ABOUT MICHAEL KERN
Principal, Michael Kern Consulting, LLC
In addition to serving as Principal of Michael Kern Consulting, LLC, Michael is joining the Yale School of the Environment in July 2026 as the inaugural Bataua Professor in the Practice of Collaborative Solutions. In the position, he will establish a Collaboration Solutions Program that convenes diverse interests in environmental conflicts and engages them in dialogue to build consensus, mediate conflicts, resolve disputes, and develop collaborative solutions at local, regional, and global scales.
"Thank you ... for your expertise and commitment to effective collaborations!” –- John Turack, Penn State University
Prior to accepting the position at Yale, Michael has been Director of Special Projects at the University of Washington's Center for Urban Waters/Puget Sound Institute, serving as Program Lead of the Collaborative Leadership Program (CLP) and Principal Investigator for the Developing Collaborative Leaders for Puget Sound Project.
“Congrats on really good work and outcomes. Thank you for doing this!” –- former Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire
From 2010-21, Michael was Director of the William D. Ruckelshaus Center at Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Washington (UW). Under his leadership, the Center tripled its budget, endowment, and core faculty/staff. It successfully conducted many important collaborative policy projects that proved the value of an independent convener at the state’s flagship universities, helping create lasting, consensus solutions.
“(Michael’s) work with the Ruckelshaus Center has made a durable and inspired contribution to our universities, our communities, and our great state of Washington.” –- Presidents Ana Mari Cauce (UW) and Kirk Schulz (WSU)
Prior to leading the Ruckelshaus Center, Michael was a Senior Associate at Triangle Associates Inc., providing facilitation, mediation, strategic planning, project management, and other services. He has also provided these services at nonprofit and academic institutions for the North Cascades Initiative, Hatchery Reform Project, Hanford Openness Workshops, Tribal Risk Roundtable, and other projects.
"Michael is a master in aiding communication in difficult situations among the participants and the public. The result is success in areas thought impossible” –- Mary Lou Blazek, Hanford Openness Workshops
Michael is an Adjunct Associate Professor at WSU Extension; has been an Adjunct Professor at Seattle University's Department of Public Affairs & Non-Profit Leadership Master of Public Administration Program; was Visiting Faculty at the University of Wyoming's Ruckelshaus Institute; and served as a Fulbright Specialist in the area of Peace & Conflict Studies.