We help staffs, boards, and teams plan successful meetings, create safe spaces for public participation and dialogue, manage the steps of problem-solving, consensus-building and decision-making, and stay on track to achieve desired meeting results. 

We facilitate meetings and gatherings for schools, churches, community groups, non-profits, businesses, and government agencies when we are comfortable that the hoped-for process is inclusive and constructive.

"Open Space" is a simple, fast, light, relatively inexpensive way to invite, organize, and run productive meetings involving five to thousands of people. It is particularly well-suited to difficult, complex situations involving people who care.

To learn about Open Space, go here.

We love facilitating Open Space meetings. In the Open Space vernacular, that facilitative role is called "holding space" for the meetings.

Sample Open Space themes we have helped facilitate include:

• "How can youths and adults work together to create change and make our city a better place for youth?" Participants: 150+ youths and adults. Immediate outcome: 10+ inter-generational action teams and study groups formed.
• "Building church community" - Participants: about 70 from two related churches. Immediate outcome: valuable dialogue and increased understanding.
• "Real Talk: Community and Candidates Dialogue" Facilitated an evening of Open Space to promote genuine dialogue between candidates for local government, students, and other community members. Participants: about 30. Immediate Outcome: A successful alternative to the traditional "talking heads" candidates forum.
• "Prescription Drug Task Force" - Facilitated a two-day community Open Space workshop to address use and abuse of prescription drugs.

Horizon Mediation Services is a sole proprietorship established in 1995 by Heidi and Dan Chay.

We envision creative, self-determining, learning communities collaborating to adapt to the challenges of the next century.

We pursue our mission by assisting individuals, organizations, and communities toward this end -- providing mediation, process design, facilitation, consulting, and training services.

We approach our work and relationships with the fundamental values of respect, integrity, and continuous learning.

We are trained mediator/facilitators with education and experience in the fields of group process, conflict resolution, and creative consensus-building dating back to 1991. As a husband-and-wife team, we bring a unique energy to the projects we undertake as well as two sets of eyes, ears, and hands.

We speak several languages, have lived abroad and traveled extensively, and are sensitive to the challenges of intercultural interaction.

Past clients for whom we have facilitated gatherings include the City of Homer, Kenai Watershed Forum, Kachemak Bay Public Broadcasting, KDLL Radio, CARTS (Central Area Rural Transit System), Community Action Coalition, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, United Fishermen of Alaska, Alaska Conservation Foundation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Environmental Protection Agency, International Paper, Community Rivers Planning Coalition, Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association, the Copper River Basin Project, Healthy Communities/Healthy People, Aurora Borealis Charter School, Kaleidoscope Charter School, The Roundtable, Bridges, United Fishermen of Alaska, Specialty Coffee Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Department of Tourism, Neighborhood Justice Center of Honolulu, University of Hawaii School of Nursing, University of Hawaii School of Public Health, and the East-West Center in Honolulu.