Meaningful Peer Exchange and Collaboration
As a public sector consultant, I have the privilege to help design and implement projects that are shaping California’s future. One of the ways I do this is through meeting facilitation. Regardless of the discussion topic, my priority is to guide my client towards a…
Read MoreHappy Lunar New Year!
As part of a State IT project with over 1200 team members, I’m pleased to be co-chair of our team’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Employee Resource Group (ERG). I have developed multiple communications, teambuilding activities, and events to foster awareness of the AAPI community.…
Read MoreLots of Good News
Part of my role at Highlands is to post articles that are meaningful to our clients and colleagues. However, researching industry developments and good news can be challenging sometimes. But as an eternal optimist, I’ve found some great sources including Good News Network and Beautiful…
Read MoreRediscovering the Value of In-Person Team Meetings
Since May 2020, I’ve been part of a large team working on California’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over countless virtual meetings, chats, and emails, we’ve spent long days and occasional weekends “together” sharing many experiences and successes over the past years. Earlier this month,…
Read MorePersonal Growth from Giving Back
“Leave the world a better place than when you came into it” – it’s one of the teachings that I tried to instill in my step kids when they were growing up. Life is about more than simply existing; we can be more. One of…
Read MoreCommunicating Scientific Information
Since the pandemic began, the vast amount of online information has been difficult to filter. We all seek “just the facts” but opinions win our attention (and are rewarded with clicks). Unfortunately, the most reliable sources are often the least visited, so they fall to…
Read MoreThe Many Benefits of Internships
This summer, I was pleased to design an internship to enable a college student the chance to gain valuable skills outside of the classroom. Catarina has been studying at Columbia University and came to us with a positive “can-do” attitude. We were also fortunate to…
Read MoreIncreased Productivity Through Vacation
It’s taken me 15 years to take a vacation. Even when taking one or two days off, I’ve felt afraid to fully switch off my computer and cell. My work ethic and fear has kept me tethered to electronic devices. What if something happens? What…
Read MoreTactics for Developing High Quality Reports
One of the most common deliverables we produce as consultants are written reports. In public sector consulting, report types can vary widely, from open-ended “Blue Sky” reports (such as this program findings report) to more standardized, structured products (such as IT planning documentation). Each has…
Read MoreTranslating Transportation Legislation into Action
On November 15th, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This landmark law includes federal policy direction and funding for climate action, zero-emissions vehicle deployment, social equity, and multi-modal transportation investment – all critical initiatives for our State. In January 2022, the…
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