Terry Amsler, an adjunct lecturer at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, has been appointed a member of the Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration Commission by the American Bar Association.
The Cornerstones of Democracy initiative was created to promote and help restore confidence in democratic institutions, the judicial system, and the rule of law. Amsler boasts a long background in dispute resolution, public engagement, and community problem solving, and has both taught and directed programs and organizations in these areas.
“My appointment as a member of the ABA Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration Commission is an opportunity for me to draw on my professional experiences and to offer ideas and strategies in service to the very timely and important purposes of this national Commission,” said Amsler, who is currently the co-chair of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section’s Public Disputes and Consensus Building Committee. “My many years of work across sectors, as well as across multiple arenas of collaborative problem solving and deliberative democracy, may allow me to bring a somewhat different and broader set of information, skills, and strategies to the Commission than it might have otherwise.”
The Cornerstones of Democracy Commission aims to develop conversation guides for state, local, practice specialty, and affinity bar associations, as well as for civic, professional, and government organizations, to use in developing programs or adapting existing programs to model civil discourse on topical issues. It also will feature civics and civility programming at key ABA events, develop and implement a communications campaign, and collaborate with ABA entities and outside organizations on programming and activities.
Amsler has taught undergraduate courses on public engagement and graduate research capstone courses at the O’Neill School since 2015. He believes that his teaching and service experience at O’Neill will allow him to have a more positive impact on the Commission’s activities.”
He has served previously in program director roles with both the Public Engagement Program at the League of California Cities’ Institute for Local Government as well as with the Hewlett Foundation’s conflict resolution grantmaking program. He also is a past executive director of the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission and of Community Boards, a community mediation program in San Francisco.
The Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration Commission national commission is chaired by Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne C. Nelson.
Leave a Reply