Kathryn G. Denhardt, PhD
Over the past twenty-five years Kathryn Denhardt has facilitated more than a thousand meetings for a broad range of nonprofit, government, faith-based, and community-based organizations. She is highly skilled in diverse techniques for engaging participants, maximizing effective use of time, and achieving meeting goals.
As both a consultant and university professor she developed a deep understanding of diverse groups and mastered successful strategies for eliciting necessary input from different groups. While working as a consultant, she led the successful creation of a new public transportation system that involved engaging many different stakeholders who might use a transportation system (e.g., senior citizens, non-English speakers, households with no vehicle, students, persons with disabilities) as well as those who perceived they might be negatively affected by a public transportation system (e.g., residents and businesses affected by placement of a bus stop nearby.) The effort also involved managing the competing demands of a City Commission, County Commission, State Department of Transportation, local Transportation Advisory Board, as well as local employers and taxpayers. Navigating challenges such as these provided her with practical knowledge about overcoming obstacles and leading communities toward the progress they desperately need. In addition, she developed the highest level of skill in interpreting input from stakeholders and communicating findings in well-written, insightful reports.
Dr. Denhardt also brings a deep understanding of the best ways to teach others the skills necessary to become excellent facilitators.
William (Bill) McGowan, Ed.D
Bill McGowan is a highly motivated, forward-thinking, pragmatic leader focused on community development and public engagement. Currently, he is an independent community development consultant, a Senior Fellow with the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration, and a certified coach with the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.
Bill recently served as the Delaware Maryland State Director United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development in the Obama administration. His earlier career included 24 years as a county extension agent with University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and 14 years in private sector management.
His early private sector career in agriculture affirmed his commitment to integrity, honesty and customer service. His rural community and organizational work covered a wide array of public issues and instilled a deep commitment to the power of people in community and what can be accomplished.
He has Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware. He lives in rural Delaware with his wife Debbie. Bill volunteers on several boards and in his small town.
Kathy Murphy, MPA
Kathy Murphy is the Associate Director of the Institute for Public Administration at the University of Delaware (UD). Her primary role is to provide expert facilitation, mediation, and training services to state and local governments, K12 public schools, and nonprofit organizations in Delaware. She also holds a secondary faculty appointment in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, where she teaches conflict resolution and organizational leadership courses.
Ms. Murphy received her education in facilitation through National Issues Forum, National Institute for Civil Discourse, Columbia University, Bailey Alliance, Future Search, and the Center for Positive Change. She is trained and experienced in a variety of facilitation processes, such as, Open Space Technology, Appreciative Inquiry, Circle Dialogue, Facilitating the Whole Room, National Issues Forum, and Changing Whole Systems.
Ms. Murphy has extensive training experience in Delaware and beyond. As a consultant, she has conducted training programs in California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Oregon, Idaho, Missouri, Arizona, Maryland, Hawaii, and Russia.
She has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Delaware and Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Goldey Beacom College.
