Open Deck Consulting takes its name from the front deck of my childhood home, set on five wooded acres in the Oregon countryside and surrounded by towering trees. There, my parents hosted countless barbeques that brought together college professors, immigrant families, international students, a refugee from a war-torn country, and longtime local neighbors. In that setting, people from vastly different backgrounds found common ground in food, laughter, and connection. That spirit of belonging now fuels my work as a consultant in equity, school law, and dispute resolution.