Christopher Szecsey

Senior Associate, The Glen Price Group
Christopher Szecsey (“say-chay”), GPG Senior Associate, is a consultant, technical assistance provider, trainer and facilitator with 14 years of professional consulting experience with the nonprofit sector and local governments in the USA as well as over 35 years of world wide experience in international humanitarian and development work. Applying client based participatory and collaborative processes, he designs and shapes GPG consultancies to respond to the specific needs, capabilities, strengths, and interests of the clients. Szecsey is also a leading innovator in the development and application of Appreciative Inquiry, a strengths-based approach for undertaking change efforts that ensures stronger client satisfaction, engagement, and ownership for the work undertaken.
Key Areas of Consulting Experience
1994–2007
  • Design, facilitation, training, and technical assistance in capacity-building, change management, and partnerships for nonprofits, international agencies, foundations and governments.
  • Organizational development, strategic planning, leadership, teambuilding, staff and board development, proposal and resource development
  • Program review/assessment, planning, management, monitoring/evaluation, and documentation.
  • Collaboration/Partnership/Network assessment, strengthening, planning, management, and evaluation.
  • Design and facilitation of participatory events for boards, staff, partner organizations, and the public.
  • Appreciative Inquiry process facilitation: organizational learning & change; leadership/team development; partnership building/strengthening; community projects; & cross-cultural work.
Location of Assignments
1974–2007
  • USA: Multiple locations locally & nationally;
  • Africa: Ethiopia (3x), Kenya (5x), Uganda, Tanzania (2x), Mozambique (2x), Zimbabwe (3x), Malawi (3x), Botswana, Mali, The Gambia, Liberia;
  • Asia/Pacific Islands: China (2x), Japan, Philippines (5x), Vietnam (6x), Thailand (3x), Indonesia (5x), Myanmar, Bangladesh (2x), Nepal (4x), Kiribati, Tuvalu;
  • Latin America/Caribbean: Peru (2x), Bolivia, Ecuador, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica;
  • Middle East: West Bank and Gaza (Palestinian Territories) (3x), Jordan, Egypt;
  • Russia, Central Asia, & the Caucasus: Russia (3x), Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan (4x), Kazakhstan (4x), Turkmenistan (3x), Armenia, Azerbaijan (3x), Georgia.
Consultant, Trainer, & Facilitator in Assessment, Planning, Change Management, Evaluation, and Documentation
1994–present
Glen Price Group/Government of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, CA
September 2002-present
Providing training & technical services to staff of county government departments in resource sourcing, proposal development, partnership building of different agencies, & project planning.
Glen Price Group/American Red Cross, Washington DC
January 2007-present
(3 visits completed): Co-designed & led organizational learning & change process with International Services Division, focusing on strategic planning, leadership development & team building.
Social Impact/Family Health International, Kenya
August 2006-present
(2 visits to date): Technical Advisor, providing on-going technical assistance/training for 2 integrated health projects, w/ emphasis on Partnering/Network Development & NGO Capacity Building in two regions.
Pathfinder International, Vietnam
June-August 2007
Designed & led INGO-Government national health Partnership Assessment & made recommendations for strengthening working relationship for women’s reproductive health project. Assisted with development of Partnership case study.
Glen Price Group/UNFAO, Indonesia
February-May 2007
(3 visits completed): Co-designed & led multi-stakeholder (FAO, Government, INGOs, & NGOs) project development & collaborative planning process for provincial livelihood & sustainable resource management initiative.
Levi Strauss Foundation, San Francisco, CA
March-April 2007
Designed & facilitated Strategic Planning workshop for its global Workers’ Rights Grant Program.
Glen Price Group/American Red Cross, Washington DC
May-September 2006
Co-led nonprofit headquarters in 4-year strategic & detailed implementation planning for international tsunami recovery & development efforts, with emphasis on HQ planning and four country tsunami planning.
Glen Price Group/Southwest Community Health Center, Santa Rosa, CA
May-August 2006
Designing & facilitating a participatory process for initiating and strengthening communication & collaboration among interested parties for the planning of the Fulton Center for Healthy Families.
Glen Price Group/Government of Alameda County, Oakland, CA
October 2004–November 2005
Consulting for Department of Justice/District Attorney for domestic violence project of local government agencies and community–based organizations. Services include: partnership building, strategic planning, fund development, project monitoring and evaluation.
Equal Access, San Francisco, CA
July–August 2005
Providing staff training & technical services focused on program development, management, & operations for nonprofit.
Project Baobab, Palo Alto, CA
June–July 2005
Designed & facilitated organizational & programmatic strategic planning with board & staff of nonprofit.
