Communicating With Elected Officials and a Skeptical Public on Controversial Issues

Session 5E | Thursday | 2:30 – 3:45 PM (PT)

About the Session

This session will provide the audience with success stories and tips from planners from four Washington cities who are "leading the change" in their communities by practicing effective communication methods and messaging with elected officials and their sometimes skeptical constituents.

About the Moderator

Chaz Bates, AICP

City of Spokane Valley

Chaz Bates is the Planning Manager for the City of Spokane Valley, before which he was the city's Economic Development Specialist. He was previously a Senior Planner at Studio Cascade and a Planner at the Washington State Community, Trade, and Economic Development.

About the Speakers

Nikole CH Coleman, AICP

City of Poulsbo

Nikole Coleman is a Senior Planner with the City of Poulsbo. Prior positions include Associate Planner at the City.

Elizabeth Chamberlain, AICP

City of Walla Walla

Elizabeth is the City Manager for the City of Walla Walla, prior to which she served as the Deputy City Manager and prior to that as Development Services Manager. She has also served as the Planning and Design Services Manager for the City of Auburn, and Associate Planner for the City of Bonney Lake, and a planning technician for the City of Federal Way. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of Washington.

Spencer Gardner, AICP

City of Spokane

Spencer Gardner is the Planning Director of the City of Spokane. His prior positions included Transportation Planner for the Toole Design Group in Wisconsin and Transportation Planner for HNTB in the Chicago region.NOTE: The form did not give me a field to list the Fourth Co-Presenter, so I am entering that info here:Co-Presenter 4 is Elizabeth Chamberlain, AICP, City Manager for the City of Walla Walla. Her previous positions included Development Services Manager for Walla Walla, Planning and DesignServices Manager for the City of Auburn, and Associate Planner for the City of Bonney Lake.

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