Sherry Johnson, M.Ed., CTF

Ms. Johnson understands the power of shared purpose as a foundation of organizational and community development. After teaching high school English and theatre, she transitioned into community organizing, where she applied asset-based community development principles and Technology of Participation methods to strengthen communication between neighbors and government entities. Her approach is characterized by creative and accessible approaches to analyzing data; group creation of emergent strategy; and emphasis on immediate application.

Employment History

• Owner, Trainer, Consultant, Facilitators Northwest, In the Swing—Seattle, WA
• Associate Consultant, Creative Ground—Seattle, WA
• Associate Consultant, Side by Side Associates, Brigid Riley Consulting—St. Paul, MN
• Administrative Assistant, HOURCAR—St. Paul, MN
• Community Organizer, District 4, East Side Prosperity Campaign—St. Paul, MN
• Teacher & Theatre Director, Henry Sibley (MN) and Iowa-Grant (WI) High Schools

Competency Areas

• Meeting Design and Facilitation

Design and facilitate large and small group meetings, retreats and planning sessions.  Facilitate dialogue across power differences, especially with participants who are resistant to change, or where trust has been broken.

• Stakeholder Engagement

Build access to clear, caring, and meaningful communication in peer and group settings. Crowdsource wisdom to generate consensus that results in measurable actions.

• Emergent Strategy

Blend expert and naïve perspectives on present circumstances to create clearly-bounded experimental approaches to problem-solving in complex adaptive systems.

• Curriculum Development & Training

Technology of Participation (ToP) Facilitation Methods, Strategic Planning, Engaging with Conflict, and youth leadership-development programs. 

• Leadership Coaching

Employ neuroscience-based mindfulness techniques for centering potential leaders, so they may connect to their distinctive power and act with purpose.

• Inclusion & Equity

Uncover implicit bias, build intercultural competency, and accommodate neuro-differences within communities and organizations, using the Diamond Inclusiveness Assessment, gamification techniques, and distributed ethnography.

Education

• Graduate, Neighborhood Leadership Program – Wilder Foundation, St. Paul, MN
• Master of Arts in Education – College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN    
• Bachelor of Science in English & Theatre Education – University of Wisconsin-Madison

Professional Associations

• National ToP Trainer’s Network
• Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA)

Professional Certification and Awards

• Certified ToP Facilitator and Qualified Trainer – Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA)
• Certified Diamond Inclusiveness Assessment Facilitator – CultureBrokers
• Asset-Based Community Development Training – ABCD Institute, Chicago, IL

Project List

• Teaching & Training Qualified trainer for ToP Facilitation Methods, an accredited course through the Institute of Cultural Affairs, USA. Train ToP collaborative methods largely for adult learners in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Specializing in training youth and leveraging ToP training for board development and neurodiverse inclusion. Facilitators Northwest, MNToP, Lazy F Camp, Dayton’s Bluff Community Action Network, Minnesota RollerGirls, Henry Sibley High School, Iowa-Grant High School.
• Culture-change and Inclusion Trainings, Workshops, and Assessments Intervening thoughtfully when misunderstandings, unproductive conflict, and microaggressions dominate workplace and community culture. Incorporating Diamond Inclusiveness and StyleMatters assessments, training in cross-cultural and neurodiverse communication strategies, hosting dialogue and workshop interventions. Bastyr University, King County Transit/Accessible Services, Lazy F Camp, Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence
• Strategic Planning Lead and associate consulting for coordination and facilitation of nonprofit strategic planning processes for 10-40 participants. Specializing in two-day retreats for cross-functional groups and incorporating front-line staff, management, and board members. Neighborhood Energy Connection, Clarion West, Bothell United Methodist Church, Kenmore Rotary, Rat City Rollergirls.
• Community Coalitions Facilitating and guiding formation of coalitions incorporating private, public, educational, and nonprofit representatives with the goal of improving coordination and improvement of services and raising awareness on issues of community importance. Specializing in education- and transit-related issues. My Village Northwest, Gig Harbor & Kitsap Peninsula Suicide Prevention, Dayton’s Bluff Community Asset Network, Seattle/King County Arts Access Coalition
• Nonprofit Formation and Board Development Spearheading faith-based nonprofits through process orientation, mission formation, board governance, filing of articles and bylaws, visioning, and collaborative planning. Consulting with secular and faith-based nonprofits on aspects of nonprofit formation. St. Paul Fellowship Church, Imago Dei Church, Kids & Race Seattle, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change.
• Community Forums Coordinating and leading panel presentations and roundtable discussions in which public officials and community members can experience meaningful exchange and productive dialogue. Specializing in mitigating power dynamics and inclusive participation. East Side Prosperity Campaign, District 4 Community Council
• Learning Collaboratives Facilitating information- and expertise-sharing across multiple worksites and cultures, in cooperation with state officials and funders. Building group cohesion that supports standardized evaluation and assessment. Foundation for Healthy Generations
• Emergent Strategy Incorporating innovative practices for working in complex adaptive systems, particularly cooperative planning for low-risk, parallel experimentation when traditional, linear planning has failed. Clarion West, Bothell United Methodist Church
• History and Trends Analysis Facilitating cooperative analysis of historical or topical trends that impact organizations or communities. Association of General Contractors Education & Research Foundation, Minneapolis Animal Care & Control, Heavenly Day Café, Minnesota RollerGirls.
• Organizational Assessment Employing interviews, narrative data, and group analysis to help organizations assess the present in order to choose appropriate strategies for moving forward. King County Transit/Accessible Services, Neighborhood Energy Connection, HOURCAR, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change.
• Collaborative Evaluation Facilitating accessible, visually engaging interaction with data in group settings. HOURCAR, Bothell United Methodist Church, Foundation for Healthy Generations.
• Action Planning Facilitating group engagement in short-term planning of discrete efforts with big impact, from preparing for a strategic plan, to hosting a public event or fundraiser, to fleshing out a key aspect of a larger operational plan. Kids & Race Seattle, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change, My Village Northwest, Community Emergency Services, United Churches Emergency Fund, Washington County Department of Health & Environment, Joint Community Police Partnership
• Curriculum Development Updating, creating, and piloting new curricula for adults and youth, in a variety of formats and time blocks. Specializing in facilitation, conflict, neuroscience, neurodiversity, inclusion, public involvement, and literature. Facilitators Northwest, Lazy F Camp, HueLife, Dayton’s Bluff Community Action Network, Minnesota RollerGirls, Henry Sibley High School, Iowa-Grant High School.
• Facilitative Leadership Coaching Assisting in meeting and event design that results in successful group ownership and effective delegation. Providing supportive co-facilitation that builds capacity within organizations to lead better meetings. Foundation for Healthy Generations, My Village Northwest, Neighborhood Energy Connection, Bothell United Methodist Church.

Client List