My practice experiences in the areas of workforce development, leadership development and organizational development inform my consultation services.
As a social work educator, I have extensive experience in preparing university students for the realities of the workplace. I am familiar with the challenges of heavy caseloads, multiple initiatives, the impact of supervision and management on worker productivity and the overarching influence of organizational culture and climate on employee satisfaction and retention. These experiences have enriched my program evaluation activities and my abilities to identify and assess the conditions, inputs, and activities that impact agency outputs and outcomes.
My leadership experiences in non-profit agencies and higher education have given me deep insight into the ongoing challenges of leading well. The reality of managing competing priorities, funder expectations, and bureaucratic processes can easily overwhelm leaders. Yet the responsibility for building organizational credibility and trust in the workplace is ongoing. My leadership experiences have given me further insight into how organizations can best prepare and support aspiring and established leaders.
The COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide demands for racial justice, and the state of the economy have disrupted the flow of organizational inputs and activities and are forcing agencies to pivot and respond rapidly to the needs of employees and those they serve. I am prepared to consult with agencies that are ready to leverage their emotional intelligence to create psychological safety in the workplace so they are better-prepared to engage in courageous conversations about humanizing the work environment, promoting racial justice in the workplace, increasing employee engagement, and strengthening team cohesion to realize program outcomes.
TESTIMONIALS
“Virginia’s professional experience as a faculty member was incredibly valuable to me in our discussions about higher education issues.”
“You are a very skilled facilitator! You were respectful and allowed participants to share their thoughts as well as their experiences.”
“Virginia facilitated meaningful conversations in sometimes uncomfortable group dialogue. She was able to hold space for us to ensure there was mutual understanding. This allowed us to move forward in the task at hand.”