“Do not ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman
From my Lutheran Christian background, I am deeply formed by the concept of vocation—an understanding people are created with particular gifts and that each of us is called to use those gifts not just for our own benefit, but for others. To “come alive,” as Howard Thurman suggests, is to get deeply in touch with who you are, what gifts you have, how you might be called to share those gifts, and to take steps to make that happen. I am shaped by the principles and practices of human centered design, adaptive leadership, and family systems theory. I am also trained in community organizing, an approach that holds at its center an understanding that when a community is facing challenges, the “experts” do not come from the outside, but from the people experiencing the challenge themselves. My goal in working with people and communities is to engage authentically in a relationship that helps you come alive.