Connecting Forward partners with mission-driven leaders, executives, and organizations to navigate complexity, align strategy, and lead with clarity, courage, connection, and credibility.
From Classroom Educator to Empire Builder
Leadership Was Never Meant to Cost You Your Clarity.
Connecting Forward helps leaders move with intention instead of survival mode.
A Strategist, Systems Thinker, and Leadership Partner
I am a strategist, equity architect, and systems leader with more than two decades of experience transforming public education, workforce development, and organizational leadership. My training at Harvard University (Ed.L.D.) and Columbia University (LCSW) shapes the way I approach complex challenges — with analytical rigor, human‑centered insight, and a deep commitment to equity.
Today, as the Founder and CEO of Connecting Forward LLC, I partner with superintendents, nonprofit CEOs, boards, and workforce coalitions navigating misalignment, complexity, and high‑stakes decision‑making. I specialize in continuous improvement, governance alignment, leadership development, and equity‑centered innovation — helping organizations move with clarity, discipline, and measurable impact.
My leadership extends nationally through my roles in workforce development, including serving as Head of Workforce Development at BlocPower and founding the Climate and Community Laboratory, where I build climate‑equity career pathways for historically excluded communities. My work has been recognized by Harvard, featured at national conferences, and trusted by leaders responsible for some of the most challenging systems in the country.
My professional accomplishments are only part of the story. My leadership is shaped by my faith, my lived experience, and a lifelong understanding of what it means to navigate spaces where I didn’t always fit. Those early experiences sharpened my empathy, strengthened my resolve, and continue to ground the way I lead, coach, and build.
“No connection, no curiosity, no courage, no change.”
— Dr. Charisse Taylor, Ed.L.D., LCSW
MY TIMELINE
Where I’ve Been and Who I’m
I help leaders, boards, and mission‑driven organizations navigate complexity with clarity, courage, and strategy.
My work began in schools and community spaces, but today it also lives on national stages. I speak to education systems, nonprofits, government agencies, workforce coalitions, and companies committed to equity, leadership, and organizational transformation. Whether it’s a keynote, fireside chat, or facilitated learning experience, I bring a blend of research, systems expertise, and lived experience that moves audiences toward meaningful action.
I regularly speak on:
Equity‑centered leadership and systems change
Governance alignment and board–executive partnership
Workforce development and climate‑equity pathways
Leading through complexity, transition, and high‑stakes decision‑making
Community‑driven strategy and continuous improvement
If you’re planning an event and want your audience to leave with clarity, conviction, and a path forward, I’d love to explore how we can partner.
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