Areas of Expertise

• Overall Organizational Strategy
• Strategic Planning
• Facilitation
• Nonprofit Governance
• Collaboration Studies
• Consolidations & Mergers
• Retreats
• Project Management

More about Judy

After spending 15 years devoting my talents as an employee to building businesses and nonprofit organizations, I decided it was time to use my talents to build my own business. In 1992, I took a big gulp and an enormous leap of faith and launched Whalen & Associates, Inc. Today W&A has grown. It launched  The Center for Strategic Change, LLC. It also launched StrengthenTheHarmony.com and ShopliftingIsStealing.com

Looking back 18 years later, I am astounded. Looking forward, I am energized.

Over the course of my career, I've had the good fortune of working with boards of directors in both the nonprofit and the private sector as an executive director, lobbyist, staff member, board member, board chair, treasurer, executive committee member, volunteer, trainer and consultant. My experience includes organizational management, marketing, communications, public relations and government relations.

My expertise is focused on the overall organizational STRATEGY. This includes working with clients in the areas of strategic thinking, strategy development, strategic planning, implementation oversight of the strategic plan, and outcome measurement.

A sampling of projects I've conducted include:

• Been the strategic thinking and strategic planning advisor to a regional health care system for over 10 years.  During that time the system has grown from a start-up to a solid player in the marketplace serving a seven-county area.  The system has gained financial stability, diversified its medical services, built a knowledgeable board of directors, expanded facilities and increased its market share - all while addressing the underserved needs of the communities it serves.

• Facilitated a strategic planning and market research project for an international trade association which included surveys of members and nonmembers, focus groups of members,intercept interviews during the annual trade show, Industry Studies, Mini-Summit facilitation, strategic planning, board of directors reports, and annual meeting presentation.

• Conducted an Economic Development Planning project for a municipality. This included focus groups of major business segments, working with the Mayor, City Administrator and Chamber of Commerce Director, designing the process and coordinating the activities of the Project Management Team, conducting a survey of business owners,coordinating activity with the regional Small Business Development Center, facilitating a Economic Development Summit of 100+ business owners and invited dignataries, securing a keynote speaker, coordinating the activity of the Task Forces as they developed key components of the Economic Development Plan, reporting to the City's Economic Development Committee, drafting the Economic Development Plan.

• Conducted a study for five aligned agencies to explore the feasibility of collaboration and consolidation of certain services. Then guided four of the agencies through a merger.

• Managed a training grant project totaling $1.25 million and encompassing 90 manufacturing companies for 10 years for a manufacturing association.

• Wrote the script and coordinated the production of the video for an international organization to promote a program that reduces crime.

• Coached management staff through a succession plan for a national engineering firm.

• Facilitated a strategic planning project for a small, totally volunteer service organization that was in danger of losing its funding support unless it became more effective.

• Facilitated a "designing our future" session for an international trade association.

• Facilitated strategic planning sessions for health care organizations to embrace a merger, integrate boards and clarify the new affiliations.

• Conducted Board of Directors training sessions to increase their awareness of governance issues and improve their ability to work together as a cohesive unit.

• Wrote monthly newsletters for manufacturing companies and coordinated the design and printing process.

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