(916) 481-4488 [email protected]

Deb Burnight

Deborah Morain Burnight, BA, CTF, TMT

Profile

Ms. Burnight, CEO-Facilitated Resources, is a certified professional facilitator with over twenty-five years of experience in community collaboration, board and corporate training, and facilitation.  A graduate of the University of Iowa and a former elementary and middle school teacher, Deb blends a rich background from her work with educational, private, government, corporate and not-for-profit sectors with solid facilitation skills to help groups communicate and work together effectively. She is a principal of Prairie River Partners training consortium and serves as a regional training registrar and national Mentor Trainer for the Institute of Cultural Affairs-USA.

Employment History

  • CEO – Burnight Faciltated Resources
  • Teacher, Sioux City Community Schools
  • Teacher, Iowa City Community Schools
  • Teacher, Des Moines Community Schools

Competency Areas

  • Leadership Development

Community Leadership program curriculum development, corporate culture

  • Meeting Design and Facilitation

Consensus process, event planning, large and small meeting design and facilitation, critical conversations, retreat design, teambuilding

  • Organizational Strategy

Mission/vision/values, Participatory strategic planning, creative problem solving, organizational change efforts

  • Training and Development; Training Delivery

Facilitation skills-training – ToP Focused Conversation, Consensus Workshop, Action-planning, Strategic Planning, Implementation, Environmental Scanning and Analysis, Facilitating Innovation, facilitator mentoring and coaching

  • Project Management

Facilitation and training for large and small scale organizational and community project implementation and evaluation, Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plans (CHA and CHIP)

  • Stakeholder Engagement and Community Collaboration

Cross-sector Participatory data analysis, Collective Impact initiatives, Policy development

Education

  • Batchelor’s Degree in Education with specialties in Language Arts and Reading

Professional Associations

  • International Association of Facilitators (IAF) – Lifetime member
  • National ToP Network
  • Great Plains ToP Facilitators
  • Principal Partner – Prairie River Partners
  • Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA)

Professional Certification and Awards

  • Certified ToP Facilitator
  • Mentor Trainer – National ToP Trainer’s Network
  • Registrar – Institute of Cultural Affairs – USA

Publications and Presentations

  • Taming the Collaboration Dragon
  • Facilitative Leadership Skills for Healthy Community Collaboration
  • Facilitation Skills for Collective Impact
  • Making Friends with the Elephant in the Room
  • Contributor – Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) User’s Handbook
  • Contributor – ToP Facilitation Methods, Participant and Trainers manuals
  • Contirubtor – ToP Strategic Planning, Participant and Trainers manuals

