Creating Human-Centered Solutions Through Radical Empathy, Sound Public Policy, and Effective Community Engagement
Making change happen at a conference this past summer.
Imagine a world where policies aren’t just rules on a piece of paper or bulletin board, but powerful, empathetic change agents towards creating real, human-centered solutions. How do we engage our community to make this happen? How do we build empathy in our leaders so they slow down and listen to constituents in developing policies that work for us all? How do we breathe life into policies so an organization can evolve to meet the needs of those it serves and protects? As a national health and education policy expert who works with clients across sectors – government, schools, health care providers and nonprofits – I don’t just talk about change, I make it happen. And I do it in a way that’s deeply empathetic, transformative, and centered in creating lasting impact.
What is my signature approach, my secret sauce, my magic wand, my superpower, my north star? Pairing radical empathy with sound public policy. You might be wondering, "What’s radical empathy, and why should I care?" For me, it’s more than just a buzzword. It’s about truly seeing and valuing the people behind the policies—their hopes, fears, and dreams. I don’t just want to hear what they’re saying; I guide my clients to feel it, see it, and let it guide us as we help craft policies that make a real difference. By seeing the world through their eyes, we can create solutions that are not only effective, but also deeply human-centered.
Let’s unpack this …
Empathy is seeing the perspective of someone else. Radical empathy is active – active in our understand of ourselves, active in our understanding of others, active in our sharing of other’s feelings, active in showing up for others, and caring like it’s your family member who needs the support. Empathy is hard right now. It’s been a long four years, and compassion fatigue is real. When you practice empathy and ask others to practice empathy, take your time and show empathy for those you’re asking empathy of.
Policy is a shared set of rules or guidelines for a community – i.e., laws, regulations, policies, procedures, protocols, etc. Policy authorizes change — a change in values, a change in strategy, a change in practice — with existing policies describing your authority and the creation of new policies setting a new boundary for change. Policy is hard right now. There’s a lot of backlash toward recent changes to create more inclusive and equitable schools, organizations, and communities. Use what you can, and change what you can.
Engage your community because two heads are better than one. Buy-in is often essential to successful implementation, and you can’t do it alone. Engage those voices essential to the product, those whose decision is critical to success, and those who will do the work. For me, there are two big questions I want the community to answer when I engage a group – what are we doing well, and where is the room for growth? Helping your community unpack and answer those two questions will get you started on the path toward change and progress. Collective impact is one approach for effective community engagement that goes the extra mile and engages the community for the long haul.
Student-Centered, Patient-Centered, Client-Centered … Human-Centered. That’s the goal for all solutions when building empathy and using policy to engage communities around change. This means putting the student’s needs, for example, at the center of all decision-making … NOT the institution’s. Watch out for paternalism and adultism – two isms that put the institution’s desires over the needs of the constituent. How do you get to human-centered solutions through community engagement? With empathy, data, storytelling, and a whole lot of listening and perspective-taking.
How do I serve clients …
Stakeholder Engagement and Facilitation: Bring Everyone to the Table
Hard nuts to crack require the best thinking, and the best ideas come from collaboration. That’s why stakeholder engagement is a cornerstone of my work. I love bringing diverse voices to the table—from educators and healthcare professionals to community members and beyond. It’s not always easy, but the magic happens when we turn that mix of perspectives into a unified vision. Together, we create policies and practices that everyone can rally behind because they were part of the process of getting there.
Strategic Planning and Implementation: Turn Vision into Reality
Planning is hard, implementation even harder. Once we’ve got the ideas flowing, it’s time for action. I thrive on taking big-picture visions and missions and breaking them down with clients into actionable, measurable steps. Strategic planning and implementation is where the rubber meets the road, and I’m all about ensuring that the journey from idea to execution is smooth and successful. I’m not just a planner; I’m a doer, and I’m here to help organizations navigate change with confidence.
Training and Coaching: Empower Teams Towards Change
Change can be intimidating — especially when it involves new policies and practices. I don’t believe in just handing over a policy and walking away. I’m committed to coaching the leaders and training the teams who will bring new policies and practices to life. Whether it’s through workshops, one-on-one coaching, or ongoing technical assistance and support, I make sure that the people on the ground are equipped and ready to succeed. After all, if a policy is created in a forest, and no one implements it, does it really happen?
Policy Development and Auditing: Make Systems Work For the “Who” Behind the Policy
A self-identified “policy nerd,” I love navigating systems to make them work better for people over institutions – students, educators, families, clients, patients, etc. This is why my clients value and trust my expertise when it comes to interpreting existing laws, auditing internal policies, and developing new and improved policies and practices that put the needs of your constituents at the center of the work. Policies should be living, breathing documents that evolve with the needs of the organization. I’m right by your side, diving deep into existing policies and identifying gaps and opportunities to expand them to better serve your people.
Speaking and Commentary: Share the Wisdom
Shy, I’ve never been called. Passionate and opinionated, yes! I speak with authority and experience, always with an eye on building empathy and human-centered solutions — centering the needs of constituents. Whether through my own blog and vlogcast or guest blogging and keynote speaking, I bring a bold, fearless perspective that pushes audiences to move beyond their current station, and do what they can to bravely dismantle bias and build equity within their organizations. My goal is to inspire others to think differently about how we create and implement policies, with a focus on making a positive impact.
And a bit more …
I’ve made some changes to my website. I hope you’ll take a look to check out my bio, read more about the services I provide and take a look at some recent clients, read my blog, watch my new Thrive to Learn vlogcast, and sign up for my newsletter!
Where do you fit in …
First, thank you for reading to the end! Next, I want you to think about how I can help your organization do better for your constituents – your students, your educators, your families, your board members, your clients, your patients, your funders, etc. Do you need to lead your board through strategic planning? Do you need to develop health policies that keep your students safe and healthy during the school day? Do you need to engage your parent community in a training about inclusive school practices? Next, reach out! I love to schedule time with prospective clients, as well as time to catch up with old and new friends. We can talk about your organization’s needs, discuss how my services align with your needs, catch up on your career (trust me, last week I had a catch-up zoom with a colleague I worked with 15 years ago, and we had the best time ever), and take it from there! Here’s a link to my calendar. Let’s chat soon!
