Strategic planning and special event strategy for businesses and nonprofits.
Purpose. Strategy. Impact.
Every organization has a story, a purpose, and a vision for what comes next. Awenasa Consulting helps turn that vision into a clear strategy - and that strategy into meaningful action.
Whether you’re defining your organization’s next chapter, bringing leaders together around a shared vision, or creating an event designed to do more than fill a room, we help you approach the work with intention, clarity, and purpose.
Through thoughtful strategic planning and purposeful event strategy, we help organizations clarify what matters, engage the people who matter most, and create experiences that move their mission forward.
About Awenasa (ah-weh-NAH-sah)
Strategy is personal.
The most meaningful work isn’t just about plans, goals, or events.
It’s about people.
It’s about understanding what matters, finding common ground, creating clarity when things feel complicated, and helping good organizations move forward with confidence.
That’s the philosophy behind Awenasa Consulting.
Awenasa is more than a name. It represents a belief in the connection between purpose, place, people, and possibility.
“For me, Awenasa is a reference to Cherokee ancestry, a sacred connection to the land, and a sense of belonging. The word literally means ‘home’ or ‘my home.’ These ideas are at the heart of how I approach consulting.
The strongest strategies are grounded in who you are and what you value. The most meaningful events create a genuine sense of connection and belonging. And the best outcomes happen when people feel like they have a meaningful role in creating them.
Awenasa Consulting exists to help organizations find that connection - and turn it into action.” - Michal Shaw
Michal Shaw, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer
For more than 20 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside businesses, nonprofits, boards, leaders, donors, volunteers, and communities to turn ideas into action.
My career has given me a front-row seat to what makes organizations successful - and what can keep them from reaching their full potential.
I’ve led strategic planning processes. Facilitated board and leadership conversations. Developed fundraising strategies. Built relationship with donors and community partners. Created and evaluated events. And, perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned how to bring people together around something bigger than themselves.
That experience shaped the way I consult today.
I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions.
I believe in listening first. Asking thoughtful questions. Understanding the organization behind the challenge. And then building a strategy that is realistic, actionable, and designed to move the organization forward.
What Our Clients Say
“Michal was a tremendous asset to the Stillwater History Museum during our strategic planning process. As President of the Board of Trustees, I appreciated her insight, her ability to work effectively with nonprofit organizations, and her exceptional listening skills. She created an environment where board members felt heard while keeping us focused on our long-term goals. The mission statement and strategic plan she helped us develop continue to be valuable tools that guide our decisions and strengthen our work as an organization.”
— Former Client
Strategy that moves you forward.
Strategic Planning
Good strategy isn’t about creating a document that sits on a shelf.
It’s about asking the right questions, getting the right people around the table, identifying what matters most, and creating a practical path forward.
It’s clarity for where you’re going, and confidence in how you’ll get there.
Awenasa works alongside businesses and nonprofits to develop strategies that are thoughtful, actionable, and built to create lasting impact. From comprehensive strategic plans to leadership retreats and facilitated conversations, Awenasa helps organizations define priorities, align people, and turn big-picture vision into an actional roadmap.
Special Event Strategy
Don’t just host an event. Create an experience with a purpose.
The best events don’t happen by accident. They’re designed around a goal, an audience, and a reason to gather.
At Awenasa, we believe the best work happens when strategy and humanity meet. We bring a collaborative approach to every engagement, combining big-picture thinking with practical execution. We listen first. We ask questions. We challenge assumptions when necessary. And we work alongside our clients to create solutions that fit their organization - not someone else’s playbook.
Because your organization is unique. You strategy should be, too.
Awenasa helps organizations develop event strategies that connect the experience to the bigger picture - from concept and guest experience to sponsorship, fundraising, programming, and evaluation.
Why Awenasa?
Because good ideas deserve a strategy.
Experience matters. But so does perspective.
Awenasa brings experience in strategic planning, nonprofit leadership, fundraising, board development, organizational engagement, and event strategy to every client relationship.
The result is consulting that is strategic without being complicated, creative without losing sight of the goal, and personal without sacrificing professionalism.
Purpose drives the work. Strategy gives it direction. Impact is the measure of success.
The Awenasa Approach
Listen.
Before developing a strategy, we need to understand the story behind the challenge. What is working? What’s not? What has changed? And what does success really look like?
Clarify.
Great organizations can still struggle with competing priorities, competing perspectives, and too many good ideas. We help identify what matters most.
Strategize.
Once there’s clarity, we create a practical strategy designed around your organization’s unique goals, people, resources, and opportunities.
Engage.
The best strategies aren’t created in isolation. We bring the right people into the process, creating ownership and alignment along the way.
Act.
A strategy only has value if it leads to action. We help turn plans and ideas into meaningful next steps and keep the momentum going.
Ready to move forward?
Maybe you’re staring at a blank page and wondering where to being.
Maybe your organization has outgrown its current plan.
Maybe your board needs to get aligned.
Or maybe you know your next event needs to be more than just another event.
Whatever comes next, let’s start with a conversation.
Let’s create something meaningful.
Let's Create Something Meaningful
If your organization is ready to think differently, plan intentionally, or create something with greater purpose, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.