Our Team

Katie Pratt has served as Director of OCDR since 2022. Katie brings both practical and research-based expertise in conflict systems and complex public policy issues to her role. Katie served previously as Executive Director of the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB), partnering with OCDR on problem-solving cases. Katie has a Ph.D. in geography, with a focus on complex environmental disputes. Katie is a Rule 114 qualified neutral, with formal training in collaborative problem-solving, facilitation, and public engagement. She has also worked in outdoor education where she led collaborative teams in a wilderness setting. Katie provides overall strategic and operational management for OCDR, leads a variety of collaborative problem-solving projects, conducts trainings and workshops, liaises with local and national partners, and represents the office inside and outside state government.

Jessica Shryack is the Assistant Director of OCDR. Jessica worked as an organizational development consultant and consulted for OCDR and nonprofit and government clients before joining the team. Jessica has an M.A. in counseling psychology and a Ph.D. in educational psychology, is a Rule 114 qualified neutral, and has almost a decade of experience facilitating bridge-building conversations. Jessica leads collaborative problem-solving projects, conducts conflict management trainings including for all new state managers and HR professionals, manages the work of the community dispute resolution program (CDRP) grant program, and organizes Legislative Civility Caucus events.