Vice President for Public Involvement

Kate Barrett

Vice President for Public Involvement

Ms. Barrett has more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, with an emphasis on public management and policy issues related to the environment. She joined Regina Villa Associates (RVA) in 1998 and specializes in public involvement, outreach and education for public and private sector clients. Prior to joining RVA, Ms. Barrett spent five years running her own business as a community and press relations consultant to municipalities and community organizations on environmental, historic preservation and community development projects.

SAMPLE PROJECTS

·  Managing and implementing the public outreach programs for the Boston Water and Sewer Commission’s Reserved Channel Sewer Separation Design and Construction Management Services and design and construction of the South Boston-North Dorchester/Lower Roxbury Sewer Separation (Newbury Street, Newmarket Square and Dudley Square) – developing outreach strategies; coordinating regularly with local officials, community and business groups, state elected officials, and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services; producing and distributing outreach materials and press advisories; producing and distributing periodic progress reports and schedule updates; coordinating with abutters for e-blast updates and advisories; assisting BWSC staff with website updates; and coordinating and staffing public and small group meetings. Also managed outreach for BWSC’s Bulfinch Triangle Sewer Separation, Dorchester Sewer Separation, Morrissey Boulevard Drainage Culvert, and Fort Point Channel Sewer Separation projects.

·  Managing and implementing public outreach and communications for the Town of Framingham’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) – coordinating and staffing public and neighborhood meetings; drafting and coordinating design and production of project fact sheets; assisting the Town with drafting text and coordinating design and production of other communications such as a CIP brochure and notices; developing and maintaining a CIP website with interactive mapping, alerts and other features; drafting press releases and coordinating media relations; advising on outreach strategies and tools; and managing business outreach.

·  Managing public involvement for MassDOT’s Whittier Bridge/I-95 Improvement Project – identifying stakeholders and developing mail and email distribution lists, preparing information materials, coordinating and staffing working group and public meetings and developing and maintaining the project website.

·  Assisting the Town of Falmouth with a communications program for its Wind Energy Facilities Project, including preparing an update and fact sheet, documenting correspondence, coordinating responses and coordinating logistics, handouts and presentations and staffing neighborhood and Board of Selectmen meetings.

·  Managing and implementing the public involvement program for the MassDOT’s Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation Project – identifying stakeholders and developing the project database, producing and distributing fact sheets and coordinating and staffing public and small group meetings.

·  Managing and implementing public involvement for the MassDOT’s Rehabilitation of the Anderson Memorial Bridge Project – identifying stakeholders; developing and maintaining a project mail and email database; coordinating logistics, staffing and summarizing stakeholder and public meetings; preparing a project fact sheet; assisting with website updates; and preparing quarterly construction updates.

·  Managing communications and administration of the Massachusetts Coalition for Water Resources Stewardship, a statewide nonprofit organization comprised primarily of municipal water resource department and private sector members.

·  Managing public involvement for the I-93 Safety Improvements & Tri-Town Interchange Project for joint leads MassDOT and FHWA and co-proponent Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development – staffing meetings of the state’s I-93 Working Group; facilitating, coordinating and staffing public workshops, meetings and hearings; coordinating and staffing the Interagency Coordinating Group; drafting and distributing media advisories and legal notices; developing and maintaining the project website; identifying stakeholders and developing and maintaining the project database; distributing notices and other information by e-blast; and preparing public records such as response to comment summaries, plans and reports.

·  Assisting the Town of Mashpee with public involvement and outreach for its Wastewater Nitrogen Management Plan.

·  Developed Stormwater Utility Public Outreach Plan for Dover, NH.

·  Served as public involvement coordinator for Chatham’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan.

·  Managed and implemented public involvement for the Assabet River Consortium’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan/Environmental Impact Report, a regional project for six Central Massachusetts communities – developed outreach strategies, produced and distributed educational, informational and press materials, advised on formation of Citizen Advisory Committees in each community and coordinated and staffed public meetings and hearings.

·  Developed recommendations for communications plan for the Town of Milford during a MassDEP boil water order.

·  Implemented public involvement for the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District Facilities Planning Study and Blackstone River Water Quality Study.

·  Managed and implemented the public involvement program for the Upper Taunton River Regional Wastewater Evaluation Project encompassing 15 communities – formed sub-regional Technical Advisory Committees, developed and maintaining distribution lists, coordinating and staffing TAC and public meetings, developing and updating a project website and providing periodic updates.

EDUCATION/TRAINING

2008 Master of Public Administration, Suffolk University, Boston, MA

2000 Facilitation Skills and Collaborative Processes for Public Policy Clashes, CDR Associates

1998 Mediation Training and Certification, Mediation Works, Inc.

1993 Environmental Dispute Resolution course work, Tufts University

1982 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Ohio State University

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

International Association for Public Participation

New England Water Environment Association/Water Environment Federation