A Guide to Citizen Engagement for Government

Speakers

• Katie Fiore

  Director, Office of Innovation | Communication + Engagement Lab, State of New Jersey

  United States

• Wietse Van Ransbeeck

  CEO & Co-Founder of Go Vocal

  Belgium

• Jo Kibble

  Policy Advisor, Local Government Association

  United Kingdom

• Katie Fiore, is the Director of the Communication + Engagement Lab at the New Jersey Office of Innovation, where she leads efforts to modernize how the State connects residents with services and programs through data- and research-driven, user-centered strategies. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in growth marketing, brand awareness, and digital strategy, she has built and led cross-functional teams to deliver measurable results across industries. Katie brings a private sector mindset to public service, using proven consumer marketing and acquisition strategies to help residents discover, understand, and access the programs that can improve their lives. Her work has earned national recognition, including a Drum Award for Best Marketing Strategy, Government or Public Sector, and her writing has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and Entrepreneur.

• Wietse Van Ransbeeck, is the CEO and Co-Founder of Go Vocal, on a mission to make democracy more inclusive, participatory and responsive.

• Jo Kibble, works as a policy adviser on democracy, equalities and VCSE at the Local Government Association – the national membership body for English local councils. Jo’s work includes identifying, promoting and facilitating innovative, high quality community engagement by local government, alongside working with central government to ensure local government has the space, freedom and encouragement to co-produce and design services and programmes with their local communities. He also works on policy areas such as voluntary and community sector relations, civility in public life and the democratic process. Jo has previously worked in roles supporting the leadership of two London boroughs and four members of parliament, with first-hand experience of community engagement that has worked well, when it has gone wrong, and how you can recover trust and co-operation after that.