COC Associate Ellen Wyoming Presents to PSU on Diversity and Economic Development

Associate Ellen Wyoming was invited to speak at Portland State University (PSU) twice this fall.  First, she was asked to present to visiting scholars and planning professionals in the Atlantis Workshop.  Participants of the Atlantis Workshop visited PSU from October 24 – 27, 2011 on a grant to learn more about equity and social justice in planning and community development. These scholars and academics came from Germany, England, China, and other universities in the United States.  Ellen presented to the visitors on the impact and implications of her graduate work as an Urban and Regional Planning graduate student at PSU with the Portland Mercado project.  The group was very interested in the public involvement measures taken to work directly with the Latino Community, the model for economic development, and the on-going support that the project has garnered today.  Hacienda Community Development Corporation hosted the presentation at their offices in the Cully neighborhood and Micro Mercantes tamale vendors catered the lunch.  Many people sampled tamales for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed them.

The following week Ellen guest lectured with former graduate student and colleague Abigail Cermak (currently with Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services) for PSU’s graduate Public Involvement in Planning class.  They were asked to focus on best practices in public involvement with diverse communities.  Ellen and Abigail presented a framework of their personal experiences with their work in the Latino community and made recommendations for approaches working in other diverse communities.  The overall emphasis to the students was that as a planner you do not walk into a community as the “expert” but instead an ally. This is the framework from which to start all public involvement work.  At Cogan Owens Cogan, Ellen looks forward to continuing to work with clients on developing frameworks for their own best practice public involvement efforts with diverse communities.   Each city, community and place is different, but there are key fundamental approaches toward ensuring successful outcomes in terms of effective and adequate participation and outreach.

COC Associate Ellen Wyoming’s Graduation Speech 2011

As we welcome new COC Associate Ellen Wyoming, we are pleased to share the transcript of the speech she gave at the Portland State University College of Urban and Public Affairs graduation this past June.  Ellen was nominated by her peers and selected by the College to give the one student speech at graduation. Quite and honor. And, quite a speech!  Read on…

“Please take a moment and think of someone that you care about very deeply.  Perhaps you’re thinking of your spouse or partner, a child, friend or grandparent.  Think of them and allow yourself to experience fully what you feel going through your heart, your gut, and your mind when you are in the moment with this person.

How far would you go to keep them safe and secure?  Now let’s think of those who do not have someone to keep their important people safe and secure.

We, the graduates of the College of Urban and Public Affairs, have within our toolkits a great variety of skills and abilities. Each of us chose to come here because we were interested in something greater than ourselves.  Our schools of Government, Community and Public Health, and Urban and Regional Planning are filled with dedicated people who have ideals that walk hand in hand with their hearts.

We have an amazing capacity and we are privileged to be here, to have been well-educated, and to understand the ways in which our unique skills and abilities may be best applied.  It is in using these skills of ours in a way that aligns with our values and what we care for most that will make the difference.  I’m not talking about service with a smile.  I’m talking about using the tools we were born with, those we have cultivated, and using them with mindful intention to do the right thing and to fight for the causes, people, and places that we believe in.  To fight for what others should have but do not have the power to fight for themselves.  Whether we are quiet and diligent or loud and cause a ruckus we have the capacity to do so much and we have a responsibility to do it well for those of us that do not yet have the ability to do so for themselves.

A few years ago when I was a guide in the Grand Canyon I met a woman who at the time was nearing 70 and just had to experience a 2-week white-water raft trip though some of the biggest white water in North America. Despite her slight five-foot frame I looked up to her, and when she spoke, I listened.

She told me something that resonated with me that I want to share with you today, she said that she hoped for me to find that place in my life sooner than later where my passion and talent meet.  Since meeting her I have begun to better understand that if we’re tuned in and listening to ourselves, the values that drive us lead the way to finding that place where indeed our passions and talents meet.

With this, I implore each of you to consider how your talents and passions meet as we leave here today and how you will use those to better your own lives and the lives of those in your communities.

I think about this as a driving force for how we can connect our passions with the tools that we have honed here.

With our raw natural talents and the skills we have cultivated we leave this place to be change-makers, community creators, and people builders. So let’s look to one another and wish each other well as we proudly step from here as masters of our crafts, idealists in our hearts, and passionate activists in our daily lives.”

Congratulations, Ellen!

SARE Announcement from Portland State University

In case you haven’t heard, we are very excited to share some news with you from “The Catalyst,” the newsletter of the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies in the Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning at Portland State University.

“The Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies, in partnership with OSU Extension, Cogan Owens Cogan, and the City of Damascus, has been awarded a $223,000 three-year grant from the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program of the USDA to create an assessment of the Portland region’s sustainable agriculture system, develop a needs assessment, and provide tools and strategies for growers and local governments, with a case study of small urban influenced farms near Damascus.”

July eNews from Cogan Owens Cogan

Managing Principal Transition
As the world restructures to engage the challenges of the 21st century, we at Cogan Owens Cogan (COC) are doing so as well.

As of July 1, I have the distinct privilege of succeeding Arnold Cogan as our Managing Principal. Everyone who has worked with Arnold knows his are enormous shoes to fill. Instead of trying to fill them, we have decided to walk together. Arnold, Elaine Cogan and Jim Owens will continue as full Principals.

