Services

Helping organizations navigate complexity with clarity and trust.

What Sets Maria Givens Consulting Apart

Organizations rarely reach out because they need a facilitator, a strategist, or a communications consultant.

They reach out because they're facing

an important moment.

Perhaps your leadership team needs alignment around what's next. A board is preparing to make significant decisions. A coalition is coming together around a shared vision. Or your organization is doing meaningful work, but you're struggling to communicate its impact in a way that resonates.

These moments require more than technical expertise. They require thoughtful guidance, careful listening, and someone who can help people move forward together.

Drawing on experience in Tribal governments, national nonprofits, philanthropy, public policy, and strategic communications, I help organizations navigate complexity in ways that build trust, create clarity, and lead to lasting action.

You might be here because...

01

Your leadership team needs alignment around a critical decision.

02

You're planning a retreat, strategic planning process, or important convening.

03

You're bringing together partners from different organizations, communities, or sectors.

04

You're doing important work but struggling to communicate its impact.

01

Facilitation & Convening

Complex conversations deserve thoughtful facilitation.

I design and facilitate retreats, strategic planning sessions, board meetings, leadership gatherings, coalition convenings, and workshops that help groups move beyond discussion toward meaningful decisions and action.

My role isn't to provide all the answers. It's to create the conditions where people can listen deeply, think clearly, and discover the path forward together.

Examples include:

Strategic planning

Executive and leadership retreats

Board and Tribal Council retreats

Coalition and partnership convenings

Visioning workshops

Meeting design and facilitation

Consensus-building conversations

02

Strategic Advising

Sometimes organizations don't need another report.

They need a trusted thought partner.

Common engagements include:

  • Executive advising

  • Organizational planning

  • Partnership strategy

  • Communications planning

  • Leadership consultation

I work alongside leaders as they navigate growth, organizational change, partnership development, and complex decisions. Together, we clarify priorities, identify opportunities, and develop practical strategies grounded in each organization's unique context. Whether we're preparing for a major initiative or navigating uncertainty, my goal is to help leaders move forward with confidence.

Storytelling & Communications

Important work deserves to be understood.

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Services Include:

  • Strategic communications

  • Narrative development

  • Photography

  • Documentary video

  • Written storytelling

  • Impact stories

  • Communications advising

Whether through writing, photography, film, or strategic communications, I help organizations tell authentic stories that build understanding, strengthen relationships, and communicate impact.

My approach is rooted in listening first. The strongest stories aren't manufactured—they're already there, waiting to be uncovered and shared with care.

Listening & Engagement

Good decisions begin with understanding people.

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Common engagements include:

  • Stakeholder interviews

  • Leadership conversations

  • Community engagement

  • Partner listening sessions

  • Focus groups

  • Strategic summaries and recommendations

I design and facilitate listening processes that help organizations hear from staff, partners, communities, and stakeholders in meaningful ways. More importantly, I help identify the themes, opportunities, and next steps that emerge from those conversations.

This isn't research for research's sake. It's listening with purpose—creating space for people to be heard and helping organizations turn those conversations into action.

My Approach

Every engagement is different, but my approach remains consistent.

I listen before I advise.

I build trust before seeking solutions.

I believe organizations usually have the answers they need—they simply need the right environment, thoughtful questions, and a trusted guide to help bring those answers into focus.

My work is collaborative, practical, and grounded in relationships. The goal is never to leave you with a report on the shelf. It's to help your organization move forward with greater clarity, stronger alignment, and renewed confidence.

  • "Maria is an exceptional listener with a rare ability to create spaces thoughtfully tailored to the unique dynamics, needs, and goals of the group."

    — Nicole Stiffarm, Canopy & Ember

  • "Her guidance helped us move through complex conversations with clarity and confidence."

    — Canopy & Ember

  • "Maria brings a rare combination of deep listening, cultural insight, and strategic thinking to every project."

    — Starlyn Miller, The Wilderness Society

  • "Her facilitation fostered meaningful dialogue, encouraged participation from everyone in the room, and elevated the quality of our conversations."

    — Nicole Stiffarm, Canopy & Ember

  • "She takes the time to truly understand her clients' needs and consistently delivers work that exceeds expectations."

    — Starlyn Miller, The Wilderness Society

Let’s Talk

If your organization is navigating an important moment, I'd love to learn more about your goals and explore how we might work together.

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