Sonoma County Dept. of Health Services, Division of Prevention & Planning, Santa Rosa, CA 6–7/05 Designed & facilitated team building workshop for staff.
Glen Price Group/International Institute of the East Bay, Oakland, CA
June 2005
Designed & facilitated staff workshop for strategic implementation planning.
Glen Price Group/Government of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, CA
September 2002–Present
Provided training and technical services to staff of county government departments in proposal development, partnership building, & project planning.
Santa Rosa Symphony, Santa Rosa, CA
June 2004
Designed and facilitated staff development workshop on Team Development and Communications, using Appreciative Inquiry.
Glen Price Group/Bay Area Partnership, Vallejo, CA
June 2004
Designed and facilitated workshop for non–profits on proposal development fundamentals.
Glen Price Group /Education Action Initiative, El Cerrito, CA
January 2003–May 2004</d>
Consulting in program & proposal development & foundation fundraising for nonprofit.
Seeds of Learning, Sonoma
January-December 2003
Designed & facilitated strategic Organizational/ Program Planning & Board Development for nonprofit board & staff, using Appreciative Inquiry.
Glen Price Group/East Bay Works, Oakland, CA
November 2003
Designed & facilitated workshop on grant writing fundamentals for staff of 4 Workforce Investment Boards
Children and Families Commission, Marysville: Yuba County, CA
October 2003
Designed & facilitated workshop on best practices & future planning for commission & advisory group.
Sonoma County Resource Center for Nonprofits, Santa Rosa, CA
August 2001–September 2003
Member of task force: designed & carried–out initiative to support & foster diversity & multicultural competency with nonprofit boards, staff & their programs. Also led public workshops for nonprofits on Appreciative Inquiry, leadership, teamwork, facilitation, etc.
Global Genesis/Osmosis, Freestone, CA</d>
November 2001–August 2003
Designed & carried–out various services for business: strategic organizational & service/product planning; organizational development; & facilitation of management/independent contractor regular meetings.
Glen Price Group/YMCA, Oakland, CA
May–July 2003
Designed & led staff development sessions, linking strategic planning w/ annual planning & program monitoring for nonprofit.
Donordigital, San Francisco, CA
May–June 2003
Designed & facilitated staff retreat focusing on annual planning & teambuilding for internet business.
La Luz, Sonoma, CA
March–April 2003
Designed & facilitated board retreat on Planning, Board Structure & Teambuilding for nonprofit.
Glen Price Group /BAYTEC, East Bay, CA
February– March 2003
Designed & facilitated two workshops on Board Development & collaborative planning & action for nonprofit collaborative, using Appreciative Inquiry.
Glen Price Group/Street Tech, Oakland, CA
January–March 2003
Designed & facilitated strategic organizational & program planning w/ board & staff of nonprofit.
Solar Works, Occidental, CA
January 2003
Designed & facilitated workshop on planning, organizational development & teambuilding for staff of small business.
Forefront, New York & Tennessee
June 2002
Designed & conducted leadership, teambuilding & planning workshop for international network of human rights activists, using Appreciative Inquiry.
Harmony School Union District, Occidental, CA
August 2001–March 2002
Designed & carried–out strategic planning process, thru Appreciative Inquiry, of stakeholders in participatory process.
West County Healthcare Foundation, Sebastopol, CA
September–November 2001
Designed & conducted Board Retreat for planning future directions and clarifying board committee roles, using Appreciative Inquiry.
The Results Group/CA Dept. of Health Services, Santa Rosa, CA
May–September 2001
Designed & implemented action research & analysis related to nutrition & physical exercise for low income, school aged children.
Project Concern International, San Diego, CA
July–December 2000
Designed & facilitated organizational learning & change process & workshop with Appreciative Inquiry for headquarters & field staff of nonprofit. Asia/Pacific Islands Country Director–Save the Children/US; & Project Coordinator/UNDP 1982–94
Farallones Institute, Co–Director – Occidental, CA
1978–82
Languages
English, Spanish, and Indonesian
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology; minor in Political Philosophy, University of the Pacific/Callison College, California Fieldwork: California, Mexico & India; 1967–1971 Executive Certificate Program in Global Change & Social Innovation/Appreciative Inquiry, Global Excellence in Management (GEM) Initiative, Case Western Reserve University, USA
Training and courses attended 1971–2000
Non–profit management; nonprofit fundraising; Appreciative Inquiry; participatory training & group facilitation; organizational & program development, community development; health & education programs; women’s literacy & empowerment; sustainable agriculture; appropriate technology; & cross–cultural studies.

Publications list and references available on request.