Solutions start with the people closest to the issues.

Advancing Communities for Equity helps social impact organizations, systems, and philanthropy learn deeply from the families and communities they serve, and turn what they hear into strategies that last.

Our approach

Every engagement starts by listening. We seek out the voices and engagement of families, educators, and community leaders closest to an issue to work towards decisions. The result is a strategy that communities recognize as their own, and that lasts beyond our time together.

Community voice first. We begin with the people closest to the issue through trusted messengers, listening sessions in the languages families speak, and shared decision-making.
Equity as a value. Equity is the lens for everything we do, shaping our priorities and how we address systemic barriers.
Evidence that grounds action. Data, research, and policy analysis turn what we hear into a plan partners can act on.

Tackling Challenging Problems

We design and lead conversations that move communities, partners, and system leaders to shared decisions, from bilingual family listening sessions to a global convening of child care leaders.

Thought Partnership and ADVISING

We work alongside organizations to understand their landscape, apply systems thinking, and plan for improvement through research, evaluation, and coaching.

Quality Improvement

We step in as interim or fractional leaders to steady organizations through transition, align staff and board, and prepare them for what’s next.

Testimonials

"A huge thanks to Emmy for excellent planning and facilitation of this meeting. It was a joy to be with this group and to benefit from such thoughtful preparation, presentations, cross border discussions and hope…"

— Dr. Joan Lombardi, Principal Adviser, Stanford Center for Early Childhood

"ACE Consulting has been instrumental in our work to increase equitable access to early care and education in Jefferson Parish. ACE helped us analyze local data, conduct listening and strategic planning sessions and develop a needs-based approach to better understand and support Hispanic and Latino families' participation in the early learning sector."

— Dr. Sarintha Stricklin, Executive Director, Jefferson

"ACE Consulting helped Tulane review and establish a baseline through assessment and evaluation on how to continually advance and improve our childcare program at Newcomb Childcare Center. Emmy and her team were thoughtful, responsive partners throughout which made all the difference in navigating the complexities of the current environment."

— Brian Johnson, Ed.D., Tulane University

"Working with ACE Consulting has helped our evaluation team become more intentional about how we employ culturally responsive evaluation practices. We have been pushed to consider how we prioritize and embed stakeholders' voice, expertise, and cultural traditions in all phases of evaluation. This process has helped our evaluation team honor the needs of the populations we serve and consider how we are designing activities accessible to stakeholders from all backgrounds. Emmy has helped us grow personally and professionally, which in turn has yielded improved evaluations for our partners."

— Dr. Kiel McQueen, Basis Policy Research