Apr 29, 2024
What does it look like to enhance communities through art,
partnership, and general change-making? Well, we can’t think of
anyone better than Maggie Strong to talk to about it. Maggie loves
to work with communities to spur the change they know they need,
and do so in a way that makes communities better and more beautiful
for all.
About Maggie:
Maggie Strong is a community builder. She founded Strong Consulting
in 2016 to help organizations and communities think creatively and
act strategically. A former economic development vice president and
marketing executive, Maggie has 20 years of experience in strategic
planning, communications, and public engagement. She gets excited
about people and data and how combining the two can empower and
position communities to achieve real change with lasting impact.
Maggie works with civic and nonprofit clients to research, develop,
facilitate, and implement strategic plans, assessments, and
communication plans. She coaches community leaders, nonprofit
executives, and their governing boards on how to be more effective
and impactful. Maggie brings authenticity, humor, and urgency to
her work and a deep respect for all people.
Maggie holds a bachelor's degree in arts management and a master's
degree in business administration, both from Quincy University. She
is an expert facilitator, trained in the McNellis Compression
Planning® methodology, and is certified in Nonprofit Board
Consulting through BoardSource. She is a lifelong learner, pursuing
her certification as an AI Consultant for Nonprofits. She has
served on several nonprofit boards primarily for organizations with
missions focused on young people and the arts. Maggie and her
husband, Aaron, spend their time raising their kind and courageous
kids, Alex, Charlie, and Cecilia, and renovating their beloved
100-year-old bungalow in their hometown of Quincy, Illinois.
In this episode, we
cover:
-
Why art is so valuable for small towns
-
How to embrace the subjective nature of art
(and
other things) for small-town development
-
What it means to
“Be
the Change” in small towns
-
Why we don’t have to personally love something in order to
recognize its value
-
The power of partnership
Links and Resources Mentioned: