Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement 

Karen Risa Robbins leads WPG's Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement activities.  Among her credits are founder of the AmTech Center for Collaboration, an entity she led for two decades, serving numerous federal and state agencies, companies, universities, and nonprofit organizations.  She was the policy and legal architect of the NASA Joint Sponsored Research Agreement, a non-procurement contracting model, and she brokered several complex partnerships for NASA valued over $100 million dollars. 

Robbins served as the Partnership Facilitator for the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) for the $18 billion dollar NextGen Program that involved collaborative planning by 7 federal agencies, with significant private sector input.  She was responsible for developing strategies for Stakeholder Engagement, and for orchestrating private sector involvement through special events and enduring processes, including an information management system for document sharing.

Together, Robbins and Suzette Matthews were instrumental in establishing the collaborative governance model by which the NextGen program operated, including protocols for joint planning, review of key proposals, and executive decision-making.  Robbins and Matthews worked together to create the legal and organizational framework for the NextGen Institute, an entity created to provide a streamlined pathway by which professional, technical and consulting services from a broad spectrum of industry players could be accessed by the NextGen Program.
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Robbins, Matthews and Schaffer have extensive understanding of the legal mechanisms available to support collaboration between the public and private sectors.  They are also well versed in the mechanisms to support effective interagency collaboration.  Engaging stakeholders in planning and decision-making processes is increasingly essential to proper governance and best outcomes.  WPG Principals have designed and led outreach for complex programs. Coupled with deep experience developing collaborative organizations and teams, WPG possesses the ability to provide creative and practical assistance (i.e., advisory or hands-on in nature) for endeavors based on partnership and stakeholder engagement. 















 PictureRobbins with Engelbart, recipient of the 2000 National Medal of Honor, discussing the concept of Collective Intelligence
“I looked to you to create the framework for a collaborative organization
and to manage key relationships."

Dr. Douglas Engelbart to Karen Robbins



"Your personal vision and negotiation skills were critical to moving six competitors to join together."
Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle National Industry Team to Robbins


​Examples of Partnerships Brokered by WPG Principals
Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN)
A project sponsored by the U.S. State Department to build an information network for disaster managers worldwide. 
 
NextGen Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO)
The $18 billion dollar Congressionally mandated program to overhaul the U.S. air transportation system.  The program required collaboration by 7 federal agencies and scores of private sector entities.
 
NextGen Institute
The organization created to be the channel through which the private sector could influence the $18 billion dollar aviation infrastructure modernization program.

NASA Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor (ERAST) Program
The ten year, $150 million dollar NASA program in cooperation with an industry team that developed and flight tested the first high altitude, long endurance drones.  
 
Access 5 Program
The $101 million dollar NASA research program, undertaken in collaboration with the FAA and DOD, and major U.S. drone manufacturers. to develop the regulatory framework to permit drones to fly routinely in the U.S. airspace.   
 
Advanced General Aviation Technology Experiment (AGATE) Program
The $50 million dollar program to create a Small Aviation Transportation System (SATS) as an alternative to short-range automotive trips for both private and business transportation needs. The Alliance involved members from 31 states, 40 commercial entities, 36 universities, NASA, the FAA and DOD. It was one of the largest public/private membership alliances in the United States.