Client Success Stories
Dive into our client success stories to explore the journeys of those who have partnered with us and emerged stronger.
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona | California State University
CLIENT CHALLENGE
Cal Poly Pomona needed strong project management to engage diverse stakeholders (from senior administrators to front-line staff) in discussing the campus's racial climate and identifying actionable steps to improve it. The challenge was navigating a politically complex issue while ensuring the work was accessible and foundational - using common jargon and centering highly relational work.
GOAL
To advance inclusive excellence by increasing awareness of racial injustices and adopting practices that support racial justice.
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Authored and led data collection for the BTI report.
Successfully piloted one program and expanded to three cohorts (Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024), including management-level personnel.
Nearly 50 program alumni earned a certificate of completion from HR.
Organizational Level: Launched the Black Thriving Initiative (BTI).
Departmental Level: Implemented the ARJCH Learning Series.
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Project lead - required a politically astute partner to transform macro-level ideas into organized, attainable project outcomes.
Lead instructor and program implementer for the Advancing Racial Justice and Cultural Humility (ARJCH) program.
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Delivering the BTI report and three successful ARJCH cohorts.
Collaborating with campus liaisons to co-design strategies that honored the institution’s unique context.
Creating transformative experiences for ARJCH cohort members.
SELA Collective
SELA Collaborative
CLIENT CHALLENGE
SELA Collaborative needed a community-facing nonprofit capacity builder who could deliver high-quality programming and effectively connect with the community. The region, diverse and underinvested in, required someone skilled in both teaching program effectiveness and facilitating group conversations.
GOAL
To build SELA Collaborative’s capacity to support nonprofit development through various high-stakes initiatives.
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Project A: Implementation Planning Cohort Training for Grantees
Project B: Capacity Building Sessions and Coaching for Emerging Nonprofits
Successfully piloted implementation planning workshops, revealing nuances in core capacity development and promoting cross-sector regional partnerships.
Deepened community engagement and enhanced the capacity of emerging nonprofits.
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Co-designed programs with leadership to align with the organization's broader Collective Impact goals.
Cynthia’s familiarity with the SELA Region (as a former staff member and regional lead for the Census 2020 campaign) and bilingual, bicultural expertise made program design, evaluation, and implementation concepts accessible and relatable.
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High-quality curriculum making design, implementation, and evaluation concepts accessible and relevant.
Contributing to SELA Collaborative's innovative regional work and creative initiatives.
SELA Collective
SELA 2 to
Gateway Cities Council of Governments and SELA Collaborative
CLIENT CHALLENGE
The Gateway Cities Council of Governments (CoG) and SELA Collaborative sought a consultant adept in group facilitation to unify 27 member city staff and community-based organizations (CBOs) around strategies for inclusive, affordable housing in southeast Los Angeles.
GOAL
As lead session designer, Cynthia synthesized crucial CoG documents and aligned SELA Collaborative's community engagement approach. I ensured a neutral facilitation stance throughout two community engagement sessions.
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Gathered rich insights from diverse community and city stakeholders.
Collected substantial data leading to detailed reports with appendices and reference points.
Researched and synthesized national models focusing on city-CBO partnerships in affordable housing.
Designed and conducted two impactful community engagement sessions, focusing on demystifying perceptions and aligning understandings on housing issues.
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Lead session designer - synthesized crucial CoG documents and aligned SELA Collaborative's community engagement approach.
Lead facilitator - ensured neutral facilitation stance throughout two community engagement sessions.
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City staff acknowledged the sessions' effectiveness in forging a clear path forward amid varying viewpoints, enhancing collaboration in a contentious issue area.
SELA Collective
Private CEO
SELA 2 to
Private leader and CEO
CLIENT CHALLENGE
The client was looking for assistance to clarify their 20+ years of work in the evolving landscape of diversity and inclusion. They needed support to articulate their experience of inequality, psychological safety, and nuanced societal concepts for an upcoming book publication.
GOAL
To maintain the essence of the author’s core work while strategically integrating current diversity and inclusion language, concepts, and models. All of this needed to be completed within a tight deadline of less than two weeks.
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Successfully integrated trending diversity and inclusion terms into the manuscript, facilitating its transition from draft to print. Met the final editor's deadline requirements.
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Acted as a ghostwriter for specific book chapters, responding promptly to the editor’s urgent request to finalize the manuscript for printing.
Reviewed the manuscript to enhance descriptions with relevant diversity and inclusion concepts. Provided a selection of terms and definitions for the author to choose from, ensuring the content was comprehensive and aligned with current theoretical perspectives.
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Earning client praise: "I have a gift in writing."