Laura Taylor Singer

Laura has a long history of working with groups to organize productive and efficient meetings, strategic planning retreats, and workshops.  She is highly skilled at providing lead facilitation services to address often complex and contentious issues collectively. She also offers survey design and analysis services, training, and report writing.

Laura brings with her a broad view of the organizational dynamics and cultural perspectives among stakeholders grappling with difficult decisions. Her professional experience includes working within government and non-profit sectors on natural resource issues. She has designed and facilitated hundreds of meetings to resolve problems and gain consensus among government agencies, community stakeholders, and non-governmental organizations.  Her legislative and policy experience includes working with the Coastal Program at the Maine State Planning Office and serving as Special Assistant to the Commissioner for the Maine Department of Marine Resources. 

Laura gained extensive organizational development and strategic planning experience as part of the management team at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) in Portland, Maine. Under her leadership, the Community Program developed into a $1 million budget for the company and the staff was expanded from one to eight professionals.

After being raised in Maine, Laura completed a bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology from Trinity College in Connecticut.  She was the recipient of the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship and studied marine pollution on Malta, Barbados, and Western Samoa.  Upon her return to the U.S, she pursued a master’s degree in environmental management at Duke University with a focus on marine policy issues and developing consensus among stakeholders.  In 1995, Laura continued to develop her facilitation, mediation, and negotiation skills through the University of Southern Maine and earned a Certificate in Conflict Management.

In addition to her work facilitation work at Good Group Decisions, Laura maintains an independent consulting practice with a focus on marine policy, analysis, research, and project management.

A resident of North Yarmouth, Laura lives with her husband and two children and enjoys swimming, biking and running.

Send an email to Laura by clicking here.

"Thank you, for an excellent retreat. I thought it well paced and structured ... You kept us all on task and to be honest I think it probably was the smoothest retreat I have attended in my many many years in the arts and charitable sector...” -- Andrew Harris, Executive Director, L/A Arts

 

" …you’ve gracefully facilitated difficult discussions, fostered new collaborations, and nudged the ball toward a better future for this community.  We have all benefited from your vision, optimism and intense dedication to your work.” -- Don Perkins, President, Gulf of Maine Research Institute