Open Leaf Consulting
MAKING MORE ROOM AT THE TABLE
Open Leaf Consulting works with organizations to build inclusive spaces and practices that support the voices of varied lived experiences. These practices foster an ecosystem that shares accountability with its members and seeks to insure an equitable mindset that promotes full participation of its stakeholders. Open Leaf Consulting believes the well-being of the community is a shared responsibility. Taking individual and collective ownership keeps us accountable to one another.
Woman and minority owned.
our mission
DEI consulting services
DEI consulting services
Our workshops, trainings, and facilitated discussions can help your organization consider how to strengthen its ability to have productive conversations around issues of inclusivity and equity. The goal is to build a workforce that is diverse in its lived experience, skill set and level of contribution. The outcome supports employee engagement, inclusive client messaging and mission driven practices. Open Leaf Consulting believes the well-being of the community is a shared responsibility.
introduction to DEI
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Organizations looking to reflect and serve a global community better must consider how their practices incorporate DEI. Let Open Leaf Consulting get you started by defining the terms, how they can be implemented in your organization and ways to progress along the Cultural Continuum.
school engagement
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Classroom diversity is changing faster than the diversity of curriculum or school personnel. As a result, teachers are unsure how best to engage their students and marginalized students rarely see themselves reflected in their learning. Let Open Leaf Consulting help you examine the culture of your school, address misinformed narratives, and create practices to support the successful outcomes, both personal and academic, of all students.
building unity
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As a faith based organization, your work is centered on foundational beliefs. Sometimes, however, recognizing the cultural practices of your members are overlooked. Let Open Leaf Consulting help you build unity within your community.
team building
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Difficult conversations often feel impossible to navigate. Each person has a different perspective of the landscape. Working to invite all voices provides an opportunity for growth along with expected levels of discomfort. Let Open Leaf Consulting build a road map for these conversations that support personal and professional accountability.
Open Leaf Consulting is an Express for Training Provider for Commonwealth Corporation - Workforce Training Fund Program in the state of Massachusetts.
The Express Program provides employers fast, simple access to grant-funded training to help businesses in Massachusetts respond to emerging needs.
You can learn more about their express program and if your business is eligible at Commonwealth of Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program.
These courses can also be offered as a standalone program that can be tailored to your organization's needs.
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This course is an opportunity for a facilitated discussion about what is necessary to be ready for a change in the demographics of an organization. What mindset currently exists about the anticipated change? Are there perceptions of the change that are creating fear or anxiety? How can the change be communicated transparently and with supportive methods? What regular activities can help stakeholders incorporate change?
Participants will develop strategies and scenarios to support both current and new stakeholders. Throughout this course, we will consider demographic perspectives toward change. Additionally, we will plan new habits that can increase our ability to welcome change.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program Course ID #C-8943
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This course introduces participants to the foundational concepts of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; isolating the acronym DEI into meaningful components. Participants will work in small and whole groups to establish definitions that will guide their organization. Additionally, we will examine how these definitions are present, aspirational, or absent within their daily work. Conversations about this topic are intended to normalize the ability to have open discussions that promote a sense of belonging.
This course is beneficial at all levels of an organization and particularly for those in supervisory or management positions. In organizations where staff demographics are homogeneous, diversity is minimal, or markedly different from those the organization serves, this course is valuable to build cultural awareness and welcome varied perspectives.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program Course ID #C-8942
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In order to broaden our perspectives and build more inclusive spaces, it’s helpful to consider whose voices have informed our perspective. Our perspective presents itself in various ways: who we invite into our networks, who we consider for hire or promotion, who we trust for our health or wellbeing. Using a DEI Lens is a workshop that allows participants to self-reflect, invites diverse perspectives, and shapes how we can intentionally assess our efforts toward equitable and inclusive practices. These more intentional practices give us the opportunity to broaden our outlook on those around us. This builds a skillset that helps participants evaluate their interactions with others and make decisions that value diverse representation..
