Gardian of the Month: Denise Evans

Our Gardian of the Month is Denise Evans, CEO for Consult Me, LLC. 

Learn: What's your favorite part about learning something new?

My favorite part about learning new things, honestly, is to share that learning and aha moment with others almost immediately.  I have found that if I learn something new and share it soon afterwards with others, it reinforces my learning and helps me to retain it and learn to use the term, theory, or philosophy in its appropriate context.

Network: Tell us about one of your favorite personal or professional networks.  What makes it special?

Wow.  What a good question.  Since the 1990’s I enjoyed leading women’s book clubs, Bible studies, and fellowships - where we would share food, best practices, learn together, encourage and pray for one another.  I find that I LOVE groups that are multi-directional - that include an element of learning and sharing something that you have learned to help others.  So my favorite groups right now are professionally - the Facilitator’s Guild in Lansing, MI where we share best practices from our years of facilitation and glean from the expertise of other well respected facilitators.  My soul care group is by far, hands down, SoulfulMOTION - a faith-based workout community that takes the time to work towards a life of balance and regulation through a combination low-medium-high impact cardio workout that includes strength training, inspirational music, dance and plyometrics.  We begin each workout with roses and thorns - something that we are grateful for and something we are asking others to pray with/for us about.  We do like together - for real!  Love both groups dearly and couldn’t imagine where I would be - especially during our current pandemics of both COVID 19 and the racial and political unrest.

Transfer: Mentorship - How do you think mentorship aids in knowledge transfer? 

Mentorship - I believe you can see my passion for mentorship in the first two questions.  I believe that it is important to always have others that you are pouring your expertise and knowledge into in order to continue the work.  I believe that some form of mentoring AND mentorship is a hallmark of any leader worth their salt.

What is a resource you can’t live without?

Sincerely, for me it is the B-I-B-L-E.  Everything that I do I try or try to do is connected to how I see and interpret the role of my beliefs.  As a Christian, one who has a relationship with Jesus Christ, my interpretation of our sacred text (the Holy Bible) dictates that we live in community with all of creation. As such, my goal across my work and life is the ministry of reconciliation (human to human, human to society, humanity to God, and the disruption of systems of oppression).  

Just for Fun: What's your spirit animal and why?

Ha!  I love this one.  Anyone that knows me would be able to answer this one.  My “spirit animal” is Snoopy, the Peanuts character.  I have a Snoopy stuffed animal in EVERY room in my home. Annually I complete a minimum 550 piece Snoopy puzzled and frame it and hang it.  In my youth my maternal grandmother Ruth Holifield (deceased) introduced me to him as a way to deal with my parents divorce and the hurt feelings that children experience as the adults try to work through the animus dissolution of a marital relationship brings.  Momma told/showed me that when Snoopy was around adults who were talking; fussing, or reprimanding others, their words were intelligible to him.  He could see them, but all he heard was “whomp-wha, whomp-wha”.  It was a way to escape the environment and things that he/I had no control over yet still remain his/my happy healthy self.  Snoopy would be sad at times, cry at times, but he was always able to endure.  He had a great imagination, was happy and would play and DANCE by himself and with others.  Snoopy was a loving companion for Woodstock, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Franklin, Lioness and the rest of the crew.  So I pay homage to him and how he has helped me to thrive throughout all of the ups and downs that life has brought my way.  This past week, I adopted a black Goldendoodle Mini - 8 week old, and you guessed it, I named him Snoopy.  I had not thought of his name initially but my son Brian and ALL three of my grandchildren, Brianna (16), Jesse (12), and Brian III (5) immediately seemed to know that his name should be Snoopy.  The moment I saw him, I knew it too. 

 

To learn more about Denise, you can read her brief bio here. You can also contact Denise here.