Public Access Media Collaboration, Burlington, VT
Chittenden County, VT has three highly successful and fiercely independent public access media outlets (CCTV, RETN and VCAM). However, future collaboration will be essential as the media landscape continues to change. Sue led the organizations through a series of meetings to help them identify collaboration goals and begin to build the relationships, trust and shared experience necessary to position their organizations for future collaboration. Following their work with Sue, the organizations have successfully implemented several joint projects. They launched mymediavt.net, presented Digital Media at the Crossroads featuring Jeff Chester, constructed a Community Access Media float for Magic Hat’s Burlington, VT Mardi Gras parade, and are co-producing content for Town Meeting coverage.
Sue McCormack is kind, patient and exceptionally skilled. She helped us to work through difficult conversations in an open and honest way and to move toward productive action steps. Hire her!
Lauren-Glenn Davitian, Executive Director, CCTV Center for Media & Democracy
Downtown Revitalization, Essex Junction, VT
Vacant storefronts, broken windows and increasing drug activity in the historic downtown spurred local residents to take action. Sue worked with residents and village officials to host a large public forum to build momentum and activate the community. The forum sparked several citizen-led groups to take action and within a remarkably short period of time, downtown has been transformed with a thriving farmers market, an event series, flowers, and occupied storefronts.
Sue rocks! She can get the right mix of people together to do just about anything.Participant in All Aboard for Downtown Essex Junction Public Forum, February, 2010
You have done truly remarkable work on behalf of our community…It takes a very special person with a very special skill set to coordinate this effort the way you have, and there are many of us who are very grateful.Chris Kenny
Strategic Planning, VNA of Chittenden County
The VNA has successfully served the community for over 100 years. Due to demographic trends, new technology and health care reform, the VNA recognized the need to reexamine its way of doing business through an inclusive strategic planning process. Sue and Karyn Vogel designed and facilitated a process that engaged over 100 staff, board members, clients, family members and volunteers in an in-depth conversation about the future of the organization. The process built trust and relationships among participants, energized the board, and positioned the VNA to activate its very experienced and dedicated staff to meet the challenges of the “Brave New World” of home health care.
Sue is a smart, skilled and most engaging professional—and a remarkably quick study…working with her means your outcomes will be better than if you worked alone…Sue has wonderful ways to make your best efforts even better.
Church Hindes, President & CEO, VNA
Downtown Revitalization, Biddeford, Maine
The Heart of Biddeford, a downtown revitalization organization, won one of several “Heart & Soul” grants from the Orton Family Foundation. Sue worked with the community to design a public engagement process to carry forward the themes that emerged from the “Heart & Soul” storytelling telling work, identify citizen priorities for downtown planning and position the community to make a successful transition from values and visioning work to designing and implementing a master plan for downtown Biddeford.
Please know that we are deeply indebted to your hard work and dedication to making the forum the success it was.Holli Andrews, HOB
Common Ground Summit, University of Vermont
The Common Ground Coalition is a partnership of UVM, Champlain College, the City of Burlington and other partners to address tensions in neighborhoods that are home to a mix of homeowners and renters including college students. Sue designed and facilitated a half day summit that brought together Burlington residents, city officials, college students and staff to share experiences, information and ideas. The summit sparked many ideas and initiatives including a pilot project to reduce trash, activities to bring neighbors and students together, and messages from neighborhood children to UVM students about the impact of late night noise.
Wow, we are getting such great feedback … students and residents are telling us that the Summit was “amazing” and productive.Gail, UVM
The Snelling Center for Government’s Leadership Programs (VLI & VSLP)
Sue continues to serve on the faculty of the Snelling Center for Government’s leadership institutes, designing and facilitating sessions on effective public engagement.
Sue’s work is inspiring. The strength of her vision and strong communication skills helped me see the value of public engagement.VLI Associate, 2010