Home Address: Friedbergstraße 38, 14057 Berlin, Germany

Work Address: Cathy Cramer c/o  “Urban Interplay”, Friedbergstraße 38, 14057 Berlin, Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 30/ 30 83 94 88

Mobile: +49 (0) 172/16 49 100

E-mail:  cathy.cramer@gmx.de

Nationality: German

Date of birth: 2nd August 1968

Place of birth: Dortmund, Germany

Since 06/2004 :   

International consultant (freelance) in the field of (sector) decentralization, good governance, urban/municipal development and local self-government. Consultant for systemic and organizational development.

07/2002 – 05/2004          Project Officer in the Sectoral Project “Policy Reforms for Urban and Municipal Development”, Division “State and Democracy” of The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH /Frankfurt am Main, in particular:

¨     strengthened German/international knowledge exchange in the field of decentralization, good governance, urban development and local self-government (various sectors)

¨     reviewed German experience in integrated/multisectoral urban development projects/programs towards urban poverty reduction, decentralization and municipal development and supported/stimulated adequate policy reform processes on international level; policy advisory services for the German Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development

¨     managed and co-ordinated the “URBANET – Network of Decentralization, Urban and Municipal Development” (www.gtz.de/urbanet, including web-content management of the Urbanet web-page)

¨     supported the Priority Area Manager “Sustainable Urban Development”

¨     in-house consultant for GTZ country projects e.g. special assignment for project progress review of the Indonesian/German development program “Urban Quality” from July to September 2003

¨     close co-operation with the secretariat of  “Cities Alliance” (multilateral initiative) in Washington and other international institutions e.g. the Urban Management and Urban Research Group within World Bank Headquarter, Washington.

03/2000 – 06/2002          Advisor and research assistant in the German Federal-States Program “The Socially Integrated City”; German Institute for Urban Affairs (DIFU)/Berlin

¨     Initiated and organized (together with the DIFU-Team) the program related public relation activities and the national exchange of experience among more than 220 German cities (e.g. national conferences with 1200 participants; program-documentation; conception and running of the program related web-page www.sozialestadt.de; project data base)

¨     Advised continuously and supported the integrated urban development processes in two large German towns for a period of 30 month; supported the capacity building process with the involved actors including local departments, representatives of local economy, schools, churches, social organizations and local agenda 21 groups

¨     Advised also continuously the urban ministries in charge for the socially integrated city program of two federal states of Germany (Bavaria, Mecklenbourg-Vorpommern)

03/1999 – 11/1999          Short-term assignment for organisational development and redesign of project/research co-ordination; Ecologic – Institute for International and European Environmental Policy/Berlin, especially:

¨     Clarified role conflicts

¨     Strengthened internal information and knowledge management based on participatory organizational development, workshops

¨     Designed a new project and research database

10/1998 – 02/1999          Freelance consultant; Office for Urban Planning, Research and Renewal (PFE)/Berlin;

¨        Conducted social studies in two large districts of Berlin and Eberswalde with more than 200 persons questioned

10/1997 – 09/1998          Assistant of the project manager for the German contribution of UNPD-LIFE-Program: Local Initiatives for Urban Environmental Facilities in Cairo, Urban-Management Division of AHT International/Essen; especially:

¨     Supported the component “development of social and institutional networks”

¨     Organized capacity building for the community development organization of El Gezira/Cairo

¨     Monitored project progress

06/1997 – 01/1998          Freelance consultant; Tourism Association Black Forest/Baden-Baden

¨     Conducted a feasibility study including 1500 persons questioned

¨     Developed a tourism strategy for the region Black Forest/Germany

¨     Presented of the results at the annual assembly of the association

10/1997 – 02/1998          Consultant for the city of Gelsenkirchen/Germany; project study for the Department of Geography (Ruhr-University Bochum)

¨     Developed a holistic concept for the use of a former mining area “Consolidation” in the sub-center of Gelsenkirchen for financial benefit

02/1997 – 05/1997          Three assignments as short-term expert for woman activities and gender issues in the Integrated Urban Development/Upgrading Project Nasriya in Assuan/Upper Egypt; The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH /Frankfurt am Main

¨     Designed/developed an participatory and integrated concept for the running of the new woman center (including financial concept)

¨     Undertook capacity building measures for the woman development association of Nasriya

08/1996 - 11/1996           Period of practical training in the Integrated Urban Development/Upgrading Project Nasriya in Assuan/Upper Egypt; The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH /Frankfurt am Main

¨     Carried out of an holistic study of the development process in an inner city area

¨     Supported public relation work

08/1995                             Practical training in the “Office for Architecture, Urban Planning and Transport (von Winning and Streichert)”/Bochum;

