing your organization in this effort. When you contact Jenny's office, she responds enthusiastically and asks you "What partnerships do we need to establish in order to develop a better understanding of Riverbend City's needs?" The conversation concludes with you agreeing to help coordinate a roundtable discussion group that will meet to discuss initial community outreach efforts. Your main task is to suggest 10 people or agencies you think Jenny should invite to participate in the roundtable.
CITY COUNCILMAN Prior to serving on the city council, Mr. Reeves worked as Communications Director for Birchwood Personnel Services.
Other interests: Past Chair of the Lindner Hills PTA.Active with neighborhood revitalization programs.Member of the Riverbend City Library board. RIVERBEND CITY DIVERSITY LIAISON Mo Xiong, the city's first diversity liaison, is a first-generation Hmong-American whose parents immigrated to the United States from Laos when she was seven years old.
Other interests: Previous chair of Office of Diversity Affairs, Beck University.Campaign manager for state senate hopeful Cha Lor.Volunteers as a grant writer for a variety of nonprofit organizations.
RIVERBEND CITY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS Robin Gianni has an MA in Public Administration from Beck University with a concentration in water resource management.
Other interests: Treasurer for the Hennsey County Chamber of Commerce.Habitat for Humanity volunteer.Competitive runner whose most recent race was the Denver Gorilla run, in which all participants wear afull gorilla costume.
RIVERBEND CITY CHIEF OF POLICE Glen Edwards has been the police chief in Riverbend City for the past four years and has served on the Riverbend City Police Department for the past 16 years. He is married and has three school-aged children.
Other interests: Active in community policing initiatives, including DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and CrimeStoppers.Organizer for Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES, DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Eric Knight not only supervises staff, volunteers, and student counselors, but he also has established a solid network of relationships with community partner agencies. His wife is a district manager for Bullseye, a big-box discount retailer.
Other interests: Block leader with neighborhood watch association.Youth soccer coach.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER Kathy Gilchrist is a long-time Riverbend City resident who is active on the boards of several community organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Rondo Community Library. She currently chairs the Riverbend City Housing Authority and is on the Executive Council of the Riverbend City Meals on Wheels.
Other interests: Editor of her church newsletter.Serves on the Metropolitan Airport Commission, representing district 5.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, RIVERBEND SENIOR SERVICES Wendy Adler is the Volunteer Coordinator for Riverbend Senior Services. Wendy is married and has a five-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son.
Other interests: Member of the Tonka Park Parent Teacher Student Association.Teaches preschoolers at her synagogue's Sunday school. RESIDENT AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST Amira Yusuf was widowed when her husband and two of her three children were killed in the Somali civil war. Amira discovered an aptitude for language and learned English quickly. She has put her skills to use as an advocate for other Somali women in the community of Riverbend City.
Other interests: Tutors adults and teens in the Somali community.Worked with political action groups to register eligible voters in her community.Member of the Riverbend Interfaith Alliance.
DAY CARE CENTER DIRECTOR Alece Rockwell directs the day care center for young parents at Ruby Lake High School.
She has a BA in Early Childhood Education from Beck University.
Other interests: Volunteers with RiverBounty, a community foodshelf.Blogs about parenting and family issues.Teaches Kindersong, a music and movement program for parents and infants on weekends.
CONSTRUCTION, SMALL BUSINESSMAN Bill Fletcher is a construction manager for the Department of Public Works in Riverbend City. A lifelong resident of Riverbend City, Bill has worked in construction for 25 years.
Other interests: Member of the Riverbend City Business Association.American Legion Riverbend City Post 643, 2nd Vice Commander.Current member of the Hennsey County Planning Commission.
ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANTS Were there agencies, professions, or types of people you wanted to include but were not able to because they were not represented in this exercise? If so, you can add up to five such additional representatives now.
Obviously, you won't have names or pictures, but include the job title or type of individual and a brief description of why the roundtable would be better if this sort of person could be included. ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANTS
