we have expanded our team again!
We are excited to announce that we have welcomed two new, highly experienced facilitators to the team.
MosaicLab’s capability and capacity to assist our wonderful clients is greatly enhanced by Melinda Jacobsen and Naomi Oosting joining us. Learn more about them below.
MELINDA JACOBSEN
FOR MELINDA, MOSAICLAB IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE they have extensive experience with deliberation models, processes and facilitation, as well as unique skills in holding the space for diverse groups of people.
MosaicLab also bring great energy, professionalism, positivity and focus on getting client outcomes effortlessly - outcomes that are both tangible (participant reports) and intangible (energy, passion, respectfulness, interest, and gratitude of all involved in an event).
Having been a MosaicLab client, I am beyond excited to have now joined the team!
MELINDA BELIEVES
That there is tremendous opportunity in including the voice of everyday citizens in informing mainstream policy and practice.
Deliberative processes are ‘best practice’ when it comes to engaging the community in meaningful and empowering ways.
She believes deeply in human connection and the urgent need to help (re)create and support communities to reconnect and to flourish. Everyone deserves to be seen and heard and each of us offers a unique perspective that can add value somewhere to something.
MELINDA IS KNOWN FOR
Her ability to be a step ahead of others in events and facilitation experiences. With keen attention to detail, Melinda is able to ensure everyone ‘in the room’ feels welcome, comfortable and supported.
Sprinkling creativity across gatherings that delight and surprise, based on a belief that memorable experiences come when all the senses are engaged.
Her active listening, compassion and ability to establish rapport and respect quickly and effortlessly with just about anyone!
Her kindness, positivity and generosity
MELINDA KNEW THIS WAS HER CALLING WHEN people came up to her after presentations and workshops to affirm how she made them feel heard and energised by the experience. While facilitation and public speaking raises anxiety for many people, Melinda enjoys the challenge of gathering a disparate group and guiding them through processes to achieve outcomes.
MELINDA LOVES the outdoors and being in nature – running, paddle boarding, swimming, hiking, her family (including Bailey, the Cocker Spaniel) and the wisdom and insights her friends - from different life circles - offer when they get together.
SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT MELINDA She ran 5 marathons before she turned 30 and really enjoys watching motor sport (F1 and V8).
More about Melinda
Learn more about Melinda and read her bio here
NAOMI OOSTING
FOR NAOMI, MOSAICLAB IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE they are passionate and committed to giving people a real voice in decisions that affect them. They have strong ethics and give back to the engagement community by bringing it together and sharing knowledge and experiences.
NAOMI BELIEVES better decisions are arrived at when they are made by people whose lives will be affected by the outcome.
There is real value in sticking with difficult conversations, even when they are uncomfortable. Having a diversity of views leads to more robust dialogue and decisions.
I believe in the power of the group, and that a group working together can achieve more than the sum of its parts.
NAOMI IS KNOWN FOR her honesty and not shying away from difficult conversations or high emotion. Naomi has worked with a lot of communities where there was high tension or emotionally charged situations and is known for being able to build relationships with people, even under trying circumstances.
NAOMI KNEW THIS WAS HER CALLING WHEN I was working as an environmental scientist and dealing with a highly outraged community around a contentious facility when I realised that all the technical solutions to the problem would never solve it if the community wasn’t involved. It became clear to me that including the community in the process was not only important, but the best way to bring about an efficient and lasting change.
That is when I decided that community engagement and particularly deliberative community engagement, was my calling.
NAOMI LOVES People. I love the way people surprise me, and the way that people of vastly different views can come to work together collaboratively given the right environment and support. I love the way there is always more to learn about people, and that people are capable of so much more than we think.
SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT NAOMI I spent a year living with my extended family in the Netherlands and I now speak (passable) Dutch. 2020 was my year to take my family for a visit….so we will do that …..when Covid allows!
More about Naomi
Learn more about Naomi and read her bio here
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