Hello! I am Monica Armendariz, the Founder and Principal Consultant at Monica Armendariz Consulting (MAC). I have over 15 years of experience working inside of and with social impact organizations with a focus on the education sector.
Most of my work focuses on organizational development and values based leadership and program design.
I'm based in Asheville, NC since 2023 but have deep roots with many clients in Texas (which is where I'm from) and enjoy working with clients all over the states who are open to virtual and hybrid working relationships.
I have worn just about every hat imaginable ranging from instructor to program coordinator to project director (and all the extra hats in between!) and worked with many different teams and communities, which has helped me develop an attunement to inviting and honoring diverse lived experience, perspectives and ideas.
Also, I have launched, pivoted, closed ...and re-launched....offices and programs over the course of my career and have a keen awareness of the critical nature of transition and change management at the organizational and individual level.
I am a certified Project Management Development Professional and a White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellow alumnus. I have a B.A. in English Literature from St. Edward’s University.
I often partner with other consultants on my projects to bring in diverse perspectives, expertise and lived experiences.
Feel free to read more about my professional background and connect with me on LinkedIn.
I have an awesome pit mix dog named Lola, with which I spend a lot of quality time. I'm an avid reader, podcast listener and karaoke enthusiast. I enjoy engaging in community activiites and events- right now I currently perform improv through Misfit Improv and play percussion in Brass Your Heart, a social justice marching band.
VALUES, BELIEFS & APPROACHES
STRENGTHS BASED
I believe that all community members have strengths to offer and I focus on unlocking and leveraging the strengths and assets of teams and the communities.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING (DEIB)
I identify as an anti-racist who highly values DEIB in all aspects of life. I am actively working and co-conspiring with others towards a more equitable, just and inclusive world where everyone can feel a sense of belonging. I hold myself and my work partners accountable to centering and amplifying the voices of those most often impacted by the work we are doing. I focus on asking "who is missing from this conversation? who needs to be at the table and why? who is often left out and what do we need to do about that?". I prioritize the voices and experiences of historically underrepresented and undervalued groups such as BIPOC, LGBTQIA, people with disabilities, girls/women, low socio-economic families, immigrants, refugees and youth.
As a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism, I contribute at least 3% of of my earnings towards investments in social and racial justice organizations led by BIPOC and LGBTQIA people. Some examples of organizations include: NAACP, First Nations Development Institute, Creative Reaction Lab, OutYouth, Latinitas, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Human Rights Campaign. I will often work with clients to make donations to organizations of their choosing.
COLLABORATIVE
I believe in collaborative approaches that allow for divergent thinking, co-creation, ongoing feedback and accountability. I feel strongly that we need to find meaningful, productive ways to work together to have greater social and systemic impact.
CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE
I believe that integrating creative processes and methods brings important inspiration, motivation and joy to people's lives. We find that participants generate the best ideas when they are involved in activities that spark openness and imaginative solutions.
ADAPTIVE
The world changes and evolves continuously. I believe approaches should as well. I encourage and model growth mindsets, adaptive leadership and continuous improvement.
PERSONAL & RELATIONAL
I affirm everyone's humanity in professional settings by creating space to share and connect around our feelings, thoughts, beliefs and lived experiences in order to help others feel like they can show up as their most authentic selves, with as much safety and support as possible.
APPROACHES & FRAMEWORKS
MAC uses the following types of approaches and frameworks which aligned to the values and beliefs above:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging approaches such as:
Interested in getting advice from an experienced and professional Educational Consultant? Call me today and see what I can do for you.