This course is beneficial for organizations who desire to be intentional about how their processes and practices acknowledge and include a diverse population.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program Course ID #C-8946
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This course looks at the messaging that contributes to Unconscious Bias and how Unconscious Bias impacts our daily interactions with an organization's internal and external stakeholders. These interactions can be counter to an organization’s mission of diversity and inclusion. It can interfere with hiring talent or restricting professional development opportunities for current staff. Often our biased mindset results in microaggressions that are not aligned with our personal vision of ourselves. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their personal insights and hear from diverse voices whose experiences are often overlooked.
This course is beneficial for organizations who have varied cultural backgrounds and are working on strengthening their communication with one another. It is also for organizations who are (or appear to be) homogeneous and are looking to improve their collective ability to increase and value diverse perspectives.Commonwealth of Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program Course ID #C-8945
DESE Professional Development Provider
Angele Goss is a Professional Development Provider for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Her professional development efforts focus on supporting the academic language needs of multilingual learners.Angele works with teachers to help them separate key academic vocabulary that provide meaningful connections within content areas. Additionally, she will work with teachers to incorporate task verbs that allow students to complete activities appropriately. Teachers will leave with SEI strategies to support their instructional practices and the academic success of their Multilingual learners.
Interested in arranging a workshop for your school?
Click the "Ready to Work Together" link to get started!
When to take the next step in your DEI journey…
Is your organization…?
Ready to commit to change?
Prepared to create a cohort of learners who have begun related, internal discussions?
Willing to include staff representation in decision making?
Committed to a series of trainings to develop mindset, examine and evaluate implementation, and collect data that informs next steps?
Ready to provide opportunities for equitable decision making and shared leadership?
Is your school…?
Staff and leadership willing to examine bias in themselves, their curriculum and practices?
Leadership able to demonstrate and support accountability for change?
Leadership willing to share authority and responsibility for change towards opportunities for equitable outcomes for all students?
Able to devote time to this process?
Prepared to invite a diverse representation of stakeholders to these discussions?
Ready to support each other through change?
Is your faith based organization…?
Looking to build community with diverse populations?
Ready to have conversations with your staff and stakeholders that support unity and truly recognize the cultures represented?
Willing to hold conversations with the community to build inclusive practices?
Prepared to recognize the cultural, lived experiences of those around you and how they can participate in a shared vision of community?
Is your community organization…?
Looking to examine your employee demographics in relation to the clients you serve?
Seeking to consider how to engage with diverse populations?
Willing to hold conversations with the community to build inclusive practices?
Committed to dedicating time and resources to train your stakeholders about the value of DEI?
Ready to examine biases that hinder the mission of your work and develop practices that implement inclusive and equitable opportunities?
How to get started:
When you’re ready to move forward, we collect some basic information on your organization’s needs, priorities and previous efforts. We will then schedule a complimentary consultation, during which we identify next steps and the workshops that will best serve your organization.
is your organization ready?
What participants are saying
“Angele gave an inspiring and informative training session to all UWNCM staff in which she introduced foundational concepts of DEI and led participants through discussions on how DEI impacts personal and workplace experiences.”
— United Way North Central Massachusetts
“Her work demands an intentional respect for the varied cultures of each person she meets. Angele’s success in her work is due, in large part, to meeting students, school staff and workshop participants where they are and constructing pathways that identify common ground that supports personal and community success.”
— Fitchburg State University
“Angele is an expert consultant and trainer on diversity, equity, and inclusion work. She is a passionate and sensitive presenter on cultural competency and engagement for many community organizations.”
— United Way Youth Venture
about us
Angele Goss, M.Ed., is an educator, facilitator and consultant who has spent more than 20 years working with diverse populations to support their growth and development of community. She believes strongly that when we care for and about one another, we all have a better chance of thriving. Caring about others can be done even when we do not agree or hold the same values. It's about finding a connection that reminds us of our shared humanity.
Angele meets participants where they are, building collective common language, and providing opportunities for self-reflection and small group engagement. As a result, participants see the responsibility and value of sharing this work and holding one another accountable to its success.
Open Leaf Consulting facilitates difficult conversations and professional development around race, equity, inclusion, and cultural self-reflection. Our work is based on the mindset that the well-being of the community is a shared responsibility.