¨     Participated in the development of an integrated urban transport plan

09/1994 – 07/1996          Freelance consultant; revitalisation of local restaurant trade and cultural scene in the urban renewal district Dortmund-North; Private Brewery Thier GmbH Dortmund

¨     Selected and advised young owners of restaurants, bars, cinemas, discos

¨     Developed concepts and strategic networks of local restaurants, cultural organizations, cinemas

¨     Supported public relation work

03/1993 – 08/1994          Setting up of the firm “Subrosa” (co-founder); music club and organization for cultural events and neighbourhood activities/Dortmund-North;

03/1990 – 11/1992          Assignments as hostess on fairs and exhibitions in Germany; Daimler-Benz Interservice – Fairs and exhibitions

¨     Translated for international business partners and visitors

¨     Cared for international guests

¨     Worked as waitress

¨         Nine years of professional experience in the field of participatory, poverty oriented and socially integrated urban development on district/community level;

¨         Seven years experience in moderation, proven ability to design and conduct conferences, participatory workshops and organize processes of future prospects and vision-building (city and district level; organizational development), first experience in design and moderation of “future conferences” (open source workshops with more than 100 persons);

¨         More than six years expertise as researcher and advisor for urban policy reforms on all levels with strong reference to state of the art in good (local) government concepts/international discussions and formulation of integrated urban development concepts;

¨         Six years experience in advise and support of integrated urban development processes on all levels; support/capacity building of the involved actors, including sector ministries, districts, local departments, representatives of local economy, schools, churches, social organizations and local agenda 21 groups;

¨         Excellent capabilities and experience in public relations work (for participatory urban development processes; organizations; companies); very good skills in writing and journalism;

¨         Four years experience in web-based information and knowledge management (www.sozialestadt.de; www.gtz.de/urbanet) including co-ordination and management of virtual and community based networks and international online discussions (e.g. in 2003 conception, conduction and moderation of the first international online discussion of GTZ in poverty oriented urban development);

¨         Practical skills in business: setting up of the firm “Subrosa” (co-founder), a music club and organization for cultural events and neighbourhood activities; experience in organizational and personal management (more than twenty persons as salaried staff);

¨         Practical experience in conception and carrying out of community based cultural events, revitalization of local trade and cultural scene;

¨         Carrying out of urban research and development studies; feasibility studies;

¨         Proven experience as advisor for organizational development.

1990 - 1999                      Master of Geography (Ruhr-University Bochum); subsidiary subjects: political science, urban sociology.

Specialised in integrated urban development and policy; socio-economic development; capacity and network building; mobilization of local potentials/innovative milieus; participatory methods for planning and urban development; methods of public management modernization; instruments and policy of international development co-operation.

Master-thesis: “The Role of Community Based Organizations and Local Authorities in the Integrated Urban Development/Upgrading Project Nasriya in Assuan/Upper Egypt”.

1988 -1990                       University studies in history, geography and musicology; breaking-off.

Languages                       German (mother tongue); English (fluent), French (fair), Arabic and Spanish (basic knowledge).

Software                            Netscape Communicator, Word, Word Perfect, Excel, Access, Outlook, Power Point.

Additional training           Professional training in organizational development, workshop and business moderation; on-the-job training in design and moderation of “future conferences” (workshops with more than 100 people); trained in conflict management and group dynamics.

Cramer, Cathy and Schmitz, Stefan (2004): Verstädterung und Entwicklungszusammenarbeit - der Beitrag der Kommunen zur Armutsminderung. In: Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte, Bonn

Cramer, Cathy and Schuleri-Hartje; Ulla (2002): Programmbegleitung vor Ort im Modellgebiet Schwerin-Neu Zippendorf. Endbericht; Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik, Berlin

Cramer, Cathy and Schuleri-Hartje; Ulla (2002): Berichte aus den Modellgebieten: Schwerin – Neu Zippendorf; in: Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (Hrg.): Die Soziale Stadt – Eine erste Bilanz des Bund-Länder-Programms „Stadtteile mit besonderem Entwicklungsbedarf – die soziale Stadt“; Berlin

Cramer, Cathy and Strauss, Wolf-Christian (2002): Berichte aus den Modellgebieten: Nürnberg – Galgenhof-Steinbühl; in: Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (Hrg.): Die Soziale Stadt – Eine erste Bilanz des Bund-Länder-Programms „Stadtteile mit besonderem Entwicklungsbedarf – die soziale Stadt“; Berlin

Cramer, Cathy (2001): Themenpapier „Lokale Ökonomie“, in: Soziale Stadt Info Nr. 5, Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik, Berlin

Cramer, Cathy (2001): Länderregelungen zum „Integrierten Handlungskonzept“, in: Soziale Stadt Info Nr. 6, Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik, Berlin

Publications and travel reports in German newspapers (1991 different local reports/Ruhrgebiet; 1992 Guatemala, 1992 Mexico)