Leveraging Pandemic Investments
California invested significantly in new or improved IT systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These initiatives, such as deploying a statewide contact tracing platform and systems for vaccine distribution and appointment scheduling, met critical needs that existed long before the pandemic. With the worst…
Read MorePlaying a Part in “Rebuilding California”
It has been almost two years since the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed. This landmark law includes federal policy direction and funding for climate action, zero-emissions vehicle deployment, social equity, and multi-modal transportation investments – all critical initiatives for our State. Highlands…
Read MoreCreativity and Collaboration: How Improv Transforms Business
Improv, short for improvisation, is an art form that involves creating spontaneous performances without a script or predetermined plan. At first glance, it may seem unrelated to the business world, but I recently realized its profound impact on my professional growth. Here are three ways…
Read MoreA Rose by Any Other Name…
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare It’s that time of year when I check-in on all those resolutions, transformations, and brave goals that I set to achieve in the New Year. As a Change Consultant, I have a…
Read MoreMeaningful 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 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 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 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…
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