Hi, I’m Gaia.
I am a collaborator and a mother.
Grace Lee Boggs once said, “Love isn't about what we did yesterday; it's about what we do today and tomorrow and the day after.”
Services
Gaia is a Michigan-based consultant who partners with communities in the social impact space.
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Facilitation is the art of navigating meaningful conversations. Often, we seek to learn something new, make a decision, or shift our perspective by engaging in intentionally designed discussion.
I facilitate impact in the following ways:
Meeting Design
Brainstorming Sessions
Guided Decision-Making
Community Conversations
Focus Groups
Key Stakeholder Interviews
My approach to facilitation seeks to listen deeply and respond with care. I will often lean into Human Centered Design principles, Augusto Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed techniques, Collective Impact, and Liberating Structures to welcome diverse perspectives and center lived experience in the work.
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Research begins with asking powerful questions. Through research we explore the current landscape of the challenge, look to other best practices, and use evidence-based insights to inform and strengthen our own work.
I partner with clients to produce:
Issue Briefs and Reports
Focus Group & Key Stakeholder Synthesis
Case Studies & Connections
Presentation Development & Delivery
My approach to research seeks to weave together qualitative and quantitative data to tell important stories about the people at the heart of the work. My experience in national and international contexts enable me to pull from a wide net of case studies and connect practitioners, organizations, and communities engaged in adjacent social impact work.
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This service melds together facilitation, research, grant writing, and project management to support strengthening, scaling or starting a new initiative or program.
Program Co-Design work is crafted in partnership with clients.
My approach to program design seeks to use consciously engage with AI-supported tools to support rapid sourcing, prototyping, and iteration. In my work, I engage with the following AI tools:
Stanford d.School’s Scopey! AI tool to scope human centered design projects
Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Infinity AI tool to support pulling project management templates, resources, insights from the international PMI community
Statt AI to support tracking legislative, policy, and regulatory developments
Grammarly to support with spelling, grammar, and flow
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Grants are unique opportunities for innovation, strengthening, or scaling work. These investments are typically not sustainable and provide an entry-point for individual, or organizational development and growth.
For those with pre-identified grant opportunities, I support the grant application process by:
Concept Alignment & Drafting
Requirements Review
Letter of Interest (LOI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) Development
Finalization and Submission
Testimonials
“Gaia is the kind of partner you want beside you when the work is complex, the path forward isn’t obvious, and getting to the right answer requires both rigorous thinking and genuine collaboration.
She has a rare ability to move seamlessly between strategy and execution. She can quickly make sense of complicated systems, identify the questions that actually matter, and translate big ideas into practical next steps for partners.
Any organization fortunate enough to work with her will be getting a thoughtful strategist, an exceptional facilitator, a reliable partner, and someone who cares deeply about both the quality of the work and the people doing it.”
— Alexander Afranie, Associate Director, Programs IntermediaryEd“Gaia has a remarkable gift for understanding how organizations work and grow, which allows her to guide both immediate problem-solving and long-term success.
She leads with relationships and systems thinking, moving naturally from everyday operations to the bigger vision and strategies they serve, always with experience, curiosity, equity, and confidence.
Her ability to shift effortlessly from grassroots problem-solving to 30,000-foot visioning is truly unique.”
— Josh Stoltz, Executive Director, Grow Benzie“Gaia brings a strong combination of strategic thinking, facilitation, research, and project leadership, and she has a real ability to bring structure to work that may initially feel ambiguous or still be taking shape.
Gaia is especially strong at bringing people together around a shared challenge and asking the questions that help move the work forward. She is an expert facilitator who helps shape the approach, guides decision-making, and keeps the work connected to the larger goals.
Gaia identifies opportunities, develops thoughtful ideas, and brings the right people to the table to drive impactful results and ensure long-term success. She is comfortable working through complexity and helping others think differently about what may be possible.”
— Collene Ford, Manager, Third SectorAbout Gaia.
Education
MA: International Development Management, University of Bradford, UK
BA: Theater, Peace & Conflict Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Fellowships
Classes, Networks, & Certifications
Stanford d.School Design for Social Impact
The Rural Social Enterprise Network - A program and community within the Social Enterprise World Forum
Project Management Institute, Member
Hey, I’m Gaia.
I help brilliant people work together to solve complex problems.
I am at my best when navigating ambiguity, building partnerships, and translating complex concepts into clear plans that help people make positive ripples that resonate in their communities - especially in the places and spaces people hold closest to their hearts. I’ve found a niche in the world behind the scenes - designing and leading thoughtful meetings, conversations, and initiatives in partnership with change-makers.
My background spans consulting, program development, grant writing, community engagement, professional cat wrangling, and meaning-making. I've worked across local, state, national, and international contexts, giving me a deep appreciation for local expertise and lived experience.
I have a strong passion for supporting rural communities and believe lasting change happens through relationships.
My greatest inspiration in this world is my grandmother, who grew up in a one-bedroom home in the rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan and went on to become a stellar public-school educator and Principal.
My Mom is also an educator, a writer, and a change-maker who shaped me into who I am today. Her work centers deeply on the role that place plays in all of our lives.
I have two kids and one amazing husband.
Let’s create something beautiful together.
Featured Projects
Lifelong Learning Account Cohort
Spearheaded a national cohort that partnered with local communities to design and launch innovative financing initiatives for workforce development and training as a part of a $1 million philanthropic investment.
$8.5 Million Program Redesign
Partnered with the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) to design a statewide program that provides underserved students with critical wrap-around services and financial aid.
Workshop Design & Facilitation in Bogotá, Colombia
Received a US State Department YLAI Fellowship to design and facilitate workshops informed by Theater of the Oppressed for youth in Bogotá, Colombia focused on peace education.
Co-Designing a Native Business Incubation Curriculum
Leveraging Human Centered Design to create a Native American business incubation curriculum that supported the launch of Kombucha company, Bailey’s Farms.