Building Consensus
Bringing people with different needs to agreement isn’t new to me. It’s been my job for 20 years, including collaborating with some of the biggest names in tech. Getting engineers, executives, and end users to agree on a shared path forward takes more than compromise – it takes translating each side’s priorities so everyone can actually see where they overlap.
That’s the skill I’d bring to a council table where residents, staff, and elected members too often end up talking past each other instead of finding common ground.
The 3 keys to building consensus are:
Listen First
Every standard, policy or process I’ve helped write started with listening to the people it would affect. When it comes to good governance and bylaws, Ward 4, and all of Lanark Highlands, deserves the same.
Be Inclusive
Good government should work for everyone, not just the people with the time, connections, or know-how to navigate it. Making content and ideas accessible has been my career. I want to bring the same principle to council.
Show the Work
The real problem isn’t just the language used — it’s that council’s reasoning is often invisible altogether. Decisions move through in-camera sessions far more than they should, minutes record only the final vote with no trace of the debate or who supported what, and budget documents are written in a way most residents can’t follow. Residents deserve to know not just what was decided, but why. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.