David Mendelsohn

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

    FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, Boston, MA

    Community Outreach and Facilitation, Natural Hazards Program Specialist,  2005-2018


- Facilitate technical and non-technical team member communications, to ensure that the messages of mitigation and risk analysis are distributed, and understood by public officials and the general public.

- Developed a state by state strategy to communicate to communities, regional entities, and states in support  of the adoption of updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps in a timely and efficient manner.

- Facilitating projects, managing complex floodplain management issues, and communicating scientific and technical flood data to lay citizens, tribal, local, state public officials, and Congressional offices.

- Facilitate contentious public meetings involving state, local, and tribal groups.

- Assign and review work with other team members.

- Team lead, developed and implemented Mitigation Division Community Outreach Plan, in the Region Office as well as Joint Field Offices.

- Provide strategic advice regarding project presentation and responses to public inquiries.

- Seven years experience as Community Consultation Officer under 44 CFR Part 66.4.

- Developed and managed Community Education and Outreach Teams in the FEMA Regional Office and in Disaster Joint Field Offices supporting various declared disasters.              

- Deployed to two Level I Disasters:

-30 days to Louisiana in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Supported logistics, FCO Staff, Information and Planning, Received written commendation from FCO Chief of Staff.

- Managed hazard mitigation staff supporting Disaster Recovery Centers on the Connecticut coast. Deployed 42 days as Hazard Mitigation Community Education & Outreach Group Supervisor in response to Hurricane Sandy. Organized additional outreach activities to home building supply stores.

- Managed grants for FEMA's Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP). Supporting the State mapping coordination efforts in the six New England States. As CTP Grant point of contact, prepare grant packages, review applications and review programmatic and fiscal reports.

- Active contributor to Headquarters sponsored Mapping Quality Working Group.

- Served as FEMA representative to the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board, Shared Neutrals Program. Provided mediation services to other Federal Agencies, for human resources  related disputes.

- Certified Flood Plain Manager since 2006, working with hydrologists and civil engineers.

 

 

  

    SETTLEMENTS AND SOLUTIONS, Weston, MA

    Principal Consultant, 2002-Current

- Providing dispute resolution services to a range of clients in the business and public sectors, as well as individuals and families.  Developed web site, marketing plan and business operations. See: www.SettlementsAndSolutions.com

 

        MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

    Department of Environmental Management, Boston, MA

    Project Facilitator and Dispute Resolution Specialist, 1996-2002

- Managed and facilitated multi-party public disputes involving federal, state, and municipal agencies, as well as citizen groups, legislators, and institutional neighbors.

- Responded to legislators, local officials and citizen concerns.

- Negotiated strategies to achieve formal action plans by consensus.

- Facilitated consensus plan for restoration of Boston's Emerald Necklace, including disaster flood mitigation issues, and an Emergency Action Plan for the Muddy River..

- Facilitated the establishment of the Upper Mystic River Watershed Environmental Joint Powers Board, focusing on flood issues.  First such board in Massachusetts.

- Dam Safety team for analysis of at risk and "orphaned" dams.

- Dam Safety: Facilitated decommissioning and removal of Old Berkshire Dam which had been compromised by a flood event. First dam decommissioning in Massachusetts.

- Convened and facilitated a multi-cultural work-group of stakeholders, for the purpose of developing a re-use plan for flood prone properties acquired under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program in Lawrence, Massachusetts.  Received recognition and praise for "high caliber professionalism" from Congressman Marty Meehan.

- Designed and led two day strategic planning retreat for Watershed Initiative staff.

- Led the development of  several multi-jurisdictional Emergency Flood Response Plans.

 

Department of Environmental Protection - Office of General Counsel, Boston, MA

    Wetlands Mediation Program Coordinator, 1994 - 1995

- Managed the establishment and function of the Wetlands Mediation Program.   

- Co-authored Wetlands Mediation Program Manual, an in-house manual for use by staff attorneys and environmental analysts.

- Supervised mediations and professional mediators.

- Consulted with attorneys, environmental engineers, and support staff in a 45-member unit to institutionalize and formalize the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program within the public law office.

- Convened, facilitated, and mediated environmental cases.

- As key member of Strategic Wetlands Advisory Team (SWAT), developed and managed a successful environmental mediation program to achieve significant results.

- Created standardized forms, operational flow charts, and computerized log system to record and track case progress.

- Personally mediated 25 backlog cases, removing 16 from backlog; oversaw 52 cases through mediation process, with 31 of the cases settled successfully.

- Assisted independent evaluators with research, planning, and other initiatives.

 
 

    

    HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, Dean of Students Office, Cambridge, MA

    Budget Manager, 1987 - 1994 (Part-time while in Graduate School)

- Managed budget expenditures from several fund accounts and 50 law student organizations.

- Monitored expenses, set up core standards to ensure compliance with internal and regulatory guidelines, and acted as principal liaison with all parties to respond to inquiries, troubleshoot problems, and resolve issues within quality service and control standards.

