Tag: outreach

  • Arcadis | Taholah School District Projects, WA

    Cultural Coordination Consultant, 2024-present

    Facilitating community engagement and communications with the owner and Quinault Tribe, ensuring the community’s voices are heard and cultural elements are implemented appropriately from schematic design through construction. The Taholah School District is designing and constructing a 75,000-square-foot K-12 school to serve 250 students. The school will be 150 feet above sea level, part of the new upper Taholah village, a part of the Tribe’s relocation to plan for resilience to natural disasters and climate change.

  • Diameter | Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services

    City of Portland Advanced Metering Infrastructure

    Community Outreach Leader, 2023-2024

    Conducting community outreach for a project to replace the City’s utility meter reading and online customer service technology. The project will move the utility bureaus from the manual meter technology collecting customer usage data once per quarter to advanced metering infrastructure that collects data for every meter, every day. Includes consolidating online customer services in four separate systems into a new online and mobile customer engagement portal.

  • Skanska | Oregon Department of Transportation I-205 Improvements Abernethy Bridge, Phase 1A Pursuit

    DBE Outreach & Networking Consultant, 2021-2022

    Provided DBE consulting and project management services on the $370 million I-205 Abernethy Bridge improvements pursuit. Helped develop a strategy to assist ODOT in reaching its DBE goals of 14% and diversity goals of 20% MBE and 14% WBE. The project aimed to provide firms a commercially useful function, in which they were responsible for at least 30% of the contract. Worked with the project manager and teaming partners. The pursuit was part of a larger effort to manage congestion, increase predictable travel times, and reduce crashes.

  • Metro | 2030 Regional Waste Plan Community Engagement

    Cultural Ambassador and Facilitator, 2/2017-2/2018

    Served as cultural ambassador and facilitation consultant for community engagement on Metro’s 2030 regional waste plan. Included facilitation of sessions with community-based organizations (sometimes with interpreters), asking people what they know about Metro’s waste plan, and discussing garbage and recycling. Later accompanied the groups on a tour of area recycling plants so they could see how their waste is being processed.

  • MGT Consulting Group | John Wayne Airport

    John Wayne Airport where Donaldson Consulting LLC performed work on the John Wayne Airport Disparity Study as a sub-consultant to MGT of America.

    Community Engagement and Facilitation Consultant, 2015-2016

    Managed and cofacilitated public meetings and focus groups, conducted 50 in-depth interviews with business owners and stakeholders, and created an extensive database of certified firms and stakeholders in Orange County, California.

    Learn more about our Community Engagement and Diversity Consulting Services.

  • Metro Human Resources Department | Diversity Outreach Process Review, Metro Human Resources Department

    Metro booth at a Pow Wow. Donaldson Consulting LLC participated in diversity outreach, process review, and identified areas of opportunity for recruitment of diverse employees

    Diversity Consultant, 2015

    Interviewed human resources staff, researched outreach efforts at comparable public agencies, and summarized successes and challenges. Created interview guide and drafted questions. Identified community-based organizations that serve diverse communities and assessed their roles in the community and how they could serve as an intermediary for Metro employment recruitment efforts. Summarized findings into a final report and made recommendations on how to recruit diverse employees. 

    Learn more about our Community Engagement and Diversity Consulting Services.

  • JR Merit | Seattle City Light Mill Pond Dam Removal

    Mill Pond Dam removal project where Donaldson Consulting LLC provided oversight regarding inclusion of diverse minority and woman-owned businesses.

    MWBE Expert Consultant, 2015

    Provided oversight regarding inclusion of diverse MBEs and WBEs; developed a mentor-protégé program; conducted outreach, dispute resolution, and monthly compliance meetings; monitored utilization reports; and trained JR Merit staff and teaming partners on issues affecting certified firms.

    Learn more about our Community Engagement, Diversity Consulting, and Training/Mentoring Services.

  • TriMet | DBE Consultant Support Services, Technical Assistance Program Development

    Image of TriMet MAX train and bus.

    Diversity and Small Business Consultant, 2012-2016

    Identified local and nationwide resources to interview and created interview questions. Identified longevity of programs, level of commitment, and level of success of each technical assistance program. Researched and reviewed literature and disparity studies. Compiled all results and submitted a comprehensive report with recommendations. Conducted DBE site visits, reviewed documentation, and submitted reports. Interviewed DBE businesses on Portland to Milwaukee Light Rail Project. Conducted and facilitated focus groups of DBEs. Provided all necessary services to ensure comprehensive compliance with TriMet’s DBE program by professional services and construction contractors. Assisted TriMet in reviewing contractor’s documentation of their DBE utilization and workforce programs, and performed all required DBE monitoring activities. Provided all necessary reporting and documentation as required to comply with federal, local, and agency requirements. 

    Testimonial

    “Donaldson Consulting LLC has been instrumental in providing services to contractors working on TriMet’s Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project. Suzanne is knowledgeable and diligent in her approach to resolve complex issues. She is a pleasure to work with.”

    Monika Johnson, Representative, Diversity & Transit Equity

    Learn more about our Diversity Consulting Services.

  • Granite Construction, Hamilton Construction Company, and Railworks dba Willamette Community Connectors | Qualification Proposal for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project

    Logo for Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project.

    DBE Outreach Consultant, 2012

    Reached out to over 500 DBE-certified firms, 100 of which responded. Coordinated an open house where interested subcontractors could review the project and meet key personnel. Documented all activities as appropriate. As a result, the team submitted a well-defined DBE Subcontracting Plan and met several DBE firms. Each member firm of the project team increased their knowledge of available certified firms with the data collected.

    Testimonials

    “Suzanne Donaldson has provided outreach for our team pursuing TriMet projects. Suzanne provided knowledgeable and energetic consulting into the Portland area DBE market by introducing our team to the DBE community through formal outreach meetings and introductions at monthly OAME and NAMCO meetings.”

    Ron Dukeshier, Large Project Manager, Granite Construction

    “Suzanne Donaldson has been instrumental in providing services to contractors working on TriMet’s Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project. Suzanne is knowledgeable and diligent in her approach to resolve complex issues. She is a pleasure to work with.”

    Monika Johnson, Representative, Diversity & Transit Equity

    Learn more about our Community Engagement and Diversity Consulting Services.

  • Cooper Zietz Engineers | Portland Development Commission

    Aerial view of City of Portland and Willamette River.

    M/W/ESB Construction Contracting and Outreach Consultant, 2009-2010

    Developed and implemented outreach sessions targeted for Native-American-owned businesses. Business owners had the opportunity to meet the commission staff, learn about the services the commission has to offer, and hear about upcoming projects. Worked with firms to create or revise their business plans and marketing plans and assisted firms with the state certification process. Coached and mentored firms as needed.  All data collected was used to help the commission recognize the region’s Native American business owners and the various types of services and products available. 

    Learn more about our Diversity Consulting and Training/Mentoring Services.