Page 20 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6

Acknowledgements

Outside of my family I wish to thank the following who have contributed to my doctoral pursuit:

First and foremost, I wish to thank John Bilorusky, PhD who made this all possible by being my
main advocate, graduate advisor and supervisor, his insight helped shape my academic profile.

John was always available to me, despite my stories, excuses, global distance he kept an interest
and attention to the focus of my work and evolution of concepts in expanding my consideration of
research and topics for inclusion he caused me to question and query even further to greater depths
than I might have taken on otherwise. It has been a long road and I am thankful for your generosity
and patience as I finally got ‘things sorted out’. Often lost in quandary, I now present this work.

My Graduate Review Board members John Bilorusky, PhD., Brian Gerrard, PhD., Elenie Opffer.
Ph.D., Marilyn Jackson, Roger Mason and especially Torry Dickinson, Ph.D., whose patience
waiting for me to complete my studies lasted into her retiring from WISR. My ‘off-campus’
committee of three onlookers Michael Pavilon MBA, Dawn D'Amico, PhD author of 101 Mindful
Arts-Based Activities and Katherine Wilson, PhD Executive Director, Milwaukee Zeidler Center.

Thanks Marilyn for your having me host a series of Community Conversations via the web that
were more of a teach-in and nods to fellow WISR cohorts who helped me sort out some core ideas.

My acknowledgements must include a special few friends who helped me out - if were not for
Klav assisting me with the document layout, pointing out missing references and her organizing
lists of Community Conversations happening around the country found on Google news helped
me get surveys out and track some of these dialogues. Thank you Daya for allowing me to use
your house in West L.A. to host the first experimental Community Conversation that we led. Same
for Brian and Connie Harris in San Francisco where I believe we tried two of these dialogues.
Tony Camacho for letting me use his seminar room for a CC at his Gateway space also in WLA.

The legendary Reverend James Lawson’s weekly gathering in Los Angeles sharing his stories as
chief strategist for the Civil Rights Movement. Avis Ridley-Thomas whose L.A. City mediation
certification training I took. Ira Shor whose generosity during our interview was inspirational.

Thanks to the dialogue participants and facilitators of the Community Conversations I interviewed.
All in all, there are names of people already referenced in the dissertation including experts who
deserve more than a thank you as I took their time to interview or ask questions related to my
research. I want to include the people I met at all the events; seminars and dialogues (hosts and
attendees) I observed along with the many students who participated in classroom exercises and
off campus “Community Conversation” labs in Albany, New York at ITT – I thank you all.

I have fond recollections of the many coffee shops I frequented over the years and libraries where
I wrote my essays and read waiting for my kids to be let out of school, this includes cafes in Los
Angeles, California - Shanghai, China - Niskayuna, New York and most recently Hartland,
Wisconsin. Four laptops were used over the years of which only this one made it to the finish line.

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