We all are concerned with the many challenges we face locally and globally – climate change, energy, water, economy and biodiversity just to name a few.

These economic restructuring and threats to the global environment weigh heavily on the communities we work with. Recognizing that these issues are interrelated, COC collaborates with public and private leaders to develop strategies that leverage the economy, environment and community livability. Our strategies draw on the best in both the creative and scientific fields.

COC is mission-driven, focused on engaging people to create and sustain great communities. We are committed to utilizing best practices in community engagement and planning to help solve our emerging problems. With our more than 30 years experience providing top-level strategic advice and planning to communities throughout the west and Asia, we are passionate about stepping up to new, complex challenges and prepared to do so.

In spite of our global challenges, we are optimistic. We firmly believe the world is abundant in resources and human potential and look forward to continued opportunities to work with all of you on these pressing issues.

Please stay in touch.

Kirstin Greene
kirstin.greene@coganowens.com

EcoVision Development Taipei, Taiwan
Bob Wise, senior project manager at COC, traveled to a national conference in Taiwan to present the latest Oregon and Portland-area sustainability efforts. Bob is leading a consulting team drafting the Taipei 2050 EcoCity Vision, a long-range planning document for Taiwan’s largest city. He made his presentation about Oregon sustainability efforts at the Taiwan National Council for Sustainable Development’s annual conference.

“We’ve worked in Taiwan off and on for 10 years,” Bob said. “They’re always interested in what Portland and Oregon are doing as leaders in sustainable development.”

Look for an article on the Vision 2050 process and metrics in the fall issue of InterPlan, the International newsletter of the American Planning Association. He also will speak on this topic in the fall for The Natural Step.

Meier & Frank Building
We are delighted to receive word that the project to convert the iconic Meier & Frank building in downtown Portland to Macy’s department store and the boutique Nines Hotel has just received a 2009 National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Serving with a team of architects and other professionals under the leadership of the Portland Development Commission, Elaine Cogan wrote the informational brochure, interviewed key stakeholders, and designed and facilitated public meetings.

Backcasting and Least Cost Planning
Senior project manager Dave Mayfield has led several discussions on the applications of backcasting and least cost planning as effective decision-making tools for transportation planning.

These related approaches are value-driven, focusing on achieving an agreed-upon outcome rather than responding to projected demands for services. As both of these processes can be “trend breakers,” they can help in times of rapid change. Used correctly, they can focus public and private efforts on identified goals such as meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets. Least cost planning is a guiding principle of the 2009 Jobs and Transportation Act and is expected to be utilized broadly in Oregon.

Dave’s commitment to sustainable mobility led him to give a series of presentations on this subject for the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium, Oregon Department of Transportation, Portland Metro, the Oregon Metropolitan Planning Organization Consortium and the Coalition for a Livable Future.

Water Water Water
Principal Jim Owens continues his focus on intergovernmental relations and water. This spring, he brought together multiple diverse interests in science-policy workshops that identified new nearshore disposal sites along the southwest Washington coast for dredged material from the mouth of the Columbia River. He also continues to facilitate stakeholder involvement in Oregon’s efforts to achieve recovery for salmon and steelhead. This fall, he will lead COC’s public involvement efforts for a water reuse project in Corvallis.

Facilitation and Mediation
Arnold Cogan has just completed a two-year term as Planner-in-Residence at the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at PSU. During that time, he assisted graduate planning students with career counseling and their projects. Arnold continues his facililtation and mediation work. He is a consultant to the City of Rainer to resolve a downtown redevelopment issue. For the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, he has been retained to lead efforts to review the wildlife, habitat and public use activities on the 11,000-acre Sauvie Island Wildlife area.

Healthy Communities Congress Success
Participants of Congress VI May 16th at Clackamas Community College made this an inspiring and successful event. In addition to elected officials, neighbors, business leaders and representatives of governmental agencies attended. The theme was Healthy Communities. Participants identified characteristics of a healthy community and innovations the County should consider to improve the health of communities in Clackamas County. See the County’s Web site for more information: (www.co.clackamas.or.us/community).

Promotions
We recently promoted Ellie Fiore to senior planner, Daniel Christensen to associate, and Alisha Dishaw to administrative and public engagement assistant.

Ellie holds a master’s degree in urban and community planning from Portland State University and is on the boards of directors of the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association and Housing Land Advocates. Daniel received a master’s degree in urban and community planning from the University of Oregon. Alisha holds a degree in human development and family sciences from Oregon State University.

New Projects
We have several recent projects that we would like to share with you if you haven’t already heard.

• Safe Routes to School Workshop for the City of Madras
• Grant Writing Support for the Oregon Department of Transportation – Governor Kulongoski’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Working Group
• Presentation Training for the Oregon Recreation and Park Association
• Community Coach for Highlands Neighborhood Association, Longview
• Clackamas County Economic Landscape Report
• Sauvie Island Draft Management Plan Public Meetings
• Training, City of Tigard City Center Advisory Committee

For more news, follow us on the web at www.coganowens.com or on Twitter: @coganowens.

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