Public involvement

I develop public involvement campaigns for critical water infrastructure projects across Portland. This work requires me to navigate complex challenges while ensuring that community needs are met. I guide projects from start to finish by:

  • Connecting with neighbors early in the project design process

  • Utilizing population data to develop tailored communication plans

  • Implementing engagement strategies across multiple platforms and locations

Washington Park Reservoir

The Washington Park Reservoir is a 12.4-million-gallon, seismically reinforced underground reservoir with a public space on top.

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  • Washington Park was previously home to two open-air reservoirs: the upper Reservoir 3 and the lower Reservoir 4. The reservoirs were part of an ingenious gravity‐fed drinking water system built in the 1890s. The original reservoirs served Portland for more than a hundred years.

    In 2016, the Portland Water Bureau began a project to replace the original reservoirs with a new 12.4-million-gallon underground reservoir. 

    Completed in 2021, this modern reservoir is part of the Water Bureau’s work to ensure a healthy, resilient, and secure water system. It serves more than 360,000 people, including all downtown businesses and residents, 20 schools, 5 hospital complexes, and more than 60 parks. 

  • This project included traditional public involvement efforts during the design phase in 2012. This was the first project I worked on at the City, . 

    I utilized this project’s long history to continue regular outreach efforts through the final phases of construction. 

    Outreach included things like:

    • Coordinating stakeholder meetings

    • Creating education materials

    • Participating in outreach events in the area

    • Writing newsletter and website updates 

    • Responding to public inquiries 

    • Managing public communications for the site

    • Filming social media features

    • Coordinating site tours for press

    • Creating talking points for executive leadership

    • Writing project briefings for elected officials

    In June 2025, I produced a community celebration to commemorate near completion of the project. 

  • A community celebration for June of 2025 had been in planning since 2024. In the two weeks prior to the event, some incomplete tasks were identified, and Water Bureau leadership made the hard decision to continue with the celebration but keep the site closed to the public until all critical tasks are complete. Due to the effective promotion, leadership determined the event was too soon to cancel. Instead, the City celebrated the great progress on the project so far and reframed the event as a “sneak peek.” 

    Today, in July 2026, an opening date has not been determined. It has been a challenge to retain positive public opinion as well as demonstrate transparency. As a response to this challenge, a key talking point has been the Water Bureau’s careful planning for safety, and dedication to resilient water infrastructure in the City of Portland.

Thompson Elk Fountain

The Portland Water Bureau and partners restored the Thompson Elk Fountain to its historic place on SW Main Street between Chapman and Lownsdale Squares. 

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  • The Portland Water Bureau and partners restored the Thompson Elk Fountain to its historic place on SW Main Street between Chapman and Lownsdale Squares. 

    In July 2020, fires in the fountain base damaged pieces of the stonework. We removed the statue and fountain base soon after. 

    This project:

    • Restored and reinstalled the fountain in its original location

    • Increased the stability of the Thompson Elk statue

    • Complied with standards for the treatment of historic properties

    • Retrofitted the fountain with a recirculating water pump 

    The City of Portland and our partners celebrated the return of the Thompson Elk statue with a free community event on Sunday, April 12, 2026. 

  • I led all public communications for this project. Communications included activities like:

    • Coordinating press events

    • Designing media kits

    • Organizing stakeholder meetings

    • Creating education materials

    • Writing newsletter and website updates

    • Responding to public inquiries

    • Filming social media features

    • Creating talking points for executive leadership

    • Writing project briefings for elected officials

    In April 2026, I managed marketing for a community celebration to commemorate the return of the Thompson Elk Fountain.

  • The Thompson Elk Fountain presented unique challenges because the project carried significant political and public interest following the fountain's removal in 2020. With multiple City bureaus, elected officials, nonprofit partners, and contractors involved, the communications process was highly collaborative and often bureaucratic.

    Our challenge was to acknowledge the site's sensitive history while keeping focus on the restoration. To address this we developed a communications strategy that was informative and construction-focused. We also kept it light and playful on social media, with posts highlighting construction milestones and our project partners. Online engagement became noticeably more positive by the end of the project.

Bull Run Filtration Project

Portland is building a new filtration facility to keep our drinking water safe and abundant for generations to come. Filtration will remove the microorganism Cryptosporidium from the Bull Run supply by September 2029 to comply with state and federal water quality regulations.

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  • We're building a new drinking water filtration facility and pipelines to keep our water safe and abundant for the roughly 840,000 people who depend on it today and for future generations. Bull Run Filtration is needed to comply with federal and state safe drinking water regulations and remove the disease-causing microorganism Cryptosporidium from our water supply.

    Bull Run Filtration will benefit:

    • Our health: using proven treatment methods to deliver clean, safe drinking water to customers.

    • Our economy: creating jobs building water infrastructure vital to local businesses, industry, and residents.

    • Our future: enhancing our water system's resilience, reducing future risks, and better protecting customers.

  • I assist the Senior Public Involvement Coordinator with public outreach efforts.

    Outreach includes activities like:

    • Managing public inquiry databases

    • Organizing regular meetings for neighbors impacted by construction

    • Tracking news articles written about the project

    • Recording transcripts of important moments in City Council meetings

    • Creating education materials (fact sheets, FAQs, activities)

    • Developing website and newsletter updates

    • Filming social media features

    • Writing responses to public inquiries

    • Recording public comments about the project

  • This is the most expensive public works project the City has ever taken on. The construction process is incredibly complex. There have also been multiple pauses in construction due to land use decisions and ongoing opposition to the project.

    While expensive and controversial, the facility is being built to protect our water supply for generations to come. With joint utility rates rising every year, it’s incredibly important that messaging continues to articulate the benefits, progress, and objectives of the project.

    We do that by:

    • Staying up to date on all technical construction schedules and communicating activities to the public.

    • Educating the public on ways this project needs to adhere to state and federal regulations

    • Staying engaged with the community by being actively available