Advisory Services

Consor teammates facilitate open house .

With decades of experience serving as trusted advisors to our client partners, Consor’s team provides communications, strategic planning, facilitation, community engagement/public involvement, facility siting, and utility management services. Our team has a proven record advising our clients in envisioning, planning, delivering, and managing projects and programs that create thriving communities. 

Our unique approach combines deep local knowledge with nationally recognized expertise in water, transportation, utilities, and other public infrastructure. By providing strategic perspectives and fostering collaboration among policymakers, technical teams, and community members, we help deliver transformative projects that improve the lives of community members.

Our Services

Communications, Public Engagement, and Facilitation

Branding and Messaging
Community and Program Visions
Construction Outreach
Crisis Communications
Facilitation of Community Meetings, Panels, Advisory, and Technical Groups
Focus Groups
Live and Virtual Polling
Marketing and Branding
Online Surveys
Program Communications
Program, Projects, and Initiatives Public Outreach
Public Education Campaigns
Stakeholder Interviews
Policymaker Briefings, Retreats, and Workshops
Neighbor/Stakeholder Advisory Groups

Facility Siting

Charrettes
Land Use
Permitting
Policymaker Approval Strategies
Relationship Management
Stakeholder Engagement

Utility Management

Benchmarking, Key Performance Indicators, and Dashboards
Change Management
Organizational Assessments
Owners Advisor
Procurement Strategies
Staff Planning, Development, and Retention
Utility Mergers
Utility and Program Startup
Workforce Optimization and Redeployment

Strategic Planning

Agency/Organizational Mission, Vision, Values
Community Visions
Governance
Organizational Development
Strategic Plans

Funding Strategies

Decision Process Mapping
Grant Research and Management
Utility Rate Setting Approval Strategies
Voter-Approved Funding Sources
WIFIA and Low-Interest Loans

Our Experts

Libby Barg Bakke

Libby leads our strategic planning and communications team at Consor and is widely known for her expertise in working with elected officials, interest groups, and the public to build long-term support for infrastructure projects. Read Libby’s article on a people-centered communication approach.

“The most rewarding part of my work is helping communities fund and build the infrastructure needed to have clean water, functioning transportation systems, and great communities. I am always inspired to collaborate with my team and clients to improve our communities. This involves helping agencies secure financing through WIFIA, facilitating visioning and planning on projects like the Tualatin River Watershed Council Action Plan, leading community outreach on transportation projects, and developing and implementing communications programs for large public works projects such as the Willamette Water Supply program.”

Martin Bartlett

Martin is a public involvement expert, making technical information about infrastructure projects accessible and engaging. He has led strategies for urban and rural long-range planning, heavy highway construction, municipal street reconstructions, active transportation, urban light rail, and other transformative projects across Texas. Martin, a Congress for the New Urbanism accredited member, holds a graduate certificate in Transportation Operations and Planning from the University of Florida. He completed the Texas Department of Transportation training in NEPA-compliant public involvement and is pre-certified by TxDOT in work categories 1.8.1 (Public Involvement) and 23.10.1 (Public Involvement for Alternative Delivery Projects).

“Now more than ever, clients and communities expect innovative public involvement strategies that provide real opportunities for stakeholders to engage on their terms. Beyond traditional public involvement services, we pay special attention to methods that can broaden engagement by minimizing schedule, geography, language, and technology as barriers that have traditionally hindered participation. Authentic communication—early and often—can increase the likelihood of success for projects of every size or scope.”

Ashlie Albrecht

Ashlie has worked with the public and stakeholders on many different project types since 2016. Her attention to detail and organizational skills make her a valuable addition to any team. Her experience in all types of major design and construction projects brings innovative ideas and approaches to develop appropriate solutions for project challenges. She combines traditional tools with personal contact, individual assistance, and team collaboration, as well as multiple communication channels to deliver reliable project information to the public. She is also certified in the Foundations of Public Participation course through IAP2.

“For me, it all comes down to people. I take great pride in actively listening to an individual’s concerns, and doing what I can to resolve them. It is so rewarding to have a job where you make a tangible difference in someone’s life. Acting as the bridge between the client and the public, and helping to build trust between the two, is the perfect cherry on top!”

Nancy Thai

Nancy has built her career in community engagement and communications across the Puget Sound area and beyond. Drawing on her public health background, she views her work on infrastructure projects as a form of applied public health. Nancy’s approach engages communities and brings members into the public process through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her work influences the social determinants of health to improve transportation networks, water systems, and the built environment, enhancing overall community health and well-being.

“Thoughtful community engagement is one way to meaningfully serve a community and the people who live, work, and spend time there. My work gives me the opportunity to think creatively and critically in a variety of fields, from stormwater, surface water, and transportation planning to community visioning. I get to strategize how best to meet a community’s diverse engagement and communications needs and advocate for them by asking questions, listening, and sharing their feedback to inform a project. No two projects and communities are the same, so I am always on my toes and learning something new myself!”

Pete Mulvaney

Pete is a utility management expert known for providing and leading sustainable solutions to challenges across the globe. He connects business and engineering to strategies that result in more resilient and efficient water utilities. As Consor’s Director of Utility Management, Pete combines his personal passion for water stewardship and his deep business and management experience. His extensive experience building teams and establishing trust unlocks the root cause of underlying disruption and subsequent solutions.

Consor collaborated with El Paso Water to craft a multi-platform, bilingual outreach strategy.

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