Launched in 2010, Peak Facilitation Group is a small business devoted to conflict resolution and rooted in reality. Her previous work in the field taught founder Heather Bergman that while most groups can find agreement, all groups benefit from respectful dialogue. Plus, she has a gift for barking orders or gently nipping at a group’s heels…whichever is required.
“Heather could break up a fight in a biker bar.” —Gary Barber / Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority
Heather Bergman
Senior Facilitator and President
Heather Bergman facilitates and mediates complex public policy deliberations on a variety of substantive issues, including water quality, water quantity, watershed protection and restoration, land use planning, and public lands management. These collaborative negotiations and discussions involve diverse stakeholders from federal and state agencies, local municipalities, advocacy organizations, ranchers, farmers, community residents, and the public at large.
Much of Heather's work portfolio focuses on high-conflict collaborative processes, and her strength is helping diverse and often opposing participants find common ground. Heather also has an extensive background in designing and managing retreats, workshops, and public outreach meetings for teams and organizations in need of a targeted process for achieving their goals. Heather uses humor to defuse tense situations, help participants feel at ease, move beyond initial barriers, and find consensus.
Samuel Wallace
Associate
Samuel Wallace is an Associate at Peak Facilitation with a background in collaborative stakeholder engagement and public participation strategy, particularly as it relates to natural resource planning. At Peak, he works with clients to accurately write meeting summaries and provide logistical and informational support for groups such as the Forest Health Advisory Committee, the Front Range Roundtable, the Interbasin Compact Committee, and the South Platte River Urban Waters Partnership.
Throughout his academic and professional career, Samuel has sought to address complex environmental issues by using collaborative techniques. As an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer at Purgatoire Watershed Partnership, a watershed-focused non-profit located in southern Colorado, he worked with a multi-interest stakeholder group which included local municipalities, ranchers, development groups, federal and state agencies, recreationists, and conservationists to approach problems facing the watershed. Following this experience, he moved back to Denver where he is currently pursuing a MA in conflict resolution at the University of Denver. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan in environmental studies and political science.
Calley Schubert
Operations Manager
Calley Schubert has been an integral part of Peak Facilitation since 2019, where her role has continually evolved and expanded to encompass diverse responsibilities. Starting as Operations Manager, her role has expanded to embrace the position of an Associate Facilitator, contributing her expertise to multiple projects.
Calley specializes in virtual meeting design and facilitation, a skill crucial in today's digital landscape. Her experiences at Peak have deepened her interest in stakeholder collaboration, community engagement, and strategic planning. Notably, she has led engagement efforts for high-profile initiatives like Boulder Community Health's annual community health audit and currently oversees planning for various projects, including wildfire entities in Jefferson and Douglas Counties. Calley has also guided online engagement for nonprofit clients in Colorado and Arizona. Her dedication to effective communication and technical writing consistently fosters transparency and meaningful engagement.
Lauren Cortez French
Associate
As an Associate at Peak Facilitation, Lauren supports effective, outcome-based collaboration through clear and concise technical writing, comprehensive meeting planning, and intentional, prompt stakeholder communication. Lauren earned a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science and Policy from the College of William & Mary in 2022 and a master's degree from the University of Washington's School of Marine and Environmental Affairs in 2024. Through her coursework and previous work experience, she has developed a broad background in water, wildfire, and land use issues. Lauren strives to maintain momentum in the collaborative process by identifying points of connection between stakeholders, documenting key themes and decisions, ensuring actionable next steps are completed, and developing creative solutions to help stakeholders move past roadblocks.
Dominique Ashe
Project Coordinator
Dominique is a bilingual communication and engagement practitioner with experience in strategic planning, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and conflict resolution. Her background includes work with a litany of entities —from non-profit organizations to multi-jurisdictional government institutions— addressing intricate natural resource management challenges in collaborative settings. Dominique earned her B.S. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and a minor in Sustainable Water Interdisciplinary Management in 2020 from the Colorado State University Warner College of Natural Resources.
Dominique's primary role as part of the Peak Facilitation Group is supporting Heather and the associates in ensuring successful outcomes for our clients, whether before, during, or after meetings, workshops, and retreats. She maintains the logistical aspects of Peak's events and aptly distills meeting discussions into action plans and other documentation. Through her experience in multi-stakeholder partnerships, Dominique has solidified her interest in becoming a future facilitator and mediator and bringing Spanish into the conversations.