 
 

    MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS & LICENSING, Boston, MA

    Program Coordinator - Face-to-Face Mediation Program, 1987 - 1990

- Managed municipally-based conflict resolution program, supervising and training 30 mediators in negotiation skills and appropriate use of conflict resolution processes.

- Supervised mediations and professional mediators.

- Led mediation process for cases in crisis or at an impasse; mediated over 200 disputes involving corporations, consumer claims, labor issues, community organizations, and youth gangs.

- Developed new programs and projects in collaboration with federal, state, and city agencies.

- Oversaw budget and grant management, and streamlined case management by transferring major work components to an automated environment.

- Published article and handbook utilized throughout organization as standard reference tool.

- Successfully transferred program to the American Arbitration Association.

 
 

    PULGA MOVIES, INC., d/b/a Off The Wall Cinema and Cafe, Cambridge, MA

    President/General Manager, 1978 - 1986

- Launched  multi-faceted arts company that included a cinema, gallery, and cafe.

- Directed all daily operations, supervised 10 staff, negotiated vendor contracts, completed weekly payroll, and organized financial documents for tax reporting.

- Implemented changes in location and profit centers to accurately reflect profitability across all product lines.

- Founded, produced, and gained recognition for a regional animation festival.

- Conducted all public affairs and press relations activities.

- Wrote formal standards and conducted staff evaluations.

 
 

    PROJECT PLACE AMBULANCE SERVICE, Boston, MA

    Director, 1977 - 1978

- Re-established a failing emergency medical service; re-trained and managed staff of 37, directed fund raising for new ambulance, instituted new operational procedures, and met new state-wide licensing requirements.

- Supervised the daily operations and conduct of all staff.

- Conducted staff evaluations and built "win-win" objectives to achieve performance improvements.

- Researched, wrote, and administered federal and private grant proposals.

- Acted as principal liaison regarding all public affairs and press relations.

 
 

    BLACKSTONE SQUARE COMMUNITY SCHOOL, Boston, MA

    Director of Emergency Medical Technician Training, 1976 - 1979

- Established community training program. Contracted and managed lectures by physicians, nurses, and other medical specialists for EMT courses.

- Supervised assistant trainers and ensured readiness for qualification by National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

 

 
 
 
 

PUBLICATIONS  

- Author, "Agency Sponsored Alternative Dispute Resolution Process In Urban River Management." In Facilitating Watershed Management: Fostering Awareness and Stewardship, edited by Robert L. France. Lanham: Roman & Littlefield Publishers Inc.,

- Co-Author, "Pitfalls and Successes:  Facilitating Urban Flood Mitigation Planning in Lawrence, Massachusetts," 2003.

- Author, "MEDIATION & MITIGATION: The Role of Conflict Resolution in Hazard Mitigation," Riverways Newsletter (Summer 2001) Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Environmental Law Enforcement, Boston, MA.

- Co-Author, "Wetlands Mediation Program Manual," Office of General Counsel, Department of Environmental Protection, 1995.

- Managing Editor, "Senior Consumers' Handbook: A Guide to Services for Elder Bostonians," City of Boston, 1989, 92 pages.

- Author, "Mediation: A Gang Prevention Strategy." Conciliation Quarterly 10:1 (Winter 1991) Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, PA.

   

 

 
EDUCATION
  BOSTON UNIVERSITY, Boston, MA
    M.B.A., Graduate School of Management, 1994
    -    Certificate in Public and Not-for-Profit Management, 1994
    -    Certificate in Health Care Negotiation & Conflict Resolution, School of Public Health
 
    HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Cambridge, MA
    A.B., 1973; Concentration in Government & Education
   
    Certified Floodplain Manager, Association of State Floodplain Managers,  2006 - current
    Roster Member, U.S. Institute of Environmental Conflict Resolution, 2003 - current
    Registered Emergency Medical Technician, 1974 - 1980
 
    Additional Training:
    -    Advanced Mediation & Advocacy Skills Institute, ABA 2012
    -    Ombudsman Association: Various Trainings 2002 & 2003
    -    Divorce Mediation Training Associates: 1996
    -    Massachusetts Association of Mediation Programs: Trainers Training, 1990
    -    The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School: Negotiation & Dispute
        Resolution, 1986
    -    FEMA Trainings: Incident Command Systems IS-100, 200, 700;
        National Response Plan IS-800;
        Building Partnerships with Tribal Governments IS-650;
        Managing Floodplain Development Through the NFIP E-273;
        Special Considerations for FEMA Public Assistance Projects IS-600.
        Arc-GIS For Hazus E-190
        Introduction to Hazard Mitigation Field Operations. L-207;
        Community Education and Outreach in Disaster Operations L-160
        Earthquake Mitigation for Hospitals P-767
        Overview of FQS and QRBs IS-00207
        Mitigation Planning IS-318