About Us

Sage Works is your partner in structuring productive relationships with all stakeholders. From organizational policy to the written word, we build bridges of connection. Based on the Principles of Authentic Communication (c) our research-based protocol deepens trust, enhances loyalty, and builds your social capital.

Read about us in the Public Relations Society of America's social purpose issue:   

https://www.prsa.org/article/how-to-grow-authentic-relationships

"Good groundrules that are executable."

Former executive and corporate Board m

Bojinka Bishop, M.S.

Communication Architect

Denver-based, with 20+ years of successful Public Communication work, including crisis response, Bojinka saw the need for a "Big Idea," a foolproof protocol for trusting relationships between stakeholders and organizations. 

You can listen to Bojinka being interviewed on CSR and other work on the following podcast,

https://anchor.fm/cindy-kellogg/episodes/Self-Proclaimed-Architect-of-Communication--Bojinka-Bishop--a-force-in-her-own-right--gets-right-to-the-heart-of-the-matter-e1fco35

With astute input from Colleague on Call, Melissa Stanford, and lots of research, the Principles of Authentic Communication(c) were developed. Then tested. Two survey research studies (one at Ohio University, one conducted at Northwestern University), correlated them with successful communication. The Principles gained a following in both the professional and academic world, are included in a Public Relations text book, numerous professional magazines, and have been taught by the International Association for Public Participation for 20 years.

Bojinka and her team updated the Principles for today's turbulent times by adding an engagement guideline.

Included in her professional experience is serving as director of Public Information and Public Affairs for the American Water Works Association. Her award-wining professional work culminated in being selected the Sloan Professor of Public Relations at the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, where she also taught comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility.

Bojinka is co-organizer of the Conscious Business Leaders Group Meetup, a member of the International Association for Public Participation, Public Relations Society of America, and the Institute for Enterprise Ethics at the University of Denver.

She has an M.S. in Environmental Communication from the University of Michigan and a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from University College, University of Denver.

Big Thank Yous to the following Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion superstars who provided feedback and revisions to our analytical tool: Historically Underrepresented Employee Communication and Engagement Survey

Sapna Mulki of Water Savvy Solutions

Water Savvy Solutions is a consulting practice owned by a woman of color committed to increasing diversity, equity, inclusion and justice efforts in the water and environmental sector through training and organizational strategy. www.watersavvysolutions.com

Nadia Ali of Idea Labs

Idea Labs is a woman-owned, mission-driven consulting firm advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace through training, leadership coaching, and organizational strategy. www.idealabs.consulting

Magenta Freeman

Magenta is in transition from owner of DigiMarkPM to utlizing her brilliance and experience as a woman of color to further DEI in organizations.

Melissa Stanford, MPA

Colleague on Call located in central Ohio, Melissa Stanford, MPA, brings her extensive leadership, communication, stakeholder relations, consumer advocacy, grant management and policy development experience from the public sector and success in small business to Sage Works LLC.

Her experience in state government includes management positions at Ohio’s lead development agency. Overseeing and assuring compliance with federal grants, assisting low and moderate income customers with heating bills and working with local community action agencies were features of her work roles at Development. As the Assistant Director of the Community Development Division, Stanford worked closely with stakeholder groups. She established structures and conducted outreach that boosted participation in federally mandated public hearings and broadened representation in advisory committees. 

Stanford was also tapped to represent Development on the Governor’s Food Policy Council.

As a consumer advocate, she assisted local governments and worked closely with the agency’s Governing Board. She wrote and implemented policies across utility sectors at the Ohio Office of the Consumers’ Counsel (OCC). Stanford chaired OCC’s Policy Decision Meetings which brought together diverse staff to research, examine and come to agreement on critical policy decisions. Stanford wrote the first strategic plan for OCC which, as a state agency, represented residential public utility customers in cases before the Public Utility Commission in the water, energy and telecommunications sectors. Stanford also wrote policy resolutions for the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) and chaired their Water Committee.

She conducted research on the regulation and performance of water and wastewater utilities for the National Regulatory Research Institute and served on several national advisory boards including the National Drinking Water Advisory Committee and the American Water Works Association Public Advisory Forum becoming its first elected chair, a role which she held for six years. 

Prior to pursuing her public sector career, Stanford profitably managed two full service restaurants, a juice bar and sign making and print shop near The Ohio State University. Stanford is a bedside volunteer for Mt. Carmel Hospice and Palliative Care in Columbus and a parent volunteer for Special Olympics.
 

Logan Dent, M.S.

HR executive with extensive experience both nationally and internationally with Schlumberger and its subsidiaries, Logan is on call for his business acumen and his knowledge of achieving business results from the inside. His keen awareness of the driving forces of organizational culture and the interface between people, process, and profit are especially useful to clients focusing on internal communication.

Josep Rota, Ph.D.

Sage Works is indebted to Dr. Josep Rota, expert in international affairs and communication and Professor Emeritus who taught research methods at Ohio University for many years. His long-time support and research assistance is invaluable to our work.  And his review of and improvements to our diagnostic tool brought it to a new level of validity and precision.

Sage Works calls in other professionals, for example, facilitators, or those with experience in certain social, public, or business sectors as needed.