Sample Project List

  • Trained maternal-child health professionals from seven states in ToP facilitation methods to enhance existing efforts to build comprehensive adolescent health systems; Comprehensive Adolescent Health Systems Collaboration and Innovation Network (CAHS-CoIN) – Process built capacity for the collective impact of states to implement comprehensive adolescent health systems which resulted in cross-sector consensus for state-level strategic plans on adolescent health.
  • Facilitated a think-tank of professionals from NACCHO, American Red Cross, State Departments of Emergency Management, Local Public Health Departments, the Medical Reserve Corps, CDC and FEMA to provide recommendations on providing effective public sheltering for up to 1,000,000 people during a radiation emergency; National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) – the project produced Clear recommendations for the publication of the guidance document, “Operating Public Shelters in a Radiation Emergency – A Planning Guide”, with a plan in place for the dissemination and maximum use of the guide by local health departments and community partners in the event of a major radiation emergency, including screening for radioactive contamination, decontamination, radiation monitoring, registration, health surveillance, and communications.
  • Trained over 240 local and state health department professionals in ToP facilitation methods to enhance partner engagement in identifying community priorities and implementing public health interventions; Florida Department of Public Health – The initiative enhanced the capacity of State and Local Public Health Departments to engage community partners in Community Health Assessments (CHA) and Health Improvement Plans (CHIP) and equipped community health educators with skills and tools needed to lead difficult and productive conversations in a wide variety of public forums.
  • Designed and implemented a Collective Impact approach to State Health Improvement Planning; Nebraska State Health Department – Facilitated 9 state-wide Impact Teams in the process of “frameworking” community engagement, identifying key influencers of change, and creating implementation plans for their strategic priorities. The process allowed the creation of a common measurement tool and shared accountability to collect and report performance data and launched a shared vision for change in the state around specific priorities.
  • Over 20 years, provided facilitation of five 3-year strategic planning and implementation cycles; Sioux City Police Department – also trained over 70 Command Staff, sworn officers and civilian staff in effective group participation and facilitation skills to support their transition to a community policing philosophy.
  • Facilitated the design of a 2-year pilot project increase capacity at community/local/state levels to address the impact of racism on birth outcomes and infant health; The Partnership to Eliminate Disparities in Infant Mortality (PEDIM) – Worked with key staff of CityMatCH, National Healthy Start Association and the Association of Maternal Child Health Programs to design and implement partner engagement in the project (6 community teams in initial pilot). New collaboration and partnerships were established in every community team, as well as ongoing community projects and accomplishments. A 1yr post-conclusion evaluation revealed that participants confirmed that the ALC process and content provided to teams were innovative/leading edge for MCH practice.
  • Facilitated a “Thought Leaders’ Summit” of key state-wide stakeholders inclusive of doctors, pharmacists, pharmaceutical companies, treatment providers, poison control; Iowa Medical Society and Iowa Pharmacy Association to developed a state-wide strategy and a legislative agenda to address the emerging opioid issue.
  • Facilitator training, coaching and mentoring; Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) – Trained more than 900 facilitators in leading in-depth conversations, consensus process, action and strategic planning, implementation, environmental scanning, event design and group creativity techniques. Served on Board of Directors for national Technology of Participation (ToP) Network and as Regional Registrar. ToP Mentor Trainer, Certified ToP Facilitator and active member of several internal ToP Network work teams.
  • Developed curriculum for several community-based leadership programs; BoardWalk, BoardLAUNCH, Leadership Siouxland. Served as faculty for Certificate in Fundraising Management – University of Nebraska at Omaha.
  • Provided facilitation of five 3-year strategic planning and implementation cycles over 20 years; Sioux City Police Department – trained over 70 Command Staff, sworn officers and civilian staff in group participation and facilitation skills to support a community policing philosophy.
  • MAPP (Mobilizing Action through Planning and Partnerships); National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). Provided strategic planning and technical assistance for the MAPP work team designated to guide ongoing development of the MAPP healthy community planning process. Contributed to the publication of the MAPP User’s Handbook, 3rd Edition.
  • Facilitated CHA (Community Health Assessment) and CHIP (Community Health Improvement Plan) processes for over 17 Local Health Departments in Nebraska, resulting in cross-sector community-based solutions to critical public health issues and policy development.
  • Facilitated statewide strategic planning for child welfare and juvenile justice reform; Nebraska Children’s Commission – initiative brought together public and private, formal and informal efforts to help design effective prevention and intervention programs and services and build up supports for families so that families can stay out of the child welfare system.
  • Strategic planning for 18 community-based, private and education foundations to support community and organizational development initiatives.
  • Facilitated the launch of a tri-county data-driven indicator project to help communities make connections between issues and trends in different areas; Omaha Community Foundation – project brings together residents, donors, nonprofits, policy-makers and advocates to create a shared vision of community priorities, spark new conversations around these issues and create alignment of efforts to move the indicators forward.

