John Suarez, Institute for Civic Engagement, hosted the SUNY Consortium of Community Engaged Leaders’ first roundtable discussion, “Convening and Facilitating Community Forums.” Public deliberations are a kind of community forum. Suarez described the nature and purposes of community forums and identified steps for planning and conducting a forum. Participants then discussed related ideas such as working with the United Way to do a poverty simulation activity called the A.L.I.C.E. (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Project and connecting with ThinkTank-inc.org. Participants included faculty and staff from Albany, Canton, Delhi, Empire State College and Upstate Medical Center.