As part of EDGE Consulting Partners, Margaret joined with Yasmania Vinci to serve as consultant to the MA Department of Early Education and Care, the United Way Mass Bay, and the Schott Fellowship to facilitate a yearlong Workforce Development Task Force from July 2007 to June 2008.

Kate Finnegan, Interim Associate Dean, Behavioral Sciences, at Greenfield Community College, describes the process:

"An aspect of the success of the task force lies with the commitment to converse early-on with each member of the Task Force. No small feat as we counted 59 members! This individual contact was central to a sense of connection with the leadership team, Margaret and Yasmina, as well as a sense of connection to the vital purpose of the task force. This gesture signaled right from the start that each voice was important to the whole. I remember vividly my first conversation via the telephone. Sitting in my crowded office, exploring vital questions with Yasmina, I was transported to a place of possibility. Realizing that Margaret and Yasmina created a similar moment with each member of the task force fills me with respect for both their vision of community and their appreciation for the individual. In this first encounter the question of how to best contribute vis-à-vis the subcommittees was extraordinarily important. Individually, we were invited to work with our individual passion, to build upon our unique strengths, to voice our own creative ideas...etc. I marvel at the balance of paying attention to the individual while "holding" the whole group as we moved forward on our collective work. Such skill deserves to be acknowledged! Thank you, Margaret and Yasmina. What a privilege to work with both of you."

To read more about this project click here to download the PDF.

Thank you so much for sharing the Steps Forward document. I'm telling you, it really brings tears to my eyes. All of the ups and downs of the process, the questions, the discussions and debates, the coming together in consensus, the moving past individual roles and ownership to a common vision has produced this amazing documentation of your accomplishments and a roadmap for the future. I believe leadership has been honed by this process that will keep the momentum going on the next phases of the work.

You have been a great team to work with. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to work with you both, again, and this time on such a complex, challenging and rewarding issue.

Valerie Dawkins Krajec
Information Specialist
National Child Care Information Center

During one year I served on a task force with the complex mandate of creating a blueprint to fortify professional development for early childhood educators in Massachusetts. We were fortunate to work with the team from Edge Consulting. They guided a large group of highly qualified and passionate professionals from the public, private, and non-profit sectors through a challenging process that produced impressive results. With great skill Margaret and Yasmina acted, often invisibly, like the captain and crew of a ship, leading us from the dock out to the open water and finally back to shore. By asking the right questions and delivering the kind of coaching we needed, they organized us and organized the work. They helped us stay focused and moving forward to achieve our goals. I highly recommend their services.

Mishy Lesser, Ed.D.
Consulting Services for Peaceable
and Prosperous Communities