Client List

Local, State and Federal Government

  • 185th Air Guard
  • Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ)
  • City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Douglas County (NE) Board of Commissioners
  • Douglas County Health Department
  • Foster Care Review Board
  • City of Fremont, NE
  • Great Plains Area Office – Indian Health Service
  • Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
  • Hawk-I Outreach
  • Iowa Department of Elder Affairs
  • Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center
  • ISU Extension
  • City of Mason City, Iowa
  • Midwest Counterdrug Training Center
  • NE Nebraska Cooperative Extension
  • Nebraska Children’s Commission
  • Office of Health Disparities/Health Equity
  • Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO)
  • City of Sioux City, Iowa
  • Sioux City Police Department
  • Sioux Rivers RC & D
  • Sioux Rivers Regional Mental Health and Disabilities Services
  • South Central Economic Development District, Inc.
  • Tax Research Conference
  • City of Wayne, NE
  • Woodbury County Board of Supervisors
  • Woodbury County Extension

Justice System

  • Center for Children, Families and the Law
  • Juvenile Court Services – Drug Court
  • Justice for Our Neighbors
  • Nebraska Crime Commission
  • Operation Youth Success
  • Promise Partners
  • Saunders County Prevention Coalition

Education Related Institutions

  • Area 12 Education Association
  • Beyond the Bell
  • Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools
  • Briar Cliff University
  • Center for Preparedness Education
  • City of Des Moines, Iowa
  • Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative
  • Dubuque Community Schools
  • East High School – Sioux City
  • Educational Service Unit #1
  • Educational Service Unit #3
  • English as a Second Language
  • Heartland AEA 11
  • Iowa City Community Schools
  • Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties
  • Morningside College
  • Newton Community School District
  • Northern Nebraska AHEC
  • RROMRS
  • Safe Schools
  • Sioux City Community Schools
  • South Sioux City Community Schools
  • University of Nebraska
  • UNL College of Arts and Sciences
  • UNMC College of Public Health
  • UNMC Regenerative Medicine Program
  • Western Iowa Tech Community College

Professional Associations 

  • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
  • American Academy of Pediatrics – IA
  • American Public Health Association
  • Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
  • Association of Fundraising Professionals
  • Association of Philanthropic Counsel
  • Children and Families Coalition of Nebraska –
  • CAFCON
  • Coalition for Families and Children’s Services
  • Community Coalitions of Idaho
  • Health Centers Association of Nebraska
  • IANEPCA/InConcertCare
  • ICA-Denver
  • Iowa Public Health Association
  • Midwestern Public Health Training Center
  • National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
  • Nebraska Association of Local Health Departments (NALHD)
  • National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD)
  • Nebraska Alliance of Child Advocacy Centers
  • Nebraska Dental Association
  • Nebraska Medical Association
  • Nebraska Rural Health Association
  • Nonprofit Association of the Midlands
  • Norfolk Community Collaborative
  • North Central Iowa RPC
  • Public Health Association of Nebraska
  • SENECO
  • United Way Execs

Health & Medical Institutions & Affiliated Organizations

  • All Care Health Center
  • Behavioral Health Foundation
  • Blank Children’s Hospital
  • Capstone Child Advocacy Center
  • Child Health Specialty Clinics
  • Children’s Home Healthcare
  • CityMatCH
  • Columbus Community Hospital
  • Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
  • Creighton Center for Promoting Health and Health Equality
  • East Central District Health Department
  • Elkhorn Logan Valley PHD
  • Floyd Valley Hospital
  • Good Neighbor Community Health Center
  • Hancock County PHS
  • Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
  • Healthy Start
  • Hospice of Central Iowa
  • Iowa Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Iowa Cancer Consortium
  • Iowans Fit for Life
  • Jackson Recovery Centers
  • Live Well Omaha
  • Metropolitan Child Advocacy Coalition
  • North Central District Health Department
  • NE NEB Public Health
  • NE Nebraska Behavioral Health Network
  • Nebraska Families Collaborative
  • Nebraska Stroke Advisory Council
  • Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition
  • Northeast Nebraska Behavioral Health Network
  • Panhandle Mental Health
  • Panhandle Public Health District
  • Phoebe Putney Hospital Systems
  • Pottawattamie County Public Health
  • Prevent Child Abuse – NJ Chapter
  • Prevention Partnership
  • Public Health Solutions
  • Quitline Iowa
  • Hancock County Public Health Services
  • Region 4 Behavioral Health
  • Region 6 Behavioral Healthcare
  • Sandhills District Health Department
  • Siouxland Community Health Center
  • Siouxland District Health Department
  • Siouxland Mental Health Center
  • South Heartland DHD
  • Southwest NE PHD
  • St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center
  • State Adolescent Health Resource Center
  • Thayer Co. Healthy Communities Coalition
  • Three Rivers Public Health Department
  • TriCo Health Network
  • Two Rivers Public Health Department
  • University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • West Central District Health Department

