Director's Message

Greetings from Common Ground: Center for Cooperative Solutions.

Common Ground was founded in 1990 as a self-supporting, nonprofit program at UC Davis Extension. Since then, Common Ground has had the privilege of working with many people, organizations and leaders throughout the region and state as they worked through complex issues to find mutually agreeable solutions to their challenges. We have been pleased to draw together diverse organizations and individuals and help them reach practical solutions.

I am heartened by the increased use of collaboration in the public and private sectors. Common Ground is committed to providing quality services and educational offerings that support effective ways to resolve conflict and work cooperatively on issues.

I invite you to view the information on our site to learn more about the breadth and depth of our programs and services.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Penny, J.D.
Director

Carolyn Penny holds a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and J.D. from the University of San Diego. She has an extensive background in conflict resolution, issue-framing, meeting design, faciliation of multi-stakeholder decision making, organizational planning, mediation, facilitation of public engagement processes, training, analysis and writing. Her clients have included private-sector companies, community grassroots efforts, nonprofit organizations and public-sector agencies. With a certificate in Land Use and Environmental Planning from UC Davis Extension, Penny has facilitated problem-solving on a variety of issues including species recovery, climate change, transportation, education, public health and land use. She is also co-chair of the Environment and Public Policy Section of the Association of Conflict Resolution.