Don Lenihan

Donald G. Lenihan PhD., M.A., B.A. is Vice President, Engagement, at the Public Policy Forum in Ottawa, where he leads projects on public engagement and governance. He is currently leading the Public Engagement Project, which involves some 500 public servants from nine federal, provincial and territorial governments in a year-long dialogue to produce a book-length manual for designing and delivering public engagement processes.

In March 2008, Don completed a one-year term as Advisor to the Government of New Brunswick on Public Engagement. In that role, at the request of Premier Shawn Graham, he led a series of pilot projects and developed a new model of public engagement for the provincial government.

Don has 25 years of experience as a writer, analyst, facilitator and speaker in areas ranging from electronic-government to citizenship and diversity. Throughout his career, he has developed and led many national research and consultation projects involving senior public servants, academics, elected officials, journalists and members of the private and third sectors from across the country.