Guiding Collaboration & Resolving Conflict for a Sustainable Future.
Facilitator. Mediator. Trainer.
About Susan Goodwin
30 years in collaboration & conflict resolution
My background includes federal government service in Washington, D.C., where I worked at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). I served for 20 of those years as a facilitator, mediator and trainer with the DOI Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution. I help organizations – government agencies, tribes, community groups, NGOs, and the private sector – navigate complex issues and organizational challenges, guiding groups toward common ground, stronger communication, and lasting outcomes.
Whether supporting public-private partnerships, public engagement, internal team development, or 1:1 workplace disputes, I bring clarity, structure, and a deep commitment to collaboration. This is especially the case when the stakes are high and emotions are strong. Now based in Boise, Idaho, I’m ready to help you build smarter, more effective solutions to today's challenges.
Services
Read MoreGuides teams and stakeholder groups through collaborative problem-solving for sustainable solutions.
Experience
Public Lands
Provided mediation and facilitation within and between bureaus and agencies and external parties and partners, such as permit holders and partner organizations.
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Conflicting needs and interests within environmental impact assessments such as improving safety in a national park versus protection of natural and cultural resources.
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Inter-agency Wilderness Center negotiations to update governance agreements
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Interpretation of the Topaz Japanese-American Internment site in Utah and conflicting narratives
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Conflicts and collaboration between National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and Friends Groups.
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Contested Bureau of Land Management decisions under the Interior Board of Land Appeals.
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Advisory Committee on the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps
Endangered Species
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Multi-stakeholder consensus process for the Pacific Seabird Group that developed an inland survey protocol for the endangered Marbled Murrelet bird.
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Facilitated a Habitat Conservation Plan between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the oil and gas fracking industry in New England.
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Advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to develop Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines to reduce impacts on endangered birds and bats.
Organizational Development & Conflict
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Facilitated for internal groups from the National Park Service, Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and other DOI bureaus and offices on strategic planning, office retreats and improving workplace culture.
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Helped develop team agreements for building a positive team culture by setting expectations around workflow, communications and handling conflict. Team agreements helped rebuild trust by using more explicit communication norms and interrupting unproductive behavior.
