CDR Associates' Meghana Shah, Program Associate's Resume.

Meghana Shah is no longer working for CDR Associates. She is now attending Law School in Wyoming. Meghana can be contacted at meghana009@gmail.com.

MEGHANA H. SHAH

Meghana Shah, B.A., Program Associate, is experienced in public involvement and has been trained in mediation by CDR Associates in the areas of workplace mediation and designing processes for public policy conflicts. Ms. Shah is currently working in the transportation arena on an Environmental Impact Statement. Ms. Shah also conducts mediations through a Community Mediation Service. She has experience handling issues of diversity, culture, and politically mobilized entities. She has lived and traveled in India and has a cross-cultural understanding of the world and its communities. Language skills include Hindi, Gujarati, and Spanish.

Under the direct guidance of experienced CDR Associates' public involvement trainers and practitioners, Ms. Shah has helped design and coordinate the full implementation of the public involvement plan for the Denver to Boulder, 25-mile US 36 corridor Environmental Impact Statement. Ms. Shah has conducted stakeholder identification and relations, communications system design and management, stakeholder/public meetings planning and logistics, content creation and reader-friendly design of collateral, and reports writing.

Ms. Shah has experienced various transportation systems and cultures from urban and rural India to Southern California to Colorado. She also has experience handling issues of diversity and culture, communities, and politically mobilized entities and understands the need for appropriate communication styles and strategies. Ms. Shah recognizes the value in designing and implementing meaningful public participation processes that balance the unique needs of the publics/stakeholders with the goals of the decision makers.

EDUCATION AND AFFILIATIONS

Ms. Shah was awarded her B.A. in Diplomacy and World Affairs with an emphasis in Politics emphasis from Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA in 1997. Post graduation Ms. Shah has been involved with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the Metro State College of Denver. Ms. Shah received training in mediation through the CDR Associates training courses The Mediation Process, Mediating Workplace Disputes, and Resolving Public Policy Conflicts.

EXPERIENCE IN TRANSPORTATION

CDOT/RTD - US 36 Environmental Impact Statement (2003 to present). Design and implement public involvement efforts and outreach strategies for the US 36 Denver to Boulder corridor. This project involves potential highway improvements, commuter rail, bus rapid transit, toll and HOV lanes, transit stations, bikeways, and pedestrian facilities. The study area incorporates a number of communities in the NW metropolitan Denver area. As a key member of the public involvement team, responsibilities include:

Design and management of communications and contacts database
Issues tracking and reporting
Research, establish contacts, and gather input from local civic and neighborhood groups, environmental, transit, advocacy, and business organizations
Coordinate/attend community events and local meetings to conduct outreach and promote public involvement
Conduct focused/proactive outreach to identified stakeholders that request a higher level of involvement
Write meeting notes, summaries of public input, and reports that describe activities and provide documentation of the public involvement efforts
Design and coordinate logistics for public meetings
Content creation, production, and dissemination of project information for the public
Facilitate communication, participation, and information exchange at various levels
Website management - includes updating project content, ensuring proper access, and troubleshooting functionality and design issues with website host
Participate in decision making and in-house project coordination meetings

Regional Transportation District, Longmont Diagonal Rail Feasibility Study. Served on the public involvement team for this study of commuter rail service from Boulder, Colorado, to Longmont, Colorado. Assisted in convening the advisory group for the study, identifying and interviewing stakeholder groups, developing project materials, coordinating public workshops, and drafting consensus recommendations.

RTD - Longmont Diagonal Rail Feasibility Study (2004 to present). Provide consultation regarding implementation of the public involvement plan for a passenger rail line between Longmont and Boulder (Colorado). Conduct media relations through design/coordination of press materials and facilitation of communication.

ORGANIZATIONAL

City and County Manager's Office, Broomfield, Colorado (February to March 2005). CDR Associates was asked to intervene in a conflict involving the boards of two youth leagues of a favorite American sport. Ms. Shah and Mr. Brown worked with the parties to assess the situation and found a combination of long standing and recent behavioral, resources and process related issues that required a series of next steps. The City and County Manager's office is using the recommendations to work with the appropriate parties to create and communicate behavior norms and expectations to deescalate and manage the conflict.

TRAINING

Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Golden, Colorado (May 26, 2005). Conducted training for 23 young individuals who would be working on trail restoration and maintenance in the rocky mountains. The intent of the short training was to get them thinking about types of leadership roles and responsibilities that they may be expected to fulfill and the problem solving strategies and communication skills required for the types of group and interpersonal conflicts that they may be facing.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Women in Transportation Seminars (WTS)
International Association of Public Participation (IAP2)
Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR)
Colorado Council of Mediators and Mediation Organizations (CCMO)