Rona Roberts is a writer and researcher. In 1983, with Steve Kay, she co-founded Roberts & Kay, Inc., a research and facilitation firm that serves public and charitable sector clients' needs to find things out, figure things out, and work things out. Rona and Steve have guided local and national community engagement projects for governments, school systems, foundations and nonprofit organizations. Rona conducts long-term, qualitative research on public issues, and facilitates large-scale public processes using methods such as open space technology and Bohmian dialogue. Rona is the author of Revolutionary Meetings: How to Make Your Meetings Better When You’re Not in Charge (2020) and two books about Kentucky food. She and Steve, with three colleagues, co-founded the Lexington Citizen Summit. Rona has served on the boards of OperaLex and Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras, among others. Rona is a veteran of the United States Peace Corps, Philippines. She is a product of Kentucky public schools. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Kentucky in music, English and communication. Rona and Steve married in 1985 and are now the parents and grandparents of a kitchen full of cooks and eaters. As her contribution to Black Yarn, Rona brings her research and writing skills, her experience with long-term projects, and her years of connections and ties to people in Lexington.