Meet Our Contributors
Rebeccah Bennett


Rebeccah Bennett is Senior Consultant for Public Engagement at Vector Communications Corporation where she has spent the last seven years bringing citizens together to discuss and resolve public policy issues. She has worked with government, non-profit and philanthropic organizations to improve the quality of life through advancements in community development, human service provision, health care delivery, urban education reform, environmental remediation and transportation planning. Her technical expertise is in the areas of community outreach and planning, strategic planning, social services research and assessment, and public meeting design and facilitation.

At Vector, Rebeccah devises and manages numerous agenda-setting and decisionmaking processes designed to heightencommunity awareness, ensure meaningful community participation, and generate informed consent. She is also responsible for developing training and intelligence products around the company’s core competencies.

In addition to her work at Vector, Rebeccah is founder and president of Emerging Wisdom, Inc. (EWI), a private firm committed to improving the global condition by advancing human consciousness and decision-making. EWI assists individuals, groups, organizations and publics in aligning their deepest truths with their choices and behaviors so that they apply their knowledge, resources and power in optimal ways. Through its communications, trainings, facilitation and consulting, EWI works with its clients to actualize their highest potential and engender positive change.

PRESENTATIONS and TRAINING
• Professional Organization of Women – "Speaking Power: Communication That Inspires and Transforms," 2005 and 2004
• Black Women’s Health Network – Change Your Life Program, Stress Management Training, 2005, 2004 and 2003
• Community Health In Partnership Services – Youth Leadership Training Series, 2004
• University of Michigan’s Gerald Ford School of Public Policy – "Civic Engagement for Public Managers," 2004, 2001 and 2000.
• Connecting Neighborhood Leaders Conference – "Community Engagement and Communications," 2001 and 2000.
• International Association for Public Participation Conference – "Urban Environmental Protection through Youth and Adult Empowerment," 2000.
• St. Louis Caring Communities – "Neighborhood-Based Team Building and Collaborative Development," 2000.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• International Association for Public Participation – Public Engagement Evaluation Certification, 2004.
• International Association for Public Participation – Public Engagement Certification, 1999.

EDUCATION
• University of Michigan
School of Public Policy,
Master of Public Policy Degree
• Swarthmore College,
Bachelor of Arts Degree
in Political Science

CIVIC
CONTRIBUTIONS
• Women In Leadership
Program; Professional Mentor
• RESPOND Adoption
Agency; Board Member
• Walbridge Community
Education Center Site
Based Management
Council; Fundraising Chair
• Charmaine Chapman
Scoiety of the United
Way; Member
• Black Women’s Wealth
Network; Chair

CIVIC AWARDS
• Top 30 Under 30 – Fast
Forward Magazine, 2000
• Woman of Distinction –
East St. Louis Top
Ladies of Distinction, 1999

For information on becoming a contributor to The BGP Online, email admin@thebgponline.com and type CONTRIBUTOR in the subject heading.