Overview
About
Podziba Policy Mediation creates opportunities for deliberative negotiations among government, stakeholders, and civil society to build lasting solutions to complex public policy challenges. PPM is motivated in its commitment to strengthen the fabric of democratic governance based on a belief that democratic rule of law is the best means for creating and maintaining a nation’s long term security, stability and prosperity.
Experience
For more than 30 years, PPM has been privileged to assist participants in consensus processes use their collective knowledge, and even their opposing passions, to construct innovative solutions that reflect existing possibilities and political constraints. With broad reach and depth across the public policy spectrum of issues, PPM is recognized internationally for its policy mediation expertise in helping parties address seemingly intractable conflicts.
Integrity
Although most PPM projects are initiated and resourced by government agencies, PPM clarifies early on that its client is the full team of representative negotiators. With curiosity about and respect for all perspectives of conflicts, PPM builds confidence in mediation processes as it enables parties to reflect on assumptions, learn new aspects of their old situations and generate innovative solutions.
History
Established as Susan Podziba & Associates in 1990, Podziba Policy Mediation is based in Brookline, Massachusetts. PPM’s practice is rooted in, and builds on, mediation and negotiation theories developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning and the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. PPM contributes to theory building and innovative practice through publications, simulations and research roundtables. Courses and training for mid-career professionals, faculty, and graduate students provide opportunities to continually analyze and improve our practice. Susan Podziba’s book, Civic Fusion: Mediating Polarized Public Disputes, contains her reflections and lessons learned over 25-years of policy mediation practice.