Strategy Is Personal to Me.
I have spent more than two decades working inside the kinds of organizations I now have the privilege of advising.
I have led programs. Built organizations. Managed teams. Worked alongside boards. Developed community initiatives. Navigated government and civic spaces. Raised resources. Built partnerships. Made difficult decisions. Managed change. And experienced firsthand what happens when meaningful work grows faster than the systems designed to support it.
That experience is at the heart of S. Michelle Consulting Agency.
I do not approach organizations as an outsider simply looking for what is wrong.
I enter with curiosity, perspective, and respect for what has already been built — while also being willing to ask the questions that help leaders see what may need to change.
Because sometimes the next level of impact requires a new strategy.
Sometimes it requires stronger structure.
And sometimes it requires the courage to acknowledge that what worked before may not be what the organization needs next.
Sharyse M. Porter: Founder + Principal Strategic Advisor
My career began in youth and community development and has grown across nonprofit executive leadership, organizational strategy, civic engagement, government, board leadership, program development, training, and consulting.
I have worked from the frontline to the executive level — and that range continues to shape how I advise organizations today.
I understand what strategy looks like on paper.
More importantly, I understand what happens when real people have to carry that strategy out.
That distinction matters.
It allows me to
look at an organization from multiple angles: leadership, governance, people, programs, systems, culture, operations, and impact.
And because no organization exists in a vacuum, I also pay attention to the communities being served, the environment surrounding the work, and what leaders are actually carrying behind the scenes.
I Know What It Means to Build Something.
Before becoming a strategic advisor, I spent years building and leading mission-driven work myself.
That has included founding and leading community-based initiatives, developing youth programs, managing teams and partnerships, serving in government and civic spaces, working with educational institutions, supporting boards, and helping organizations translate vision into something people can actually implement.
I know the excitement of growth. I also know the pressure that comes with it.
I know what it feels like when the mission is clear but the infrastructure is not.
When the people care deeply but need stronger systems.
When leadership has a vision but needs space to think.
When an organization has reached the point where continuing to operate the same way is no longer sustainable.
Those experiences are why my work is never simply theoretical.
I understand the responsibility attached to the recommendations I make.
How I Approach the Work
I listen before I prescribe.
Every organization has history, context, people, culture, strengths, and challenges that cannot be understood from a template.
The first responsibility is to understand the environment.
I ask the questions that move the conversation.
Sometimes leaders already know something is not working — they simply have not had the space, language, or structure to fully address it.
My role is not to create noise. It is to help create clarity.
I connect strategy to execution.
A beautiful plan means very little if no one knows who is responsible for carrying it forward.
Strategy has to connect to people, systems, timelines, decisions, and accountability.
I am willing to challenge the room.
Thoughtful advising should affirm what is working and be honest about what is not.
That may mean challenging assumptions, naming gaps, or helping leaders make decisions they have been postponing.
Always respectfully. Always with the mission in mind.
I build with people — not around them.
The strongest strategies are not dropped onto organizations.
They are developed with an understanding of the people who will ultimately lead, implement, and sustain the work.
What Guides Me
Purpose.
The work should remain connected to why the organization exists in the first place.
Excellence.
Good intentions are important. They are not a substitute for strong leadership, thoughtful planning, accountability, and quality execution.
Impact.
The goal is not activity for activity's sake. The goal is meaningful progress that can be seen, experienced, and sustained.
These values have shaped my work long before S. Michelle Consulting Agency existed.
They continue to guide how I serve today.
More Than a Consultant
I often describe myself as a strategic thought partner because that is much closer to how I work.
There are engagements where I facilitate.
Others where I advise.
Sometimes I am helping a leader make sense of a complex decision. Sometimes I am helping a board become more effective. Sometimes an organization needs to rethink its structure, strengthen a program, clarify responsibilities, or prepare for its next stage.
The assignment may change.
My role remains consistent:
See the whole picture. Ask the right questions. Bring structure to complexity. And help move the work forward.
The Work Continues.
S. Michelle Consulting Agency works with nonprofits, foundations, educational institutions, municipalities, community-based organizations, boards, and mission-driven leaders who are serious about strengthening the work behind their mission.
If your organization is growing, changing, rebuilding, planning, or simply ready to operate with greater clarity and intention, there may be an opportunity for us to work together.