Sue Cumming, RPP

Principal, Cumming + Company

Sue helps communities engage with stakeholders and the public by developing and facilitating processes and in acting as an advisor to clients on how to hold meaningful consultations. She is skilled at managing complex and diverse public input and feedback from a variety of competing interests and stakeholders and has significant experience engaging multi-sectoral, municipal and industry representatives on municipal planning and infrastructure initiatives. This starts with discussion of needs to identify the types of methods and tools for holding the conversation with a focus on determining common ground for moving towards consensus on outcomes. Sue has specific expertise in addressing conflict resolution through upfront open consultation and the use of appropriate communication tools (in person and social media), variety of meeting formats and demonstrated responsiveness to concerns.  In addition to her consulting practice, Sue teaches public participation at the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Queen’s University where she has done so for 10 years and delivers customized training for municipal staff across the Province.
 
Sue served on OPPI Council from 2004 to 2011 culminating in her leadership role as President of OPPI from 2009 and 2011. She has delivered workshops and courses on planning ethics both for the Institute and at Queen’s University.  She is committed to furthering the understanding of planning ethics and what it means to be a professional planner.  It would be best to not send her a fruit basket!
 

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