Non-Profit Agencies and Other Organizations

  • Abbot House
  • Ag for Kids
  • Alternatives for Simple Living
  • Alzheimer’s Association
  • Boys and Girls Home and Family Services
  • Boys Club
  • Catholic Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa
  • Center for Rural Affairs
  • Children’s Square
  • Columbus Area United Way
  • Connecting Young Nebraskans
  • Cosmopolitan International
  • Countryside Community Church
  • Crittenton Center
  • Downtown Partners
  • Ecumenical Institute
  • Faith, Hope and Charity
  • FCC Dundee
  • First Christian Church
  • Food Bank of Siouxland
  • GLBT Task Force
  • Goodwill
  • Ida Services, Inc.
  • Inclusive Communities
  • Keep Council Bluffs Beautiful
  • Kossuth County Economic Development Corp
  • Leadership Siouxland
  • Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska
  • Morningside Lutheran Church
  • Neighborhood Network
  • New Hope Church
  • New Visions
  • Omaha Home for Boys
  • Panhandle Partnership for HHS
  • Project Harmony
  • RARE Conservation
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities
  • Rural Crisis Coalition
  • Siouxland CARES
  • Siouxland Human Investment Partnership
  • Siouxland Senior Center
  • St. John’s Lutheran
  • STEMM
  • Susan G. Koman – Siouxland
  • United Way of East Central Iowa
  • United Way of Jasper County
  • United Way of Olmsted County
  • United Way of Siouxland
  • United Way of Story County
  • United Way of the Midlands
  • Uta Halee Cooper Village
  • Voices for Children
  • Wayne Area Economic Development, Inc.
  • WESCO Industries

Corporate/For Profit Business

  • Ad Federation
  • Berenstein, Moore, Berenstein, Heffernan & Moeller, L.L.P.
  • CoCreative Labs
  • Dickinson and Clark CPAs, PC
  • Dickinson Investment Advisors
  • FEH Associates, Inc.
  • Great West Casualty Company
  • Home Instead, Inc.
  • Human Resources Associates
  • Intersections Consulting
  • Paul J. Strawhecker, Inc.
  • Perry Creek Communications
  • Prairie River Partners
  • RIITA
  • SilverStone Group
  • Strategies for the Future
  • Terra Industries, Inc.

Arts and Culture

  • Blank Park Zoo
  • Bemis Center for the Performing Arts
  • Dodge House
  • The KANEKO
  • Sioux City Public Museum
  • Sioux City Symphony Orchestra
  • Siouxland Master Chorale

Youth-focused

  • Cedar County Coalition for Youth
  • Child Well Being – Platte/Colfax Counties, NE
  • Children’s Center for the Child and Community
  • Comprehensive Strategy for Positive Youth Development
  • Family Inc.
  • Heartland Family Service
  • Native American Child Care Center
  • Scott County Kids

Foundations

  • Columbus Area Community Foundation Fund
  • Council Bluffs Community Education Foundation
  • Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
  • Fremont Area Community Foundation
  • Greater Des Moines Community Foundation
  • Iowa Area Development Group
  • Iowa Council of Foundations
  • Iowa West Foundation
  • Jackson Foundation
  • Nebraska Children and Families Foundation
  • Nebraska Community Foundation
  • Omaha Community Foundation
  • Omaha Schools Foundation
  • Papillion – La Vista Schools Foundation
  • Sherwood Foundation
  • Siouxland Community Foundation
  • St. Luke’s Foundation
  • Wellmark Foundation